Transcript Highlights:

• He was on the school board at one point in North Forest ISD.
• He served on our school board.
• Dutton: has the right to designate the school of choice for the child.
• This bill allows public schools to be able to purchase surplus vehicles for campus safety purposes.
• Tepper: Speaker, this is that school bus program.

Transcript Highlights:

• With the information outlined in this bill, schools without sufficient clinical training sites could
• And I understand the benefits to the schools and the students at both.
• I was accepted to numerous OT schools across the US, including top 5 rated OT schools for my doctorate
• The 27 CRU schools are the most geographically dispersed group of universities in Texas.
• CRU schools are also more focused on workforce development than emerging research and tier 1 research

Committee: House Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• that Senate File 3603, that we adopt the subcommittee report regarding Armed Forces Veterans High School
• :05:56.120><c> High</c> regarding Armed Forces Veterans High regarding Armed Forces Veterans High School
• </c><00:05:57.280><c> All</c><00:05:57.360><c> in</c> School Diploma Establishment.
• All in School Diploma Establishment. All in favor<00:05:57.640><c> say</c><00:05:57.840><c> I.
• This would be for veterans who were unable to complete their high school education due to their service

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:44:07.280><c> 142</c> housing stock, purchasing 142 housing stock, purchasing 142 communities
• </c> transaction if they choose to purchase transaction if they choose to purchase it.<00:57:09.839><
• </c><00:57:20.480><c> bill</c> current opportunity to purchase bill current opportunity to purchase bill
• </c><00:57:42.640><c> a</c> equity firm that's looking to purchase a equity firm that's looking to purchase
• </c><01:09:35.600><c> that</c> residents to be able to purchase that residents to be able to purchase

Bills: HF4234 , HF484 , HF483 , HF2614

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Keywords: HF4234, Minnesota private activity bonds, tax-exempt bonds, bond cap, aggregate bond limitation, residential rental projects, multifamily housing, affordable housing finance, housing bonds, public finance, bond allocation, private activity bond cap, Minnesota Statutes 474A.02, tax committee, natural gas, gas hookups, residential construction, energy policy, local control, state preemption

Transcript Highlights:

• We also saw, of course, that the AI boom we have seen has contributed to GDP, larger due to the purchase
• of chips, software, more than the consumer average retail purchases added to GDP.
• retail purchases added consumer average retail purchases added to<00:15:11.440><c> GDP.
• </c> consumer purchases. consumer purchases.
• to have the consumer retail purchases to have the consumer spending<00:41:14.160><c> have</c><00:41:

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting focused on preliminary fiscal 2026 revenue estimates and the governor’s office request for an official revision to fiscal 2026, with members reminded that any estimate adopted now would not bind the December official estimates. Staff from S&P Global walked through three forecast scenarios—control, optimistic, and pessimistic—based on recent federal tax changes, tariffs, and other policy developments, emphasizing that the outlook remains highly uncertain. Under the control scenario, the presentation projected below-trend real GDP growth of 1.8% in fiscal 2026, slowing to 1.5% by fiscal 2028, with unemployment peaking around 4.5% and the Federal Reserve cutting rates three times to a long-run range of about 2.75% to 3%. The optimistic scenario assumed lower effective tariffs, stronger growth, and better labor and housing outcomes, while the pessimistic scenario assumed a broader trade war, higher effective tariffs, faster deportations, weaker employment and consumer spending, and unemployment rising to about 6.3%. Speakers also noted that the forecast was prepared before later BLS revisions and that recent data on inventories and AI-related investment made the recent quarters look unusually volatile. Members discussed how the current fiscal 2026 outlook compared with earlier assumptions and noted that the eventual revenue revision may be smaller than the spread between the optimistic and pessimistic economic scenarios. The governor’s office and committee members also reviewed sector-specific impacts, including manufacturing, housing, light vehicle production, exports, and consumer sentiment, with particular concern about Kentucky’s auto and housing-related industries. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• My mom was an elementary school teacher, and my dad was a military veteran and a college professor.
• I also appear as someone who went to law school to try to remove barriers to access and to help people
• They didn't know how involved parents needed to be in schooling, but they learned quickly.
• Our kids are taking time off from school. We're taking time off from work.
• I went to a continuation high school, so you're way above me on that.

