Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:50:42.080><c> and</c> programs over there had to stop and and programs over there had to stop
• Um, and uh likewise, u, uh, the implications on the sports programs and band and so on.
• Um, and uh likewise, u, uh, the implications on the sports programs and band and so on.
• Um, and uh likewise, u, uh, the implications on the sports programs and band and so on.
• c> and</c><03:53:53.439><c> so</c> are requiring early uh reporting and so are requiring early uh reporting

Committee: House Education Funding

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the question, Senator, and for your ongoing support of the program and of DTA.
• pilot program, as this evidence-based intervention will improve child and caregiver health, support
• My name is Jenny Corr, and I'm the program director for the United Way of the Franklin and Hampshire
• We partner with 14 local pantries, early development programs, and health centers, supplying them with
• of farmers and outlets that participate in the HIP program.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House Committee on Children and Families held a hybrid hearing on a broad set of anti-hunger, family support, and basic-needs bills. Early testimony focused on SNAP and DTA operations: Rep. DeRosa and others urged passage of H. 196/S. 167 to require DTA to identify staffing, technology, funding, and operational needs to improve timeliness and customer service, warning that unanswered calls, delayed recertifications, and federal changes could sharply raise state costs through higher SNAP administrative burdens and payment-error penalties. Speakers from Massachusetts Law Reform Institute and Project Bread said DTA is under-resourced, caseloads have grown, and families are being denied or delayed due to phone and paperwork barriers. Another major SNAP-related bill, H. 254/S. 147, would require the Commonwealth to replace stolen EBT/SNAP benefits; testimony described more than $13 million stolen from about 27,000 households since June 2022 and argued families should not bear losses from organized theft rings. The committee also heard strong support for H. 207/S. 117, which would restore state-funded nutrition assistance for legally present immigrants excluded from federal SNAP under recent federal changes. Advocates from Project Bread, the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, local immigrant services, and public health groups said the federal cuts would leave thousands of residents, including refugees, asylum seekers, trafficking survivors, and children, without food support, and argued Massachusetts has a history of filling this gap. Testimony also supported H. 222/S. 104 to make the Healthy Incentives Program permanent and year-round; supporters said HIP improves nutrition, boosts local farms and regional economies, and had already served more than 212,000 households in FY25. A related child-support bill, H. 201/S. 110, would increase the amount of child support passed through to TAFDC families and expand good-cause exemptions; witnesses said the change would put more money directly in families’ hands, reduce poverty, and better protect survivors of domestic violence and families with complicated co-parenting situations. A large portion of the hearing was devoted to deep-poverty and diaper-related legislation. Supporters of H. 214/S. 118 said cash assistance grants have lost value over time and should be raised annually until they reach half of the federal poverty level; advocates from Children’s HealthWatch, Hopewell, the Lift Our Kids Coalition, and parents described the links between deep poverty, poor child health, family stress, and child welfare involvement. They argued that higher grants would help families meet basic needs, reduce hospitalizations and neglect reports, and provide stability amid federal cuts. Finally, multiple witnesses backed diaper legislation, including H. 220/S. 151 and related bills, to create a diaper benefits pilot and/or diaper allowance commission. Testimony from the National Diaper Bank Network, MassCAP, Children’s HealthWatch, local diaper banks, and parents said diaper need is widespread, affects parental employment and mental health, and can cause health problems for infants; a federally funded pilot in Massachusetts was cited as showing improved employment, financial stability, reduced stress, and fewer diaper rashes. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing; the committee heard testimony and asked questions throughout.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> and will complicate neonatal and and will complicate neonatal and postpartum<00:02:03.000><c> care
• earlier and earlier has lived and earlier and earlier medical<00:19:07.120><c> intervention</c><00:19
• She describes surviving 18 hours in the saline solution and credits her survival to divine intervention
• ><c> the</c> and they cannot get it and that is the and they cannot get it and that is the problem<00
• > other</c><00:49:41.680><c> newborn</c> and intervention that any other newborn and intervention that

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• These are all federal programs: Child Care Development Block Grant, Head Start, Early Head Start, TANF
• We're making it easy and free. So we're not going to utilize that military program.
• programs, there's the Dependent Child Care Assistance Program, and Small Business Child Care Tax Credits
• And the machines, basically on an automated fashion, programming tells us what the recommendation is
• and allow more returns that are completely normal to move forward with no risk and no human intervention

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And they run a tremendous number of programs and have a lot of different divisions.
• and the SDS program.
• I'll work the program, and I will not get a break ever.
• And this SDS program has been unbelievable.
• Bush Faith-Based Initiative program in the early 2000s.

