Transcript Highlights:

• For one, we will leave the roll open for absent members. Thank you.
• Five votes, but we'll leave it open. But we'll leave it open.
• We'll leave the roll open. Seven. We have seven votes.
• We'll leave the roll open for absent members. Thank you. Thank you.
• We'll leave the roll open for absent members.

Summary: The Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee heard a long agenda focused largely on AI-related consumer protection, child safety, and privacy bills. Members first adopted the consent calendar, then took up SB 1050, which would require disclosures when advertisements use AI-generated or synthetic performers. Supporters, including SAG-AFTRA, Common Sense Media, and labor groups, said consumers should know when an ad depicts a non-human performer and that the bill protects both consumers and workers. Opponents from TechNet, the Motion Picture Association, broadcasters, and business groups argued the bill was too broad, lacked a deception standard, could burden accessibility uses and short audio ads, and created litigation risk. The committee voted the bill out on a party-line-leaning roll, with several members noting concerns but supporting continued work on the measure. The committee also approved SB 1111, which creates liability and remedies for non-consensual digital replicas using a person’s voice or likeness, and SB 1146, which targets deceptive AI-generated health advertisements that depict synthetic health care providers. Both measures drew support from consumer, labor, medical, and child-safety advocates and faced no formal opposition. Members emphasized the need to prevent deepfake abuse, especially in health-related ads where consumers could be misled into trusting fake doctors or medical endorsements. Several child- and privacy-focused bills were also heard and advanced. SB 867 would place a four-year moratorium on AI chatbot-powered toys for children, with supporters warning about harmful content, addictive design, and privacy risks; some opposition raised definitional concerns and asked for clearer standards. SB 1247 would give child influencers the right to delete monetized content posted during their minority, and it moved forward without opposition. SB 1000 updated California’s AI Transparency Act to align content provenance rules with newer technology and international standards, with support from Google and Adobe and no opposition. Finally, SB 957 would require social media companies to notify users when the federal government seeks their data through administrative subpoenas, give users time to challenge the request, and report disclosures; supporters framed it as a First Amendment and due process protection, while one member opposed it as an overreach against federal law enforcement. All of the measures discussed were reported out of committee, with several rolls left open for absent members.

Transcript Highlights:

• Four to one, we will leave the roll open for absent members. Thank you.
• This is dangerous and leaves victims with no remedy.
• We'll leave it open. Wilson. Aye. Wilson, aye. That bill has four votes. We'll leave it open. Yeah.
• We will leave the roll open for absent members. That bill has 10.
• That will leave the roll open for absent members. We have 12 votes.

Committee: House Privacy and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• Leave for Representative Stephen Meeks. His leave is granted for Representative Stephen Meeks.
• Leave for Representative Stephen Meeks. Is leave granted for Representative Stephen Meeks?
• Leave. You're recognized. Leave for Representative Clowney.
• Is leave granted for Representative Clowney? So ordered.
• Leave. You're recognized. Leave for Representative Sonia Barker.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum call showing 96 members present. Members granted several leaves of absence and recognized guests, including Arkansas State Troopers and the nurse of the day. The clerk then read the governor’s proclamation calling the General Assembly into extraordinary session. The governor’s call said the special session was convened to consider tax relief measures, specifically lowering the top individual income tax rate to 3.7% effective January 1, 2026, and reducing the top corporate income tax rate to 4.1% effective January 1, 2027. The call also included payment of House and Senate expenses and per diem for the special session. The Speaker reminded members that only matters within the governor’s call could be considered. The House adopted motions to suspend House Rules 41A and 41B, which normally require bills to be on the desk for 24 hours before final passage and limit how soon bills can be placed on committee agendas, as well as Rule 60A on committee meeting notice requirements, for the duration of the special session. House Bill 1001, titled “Revenue and tax,” was read twice. The House then notified the Senate and governor that it was ready for business and adjourned until 9:30 the next morning, with the Revenue and Tax Committee scheduled to meet later that day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Louis region, but as far as I read the bill, it's a may—leave that system.
• We're not forcing anybody to leave SSD.
• creates a snowball effect where if one entity can leave or has a potential to leave, then other districts
• are going to leave, because that means there's less pooling of resources.
• And I don't know the likelihood of Hazelwood specifically leaving.

