Transcript Highlights:

• part of the legislative process.
• And so... ...that the legislative process, that don't trust that part of the legislative process.
• As legislators, we have a responsibility to spend the state's money wisely.
• Assembly Member Arons, thank you, Senator, for bringing this piece of legislation forward.
• I will say that, in my humble opinion, because of our legislation...

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and attack individual legislator records.
• I remember this legislation. So how has it been going, the pilot program?"
• So then with this legislation, would it require at least a 10.1?
• The proposed statute would be a legislative recognition of that duty.
• The bill would be a legislative recognition of a duty in this type of case.

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, permission to refer or reference other legislation? Yes, that would be great.
• If you look at the abatement legislation that's in this body or this building, there are people with
• A number of pieces of legislation were mentioned at the beginning of your testimony.
• The point of this slide is to document the ways that we have benefited from legislative direction, legislative
• As per state statute, and that's what this legislation does.

Summary: The committee first approved the March 2, 2026 minutes without opposition. It then took up House Bill 771, and at the sponsor’s request moved to hold the bill indefinitely in committee. Representative Schurz said he would return with a replacement version that narrows the bill’s focus on THC products sold through a loophole. The main item was Senate Bill 1271, as amended, which would declare Norway and roof rats a public nuisance and invasive pest, direct the Department of Agriculture to coordinate a statewide response with counties, public health districts, and the private sector, require a public abatement plan and reporting, and make state and local participation voluntary rather than mandating spending. Supporters, including the sponsor, Ada County, and Boise officials, argued the rats are spreading quickly, can cause major property, agricultural, and public health damage, and require coordinated action before the problem grows. Opponents from the pest management industry said rat control is already handled by licensed private professionals, warned the bill could create confusion with other abatement proposals, raise taxpayer liability and future costs, and compete with private businesses. Public testimony on SB 1271 was split between those favoring a coordinated government-private response and those urging the issue be left to private industry and local control. After debate, a substitute motion to hold the bill in committee failed 9-6. The committee then voted 9-6 to send SB 1271, as amended, to the floor with a do-pass recommendation. Afterward, the Department of Agriculture gave an extensive presentation on invasive species, focusing on quagga mussel detection and treatment in the Snake River. The director said Idaho’s treatment effort has reduced the impacted area and remains aimed at eradication, with monitoring, watercraft inspection stations, law enforcement partnerships, and a public-private treatment contract all part of the response. Committee members asked about fish mortality, environmental effects, enforcement of boat inspection rules, and the role of private contractors in the treatment program.

Transcript Highlights:

• We learned at the same time the Office of the Legislative Auditor and the citizens of Minnesota when
• auditor and the citizens the legislative auditor and the citizens of<00:06:58.160><c> Minnesota</c><
• So that's a huge problem. legislative auditor um audit just on the legislative auditor um audit just
• </c> entire every week of the legislative entire every week of the legislative session<00:12:24.240><
• That's not acceptable to me as a legislator, to me as a citizen, period. agencies have to do better.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In favor of this legislation, please come forward.
• Can I get the first witness in opposition to this legislation?
• Can I get the next witness in favor of this legislation?
• We are in favor of this legislation as drafted.
• Can I get the next witness in favor of this legislation?