Committee: House Budget

Summary: The committee first heard the State Auditor’s fiscal year 2027 budget request. Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick described rebuilding the office after staffing had fallen to a historic low, explaining that the office has grown from 92.5 to 119 FTE but still needs several years to reach full staffing, especially at the manager level. He said most of the budget is payroll, noted the office’s use of lapsing general revenue while staffing is rebuilt, and outlined requests including core operating funds, a small sports betting audit NDI, and a $290,000 increase to the CPA stipend to address recruitment and retention problems. Members also discussed the auditor’s authority to audit state agencies and subrecipients, the office’s role in performance audits, and the meaning of “E” appropriations and the auditor’s recent general revenue conditions report. The committee then moved to public testimony on House Bill 10, focusing on Department of Health and Senior Services and Department of Mental Health issues. One witness from the American Heart Association supported continued funding for cardiac emergency response planning in schools, citing AEDs, CPR training, and about 480 schools served. Another witness from the Alzheimer’s Association urged rejection of a proposed $1 million reduction to the Missouri caregiver program, arguing it supports families caring for people with dementia and helps avoid more expensive institutional care. Most of the testimony concerned proposed cuts to developmental disability services, especially day habilitation and self-directed supports (SDS). Providers, family members, and workers said the proposed reductions would force service cuts, reduce wages, and threaten community-based care that keeps people at home and out of more costly facilities. They argued the cuts would shift costs to emergency, residential, or institutional settings and asked the committee to preserve current funding levels. Several members asked questions about provider rates, the share of services delivered by private providers, and the cost difference between SDS and institutional care. The hearing ended with the chair apologizing for earlier tension, explaining the schedule, and recessing the committee to return later because of House floor obligations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Line 12 is the ICAP program, the Intervention for College Attendance, and it remains at...
• registration of programs at colleges and universities.
• program that will apply for four-year programs. in fiscal year 26 and 27.
• five schools and more than 450 educational programs.
• And we are expanding and creating new programs to do the same thing that we have been doing and doing

Bills: HF2312

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Keywords: higher education, college finance, student aid, financial aid, state grants, North Star Promise, scholarships, tuition relief, Minnesota State, University of Minnesota, Office of Higher Education, work-study, child care grants, Indian scholarships, tribal colleges, Hunger-Free Campus, student parents, pregnant students, parenting students, sexual misconduct

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:40:02.560><c> we're</c> intervention program, and I think we're intervention program, and I think
• And so we want to make sure that we verify the residency of the people in the program.
• Um and then the other part the program.
• education programs produced expected outcomes and results and which did not, and how much was spent
• </c><00:57:37.440><c> outcomes</c><00:57:37.839><c> and</c> programs produced expected outcomes and programs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from the March 6, 2026 meeting and then received updates from the Legislative Budget Assistant audit staff on several ongoing audits. Christine Young reported that the special education audit was in report-writing stage with 39 of 80 observations completed and a draft expected in the second quarter, the education freedom accounts audit had 27 of 42 observations completed with a draft also expected in the second quarter, and the Doorway program audit had a draft report with 15 observations sent to DHHS on March 30, with responses due April 24 and presentation expected at the May fiscal committee meeting. Members asked about the size of the special education report, and staff estimated it would be over 800 pages and roughly three pounds. The committee then reviewed prior audit responsiveness from the Human Rights Commission. The commission reported that 22 observations had been completed, with remaining issues focused on timely case processing, a formal risk assessment, and a performance measurement system. Officials said staffing shortages were improving, a risk assessment manual had been drafted, a scorecard system was nearly complete, and the commission’s rules were moving through the public hearing process. Members asked about the timeline, and the commission said case processing was averaging 20 to 22 months and that the remaining items were expected to be resolved over time. Police Standards and Training also reported progress on prior audit items. The director corrected one status designation and said the job task analysis for curriculum development was substantially resolved, with findings and recommendations being prepared for the council. He said work on fitness testing was on hold pending legislative action, the performance measurement and strategic planning item remained a priority, and the council was focusing first on updating administrative rules. He also said the corrections advisory committee likely needed a statutory amendment to better reflect members with practical corrections experience. In response to questions, he said the council does not certify county correctional officers but reviews county curriculum annually, and he said the agency would be open to discussing consolidation or a pathway for county officers to become state-certified. The Department of Corrections then updated the committee on parole board-related audit items, saying 11 of 13 DOC-related findings were resolved. The remaining issues involved implementing a structured decision-making process for the parole board and improving data collection for recidivism tracking; the board had applied to the National Institute of Corrections for training, and manual data collection was underway. DOC also said it had created a HIPAA-compliant release form to share substance use disorder treatment information with the parole board. Finally, OPLC reported on the mental health workforce audit, saying six findings were fully resolved and six substantially resolved, with most remaining items tied to rulemaking and application processing. The office expects to complete its backend system migration and improve timeliness metrics by the end of the year, and it recently launched a jurisprudence exam for the mental health board. Under potential audit topics, staff said two items remained suspended because of litigation, and the committee discussed whether to keep DHHS contract management on the list. Representative [name unclear] proposed adding two new education freedom account audit topics: verification of residency and eligibility, and a record of educational attainment while preserving student privacy. Members supported adding them, but staff warned the expanded scope could delay the report and would require coordination with the Department of Education and approval by the Fiscal Committee. The chair said staff would work with the commissioner and LBA to draft the revised scope for further committee action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Not prevent judges, and oftentimes these juvenile judges try to implement those types of things.
• Not prevent judges, and oftentimes these juvenile judges try to implement those types of things.
• It's designed to prevent judge shopping. That is correct. And same thing in my area.
• And that any crimes committed between... ...is preventing them from being carried out.
• And I think that this certainly makes sure that we are getting the programs.