Committee: House General Laws

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> repealing the grand State Family Leave repealing the grand State Family Leave plan<01:00:34.440>
• </c> Hampshire Paid Family Medical Leave Hampshire Paid Family Medical Leave coverage<01:53:49.880><c
• We have 148 team members who participate in our paid leave and paid medical leave program.
• Gpon has 148 team members who participate in the paid leave and paid medical leave program.
• if paid failing medical medical leave if paid failing medical leave<02:19:10.800><c> were</c><02:19:

Summary: The committee first heard testimony on House Bill 437, which would change New Hampshire law on undischarged mortgages by creating a shorter period after which certain old mortgages would be treated as unenforceable. Prime sponsor Representative Bill Boyd said the bill was developed with input from bankers, lawyers, realtors, the Attorney General’s office, and the Banking Department, and he noted a drafting correction needed on line 18. He explained that the proposal would replace current law with a new framework modeled partly on Massachusetts, including a five-year expiration after a stated maturity date and a 35-year period for mortgages without an expiration date. Supporters said the bill would help clear obsolete title defects, reduce costly quiet-title litigation, and make real estate transactions easier for consumers, attorneys, and conveyancers. Representative Mary Hakken-Phillips, Susan Cole of the New Hampshire Association of Realtors, and Michelle Coffin all testified in support, describing the bill as a consumer protection measure. They said undischarged or improperly discharged mortgages often surface during title searches, causing delays, legal expenses, and failed or delayed closings. Coffin and Hakken-Phillips emphasized that many of these cases involve old, effectively obsolete mortgages and that the current process often requires expensive court action even when no one contests the title. Cole described a recent transaction in which a title defect caused a buyer to walk away and later restart the financing process, creating costs for both buyer and seller. A committee member asked about notice to mortgage holders; the response was that the lender bears responsibility for recording and extending the mortgage, and that due process rights would remain if a lender later contested the discharge. Ryan Hill of the New Hampshire Bankers Association said the banking industry had reviewed the bill and was generally comfortable with it, while requesting a delayed effective date so members would have time to adjust their recording practices. He said the bill’s January 1, 2028 effective date reflected that request. After closing the hearing on HB 437, the committee opened a hearing on House Bill 721, the Gold and Silver Legal Tender Act. Representative Juliet Harvey-Bolia introduced it as a bipartisan economic justice bill intended to recognize gold and silver as legal tender, protect against inflation, and address concerns about trust, taxes, and government taking. She argued that gold is a stable store of value and discussed tax treatment in neighboring states, federal history, and digital gold platforms. The hearing on HB 721 was still in progress when the transcript ended, with the chair limiting questions because of time.

Transcript Highlights:

• . leave. leave.
• </c> people are on vacation or on sick leave. people are on vacation or on sick leave.
• But again, you know, during that same pay period if they took vacation leave or sick leave, they would
• </c><00:51:25.839><c> and</c> or sick leave or other leave time and or sick leave or other leave time
• </c> took vacation leave or sick leave um took vacation leave or sick leave um they<00:52:07.920><c>

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, that bill has the votes, but we'll leave it open for absent members.
• We'll leave it open for absent members.
• And we will leave the roll open for absent members.
• We'll leave the roll open. Ramos, aye. Ramos on McNerney's bill.
• Okay, we're leaving it open for a few more minutes. Yeah, that's right.

Committee: House Governmental Organization

Transcript Highlights:

• Leave for Representative Stephen Meeks. His leave granted for Representative Stephen Meeks.
• Leave for Representative Stephen Meeks. Is leave granted for Representative Stephen Meeks?
• Leave. You're recognized. Leave for Representative Clowney.
• Is leave granted for Representative Clowney? So ordered.
• Leave. You're recognized. Leave for Representative Sonia Barker.

Transcript Highlights:

• And also, I know you've all been talking about big businesses considering leaving the state.
• The Senate version takes $375 million. businesses considering leaving the state?
• They're just going to speed up leaving.
• And just... ...business owners were considering leaving the state of Washington.
• State leave as well, which means taxpayer dollars are going to be leaving Washington.

