Transcript Highlights:

• It's on section F that no county shall assess an impound, storage, or disposal fee or any fine to a business
• That means if a shopping cart were stolen, Madam Speaker, that food establishment would not be assessed
• That means if a shopping cart were stolen, Madam Speaker, that food establishment would not be assessed
• That means if a shopping cart were stolen, Madam Speaker, that food establishment would not be assessed
• That food establishment would not be assessed that cost because we understand that a shopping cart will

Bills: HB1601 , HB1616 , HB1603 , HB1604 , HB1605 , HB1606 , HB1802 , HB1569 , HB1619 , HB1730 , HB1749 , HB644 , HB1620

Keywords: biosecurity, invasive species, Hawaii Invasive Species Council, Department of Land and Natural Resources, appropriation, agriculture, aquaculture, commercial activity, swine production, Korean natural farming, land leases, Hawaii, extension, Department of Agriculture, housing, workforce, land use, zoning, public-private partnerships, tax credit

Transcript Highlights:

• the school districts is that when they adjust their rate, they base it on how they see the new assessments
• So generally speaking, the CFO in the school district or whatever will look at the new assessments and
• I don't think this assess, this, this, uh, this... ...particular amendment is necessary because these
• Louis County on what the taxing assessments, you know, across each category were.
• And even those aren't final numbers, because some portion of the assessed valuation is going to be appealed

Committee: House Special Committee on Property Tax Reform

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• JLARC was directed as part of its reviews to assess changes in aerospace industry employment in Washington
• that, beginning with its review of the aerospace tax incentives due in 2019, JLARC must specifically assess
• was because of the WTO ruling, so if we're back to a standard manufacturing rate, how does JLARC assess
• whether or not... rate, how does JLARC assess whether or not?
• How does JLARC assess this because it's no longer the same rate as what we passed as the incentive originally

Summary: The House Finance Committee held public hearings on two bills. HB 2730 would clarify how JLARC evaluates the effectiveness of existing aerospace tax preferences by requiring a rolling five-year comparison of Washington aerospace employment with other states and asking JLARC to consider broader aerospace-sector changes and economic conditions. The prime sponsor and labor testifiers said the bill would add needed clarity and accountability for major tax investments supporting aerospace jobs. A committee question raised whether JLARC would be directed to make recommendations for improving the incentive, and staff and the sponsor said the bill does not specifically require that. HB 2713 would impose a 1% B&O tax surcharge, beginning July 1, 2026, on operators of private detention facilities with more than $1 million in annual Washington gross receipts. The sponsor said the bill is intended to respond to harms associated with private detention and to help fund services and legal support for affected families and communities. A remote testifier urged a much higher surtax on GEO Group, which operates the Northwest Detention Center, while county representatives testified that the bill as written could unintentionally apply to Martin Hall, a juvenile facility in Spokane County that is publicly governed and operated day-to-day by a nonprofit contractor. They asked for an exemption for Martin Hall, and the sponsor said that inclusion of nonprofits was not intended and that she would work with them on amendments. No votes were taken on either bill. The committee closed testimony on HB 2730 and HB 2713 and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• previously unreported improvement as agricultural property during the four-year exemption period, to assess
• coming back and challenging that, which is in line with existing statute that says they're supposed to assess
• property every four years anyway, so... ...with existing statute that says they're supposed to assess
• previously unreported improvement as agricultural property during the three-year exemption period, to assess

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of long-term residences; House Bill 3212, an act relative to ensuring fairness and equity in the assessment
• House Bill 3212, an act relative to ensuring fairness and equity in the assessment of the value of property
• long-term residences, House Bill 3006; and an act relative to ensuring fairness and equity in the assessment
• House Bill 3212, an act relative to ensuring fairness and equity in the assessment of the value of property

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> in assessments to the state. in assessments to the state.
• When it is not, we collect assessments.
• Uh so, it's a very small assessment.
• And the reason the MCO um assessment.
• They it is not, we collect assessments.

