Transcript Highlights:

• Any staff you have here that you'd like to introduce, feel free to do so.
• Any staff you have here that you'd like to introduce, feel free to do so.
• We had received four staff positions to manage those funds.
• So the first thing you see is $133,200 ongoing for the Old Pen staff.
• So the staff does travel often and does consult.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations first for the Idaho Workforce Development Council. Analyst Brooke Dupree reviewed the agency’s statutory role, funding sources, staffing, and FY27 requests, including an ongoing transfer within the In Demand Careers Fund to increase trustee and benefit payments for Idaho Launch grants, a proposal to consolidate the STEM Action Center into the council, and requests for reappropriation authority for several grant funds. Director Wendy Sechrist said Launch, workforce training, semiconductor, and child care grants have produced strong participation and wage gains, and she explained that the proposed STEM merger would transfer remaining dedicated-fund balances to the Workforce Development Training Fund. Members asked about the effect of a $10 million cash transfer on Launch awards, repayment of grants by students who do not meet requirements, and the use of employer training funds; Sechrist said wording such as “up to $10 million” would avoid reducing awards and that the agency is still exploring debt collection options. The committee then reviewed the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Dupree outlined the agency’s vocational rehabilitation and independent living services, its dedicated funds, and FY27 requests for additional appropriation to spend Social Security reimbursement revenue and for replacement vehicles from the adaptive aids fund. Administrator Beth Cunningham said the agency uses those funds to support clients’ employment and independence, and that the requested increases would help cover needed vehicles and offset other costs. She also said holdbacks would have a modest effect on services, including reduced site restoration funding and some cuts to client services and travel. Finally, the Idaho State Historical Society presented its budget. Dupree described the agency’s preservation mission, staffing, dedicated funds, and FY27 requests, including $450,000 for the second year of moving state records and collections into a new archives addition, plus IT hardware and reappropriation authority. Director Janet Gallimore emphasized stewardship of state records and artifacts, the importance of the collections move, and the agency’s role in America 250 activities. Members asked about archaeological review travel, the agency’s long tenure, and the use of miscellaneous revenue; Gallimore agreed to provide travel records and thanked the committee for its support. The meeting ended with a presentation of historical artifacts and adjournment until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• RISK SCREENINGS TO HELP STAFF ASSESS THE LIKELIHOOD THAT A SPECIES COULD CAUSE HARM TO FLORIDA AND THIS
• STAFF TIME AND WE HAVE SEEN GREAT BENEFITS.
• WHAT WE DID IS WE LOOKED AT THE CHAIRMAN AND DIRECTED THE STAFF TO LOOK INTO PUTTING WHAT WE DID IS WE
• LOOKED AT THE CHAIRMAN AND DIRECTED THE STAFF TO LOOK INTO PUTTING OUT THE BID FOR FOLKS TO COME AND
• CURRENTLY THE STAFF IS WORKING ON INCLUDING MANATEE VESSEL DISTRIBUTION SURVEYS IN THE UPPER ST.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're now ready for our staff report.
• </c> ordered we're uh now ready for our staff ordered we're uh now ready for our staff report<00:02:09.479
• Okay, anything else from staff report?
• </c> that okay anything else from staff that okay anything else from staff report<00:10:14.200><c> I'm
• </c> anything else from the staff anything else from the staff report<00:12:43.760><c> okay</c> report

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission met on March 17, 2025, approved the January 14 minutes, and received staff reports on budget, compliance, and training. Staff reported the January and February budget reports were within spending parameters and were approved. On reporting compliance, staff said about 15 forms were late in January, generating $750 in fines from late employers and lobbyists, but that all reports ultimately came in and the commission ended the month in full compliance. Staff also noted that all annual financial disclosure statements were filed except one, from former Representative Jacob Justice, who has been sent repeated notices and a certified letter regarding a $100 fine. The commission discussed a potential ethics-related bill for the session. Staff said freshman Representative Kim Holloway of Graves County and part of McCracken County agreed to sponsor the bill, but there was little expectation it could advance this late in the session. Holloway met with staff on March 4 and expressed interest in continuing discussions over the interim so the proposal could be ready for next session. Staff also said the commission is nearly fully compliant with certification requirements for legislators who missed or were late to the January 8 current issues seminar. Training efforts were also reviewed. Staff proposed starting a monthly Zoom training for lobbyists, employers, and others who work with them, beginning on a trial basis after session ends. The first session is planned for April 22 at 2 p.m., with notice to be sent through the newsletter and a special email. Staff said the goal is to help with filing questions, reduce late filings, and improve accuracy. The commission then voted to enter executive session under the cited Kentucky Open Meetings Act provisions to discuss confidential complaints and informal opinions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Allison Ryan, staff to the committee.
• Staff report, please.
• Staff report, please. Good morning, Emily Poole, staff to the committee.
• Seeing none, staff will announce the vote. Mr.
• Hearing and seeing none, staff will announce the vote. Mr.