Summary: The committee first took up House Committee Substitute for House Bills 21, 22, and 1626, which would combine the bills and add a clawback/refund provision for construction work in progress in base rates if costs were imprudently incurred or a project is not placed in service in a reasonable time. Supporters argued Missouri should remove its CWIP ban to stay competitive with neighboring states and attract utility investment, while opponents warned about unknown costs and timelines for ratepayers. The substitute was adopted, and the committee voted the combined bill do pass by 12 ayes and 7 noes. The committee then considered House Bill 2711, as amended by a substitute, dealing with broadband-related property tax treatment. The sponsor explained the substitute narrowed the bill to new installations, added a seven-year sunset, and aimed to clarify assessment issues. Supporters said the measure would help expand broadband infrastructure and improve service in underserved areas, while opponents argued the tax break should not apply to upgrades within existing service territories and questioned whether the bill truly expanded access. The committee adopted the substitute and voted the bill do pass by 12 ayes and 7 noes. The remainder of the hearing focused on House Bill 2762, a broad solar/wind/water measure. The sponsor described provisions setting a $2,500 per megawatt tax on solar nameplate capacity, creating more uniform assessment rules, establishing setbacks for solar facilities, limiting eminent domain use, and including smaller sections on water district dissolution and wind turbine lighting. Testimony was mixed: solar developers, Clean Grid Alliance, Renew Missouri, and Missouri Farm Bureau supported clearer rules, grandfathering, and setbacks they viewed as reasonable, while landowners and local residents raised concerns about property rights, transparency, runoff, glare, noise, and the impact of large solar projects on neighboring farms and homes. No final action on HB 2762 was taken in the portion provided, but the chair said a committee substitute would be developed to address the solar issues more comprehensively.

Transcript Highlights:

• Without that approval, the legislation will become ineffective and New Mexico will be unable to join
• Legislative session. It looks to me like if that language is not acceptable.
• You know, this is like any legislation, which is that when you come to committee, you go to the floor
• And. this just asks the Legislative Finance Committee to convene a working group to map the system.
• We stand here and we thank the sponsor and the co-sponsors for bringing this legislation.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation ensures the right to a secret or private ballot election on union representation for
• And that's exactly what this legislation does. And I hope that you all remember that.
• So I'm going to Also in this one, this legislative session.
• We don't need everything legislated, regimented, regulated to every extent. Thank you.
• But you passed a law, or maybe not all of you that are up here, but the legislative...

Bills: S0198, S0422, S1236, S1356, S1456, S1722

Keywords: virtual currency, kiosks, money services business, regulation, financial services, consumer protection, cryptocurrency, registration, ADS-B, automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast, aviation, airports, airport fees, landing fees, departure fees, touch-and-go landing, general aviation, pilot privacy, airspace radius, aircraft tracking

Summary: The committee first postponed SB 1456, then heard SB 1236, which would condition state economic development incentives on employers using secret-ballot union elections and prohibit neutrality agreements. The sponsor argued the bill protects workers from coercion and applies only to companies receiving taxpayer-funded incentives; opponents said it was government interference, likely to hurt contractors, apprenticeships, and business growth, and raised concerns about federal preemption and Attorney General enforcement. After debate, the committee reported SB 1236 favorably on a recorded vote. The committee then considered CS/SB 198, a measure to regulate cryptocurrency kiosks by requiring operator registration, fraud warnings, transaction limits, blockchain analytics, receipts, and refund protections for certain first-time transactions tied to fraud. Supporters from the banking industry, AARP, and others said the bill would help stop scams that are targeting seniors and vulnerable adults; one industry witness supported the bill but suggested narrowing the limits for existing users and shortening the new-customer period. The committee reported the bill favorably. Next, the committee took up CS/SB 1356 on dog breeding, pet sales, and breeder registration. The sponsor said the bill is intended to curb puppy mills, improve animal welfare, and add consumer protections, while an amendment removed state oversight of local animal shelters. Pet store representatives supported much of the bill but objected to the three-day waiting period for financed purchases, expanded reimbursement, and unfair trade practice penalties; others argued the bill would add red tape and litigation. The committee adopted the amendment and then reported the bill favorably. The committee also heard SB 1722 on app stores and minors, which would require age verification, parental consent for minors, app-content disclosures, and enforcement by the Department of Legal Affairs. Supporters said the bill would help parents protect children online; opponents warned it could force collection of sensitive personal data, create privacy and constitutional problems, and duplicate existing parental tools. Members debated the balance between child safety and privacy, and the committee reported the bill favorably. Finally, the committee heard CS/SB 422 on ADS-B aviation data, which would bar use of ADS-B information to calculate certain landing or access fees; an amendment added departures to the restriction. Pilots supported the bill as a safety and privacy measure, while airport representatives opposed it as undermining airport finances and shifting costs. The amendment was adopted, and the hearing on the bill began with testimony from both sides.