Committee: Senate Judiciary C

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 137, which would strengthen penalties for knowingly making threats against schools, school activities, students, or school employees. The author said the bill responds to repeated false threats that disrupt schools, frighten families, and divert law enforcement, and it adds education and parental acknowledgment requirements. Members discussed possible juvenile consequences such as public service or physical work at schools, and the bill drew support from law enforcement, district attorneys, and Catholic bishops. It was reported favorably without objection. House Bill 321 followed, addressing Louisiana’s Safe Harbor law by expressly exempting minors from prostitution offenses and treating them as trafficking victims rather than offenders. The author, clergy, trafficking advocates, and a survivor testified that children involved in commercial sex are typically coerced, groomed, or controlled by traffickers, often family members or caregivers, and should receive protection and services instead of arrest. Witnesses described statewide advocacy and crisis-response services created in 2022, and committee members asked about prosecution of perpetrators and the prevalence of trafficking in rural areas. The bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee then approved House Bill 1246, a response to a fatal drunk-driving crash involving Jada Bright, which would allow law enforcement to keep intoxicated offenders in jail if they are not safe to release. An amendment was adopted to clean up the language, and the bill was reported favorably. House Bill 1104, creating a misdemeanor for possession of motor vehicle key-programming or emulating devices used to steal cars, also passed favorably with support from prosecutors and police. House Bill 552, a cleanup measure replacing references to intoxication with impairment in prior drug-related statutes, was reported favorably as well. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 310, which would require random reassignment when a defendant waives a jury trial in districts with more than two judges, unless the prosecutor agrees otherwise. Supporters said it would prevent judge shopping and address concerns about unusually high acquittal rates before particular judges, while opponents argued it raises due process concerns and effectively lets prosecutors choose the judge. Despite the opposition, the bill was reported favorably. The last major item was House Bill 1107, dealing with post-conviction death penalty cases involving claims of intellectual disability; the bill would set a 75 IQ threshold and create procedures for Atkins claims. Supporters said it would bring finality to long-pending capital cases and follow U.S. Supreme Court guidance, while opponents argued it would be unconstitutional under Atkins, Moore, and Hall because intellectual disability cannot be reduced to a single number. After extensive testimony and debate over amendments, the committee adopted the amendment and then reported the bill favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• leading the prevention and intervention of sexual violence in our state and representing our programs
• and retain individuals is getting them in the door at one of these programs and institutions.
• For instance, their doctoral MD program and PhD MD program don't require as many hours because, at that
• Representative, I believe that it would be looking at the program and saying that this program needs
• And so the different graduate programs have different language and different requirements.