Keywords: House streaming session for Monday, April 13, 2026, 957, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• To address our increasing volume of complaints and the additional workload to assess and respond to these
• complaints, of complaints and the additional workload to assess and respond to these complaints, we
• We don't assess the complaint and decide whether or not it's valid.
• So when will you have that assessment done, you think?
• If the receiver's office is beginning some of those level-of-care assessments, I can check.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee heard presentations from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS), the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) program, and the Coleman mental health receivership. The hearing focused on correctional health care, reentry, aging incarcerated populations, and the state’s progress toward compliance in the Plata and Coleman receiverships. Members also discussed the OIG’s intake complaint workload and medical inspection findings, as well as broader questions about staffing, vacancies, and the cost of court oversight. The OIG requested $275,000 General Fund for two permanent positions in its intake processing unit, citing a sharp rise in complaints from 3,200 in 2022 to 7,860 in 2025. OIG officials said complaints are categorized by issue and prison, prioritized by urgency, and generally responded to within 30 days, but they do not track complaint “validity” rates. The medical inspection unit reported that in cycle seven, case review performance was generally adequate while policy compliance was often inadequate; the lowest-scoring areas included emergency services, medication management, and health care environment. Members asked for more detailed reporting on complaint types, priority levels, and systemic issues. CCHCS described rising health care costs driven by an aging prison population, staffing vacancies, and contract medical expenses. Officials said more than 80% of the budget is personal services, and they are using hiring events, social media outreach, and expanded classifications to reduce vacancies. CalAIM officials reported early implementation success in pre-release and reentry services, including 89% Medi-Cal activation at release, 87% assigned managed care plans, 88% reentry care plans, and 59% warm handoffs, with about 169,000 claims submitted and $14.7 million reimbursed. The LAO noted that the Plata medical receivership has increased per-person costs and that the state should continue oversight while seeking ways to reduce vacancies and expand federal reimbursement opportunities. For the Coleman mental health receivership, the receiver’s office requested $33.9 million from the Mental Health Special Deposit Fund, including $8.2 million for receiver office staffing and $25.3 million to make court-ordered bonus payments permanent. The LAO supported continued oversight but recommended additional steps to address vacancies, including greater out-of-state recruitment, expanded telemental health, and possible consolidation of mental health services. The LAO also recommended reducing the telemental health staffing request and monitoring its effects. Members questioned the long-term cost of receiverships, the pace of compliance, and whether more detailed benchmarks and staffing data should be provided. No formal votes were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• But the assessment of that property is still the size, the amenities of the property, the assessment,
• But the assessment of that property is still the size, the amenities of the property, the assessment,
• But the assessment of that property is still the size, the amenities of the property, the assessment,
• But the assessment of that property is still the size, the amenities of the property, the assessment,
• But the assessment of that property is still the size, the amenities of the property, the assessment,

Committee: House Housing

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So it’s able to assess if a senior’s behind on their rent and their income is social, bill or we could
• So it's able to assess if a senior's behind on their rent and their income is social, ...to assess if
• This appropriation will allow the current assessment to be expanded to all middle schools, including
• At that point, the state is required to produce a risk assessment.
• Now, while everyone won't be found competent, if a risk assessment is done, they will certainly show

Bills: AB102 , AB108 , AB117 , AB213 , AB220 , AB221 , AB251 , AB259 , AB331 , AB336 , AB375 , AB379 , AB409 , AB475 , AB476 , AB550 , AB575 , AB594 , SB466

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: emergency medical services, ambulance, licensing, health district, paramedic, training requirements, outdoor education, recreation, grant program, environment, funding, special license plates, vehicle registration, custom plates, state revenue, transportation, public works, prevailing wage, custom fabrication, nonstandard materials

Transcript Highlights:

• The Minnesota choice assessment that was changed is really important to the counties.
• When you apply for assistance, you have to have had your men's choice assessment 60 days before.
• Assistance, you have to have had your men's choice assessment 60 days before.
• We're changing language from chemical dependency assessment to comprehensive assessment because they're
• In addition to that assessment, if it's eligible to be paid by Medicaid...

Transcript Highlights:

• The commission is also directed to examine whether an incentive meets a strategic economic goal and assess
• whether an incentive provides a competitive advantage. ...goal and assess whether an incentive provides
• This potentially, the concern is that it will allow independent boards to issue debt and levy assessments
• the joint resolution was very blanket and vague to say if somebody owns a property and they want to assess

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on economic development, infrastructure, and education policy. SB 1530, described as a research and development ecosystem bill, would encourage universities, businesses, and industry to partner to strengthen Oklahoma’s high-tech economy; it passed 29-0. SB 1847, a measure aimed at helping Oklahomans avoid nursing home placement and reduce costs, also passed 29-0. SB 1990 would require the Incentive Evaluation Commission to send its annual report to the Secretary of State and expand its review of incentives to include broader comparative analysis and strategic economic goals; it passed 28-0. The committee also considered SB 2060, the Build Act, which is intended to help small towns finance upfront infrastructure costs for development. Members raised concerns about independent boards, debt, assessments, zoning authority, and accountability, and the author said an adopted amendment was meant to preserve city and county control over planning and infrastructure protections. The bill passed 22-5. SB 1992, a Department of Commerce cleanup bill, passed 27-2. Later, the committee took up SB 1579, a taxpayer bill of rights, which passed 26-0. SB 1778, agreed-upon reading legislation language that cleans up formulas and clarifies the SRA formula and related reading provisions, also passed 28-0. The chair noted upcoming longer Appropriations and J-CAB meetings and then adjourned the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• of long-term residences; House Bill 3212, an act relative to ensuring fairness and equity in the assessment
• House Bill 3212, an act relative to ensuring fairness and equity in the assessment of the value of property
• long-term residences, House Bill 3006; and an act relative to ensuring fairness and equity in the assessment
• An act relative to ensuring fairness and equity in the assessment of the value of property, House Bill