Transcript Highlights:

• Seeing none, this is my legislation. Don't let this volume of it scare you.
• First off, to my friend on my left, there's about 15 states with legislative term limits.
• I just want to acknowledge the residents of Legislative District 4.
• There are like 21 states that are pending legislation to ban this meat.
• There are 21 states that are pending legislation to ban this meat.

Summary: The meeting covered a very large number of bills across multiple committees, with most items presented on consent calendars and several sponsors explaining their measures. Education bills focused on moving statewide testing later in the school year, allowing paper testing by local choice, increasing transparency around district administrator pay, expanding religious excusal policies, creating a school fitness recognition program, and sending a resolution to voters to require sex-based designation of school sports teams and private spaces. Federalism and Government items included bans on foreign contributions to ballot-measure committees, a proposed ballot measure to eliminate voting centers and return to precinct-based voting, memorials urging withdrawal from the United Nations and the IMF, penalties for late agency financial reporting, restrictions on state contracts with China, and a bill limiting use of ADS-B aviation data for fee collection. Commerce bills addressed digital goods disclosure, child influencer trust accounts, liability for river outfitters, marketplace contractor termination rights, utility submetering charges, unemployment eligibility checks, and association-based health plans. Health and human services measures included lactation consultant certification and Medicaid breastfeeding support, a ban on gender transition procedures for minors, a requirement that chief medical officers hold active licenses, technical ambulance definitions, a SNAP waiver request to restrict non-eligible food purchases, hospital collection of patient immigration status, and enrollment verification for AHCCCS-related hospital presumptive eligibility. Judiciary bills included consent-verification requirements for online sexual material, a civil cause of action for DEI policy violations, hate-crime-style enhancements that also cover political affiliation, name-change disclosure rules for sex offenders, penalties for possession of falsified commercial driver’s licenses by unlawfully present persons, penalties for mailing abortion-inducing drugs, speed-inhibiting devices as an alternative to license suspension, longer transition services for inmates, stronger penalties for sexual extortion of minors, and legislative oversight of state shooting range closures. Natural resources and water bills dealt with brackish groundwater recovery and desalination studies, water augmentation authority financing, HOA drought-year watering restrictions, water-rate parity for customers outside city limits, and groundwater transportation from the McMullen Valley basin. Other topics included a ban on PFAS firefighting foam, restrictions on vaccine and mask mandates by governments and businesses, protections against employment or service discrimination based on medical interventions, elimination of long-vacant state positions, consumer protections against device disabling after owner modifications, and restrictions on Chinese-made critical infrastructure. The committee also heard a Space Commission update bill and a continuation of the Arizona Beef Council. Several bills were pulled from consent or flagged for amendments or legal concerns, including the testing-window bill, student directory information bill, river outfitter liability bill, ambulance bill, and others. No final floor votes were taken in the transcript, but many bills were advanced on third-read or consent calendars, while a few were set aside for amendments or further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Manka Tengra, State Senator from the 45th Legislative District, and I truly do miss not sitting on
• So there's some confusion there for us about whether we're included in this legislation or not.
• So there's some confusion there for us about whether we're included in this legislation or not.
• For the record, Senator Slaughter, 48th Legislative District. I'm here to introduce SB 5845.
• This legislation is not just about East Adams.

Bills: SB5845, SB5916, SB6102, SB6071, SB6103, SB6159, SB5877, SB5967, SB5904, SB5915, SB6025

Keywords: health insurance, health carrier, insurance carrier, prompt pay, timely payment, claims processing, clean claim, remittance advice, provider reimbursement, hospital billing, medical billing, prior authorization, claims denial, interest on late claims, administrative penalty, Washington insurance commissioner, RCW 48, public employees benefits board, school employees benefits board, Medicaid managed care

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Mari Leavitt, representing the beautiful 28th Legislative District, home to Joint Base Lewis-McChord
• I'm testifying in support of this legislation, although we prefer the version recommended by the SOPB
• Other states of Minnesota and Nebraska have been considering similar legislation.
• We know how this legislation actually works in effect.
• We know how this legislation actually works in effect.