Summary: Senate and House Republican leaders used the weekly media availability to criticize the Democratic majority’s budget and tax proposals, framing the session around affordability and fiscal restraint. They said the operating budgets rely on unsustainable one-time money, rainy day funds, and an income tax proposal they argued is unconstitutional and likely to drive businesses and wealthy residents out of Washington. They also said House and Senate Republicans offered budget amendments aimed at property tax relief, restoring money to public works, and reducing reliance on new taxes, but those efforts were rejected. The lawmakers also highlighted several bills they said failed to advance, including juvenile rehabilitation reforms, child endangerment/child fatality reporting measures, and tort reform. Braun said he plans to raise those issues, along with the income tax and budget concerns, in a meeting with the governor, and asked whether the governor would veto the income tax if his conditions are not met. Connors and Abbarno added that Republicans are still working with some Democrats, including on a constitutional amendment approach to any income tax, but said the majority is moving too quickly and without adequate safeguards. Other topics included the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on California transgender policies, which Republicans described as a win for parents’ rights and potentially relevant to Washington school policy, and a House bill affecting data centers, which they opposed as harmful to jobs, energy innovation, and local tax bases. They also criticized additional taxes under consideration, such as nicotine, prescription drug, bag, bottle, and data-center-related taxes, arguing these would worsen affordability. The session ended with Republicans saying they had little influence in the budget conference process and vowing to keep fighting the income tax and other tax increases through the final days of the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hearing none, we're going to close public testimony, and leave the bill pending.
• Seeing none, we're going to close public testimony and leave the bill pending.
• Leave the bill pending. Questions? Questions of the author?
• Leave the bill pending. Senator Johnson. House Bill 3805.
• With that, we're going to close public testimony and leave HB 3228 pending.

Bills: HB431 , HB1522 , HB1922 , HB2467 , HB2468 , HB3228 , HB3229 , HB3306 , HB3803 , HB3804 , HB3805 , HB3806 , HB4219 , HB4238 , HB4344 , HB4386 , HB4739

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Summary: The committee first took up pending business and favorably reported several House bills without opposition, including HB 11, HB 132, HB 1041, HB 1606, HB 2286, and HB 5061. Each was moved out of committee with a recommendation that it do pass and be printed, and several were also recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. The committee then heard HB 3306, which would extend existing construction-contract indemnity exceptions to electric infrastructure construction, maintenance, and vegetation management work for electric utilities and transmission and distribution utilities. The sponsor said the bill would reduce litigation and insurance costs for ratepayers, while construction industry witnesses argued it would shift liability onto subcontractors and create broad-form indemnity in a way Texas law has generally prohibited since 2011. HB 3306 was left pending. The committee also heard HB 4739, a Comptroller-requested cleanup bill to repeal an outdated Finance Code provision requiring remittance of a portion of certain delinquency charges to the state, and HB 3803, HB 3804, and HB 3806, all Department of Banking-requested cleanup bills dealing with confidentiality and supervision rules for perpetual care funds, state banks, and trust companies. Those bills were briefly explained and left pending without testimony. HB 4219, aimed at improving Public Information Act compliance by requiring timely notice when records do not exist or are being withheld, allowing complaints to the Attorney General, and imposing training and fee consequences for noncompliance, drew support from a journalist and a policy analyst and was also left pending. The committee then heard HB 4238 on coerced debt and identity theft. The sponsor explained that the committee substitute narrows the bill to court-ordered findings of identity theft/coerced debt, gives collectors seven business days to stop collection activity, and removes a section to avoid litigation over court orders. A law professor and a family violence advocate testified in strong support, describing coerced debt as a barrier for domestic violence and elder abuse survivors trying to rebuild credit and access housing, jobs, and utilities. The bill was left pending. HB 1522, which would require local governments to post meeting notices three business days in advance and make budget materials more accessible online and in physical form, also drew support, though a school business officials representative raised concerns about the timing language, proposed-budget wording, and taxpayer impact statements for school districts; the bill was left pending after discussion. Later, the committee heard additional pending bills, including a PUC background-check bill that would expand the commission’s authority to check current employees and contractors and obtain FBI criminal history information, HB 3805 updating money services business regulation, HB 431 extending HOA solar-panel protections to solar tiles, and HB 3228 and HB 3229 on wind and solar recycling financial assurance and recycler solvency. HB 3228 received support from a Sierra Club witness who said recycling and disposal plans are needed for end-of-life renewable energy equipment, and HB 3229 was described as requiring recyclers to show financial resources at 125 percent through a letter of credit or bond. These bills were heard and left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• But I am here to tell you that despite seeing a Bedouin shepherd leave there, the Dead Sea Scrolls are
• 00:01:28.800><c> a</c><00:01:28.880><c> Bedouin</c><00:01:29.360><c> shepherd</c><00:01:30.040><c> leave
• </c><00:01:30.320><c> there,</c> seeing a Bedouin shepherd leave there, seeing a Bedouin shepherd leave
• So, members, leaving the harbor is scary, but I am so looking forward to the next opportunities.
• ><c> harbor</c><00:13:29.920><c> is</c><00:13:30.000><c> scary,</c> leaving the harbor is scary, leaving