Committee: House House Consumer & Public Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• This isn't going to prevent that. It's just the technology. And Mr.
• That federal program typically influences state and local programs.
• And I know what's going on in my community, and I know that the homeless continuum of care programs in
• Chair and Vice Chair, the HUD-VASH program, which provides homelessness assistance and housing to veterans
• other ways to shift around some money and fund certain programs.

Committee: House Government

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Teaching, teacher education, and social work programs.
• work program, and CNM's nursing program.
• to support faculty: UNM's education program, social work programs at ENMU, NMSU, and Highlands. and
• UNF, and NMSU for a joint social work program.
• identify early services and follow-up interventions, but there are larger problems like the continued

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Hunger costs this country, and food assistance programs save us money.
• program that is about... working full-time and can't afford to working full-time and can't afford to
• eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse from numerous federal programs.
• /c> training program and try to find training program and try to find training<02:47:52.240><c> so</c
• abuse, and to strengthen and sustain Medicaid for those for whom the program was intended to serve —

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's important, and that's what creates a good program. Mr.
• phase three' and inserting the words 'drainage, flood prevention, and water quality.'
• </c> prevention, and water quality. prevention, and water quality.
• brought back into the be recaptured and brought back into the program. program. program.
• > 1/2</c> truck program that was about 4 and 1/2 truck program that was about 4 and 1/2 million<03:53

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 31 March, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And clearly, your name, your affiliation, and position of the bill.
• Lancaster has been an early adopter of hydrogen and is seen as a worldwide leader in hydrogen investment
• , hazard mapping is essential for fire prevention, emergency response planning, and public safety.
• And thank you for your time and consideration, and I respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you.
• We just think it makes the program more robust and brings in all these other voices.

Committee: House Emergency Management

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And those providers also include Head Start and E-CAP programs.
• We help with the arbitration process, and this program is incredibly effective.
• in the plans 2 and 3, this is largely due to the early... ...retirement ages and more generous formula
• DOH is already accrediting opioid treatment programs and anticipates they will finish rulemaking and
• And if anyone has any questions, please ask our office program research staff or caucus staff.

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee held a public hearing on a series of bills, beginning with House Bill 2689 on Working Connections Child Care. Staff explained that the proposed substitute would keep eligibility at 60% of state median income, eliminate scheduled expansions to 75% and 85%, reduce future subsidy rates from the 85th to the 75th percentile of market, end enhanced regional rates, and change reimbursement rules from prospective enrollment-based payments back to attendance-based payments with a reduced monthly payment after 11 absent days. Child care advocates thanked the committee for removing the proposed cap on the program but opposed the cuts to provider rates and eligibility expansions, warning of harm to families and providers. The committee then heard Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5124 on Medicaid network adequacy for post-acute care, with staff noting administrative costs and indeterminate fiscal effects; hospitals supported the bill as a way to reduce discharge delays and reliance on single-case agreements. Senate Bill 5832, which would raise the new motor vehicle arbitration fee from $3 to $6 to support the Lemon Law arbitration program, drew support from the Attorney General’s Office and auto dealers, who said the fee had not been updated since 1995 and the program was underfunded. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 5862, providing a one-time 3% COLA for certain PERS 1 and TRS 1 retirees, with retirees testifying in favor and local government representatives warning about added employer costs. The committee next heard Senate Bill 5922, allowing school districts to transfer money from the Transportation Vehicle Fund to other funds if they reduce their fleet and receive OSPI approval; staff said the bill would mainly add administrative work for OSPI, and no one testified. Substitute Senate Bill 5923 would allow a hospital on an island in Skagit County to qualify as a critical access hospital if federally certified; Island Health testified that the designation would help sustain rural services, and a committee member asked about bed count and Medicaid/charity-care pressures. Senate Bill 5944 would require language access providers to bargain over compensation for missed or canceled appointments and clarify that statutes prevail over conflicting contract terms; WFSE supported the bill, saying it would equalize bargaining rights across agencies. Substitute Senate Bill 5972 would extend interest arbitration rights to correctional employees in city and county jails regardless of population size; labor supported the bill as a retention tool, while cities and counties opposed it, arguing it would raise costs and should include ability-to-pay protections. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5988, authorizing the Department of Health to continue accrediting opioid treatment programs and charge accreditation fees, which DOH said was needed to avoid winding down the program. Later, the committee heard Senate Bill 6151, which would move Ecology fee revenues for landfill methane emissions and laboratory accreditation into dedicated accounts; Ecology supported the bill as improving transparency and reinvesting fees into the programs, and staff said the lab fee shift would be offset by a related budget action. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6194 would pay a rural hospital on a federally recognized Indian reservation, specifically Astria Toppenish, at 150% of the Medicaid fee-for-service rate beginning in 2027; hospital leaders and community members testified that the hospital serves a high-Medicaid, rural, and tribal population and faces persistent losses. Finally, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6302 would direct L&I to investigate possible misclassification of independent contractors on public works projects involving multiple workers doing the same finishing work; labor and business representatives both described it as a negotiated compromise to address underground economy abuses. The committee took no final votes during the hearing and ended by reiterating amendment deadlines for bills scheduled for executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• “For crime victim compensation program and only considering the offender’s ability to pay.
• Outstanding LFOs prevent people from vacating convictions, block re-entry, and often increase when sent
• It strengthens fairness and consistency in how courts assess ability to pay and helps prevent poverty
• I am a passionate advocate for police accountability, mental health, and crisis intervention in police
• Unfortunately, [continuation missing in source text]. ...undermine retail theft prevention and worker