Bills: HB2545, HB2613, HB1496, HB2155, HB2283, HB2340, HB2425, HB2437, HB2577

Keywords: healthcare, patients, cardiovascular procedures, outpatient services, surgical facilities, HB2613, compounded medications, compounded drugs, pharmacy compounding, bulk drug substances, active pharmaceutical ingredients, API, drug safety, patient safety, pharmacy license, Washington pharmacy law, RCW 18.64, Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, FDA, pharmaceutical compounding

Transcript Highlights:

• For the record, Jordan Clark, staff to this committee.
• My name is Jacob White, staff to the LEOFF 2 Board.
• For the record, Megan Morris, staff to the committee.
• For the record, Megan Morris, staff to the committee.
• Good afternoon, Dan Jones, committee staff.

Bills: HB1607, HB2159, HB2441, HB2521, HB2531, HB2543

Keywords: recycling, waste reduction, environmental policy, sustainability, municipal regulations, preK, education funding, childcare, youth development, state budget, HB 2441, line of duty death, survivor benefits, medical insurance premium reimbursement, surviving spouse, domestic partner, dependent children, public employee death benefits, retirement system, Washington State

Transcript Highlights:

• SAFETY AND SECURITY OF STUDENTS AND STAFF ARE PARAMOUNT TO CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE OF LEARNING
• WE WILL GO TO REPRESENTATIVE MY GOAL ALL THE WAY OVER THERE WITH STAFF NEXT TO HER.
• MY STAFF BROUGHT THAT FOR DISTRIBUTION.
• WE HAVE COMPLIANCE STAFF SPECIFICALLY FOR THREAT MANAGEMENT.
• WE HAVE COMPLIANCE STAFF OR PHYSICAL SECURITY AS WELL.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll ask you to introduce your staff.
• I also need to hire staff. I don't have behavioral health staff.
• to create the right codes, and then JID staff...
• Our IT staff to be able to extract that.
• Is there anything else in the staff?

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:40:05.280><c> Thank</c> staff. So support the amendment. Thank staff.
• </c><00:41:16.720><c> are</c> should have known our amazing staff are should have known our amazing staff
• And wanted to thank our partisan staff and our nonpartisan staff again for the immeasurable help that
• </c><00:45:08.000><c> again</c> staff and our nonpartisan staff again staff and our nonpartisan staff
• </c><01:10:32.080><c> can</c> don't know if uh nonpartisan staff can don't know if uh nonpartisan staff

Bills: HF2431, HF2438, HF2783, HF1943

Keywords: higher education, college affordability, student aid, state grants, North Star Promise, scholarships, financial aid, Minnesota State, University of Minnesota, Office of Higher Education, tuition relief, work-study, child care grants, hunger-free campus, food insecurity, student parents, pregnant students, parenting students, sexual misconduct, Title IX

Transcript Highlights:

• So I've got staff. Do we know how much is in it? It's not fine. Can you give us a chance here?
• So I've got staff. Do we know how much is in it? Not fine. Can you give us a chance here?
• I think the staff...
• Thank you, staff. Mr.
• Members, any questions from our staff? I don't see the bill sponsor here, which is okay.

Bills: SB1131, SB1249

Keywords: cardiac arrest, defibrillators, school safety, emergency response, CPR training, Arizona education funding, Alzheimer's, dementia, memory care, cognitive decline, brain health, caregiver support, long-term care, in-home care, public health, health services, state plan, dementia services program, Arizona Department of Health Services, aging

Transcript Highlights:

• Matt Sterling, staff to the committee, as a... Thank you, Chair Doglio, afternoon committee.
• Matt Sterling, staff to the committee.
• Seeing no one wishing to do so, staff will announce a vote.
• Seeing no further discussion, staff will call the roll.
• Okay, staff will announce the vote.

Bills: SB6291

Keywords: SB6291, on-site wastewater treatment, onsite wastewater treatment, septic system, sewage treatment, wastewater inspection, environmental health, local board of health, public health, professional engineer, land surveyor, certificate of competency, inspection standards, design review, supervised practice, certification, licensing, RCW 18.88A, Washington State, 904

Transcript Highlights:

• That'll come from our staff. Mr. Chair.
• I wonder, though, if staff can refresh my memory around...
• I wonder, though, if staff can refresh my memory around, did we...
• That's better asked to the staff than Mark.
• That's better ask to the staff than Mark.