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and then took up several Committee on Rules reports. It adopted resolutions congratulating Auburn on the 100th anniversary of the first liquid-fueled rocket launch and welcoming Boston’s new National Women’s Soccer League team, the Boston Legacy. The House also adopted orders extending the reporting deadlines for the Committee on Revenue on certain House documents into 2026. The chamber then suspended joint rules to allow several petitions to be referred to committees, including a proposal to regulate social media accounts for children under 16, a sick leave bank for a Department of Children and Families employee, creditable service for a probation employee, taxation of certain foreign government pension benefits, and a bill naming the American Lobster the official crustacean of the Commonwealth. The Steering, Policy and Scheduling Committee reported a slate of bills for House consideration, including measures on private road maintenance in Gloucester, property valuation and tax assessment fairness, municipal tax collectors, historic resources in community preservation funds, and Salem alcohol license changes; the House suspended Rule 7A and ordered these bills to a third reading. The House then passed to be enacted several local bills, including legislation for Revere, Wellesley, and Hopkinton, and passed to be engrossed a bill directing the Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for a named applicant. The session also included a moment of silent tribute to Adrian Dolan of South Boston, a former correction officer and special state police officer. Finally, the House adopted an adjournment order and recessed until Thursday at 11 a.m. in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1618... requires a validated risk assessment done on a defendant to assist the court with
• So, we're going to allow them to develop a risk assessment.
• It says upon request, results of the assessment shall be provided to the defense counsel.
• But the judge will have that risk assessment in all cases.
• And so, that assessment, is it going to be a public record? Is it going to be part of a court file?

Bills: SB65 , SB248 , SB330 , SB378 , SB844 , SB1330 , SB1410 , SB1475 , SB1476 , SB1565 , SB1618 , SB1623 , SJR39 , SJR47 , SB2084 , SB1655 , SB1679 , SB2174 , SB1775 , SB1873 , SB1204 , SB1884 , SB1916 , SB1937 , SB1447 , SB1500 , SB2007 , SB2074 , SB1944 , SB2018 , SB1984 , SB2026 , SB2045 , SB2049 , SB2062 , SB2112 , SB2118 , SB2127 , SB2134 , SB2135 , SB2139 , SB2154 , SB1195

Keywords: SB65, naloxone, Narcan, opioid overdose, overdose reversal, opioid antagonist, emergency opioid antagonist, substance abuse services, harm reduction, public health, overdose prevention, good samaritan, civil immunity, criminal immunity, controlled substances, addiction treatment, fentanyl, opioid crisis, school overdose response, first aid

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, from my understanding, and these are not hard numbers, but the real estate assessment, eastern
• We talk about the assessment and the property tax, which is a real issue, and I have no doubt that what
• The salaries, the base salaries are based upon the assessed valuations, and this has not been changed
• As the bill sponsor mentioned, it's based on assessed valuation.
• Well, assessed valuations have changed dramatically in the last 45 years.

Committee: House Local Government

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• California has five fusion centers operating under the State Threat Assessment Center, embedded in a
• If you look at the phrase state threat assessment center, the state-level fusion center, it comes up
• Senator Cervantes's audit request directs us to focus on the State Threat Assessment Center and also
• He's speaking specifically about the State Threat Assessment Program that he has oversight of.
• He's speaking specifically about the State Threat Assessment Program that he has oversight of.