Summary: The Senate Rules Committee met to consider several gubernatorial appointments and a referral item. It first acted on appointments not required to appear, including Michael Gunning to the Teachers’ Retirement Board, Eric Hines to the Gambling Control Commission, several nominees to the Civil Rights Council, nominees to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, and Omar Passens to the Contractors’ State License Board. The committee also took up a reference of bills to committees. Most of these items were initially left open for absent members, then later approved on add-on votes, with some passing unanimously and others on split votes. The committee then heard testimony from two nominees to the California State University Board of Trustees, Kelly Dermody and Andrea Evans. Both emphasized access, student basic needs, housing affordability, enrollment balance across campuses, and the need to use artificial intelligence responsibly while preserving critical thinking and data privacy. Senators asked about intersegmental cooperation, CSU bachelor’s degree authority, tuition increases, and how the trustees would evaluate affordability and student outcomes. No public opposition was heard, and both nominees were advanced to the full Senate after committee votes. Finally, the committee heard from Dr. Cedric Jamie Rutland, nominated to the South Coast Air Quality Management District Board. He described his background as a pulmonologist and said he would bring a public health and science-based perspective to air quality policy, especially regarding pollution’s effects on respiratory and cardiovascular health. Senators focused on goods movement, warehouse growth, AB 617 communities, environmental justice, refinery and trucking impacts, and balancing emissions reductions with economic realities. After public comment, the committee voted to advance his nomination to the Senate floor, and the meeting concluded after add-on votes and a brief recess/closed session.

Transcript Highlights:

• funding has remained flat, while our inflation has risen 28%, leaving us $610,000 below our 2018 purchasing
• And then we have the school context specifically, which um carves out says if the person is more than
• And I'm just thinking about that because, like, my son is in high school and his girlfriend's a year
• </c><00:19:07.520><c> his</c><00:19:07.760><c> girlfriend's</c><00:19:08.080><c> a</c> is in high school
• and his girlfriend's a is in high school and his girlfriend's a year<00:19:08.480><c> younger</c><00

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 1082 as a vehicle for the public safety finance bill and laid it over without taking official action. Staff walked through the DE6 amendment, which combines funding and policy provisions from several bills. The spreadsheet and bill summary showed appropriations for non-fatal shooting clearance grants, a domestic violence task force, a first responder uniform ID task force, and an increase to the Philando Castile training reimbursement fund, along with felony-related policy changes involving impersonating a police officer, medical facility security, theft from a vulnerable adult, and grooming offenses. The amendment also includes a $12 million transfer to the Minnesota victims of crime account, bringing the DE6 total to about $15.443 million for the biennium, with additional tail costs. Testimony focused heavily on the need to stabilize crime victim services funding. Katie Kramer of Violence Free Minnesota, speaking for multiple crime victims coalitions, urged support for the $12 million transfer, warning that flat funding and inflation have already forced program cuts, staff reductions, and service limits, and that a 20% cut could eliminate programs in rural areas. Tina Bronson of Alexandra House gave a similar account, describing how years of flat funding had reduced staff and programs and saying another cut would mean fewer advocates, longer waits, and less access for survivors. Both witnesses argued that victim services are an essential part of public safety and asked lawmakers to maintain existing services rather than expand them. In member discussion, the chair said the $12 million was intended as one-time funding to keep victim services at roughly prior-year levels and explained that the money would be distributed through the existing competitive grant process. A member asked about the grooming language and whether it could affect teenage relationships; nonpartisan staff clarified that the school-related offense applies only when there is a position of authority, and that existing criminal sexual conduct law already addresses age-differential situations. Members and the chair closed by describing the package as bipartisan and expressing appreciation for the committee’s work, with the chair noting the bill was being laid over for later consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• Marquis Mick Miller, Orange County Public Schools, waives in support.
• In my district we have increases in accidents at the middle school and elementary school level and to
• , and our counties, and our cities, and their doctors, and our parents, and our students, and our school
• There are ten steps to a genocide Aminah Spike: and I went to study genocide in grad school, and I think
• Duggan: bill that amends the City of Jacksonville charter to clarify Duval County School Board can hire