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• have, we may have different staff that we need to come to the table.
• Nicholas Stewart, Deputy Chief of Staff, Department of Corrections.
• I'm Wayne Ruthven, Chief of Staff, Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs.
• I'm Wayne Ruthven, Chief of Staff, Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs.
• And I'll now recognize another one of our staff, Charlie Camp, to present that report.

Summary: The committee met with prayer and approved the January minutes, then heard a series of Arkansas Legislative Audit reports. Reports with findings were presented for the Department of Human Services, Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, Department of Corrections, and Department of Veterans Affairs, along with a special report on law enforcement racial profiling policy compliance. Several reports without findings were also filed without objection. For DHS, auditors reported apparent thefts involving false benefit claims in disaster nutrition assistance and Medicaid, a nearly $610,000 altered warrant cashed by a California auto body shop, and multiple asset-control issues, including missing equipment, inventory discrepancies, and improper sales tax paid on exempt vehicle purchases. Members questioned DHS about the warrant fraud and whether other agencies or California officials had been notified. For Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, auditors cited missing museum receipts and problems with change funds at Daisy State Park and War Memorial Stadium; department officials said they are considering cashless payment options and provided an update on the museum loss investigation. For Corrections, auditors reported unauthorized personal fuel-card purchases totaling about $4,500 and a delayed disaster recovery test for critical IT systems. Department officials said staffing has been increased for fuel-card oversight and that a full production disaster recovery test is scheduled soon. For Veterans Affairs, auditors found improper pay for employees who were not working, duplicate vendor payment, and numerous overtime approvals that were not properly authorized; the department said it has tightened overtime approval procedures. The special report said only 203 of 383 law enforcement agencies had responded regarding racial profiling policies, and the Attorney General had notified the remaining agencies that they were not in compliance. The committee requested a list of nonresponding agencies and adjourned, with the next meeting scheduled for March 12.

Transcript Highlights:

• Seeing no debate, staff, please open the vote. Representative Archer.
• Staff, close the vote, declare the vote.
• Staff, please close the vote and declare the vote.
• Seeing no debate, staff, please open the vote. Seeing no debate, staff, please open the vote.
• Seeing no debate, please staff, please open the vote.

Bills: HB3882, HB4273, HB4280, HB4281

Keywords: transportation, revolving fund, grants, infrastructure, economic development, income tax, aerospace, higher education, tax credit, qualified employee, funding, safety, state highways, bridges, apportionment, Oklahoma, transportation funding, sales tax, road maintenance, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Because once they elect a speaker, they could fire our staff, they could kick us out of our offices,
• So when you've asked them, are they going to fire staff? They haven't indicated it.
• I've watched what that does physically to the people in the chamber, particularly the nonpartisan staff
• I've watched what that does physically to the people in the chamber, particularly the nonpartisan staff
• </c> the chamber um to do that to the staff the chamber um to do that to the staff to<00:20:50.159><c

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Staff, introduce yourself and explain, please. Mr.
• Staff, go ahead. Thank you. Mr.
• Chairman, members, for the record, Jack Brown, JLBC staff.
• Chairman, for the record, Patrick Mayer, the JLBC staff.
• Thank you for us to do the three bills first and your staff.