Summary: The committee met as a subcommittee for much of the hearing because it initially lacked a quorum, then later established one and began taking votes. The state auditor gave a status update on ongoing audits, including several JALAC-requested audits in progress, other statutory audits, staffing growth in his office, and the number of new JALAC audits his office could start in the coming months. The committee also heard that one audit request on Prop. 28 was held, and another PUC-related request was moved off consent and heard on the regular calendar. Members then heard and discussed several audit requests. Senator Cervantes presented a request to audit California fusion centers, with witnesses from the FBI and ACLU supporting the need for transparency and oversight; opponents argued the request was politically motivated and could interfere with counterterrorism work. Senator Allen presented a request on CPUC enforcement of Rule 21 interconnection timelines for solar and storage projects, supported by industry and school representatives who described long delays and financial harm, while CPUC staff said the issue was being addressed through workshops and a formal proceeding. Senator Perez presented a request to audit Caltrans’ administration of the former SR 710 extension properties and affordable sales program, citing tenant complaints about maintenance, pricing, and transparency; Caltrans said it was working to complete sales and improve administration. Senator Umberg presented a request to audit the Orange County Board of Education over transparency, contracting, litigation spending, charter oversight, and whistleblower issues, while board representatives said there was no factual basis for an audit and that existing legal remedies had not been invoked. After quorum was established, the committee approved the consent-calendar DMV license revocation audit and then approved the PUC utility timeliness audit and the Caltrans SR 710 audit. The fusion center audit was left on call after a split vote, and the Orange County Board of Education audit continued with testimony from the board’s representatives after the committee had already moved on to other business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Inouye College of Pharmacy special fund to support pharmacist workforce assessment.
• Support pharmacist workforce assessment and planning efforts.
• It establishes the pharmacist workforce assessment fee and appropriates funds.
• fee and the numbers Workforce assessment fee and the numbers and<00:17:14.079><c> then</c><00:17:14.559
• </c><00:18:53.880><c> so</c> better handle on Workforce assessment so better handle on Workforce assessment

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education met on January 31 and heard six bills. The chair opened by outlining committee practices, including giving at least 72 hours’ notice for hearings, releasing testimony by 5:00 p.m. the day before hearings, and deferring bills needing substantive HT1 changes so members would not vote “blind.” Members briefly thanked the chair for the transparency approach before moving to the agenda. HB 223 would create a Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy special fund and workforce assessment fee to support a pharmacy center. Testimony from the Board of Pharmacy, the Hawaii Pharmacists Association, the University of Hawaiʻi Hilo College of Pharmacy, Mokai Drugs, and others generally supported the measure, emphasizing workforce data, rural access, student loan repayment, and retention. The committee later advanced HB 223 with amendments, including leaving fee amounts blank for further discussion and inserting a defective date, and the motion passed unanimously. HB 940 would appropriate funds for the rat lungworm lab at UH Hilo; HB 546 would establish the Aloha Intelligence Institute at UH to advance AI; HB 549 would create an early learning apprenticeship grant program; HB 1172 would add the Department of Taxation to the Statewide Longitudinal Data System for wage-data sharing; and HB 1320 would require UH to collect and publicly report graduate outcome data and create a dashboard. Testimony on these bills was largely supportive, with some privacy concerns raised on HB 1172 and a request to protect taxpayer confidentiality. In decision-making, the committee passed all five bills with amendments, generally deleting or blanking appropriations and FTEs for Finance Committee review, adding defective dates for further discussion, and in HB 549 adding a statement that the program is a matter of statewide concern. The committee recessed briefly for decision-making and then adopted the chair’s recommendations on each bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill would prohibit the assessment of fines and fees.
• fees or not to assess fees.
• fees or or not to discretion to assess fees or or not to assess<01:02:13.839><c> fees.
• And I I would like to assess fees.
• That that's my from assessing fines.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> assessments now? assessments now?
• </c> unable to make those assessments? unable to make those assessments?
• And I we we can those assessments?
• </c> those assessments at some point. those assessments at some point.
• There is twofold: it's a core assessment as well as a social-behavioral assessment.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the June 9 minutes, then reviewed a deferred personnel contract involving workers’ compensation claims administration. Staff explained that the roughly $50 million figure included about $48 million for claims payments and up to $1.45 million per year for administrative services, with billing based on a fee schedule for specific services rendered. Senator Meredith raised concerns about the vendor’s history, the scoring and bid process, and prior allegations involving the company; the administration responded that the procurement had been conducted under 45A through open competition, with outside scorers and no finding of wrongdoing tied to this contract. Meredith moved to disapprove Contract 167, Hart seconded, and the committee voted 5-2 to disapprove it. The committee then deferred a Western Kentucky University personal services contract because the vendors were still not registered with the Secretary of State’s office. Hart moved to defer the contract until the August 2026 meeting, Meredith seconded, and the motion carried. The committee also approved the agenda covering the various contract lists and deferred items. Next, the committee heard from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services on several personal services contracts for medical staffing and related services. Secretary Steven Stack and staff explained that staffing shortages often require outside vendors, that the contracts were competitively bid under 45A, and that the cabinet uses a streamlined vendor pool for specialized needs such as actuaries, auditors, and technical consultants. The committee approved Contracts 52 through 55 without objection. Discussion then began on Contract 61, with Meredith expressing concern that the committee lacked enough detail to judge whether the services could be performed in-house or whether the exchange of resources was appropriate; Stack said the contract was intended to provide efficient access to specialized outside expertise. The transcript cuts off before a final vote on Contract 61 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• must remove someone's shirt to place a 12-lead on them or a patient is undergoing a psychological assessment
• scare tactic, it's a harsh reality, bail agents will start vetting people who are incarcerated to assess
• We will assess whether or not we feel charges will be filed.
• We will assess whether or not we feel charges will be filed.
• Well, I would assume with this law passing that they would assess your situation and then decide that