Transcript Highlights:

• The consumer prior to purchase.
• But I purchased the business at a time when Napster was coming online.
• Every purchase on our platform is backed by a guarantee.
• Fans have a right to determine what they do with their purchase property.
• Fans have a right to determine what they do with their purchase property.

Bills: SB6149 , SB6175 , SB6230 , SB6248 , SB6312 , SB6061 , SB6137

Committee: Senate Business, Trade & Economic Development

Keywords: rural county, frontier county, public facilities funding, economic development, local option sales tax, sales and use tax, workforce housing, affordable housing, county tax authority, RCW, Washington state, community economic revitalization board, CED, infrastructure funding, public works, job creation, job retention, job expansion, county planning, state auditor reporting

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, I understand that some of you are concerned about the amount of land that is being purchased by
• Some of these lands no one else wanted to purchase.
• land that concerned about the amount of land that is<00:03:39.440><c> being</c><00:03:39.600><c> purchased
• by the DNR in the is being purchased by the DNR in the state<00:03:40.959><c> of</c><00:03:41.040><c
• </c> to purchase. to purchase.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• public school employer.
• </c> school boards across Minnesota. school boards across Minnesota.
• </c> school boards and administrators. school boards and administrators.
• </c> better than other school districts are. better than other school districts are.
• </c> uh three school districts. uh three school districts.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Any establishments that want them purchase the cup from the city.
• </c><00:37:29.599><c> wrist</c> where they do make people purchase wrist where they do make people purchase
• No more than x many at any one time of purchase, or how does that work?
• No more than x many at any one time of purchase, or how does that work?
• </c> towards the cup fees just purchasing towards the cup fees just purchasing them<00:46:45.160><c>

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a materials engineer by degree, but my first job out of grad school was to develop new nuclear fuel
• So when companies can make questionable marketing claims with paper credits instead of purchasing actual
• Some of them allow companies to purchase credits associated with material from elsewhere in the global
• We hear a deep concern for children, especially those attending schools like Windsor Hills Elementary
• They are paying with their decreased lung capacity, with their lost school time, with their pocketbooks

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Faith Boucher, retired from the University of California School of Medicine, Department of Public Health
• argument that there's a cost shift here would be the same argument about, oh, if you let someone purchase
• So under the current setup, if you're purchasing one of these systems, my understanding is that you're
• They're spending $500 on their kid is going to school and they need new tennis shoes.
• 700-acre, 330-megawatt project is broken ground alongside a residential community and elementary school