Summary: The Committee of Appropriations met on January 21, 2026, and first considered House Bill 2116, which would appropriate $1 million in fiscal year 2027 to the Colorado River Litigation Fund. The sponsor and Arizona Department of Water Resources both supported the bill, describing it as a backup measure to protect Arizona’s Colorado River entitlements if post-2026 negotiations among the basin states fail. Members discussed how the bill relates to the governor’s separate Colorado River Protection Fund proposal, and staff clarified the two funds serve different purposes. The committee approved HB 2116 on a 17-1 roll call vote. The committee then took up House Bill 2053, which would provide $100,000 for updated stormwater recharge mapping and expand the work beyond state trust lands to private lands. An amendment in the chair’s name was adopted to extend the coordination timeline, broaden the agencies involved, and revise language about mapped sites and appropriable surface water. The sponsor said the bill is intended to identify more places to capture stormwater for recharge rather than letting most rainfall evaporate. ADWR testified neutrally, supporting the mapping effort but raising a concern about language that could be read as requiring the department to determine whether water is appropriable, which it said is a legal question for the courts. The amended bill passed 11-7. House Bill 2148, as amended, was then heard and approved 11-7. The bill would give the legislature authority to appropriate non-custodial federal monies and set requirements for those appropriations. The chair’s amendment excluded federal research grants to universities, university employees, and the Arizona Board of Regents. The sponsor framed the bill as a transparency measure, saying the legislature should know how federal funds are being spent. No outside testimony was offered, and the committee approved the measure after debate about legislative oversight of federal funds. After the bills, the committee received a lengthy JLBC presentation comparing the executive budget with the JLBC baseline. Discussion focused on revenue forecasts, tax conformity, sports betting, lottery and tourism revenue assumptions, SNAP administrative costs and error-rate penalties, developmental disability and Access caseload growth, and K-12 enrollment and ESA spending. Members repeatedly questioned the executive budget’s use of one-time funding for ongoing costs, especially for SNAP administration and DES staffing, and expressed concern about rising supplemental needs and the lack of long-term budget capacity. No votes were taken on the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Staff, seeing none, I see the sponsor back there.
• Thank you, staff. Go ahead. Mr.
• Chairman, members, for the record, Jack Brown, JLBC staff.
• Chairman, for the record, Patrick Mayer, the JLBC staff.
• Thank you for us to do the three bills first and your staff.

Bills: HB2053, HB2116, HB2148

Keywords: stormwater, recharge mapping, water resources, groundwater, appropriation, Arizona, HB2116, Colorado River, litigation fund, water rights, Arizona water law, general fund appropriation, state budget, interstate water compact, Colorado River Compact, water litigation, A.R.S. 45-119, natural resources, water policy, river management

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill reclassifies a chief of staff to deputy commissioner of administration without adding staff
• ><c> commissioner</c><00:10:43.600><c> of</c> staff to deputy commissioner of staff to deputy commissioner
• ><00:10:46.640><c> or</c> administration without adding staff or administration without adding staff
• ><c> with</c> Specifically, staff can help with Specifically, staff can help with problem<00:16:14.959
• staff time or other priorities required staff<00:16:46.639><c> time,</c><00:16:47.199><c> then</c><00

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to begin with a staff briefing from Ms. Mulvehill.
• For the record, Megan Mulvehill, staff to the committee.
• No questions for staff. Thank you very much, Megan.
• I'll bump it to staff. Megan, is this legislation, is... I bump it to staff.
• And staff and the lawyers on staff can correct me if I'm wrong, but you have to follow the rules.

Summary: The Consumer Protection and Business Committee held a public hearing on House Bill 2112, which would require commercial entities, including some social media companies, to use age verification before allowing access to websites where more than one-third of the material is sexual content harmful to minors. Staff explained that the bill would require reasonable age verification methods, prohibit retention of identifying information, exempt bona fide news and public-interest sites, and authorize the Attorney General to enforce the law through civil penalties. The bill would also require warning notices on landing pages and advertisements, with content to be developed by the Department of Health. Prime sponsor Representative Mari Leavitt said the bill is intended to protect children from harmful online sexual content and argued that parental controls are not sufficient. She cited pediatric and public-health concerns, said the bill is modeled on laws upheld elsewhere, and emphasized that the measure is aimed at commercial entities rather than school-based sharing or general adult access. Supportive testimony from parents, clinicians, and advocates described early exposure to pornography, mental health harms, and the need to place responsibility on platforms rather than families alone. Opposition testimony focused on privacy, free speech, enforcement, and scope. Several witnesses argued that age verification systems create data-security risks even if data is not retained, that the bill’s definitions and one-third threshold are vague and could sweep in LGBTQ, health, educational, or artistic content, and that enforcement would be difficult against out-of-state websites. Some opponents said the law would push users to less-compliant sites and would not effectively protect children. A technology industry witness said the bill is narrow and comparable to carding for alcohol or tobacco, while a Free Speech Coalition representative said the law is ineffective in practice and offered to discuss amendments. No vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Can we get a staff briefing, please? Mr.
• Can we get a staff briefing, please?
• Any questions for staff?
• Start with the staff report, please. Thank you. Allison Ryan, staff to the committee.
• Chair, members of the committee, Kim Weidner, staff to the committee.