Bills: HB2161 , HB2332 , HB2102

Committee: House Civil Rights & Judiciary

Keywords: attorney general, legal authority, state powers, judiciary, civil rights, driver privacy, data protection, personal information, surveillance, consumer rights, legal obligations, financial responsibility, debt management, consumer protection, court systems, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• life and they prevent accountability.
• Yes, on the bill and buy and we heard over and over.
• My mother died of preventable death in a hospital and fell into the free killed category and also the
• and Fellows of 55 training programs in the state of Florida.
• and intervention.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• how we can increase the knowledge of programs and services available.
• recruitment program for individuals who previously held public safety and service positions such as law
• You talked about the CPI and recruitment program which is a new element.
• innovative training programs. that focus on stroke and cardiac emergency response.
• Senator Simon: This amendment revises the provision relating to the county and Senate grant program to

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• An example of this would be the early childhood education and assistance program, or what is sometimes
• , including the DCYF program, the Department of Children, Youth, and Family programs, health care, and
• To avoid... ...family programs, health care, and higher education.
• , including the DCIF program, the Department of Children, Youth, and Family programs, health care, and
• To avoid family programs, health care, and higher education.

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative-Executive Committee on Budget Transparency and Fiscal Sustainability

Summary: The committee held its first meeting, with co-chairs and members introducing themselves and staff outlining the committee’s statutory charge under the 2026 supplemental operating budget. Staff explained that the committee is tasked with studying budget transparency and fiscal sustainability in two phases: first, revenue growth, spending assumptions, statutory cost drivers, and carryforward/maintenance levels; and later, staffing, overhead, performance management, and public reporting tools. The committee also discussed its goals, with members emphasizing a shared factual understanding of Washington’s fiscal situation, the causes of projected structural deficits, and possible paths to a more sustainable operating budget. Staff then gave a detailed operating budget basics presentation. They reviewed the size and composition of the operating budget, explaining that most spending is concentrated in grants and client services, salaries and benefits, and goods and services, with K-12 education, DSHS, the Health Care Authority, DCYF, corrections, and higher education making up most NGFO spending. They also walked through the distinction between constitutional, federal, statutory, and discretionary spending; the role of caseload and per-capita forecasts; how maintenance level and policy level budgets are built; and how the four-year outlook works, including revenue forecasts, reversions, budget stabilization account reserves, and the official outlook adoption process. Members asked several questions about what is or is not included in the outlook, especially future collective bargaining agreements, health care inflation, court-ordered liabilities, and whether the budget could better separate mandatory from discretionary spending over time. Staff said some of those questions would require follow-up and noted the existence of an outlook accuracy report. The committee then heard from Josh Goodman of the Pew Charitable Trusts, who introduced Pew’s state fiscal work and its role as the nonprofit partner supporting the committee. He said Pew would help analyze long-term fiscal sustainability, reserve policies, recession preparedness, and practices from other states, and would draw on its 50-state data and subject-matter experts. No votes were taken and no formal actions were reported at this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:01:09.760><c> and</c> some of the licensing boards and and some of the licensing boards and and
• prevention.
• watching</c> the members and staff and those watching the members and staff and those watching the<00
• Chair and the committee. I Mr. Chair and the committee.
• </c> come back and talk to it again and come back and talk to it again and monetize<00:08:00.880><c>

Keywords: 1183, house