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications

Summary: The committee heard extensive testimony on SB 868, the Plug and Play Solar Act, which would streamline approvals for portable plug-in solar devices while setting safety standards. The author and supporters argued the bill would help renters and homeowners with high electricity bills by allowing low-cost balcony solar systems to reduce monthly costs, and they emphasized that the devices would not feed power back to the grid. Supporters included environmental and consumer groups, solar advocates, and many members of the public. Opponents, including electrical workers, firefighters, utilities, and PG&E, raised concerns about shock, fire, overloading, and the need for California-specific building standards. After discussion, the author agreed to committee amendments and later to add compliance with the California Electrical Code in addition to the National Electrical Code; several opponents said that change would move them to neutral. The committee then voted to pass SB 868 out as amended to Senate Judiciary, with some members expressing support while reserving concerns about safety as the bill moves forward. The committee then took up SB 886, dealing with data center electricity use and ratepayer protections. The author said the bill is intended to prevent large data centers from shifting grid and infrastructure costs onto other customers, citing rapid growth in data center demand and examples from other states. Supporters, including TURN and climate groups, said the bill would require data centers to pay for their own grid impacts, pre-fund long-term clean energy resources, participate in demand response, and cover related costs. Opponents from the data center industry, tech and business groups, utilities, and some energy users argued the bill was unnecessary, could duplicate CPUC processes, and could create discriminatory rate treatment or operational problems, especially around mandatory demand response and limits on backup generation. Committee staff described amendments narrowing the bill to large data centers, clarifying tariff and cost-allocation provisions, replacing a storage requirement with a long-term zero-carbon procurement mechanism, and exempting certain public and utility facilities. Members discussed the balance between affordability, reliability, and clean energy, with the bill framed as a way to protect ratepayers while allowing data center growth.

Transcript Highlights:

• Faith Boucher, retired from the University of California School of Medicine, Department of Public Health
• Faith Boucher, retired from the University of California School of Medicine, Department of Public Health
• argument that there's a cost shift here would be the same argument about, oh, if you let someone purchase
• So under the current setup, if you're purchasing one of these systems, my understanding is that you're
• They're spending $500 on their kid is going to school and they need new tennis shoes.

Summary: The committee first heard SB 868, the Plug and Play Solar Act, which would streamline approval for portable plug-in solar devices for homes and apartments. The author and supporters argued the bill would help renters and other Californians lower electric bills, expand access to solar, and create statewide safety standards through UL certification and the National Electrical Code. Opponents, including electrical workers, firefighters, utilities, and PG&E, raised concerns about shock, fire, backfeeding, older electrical systems, and the bill bypassing the California Electrical Code and Building Standards Commission process. After extended discussion and testimony from UL, the author agreed to add California Electrical Code language, and several opponents indicated they would move to neutral; the committee then passed the bill out as amended to the Senate Judiciary Committee on a roll call vote. The committee then took up SB 886, which would establish rules for large data centers to prevent electricity cost shifts to other ratepayers. The author and supporters said rapid data center growth could drive major grid costs and that the bill would require data centers to pay for their own infrastructure, participate in demand response, and secure new zero-carbon resources. Supporters included environmental and consumer groups, while opponents such as the Data Center Coalition, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, utilities, and business groups argued the bill was unnecessary, could duplicate CPUC proceedings, and might impose operationally risky mandates, especially around demand response and backup power. Committee staff described amendments narrowing the bill to large data centers, clarifying tariff and cost-allocation provisions, replacing behind-the-meter storage with a pre-funded long-term clean energy contract, and exempting certain public and critical facilities; the discussion continued with questions about cost responsibility, clean energy targets, and peak-load management.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some kids my age worry about homework, video games, or what they're going to wear at school.
• Some days I wake up already tired before the day even begins, and some days I miss school, birthday parties
• care providers should learn from education, an education that extends more than just a paragraph in school
• First, AHCA would be required to employ the most cost-effective purchasing practices and negotiate rebates
• directly related to employment, education directly related to employment, attendance at a secondary school

Bills: S0036 , S0864 , S0268 , S0844 , S0514 , S1404 , S0914 , S1758

Committee: Senate Health Policy

Keywords: nursing title, advanced practice registered nurse, advertising, professional standards, disciplinary action, uterine fibroids, public records, health privacy, epidemiology, medical information, emergency department, physicians, privacy, personal information, sickle cell disease, sickle cell anemia, pain management, controlled substances, prescribing education, continuing medical education