Summary: The House Community Safety Committee held public hearings on several bills. House Bill 2209 would add 12- or 24-month sentencing enhancements for theft-related offenses when the value of stolen, possessed, or trafficked property exceeds $20,000 or $50,000, respectively. Rep. Mari Leavitt said the bill targets organized retail theft and related violence, emphasizing business losses, worker safety, and links to broader criminal activity. Supporters included prosecutors, retailers, law enforcement, and city officials who described organized retail crime as coordinated, underreported, and harmful to employees and communities. Opponents argued theft trends are declining, existing penalties are sufficient, and sentencing enhancements would worsen incarceration and racial disparities. The hearing on HB 2209 was left open for additional testimony. House Bill 2403 would revise penalties for failure to register as a sex offender or kidnapping offender, including lowering the seriousness level for second and subsequent offenses from level 2 to level 1 in the proposed substitute. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive or neutral. Proponents from the Sex Offender Policy Board, sentencing commission, public defenders, prosecutors, and sheriffs’ representatives said the bill reflects long-negotiated recommendations, better matches the offense’s administrative nature, and may improve compliance by pairing shorter prison terms with community custody and supervision. The committee then closed the public hearing on HB 2403. House Bill 1591, in a proposed substitute, would create a sentencing alternative, resentencing option, and conviction-vacation process for defendants who are verified survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, or human trafficking, where abuse was the primary and proximate cause of the offense. Supporters, including survivor advocates, prosecutors involved in diversion programs, and researchers, said many incarcerated women are survivors and current law often fails to account for coercion and trauma. Some witnesses urged broader eligibility and less reliance on formal documentation. Prosecutors and sheriffs’ representatives expressed concerns about discretion, potential public-safety impacts, and whether existing sentencing factors already address these cases. The committee also heard extensive testimony on House Bill 2526, which would rename patronizing a prostitute as commercial sexual exploitation, expand the offense to include providing anything of value, elevate it from a misdemeanor to a Class C felony, and increase associated fees. Supporters framed it as a response to trafficking, exploitation, and violence against women and children, while opponents—many of them sex workers or survivors—argued it would criminalize consensual adult sex work, push the industry further underground, and reduce safety and income for vulnerable people.

Transcript Highlights:

• And made legislative leadership aware that I would be coming back this session asking for a remainder
• But you know, I was really thinking about introducing legislation.
• In doing that, I think that might be an important piece of legislation for us to consider because we
• We're gonna have one, and then the legislation that you have as well.
• The entire legislative session is supported by our State Printing Division.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Victoria Hunt, representing the Fifth Legislative District. Really grateful to be here.
• Senator Victoria Hunt, representing the Fifth Legislative District, really grateful to be here.
• I obviously ran here, so I'm glad I'm getting my workouts during busy legislative session.
• Already 15 states have introduced legislation this year.
• For the record, State Senator Matt Binky, eighth legislative district, giving you 60-56.

Bills: SB5982, SB6008, SB6050, SB6056

Keywords: consumer-owned utilities, clean energy, port districts, market customers, energy transformation, energy storage, residential battery, grid connection, renewable energy, incentives, distributed energy, renewable resources, energy policy, sustainable energy, state regulations, utility vehicles, emission standards, environment, regulation, exemptions

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome back to the legislative session for the 2026 year.
• And the gentleman to my right, that's Skyler Rude, 16th Legislative District, Ranking Member.
• The gentleman to my right, that's Skyler Rude, 16th Legislative District, Ranking Member, eighth year
• Shaun Scott, 43rd Legislative District, center of Seattle, Capitol Hill, University of Washington.
• Steve Bergquist, 11th Legislative District. That's home of the Seahawks. Go Hawks.