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I will leave it there.
• Um, and that's why I am leaving.
• So, I will leave it there. scientists. So, I will leave it there.
• </c><02:03:12.719><c> Those</c> medical leave. So it's a big item. Those medical leave.
• Paid family medical leave is years. Paid family medical leave is here. here. here.

Transcript Highlights:

• And two, they clean up a redundant rent. for purposes of bereavement leave, and two, they clean up a
• Bereavement leave must also be completed within three months of the family member's death.
• Our caregiving laws reflect that reality, and it is time that our bereavement leave laws do too.
• SB 1149 updates bereavement leave to allow workers to use leave following the death of a designated person
• , but has no right to bereavement leave when that same person dies.

Committee: Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

Transcript Highlights:

• I think the intent was that once an employee runs out of sick leave, if they need additional leave, then
• leave.
• So we're asking, use your sick leave first before you use your paid family leave.
• The Senate, this body, us, we do not allow double-dipping of paid family medical leave and sick leave
• The Senate, this body, us, we do not allow double-dipping of paid family medical leave and sick leave

Bills: SB6061 , SB6234 , SB6170 , SB6176 , SB6182 , SB6335 , SB5647 , SB6047 , HB2367 , HB2606 , SB5998 , SB6005 , SB6003 , SB6129 , SB6225 , SB6228 , SB6231

Summary: The Senate convened with roll call, prayer, and approval of the previous day’s journal, then moved to a resolution honoring piano teachers. Senate Resolution 8698 was adopted after remarks from Senator Conway and others describing the role of piano teachers in music education, family life, and community service. Members of the Washington State Music Teachers Association and the National Guild of Piano Teachers were recognized in the gallery. The chamber then took up the operating budget and considered a long series of amendments. Several amendments focused on housing costs and local planning, utility and energy policy, ballot measure costs, state spending growth, tort liability, and paid family and medical leave. Some amendments were adopted, including a study of utility cost impacts from climate laws, a grid-related funding amendment, a tort liability oversight/reporting amendment, and a workgroup on services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Others were rejected, including proposals to create a housing task force, cap state spending growth, fund ballot initiative costs, restore local planning grants, and change paid family and medical leave usage rules. Debate on the budget amendments was often partisan and detailed, with supporters arguing for fiscal restraint, cost transparency, and relief for taxpayers and local governments, while opponents emphasized existing work, program solvency, and the need to preserve services. The Senate also heard amendments on zero-based budgeting, federal education tax credit opt-in language, reproductive health funding, food assistance work requirements, and support for the Pediatric Interim Care Center; some were defeated and some were adopted. Roll-call votes were taken on certain amendments, and the transcript ends during consideration of Amendment 0787, which would restore funding for the Pediatric Interim Care Center.

Transcript Highlights:

• to paid leave content lot of the intro to paid leave content since<00:04:03.599><c> I</c><00:04:03.840
• The paid leave division has milestone.
• That total premium rate covers both family leave and medical leave.
• So, of paid leave for D who's virtual.
• </c> want to have here for the paid leave want to have here for the paid leave program.<00:37:01.440>

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• I think this is a great opportunity for us here in California to address the issue about people leaving
• The absence of paid leave either pushes this firefighter to return to work before fully healing or leave
• The absence of paid leave either pushes this firefighter to return to work before fully healing or leave
• Unfortunately, many of them end up leaving, impacting our ability to go past that 4%.
• And we look in other countries where it's far higher and longer in terms of women taking leave.

Committee: Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

Transcript Highlights:

• So I will leave you with this.
• Long after the votes and headlines fade, families are I will leave you with this.
• I also heard that OBGYNs are leaving the state. Of course they're leaving the state.
• And that's why they're leaving. It has nothing to do with free kill.
• So OBGYNs are leaving the state, but they are leaving the state because of litigation.