Summary: The committee first considered SB 268, a public records exemption for emergency physicians. Senator Rodriguez’s strike-all amendment narrowed and clarified the exemption, and testimony from an emergency physician described threats, harassment, and safety concerns tied to mandatory reporting and patient encounters. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably as a committee substitute. Members then heard SB 514, creating the Dula Support for Healthy Births Pilot Program in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties for pregnant and postpartum women affected by substance use disorder. Senator Osgood explained the pilot would provide non-medical doula support and data collection, and an amendment changed the funding source to specific appropriations in the General Appropriations Act. Supporters said doula care can improve maternal and infant outcomes and complement medical providers. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably as a committee substitute. The committee also approved SB 36 on use of professional nursing titles after extensive debate over whether nurses with doctoral degrees should be allowed to use “doctor” in clinical settings, with concerns raised about patient confusion and the need for clearer identification. The bill was amended to align with the House version and then reported favorably as a committee substitute. The committee next approved SB 864, a public records exemption for uterine fibroid research data, after a technical amendment setting a July 1, 2026 effective date; Senator Sharif said the exemption is needed so the Department of Health can collect sensitive data for the related research bill. SB 844, requiring continuing education on sickle cell disease care management for certain licensed physicians and nurses, was also reported favorably after emotional testimony from patients and advocates describing delayed care and bias. Later, the committee approved SB 1404 on memory care, after a strike-all amendment creating a new memory care specialty license for assisted living facilities that advertise or provide specialized memory care services, while allowing optional supportive services without the new license. Supporters from the senior living industry backed the clarification. The committee then passed SB 914, which clarifies that licensed occupational therapists may perform dry needling, after an amendment adjusting supervision and continuing education language. Finally, the committee took up SB 1758, a broad Medicaid and SNAP reform bill that would strengthen fraud enforcement, impose Medicaid work requirements for certain able-bodied adults, expand behavioral health services, modernize drug purchasing and prior authorization, and require SNAP fraud-reduction measures. Several amendments were adopted, and members questioned the work requirement, implementation costs, EBT card photo identification, and due process concerns; debate continued as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a research professor in the School of Economic Sciences at Washington State University.
• We're finding, at least in the Wenatchee Valley, levies such as school district levies are failing.
• We're finding, at least in the Wenatchee Valley, levies such as school district levies, are failing.
• One notable one here with equipment: in 2019, we would purchase fully equipped dump trucks for about
• I think Eric was purchasing dump trucks in 2023 for $240,000. Two years later, it’s $340,000.

Committee: Joint Joint Transportation Committee

Summary: The committee first heard an update on the Joint Transportation Committee study of transportation impacts if the Lower Snake River dams were removed. WSDOT and Jacobs described the study’s phases, including current work on geology, infrastructure risk, and a total logistics cost model. They explained that the study is examining how freight now moved by barge—especially wheat, fertilizer, and wood—could shift to rail and roads, and they outlined several scenarios ranging from no-dam future conditions to new unit-train terminals, short-line rail options, and a combined “many solutions” scenario. Members asked about irrigation, impacts in Idaho and Oregon, port capacity, emissions, competition, EV trucks, and whether the model could estimate transportation effects if grain volumes decline. The presenters said the study assumes current production levels continue, does not model irrigation changes or broader farm-economics impacts, but does account for transloading costs and can estimate transportation impacts under different volume assumptions. WSU’s independent review team said the model has improved substantially but still needed refinement, especially in routing, road data, and spatial detail, and that stakeholder engagement had been strong though delayed by model development. No votes were taken. The committee then received a presentation on the alternative sidewalk funding study. Staff and consultants said the study is exploring ways local governments could sustainably fund sidewalk maintenance, repair, and new construction, using a statewide survey, interviews, national research, and case studies in eight jurisdictions. They noted sidewalks are important for pedestrian safety and connectivity, but there is no dedicated funding source in Washington, and existing grants and local revenue tools are highly competitive or limited. The consultants highlighted sidewalk fees or utility-style charges as the most promising option to study, while a parcel tax was largely set aside because of state property-tax uniformity concerns. Members asked whether the study would duplicate existing funding or add to current taxes, and how a sidewalk fee would be collected; the consultants said the goal is to expand local options, not mandate adoption, and that fees would likely be billed through utilities rather than property taxes. A preliminary draft report is due December 15, with a final report due in mid-June. Next, staff gave a brief update on the ocean-going vessels study, which is examining shore power and emissions rules for vessels at berth. The presenter explained that federal Clean Air Act rules and California waiver authority create legal limits on how far Washington can go if it wants to adopt similar standards, and that deviations from California’s approach can increase litigation risk. The report will summarize stakeholder outreach and will be presented in draft form at the next JTC meeting. Finally, county engineers from Chelan and Douglas counties began a presentation on county transportation challenges, with the association’s director emphasizing collaboration with state agencies and local partners on issues such as fish passage barriers and infrastructure needs. The county presentation was only beginning when the transcript ended, and no committee action or votes were recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• have a good working relationship with our neighbors, the town of Taos, the county, and the local school
• grounded in strategies and recognized tribal sovereignty and shared responsibility with the state and school
• It possible for students to come to school or to return to school in fall 2024, we had our highest enrollment
• Um, within that compact, we've been able to to purchase two wildfire engines that, um, is our primary
• There is already a supply chain of, uh, uh, equipment in the queue that another company is not gonna purchase