Summary: The Assembly Standing Committee on Public Safety heard several bills, with testimony largely focused on criminal justice, public safety, and detention-related issues. SB 498 by Senator Becker would make electronic messaging free for incarcerated people in CDCR facilities and end 15-minute limits on voice calls; the author and supporters argued it would strengthen family ties and rehabilitation, while no opposition testified. SB 953 by Senator Niello would require two DMV points for misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter cases even when diversion is granted; victims’ family members and law enforcement groups supported it as an accountability measure, while the ACLU and Debt-Free Justice California opposed it, arguing diversion should remain an incentive for rehabilitation and safer roads. The committee also heard SB 1306 by Senator Cortese, which would align state law with federal exemptions for certain GBL-containing chemical mixtures used in semiconductor manufacturing; the author and SEMI said it would reduce unnecessary regulation and protect California’s semiconductor industry, and there was no opposition testimony. Members also considered SB 941 by Senator Padilla, which would cap commissary markups in private immigration detention facilities at 35% above vendor cost. The author and supporters described high prices for basic necessities and poor conditions in private detention centers, while no opposition witnesses appeared. SB 691 by Senator Wahab would require law enforcement body-camera policies to include a process for EMS personnel to request redaction of recordings before public release when patients are receiving medical treatment; supporters said it would protect patient privacy, while the Sheriff’s Association opposed it as duplicative and potentially confusing. SB 562 by Senator Ashby would allow partial refunds of bail bond premiums when charges are not filed or are dropped early; supporters framed it as a fairness measure for low-income families, while bail industry representatives and victims’ advocates warned it could discourage bail agents from posting bonds and could affect domestic violence cases. The committee also took up several additional measures on consent or with no opposition testimony, including AB 2796, SB 891, SB 1012, and SB 1143. After discussion, the committee voted to pass SB 953, SB 1306, and SB 941, and to move SB 498, SB 691, and SB 562 forward as well, with some votes initially held open for absent members. Several bills were pulled by their authors and not heard, including SB 1004, SB 1208, SB 1338, and SB 1401. The meeting concluded with the committee adjourning until the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• we consider how the state is going to respond to these, again, absent definitive data, how do we assess
• the Department of Health and Human Services need to have in place to be able to monitor this and assess
• we consider how the state is going to respond to these, again, absent definitive data, how do we assess
• the Department of Health and Human Services need to have in place to be able to monitor this and assess
• How do we assess this on an ongoing basis?

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Special Committee on COVID Response Efficacy met briefly without a quorum because many members were tied up in legislative committee of conference work. The chair said the committee would resume in June and, in the meantime, directed members to the committee webpage and the 2024 committee’s report and COVID-19 after-action report, which he said could be reviewed for possible updates and legislative recommendations on how New Hampshire should respond to future pandemics. The chair then introduced two recent articles as framing material: one about the U.S. Supreme Court declining to hear a challenge to the Los Angeles Unified School District’s COVID vaccine mandate, and another about CDC internal emails and alleged failure to publicly acknowledge vaccine safety signals. He argued these examples raised concerns about mandates, transparency, and the balance between individual rights and public health, and said the committee would revisit the issue in future meetings. Representative Pollazok thanked the chair for presenting both legal and medical perspectives and suggested the committee focus on reviewing scientific methodology and the quality of evidence behind competing claims. A member asked whether vaccine pamphlets now include risks and benefits, and the chair responded that FDA-approved products should have patient inserts available on the FDA website, including sections listing adverse events from clinical studies and commercial use. He said he would research and email the committee copies or excerpts. Members also discussed how to evaluate studies over different time periods, dosing levels, and the timing of side effects, as well as the difficulty of comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated outcomes when definitions change over time. Before adjourning, the chair said the committee would ask the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services how it would monitor and assess vaccine or pandemic-related issues in real time and whether additional structures would be needed in a future emergency. He said the committee would likely take July and August off, resume in September, and aim to have a draft report by mid-October and a final report by late October ahead of the November elections.