Summary: The Judiciary Committee met to consider HB 6003, a bill to repeal Florida’s “free kill” law that limits certain survivors’ ability to recover non-economic damages in medical negligence wrongful death cases. The sponsor, Rep. Trabulsy, said the bill would restore access to the courts for a small class of families and noted the measure passed both chambers last year before being vetoed by the governor. She and supporters framed the bill as a fairness and constitutional issue, while opponents argued repeal would increase malpractice exposure, insurance costs, and pressure on physician access, especially in high-risk specialties and rural areas. Public testimony was sharply divided. Supporters included family members who described deaths they said were caused by medical negligence and who argued the current law denies accountability and equal treatment based on marital status or whether a decedent had minor children. Opponents included the Florida Hospital Association, Florida Medical Association, Florida Chamber, U.S. Chamber, Florida Insurance Council, and other health care and business groups, who warned that repeal could worsen already high malpractice premiums, contribute to physician shortages, and destabilize access to care. Several speakers on both sides discussed possible caps on non-economic damages as a compromise, though the bill itself was presented as a clean repealer with no amendments. During debate, several members spoke in support, emphasizing equal access to the courts and rejecting the idea that the law should treat some families differently from others. Opponents of the bill argued that the current system helps preserve market stability and that liability concerns, not the free kill law, are driving provider departures. After closing remarks from the sponsor, the committee voted 15 yeas and 1 nay to report HB 6003 favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• If not, we'll leave. Thank you very much for coming.
• If not, we'll close public testimony and leave the bill pending.
• We'll leave the bill pending, and we're going to ask Senator...
• In the committee substitute, we will leave the bill pending.
• Okay, let's leave this open, Senator.

Bills: SB249 , SB546 , SB744 , SB927 , SB1227 , SB1229 , SB1353 , SB1365 , SB1366 , SB1394 , SB1464 , SB1709 , SB1729 , SB1733 , SB1744 , SB1745 , SB1746 , SB1772 , SB1816 , SB1841 , SB1939

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• Payments because that has to do with no leave, right? Run out of leave, run out of benefits.”
• “Payments because that has to do with no leave, right? Run out of leave, run out of benefits.
• Payments because that has to do with no leave, right? Run out of leave, run out of benefits.
• Staff responsible for leave records should post all Form G-1s, application for leave absence, within
• Staff responsible for leave records should post all Form G-1s, application for leave absence, within

Transcript Highlights:

• When an officer retires, they leave with pension, health care, and support.
• When a canine retires, it leaves with nothing.
• Without it, the Commonwealth would be leaving heroes behind.
• acts, industrial accident leave, and workers' compensation.
• But unfortunately, traditionally they put people out on administrative leave.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a wide range of public safety bills, with strong support from law enforcement, advocates, and other stakeholders. Several measures focused on police and correctional officer wellness and protections, including bills on critical incident leave and post-incident support for officers, a bill to improve POST Commission representation, and a bill to protect correctional officers from assaults and exposure to synthetic drugs like K2. Witnesses described traumatic incidents, rising assaults in prisons, staffing shortages, and the need for confidentiality in peer-support debriefings. Committee members asked questions about assault classifications, K2 smuggling, tablet-related contraband, and whether counseling records would remain confidential. No votes were taken during the hearing. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to canine-related bills. Testimony supported creating a fund for retired police dogs and expanding emergency care training for working dogs injured in the line of duty. Speakers described police dogs as partners who locate suspects, missing persons, drugs, and weapons, and said retirement and medical costs are currently borne by handlers or nonprofits. The committee also heard testimony in favor of a purple alert system for missing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with advocates citing wandering risks, drowning dangers, and data from other states showing faster recovery times. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to expand the definition of sexual assault by an officer to cover situations beyond formal custody, including investigations and other encounters where police have coercive power. Advocates for sex workers and anti-trafficking organizations said the change would close a loophole, protect vulnerable people, and address documented abuses. In addition, testimony was taken on a bill to protect Massachusetts residents from federal surveillance through fusion centers, with critics calling for stronger oversight of BRIC and related databases. Representative Jeff Turco also testified on bills to change POST Commission membership, arguing for more law enforcement representation.