Summary: The committee heard public hearings on several health-related bills. House Bill 1904 would prohibit cat declawing except for therapeutic purposes, with staff explaining definitions, fines, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements. The prime sponsor and animal welfare advocates described declawing as cruel and linked it to pain and behavior problems, while the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association supported the substance of the bill but asked to remove the added reporting and disciplinary provisions as redundant and burdensome. House Bill 2211 would provide guidance for medically tailored meals under existing Medicaid-related nutrition supports, including standards for Washington-based nonprofit providers where possible, menu review, and nutrition requirements. The sponsor said it would clarify implementation without expanding the program, and supporters from meal providers, food distributors, and local farms said it would improve health outcomes, keep dollars local, and support Washington jobs and agriculture. House Bill 2329 would allow licensed midwives to delegate certain tasks to medical assistants and to supervise medical assistants, with the sponsor and birth center operators saying it would fix an omission in current law and help rural and under-resourced birth centers operate more efficiently. Supporters said it would improve staffing and financial stability, while the sponsor indicated the lactation consultant language would likely be removed because those consultants are not regulated by the Department of Health. The committee then returned to House Bill 1904 for additional testimony from humane organizations, veterinarians, shelter leaders, and local officials, all supporting a ban on declawing and emphasizing animal pain, shelter impacts, and available alternatives. House Bill 2247 would expand and clarify veterinary telehealth and veterinarian-client-patient relationship rules, allowing a VCPR to be established in certain telehealth circumstances and setting guardrails for consent, practice standards, and when in-person exams are still required. Supporters from shelters, animal welfare groups, mobile clinics, and veterinarians said telehealth would improve access in rural and underserved areas, reduce shelter intake, and help animals receive care sooner; the veterinary association supported the bill with amendments to clarify recordkeeping and access-to-care findings. House Bill 2339 would update nursing license terminology and processes for advanced registered nurse practitioners, including title changes, controlled substance rules for CRNAs, transcript submission, and interim permits. Nursing board and ARNP representatives supported the technical updates, while the hospital association and medical association raised concerns about title language for clinical nurse specialists and the deletion of a reference to the medical profession. Finally, House Bill 2106 would require health carriers to give 90 days’ notice of significant mid-contract payer modifications and provide the actual modification language, with the sponsor and hospital and provider representatives saying insurers are increasingly making unilateral changes that affect payment, services, and patient access. UW Medicine and a rural hospital district described examples where insurers changed imaging or preventive service coverage mid-contract, causing financial losses and forcing difficult choices about network participation. Carriers were noted as opposing the bill, while providers and facilities argued it would improve transparency and prevent one-sided contract changes that disrupt care.

Transcript Highlights:

• Commission staff will facilitate the presentations and click through the slides.
• Any questions before I pass it off to commission staff?
• I get a lot of help from commission members and staff.
• I also want to shout out all the staff that's had something to do with it.
• So thank you to the entire staff. And also, Lily Stowe-Alegrin, who's my staff director as well.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The special commission on xylazine met virtually to review and discuss the first draft of its final report. Chair Mindy Domb opened the meeting, confirmed quorum, and the commission approved the minutes from its December 11 public meeting. Staff then walked commissioners through the proposed report structure, including background on xylazine as both an FDA-approved veterinary drug and an illicit drug supply contaminant, as well as appendices for public meeting materials and public resources. The commission discussed findings and recommendations for several working groups. For oversight and enforcement, members focused on licit versus illicit sources of xylazine, noting that the illicit supply is typically obtained through online vendors rather than diverted from veterinary use. Recommendations included better storage and reporting practices in authorized settings, review of manufacturing and distribution information, and focusing enforcement on fentanyl trafficking and large-scale xylazine importation rather than personal possession. Commissioners also discussed whether xylazine should remain in Schedule 6 or be subject to additional penalties, and several members emphasized the need for coordination, information-sharing, and possibly a DPH task force or advisory body to monitor emerging drug threats. For outreach and treatment, staff summarized strong existing programs such as drug checking, wound care education, naloxone distribution, mobile and low-threshold care, and self-directed wound kits, while noting gaps including the lack of an FDA-approved reversal agent for xylazine, difficulty distinguishing xylazine from other exposures, and uneven access by geography, insurance, and audience. Commissioners stressed the need for provider education, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, family support networks, and first responders, and for clear guidance on wound care and when more intensive treatment is needed. The education and training section identified first responders, clinicians, non-clinicians, and people who use drugs and their families as key audiences for tailored, stigma-free materials, with emphasis on real-time, centralized data, naloxone and breathing support, recognition of overdose versus xylazine exposure, and adapting materials as the drug supply changes. The meeting ended with discussion of next steps: staff will circulate a revised draft by March 2, the commission will meet again on March 9 to consider the report and recommendations, and an additional late-March meeting was reserved if needed before the statutory deadline.