Transcript Highlights:

• Start Googling for liquor purchases.
• I can purchase tobacco.
• I can purchase wine from wine suppliers in the state. I can purchase alcohol from out of state.
• I can purchase alcohol from out of state.
• It's a personal purchase. It's not a retail purchase.

Committee: House Commerce

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So maybe OPSD, if you want to explain that, the farmers would take the funds and use them to purchase
• Take the funds and use them to purchase carbon offsets elsewhere?
• Thank you. outside of the state of Hawaii to outside of the state of Hawaii to purchase<01:11:47.280>
• We clarify that power purchase charges will cover any administrative costs incurred by the department
• </c><01:30:47.600><c> charges</c> we clarify that power purchase charges we clarify that power purchase

Committee: House Energy & Environmental Protection

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Energy and Environmental Protection Committee met on February 13, 2025, after a brief recess for a concurrent hearing. The committee heard testimony on several measures, including HB 332 on recycling and lithium-ion batteries, HB 256 on environmental protection and federal air standards, HB 348 on single-use plastics in lodging establishments, HB 810 on noise pollution and helicopter-related civil actions, HB 505 on Red Hill coordination, HB 975 on carbon sequestration incentives, and HB 974 on utility financing and step-in agreements. Testimony was generally supportive on HB 256, HB 348, HB 505, HB 975, and HB 974, while HB 332 drew both support and opposition, including concerns from the Consumer Technology Association about battery recycling policy. On HB 975, OPSD supported the program but urged language to prevent use for carbon offsets, and the committee discussed how the program would be monitored and reimbursed. On HB 974, the chair summarized extensive amendments addressing reserve fees, revenue definitions, trust funds, default procedures, and customer credits, while noting the Consumer Advocate’s changed view that a reserve fee may not be constitutionally required. In decision making, the committee adopted amendments and recommended passage for HB 332, converting it into a working group to study recycling of small- and medium-format lithium-ion batteries, with members from state agencies and industry and a note that an appropriation may be needed. HB 256 was passed with amendments to clarify compliance with federal law unless standards become more stringent. HB 348, HB 810, and HB 505 were each passed as is. HB 975 was passed with amendments, including language to prevent use of the program for carbon offsets and a note that dollar amounts would be blanked out and addressed in the committee report. HB 974 was also passed with amendments after the committee reviewed the proposed changes and discussed the reserve fee issue. The committee additionally noted that HB 1476 had previously been deferred and would remain deferred, and the meeting concluded with adjournment.