Bills: HB1795

Keywords: restraint, isolation, public schools, educational programs, student rights, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome back to the legislative session for the 2026 year.
• To my left, I'm Clyde Shavers from the 10th Legislative District, vice chair of this Education Committee
• And the gentleman to my right, that's Skyler Rude, 16th Legislative District, ranking member, eighth
• Shaun Scott, 43rd Legislative District, center of Seattle, Capitol Hill, University.
• Steve Bergquist, 11th Legislative District. That's home of the Seahawks. Go Hawks.

Summary: The House Education Committee held a work session on reducing restraint and eliminating isolation in schools, then moved into a public hearing on House Bill 1795 and its proposed substitute. Chair Sharon Santos reviewed committee procedures and emphasized the short session timeline, then framed the discussion as part of a longer-running effort to address student restraint and isolation. Representative Callan, the bill sponsor, said the committee’s pilot and demonstration sites would help identify both benefits and implementation challenges for legislation. OSPI Acting Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs Misha Cherniski presented an update on the state’s demonstration project, saying it is in its third year and has $2 million per year in the current budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. He described intensive, targeted, and universal supports, including grants to pilot and demonstration districts, a technical assistance manual, and statewide professional learning. He reported that 68% of project sites saw reductions in restraint and isolation compared with the prior year, and said OSPI’s immediate policy recommendations are to extend prohibitions on dangerous restraints such as prone, supine, wall, mechanical, chemical, and noxious spray restraints, and to clarify the definition of “imminent likelihood of serious harm.” Committee members asked for more detailed disaggregated data by race, ethnicity, grade level, incident type, and sample size, and raised questions about authorized entities, student movement, and whether data captures incidents in nonpublic settings. Representatives from Auburn, Bainbridge Island, and Concrete school districts described how the grant-funded work has affected their districts. Auburn reported major reductions in isolation after removing its last isolation room, expanding behavior supports, and training staff through multiple professional development options; the district said the biggest challenge has been shifting staff mindset and navigating delayed access to vendors and grant systems. Bainbridge Island said it has used grant funds for universal staff training, administrator training, social-emotional MTSS work, and partnerships with multiple providers; it reported zero isolations and sharply reduced restraints, while noting the need to monitor nonpublic agencies closely. Concrete, a much smaller district, said the grant allowed it to hire a part-time BCBA, adopt Safety-Care training, and use OSPI’s manual and tracking tools, but staffing shortages and limited substitute coverage make it hard to attend demonstration sites or training in person. During the public hearing, the substitute bill was summarized as prohibiting certain restraints, banning isolation as a planned intervention, narrowing the definition of serious harm, and extending requirements to other providers of public educational services, while preserving lawful duties of school resource officers. Proponents included disability advocates, the Washington Education Association, and public school employees, who said the bill would reduce trauma and align practice with student safety and dignity. A parent testified about a child harmed by a room that was later used for involuntary confinement. A representative from a specialized learning center testified in opposition, arguing that a complete elimination of isolation for younger students could increase danger in some settings, that medical-provider requirements could be difficult to meet, and that specialized providers need broader exemptions. No vote was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm also consulting with Linda Siegel, a lobbyist on the legislative process.
• Finally, consider bipartisan legislation in the 2027 session that enables PPO and EPO offerings on the
• I'm a program evaluator with the Legislative Finance Committee.
• In 2023, the legislature unanimously passed the Healthy Universal School Meals legislation.
• You mentioned the legislation that we passed, SB 3.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members of the public who wish to testify on legislative business may register at the kiosk outside.
• Funded by the state selling bonds; that's what the legislation contemplates.
• And so we're trying to work with the author and members of the legislative committee.
• This legislation for that? No, sir. No, sir.
• There's nothing freshman about a significant piece of legislation like this.

Bills: HB3619, HB3652, HB4572, HB4891, HB4941, HB5103, HB5105, HB5106, HB5224, HB5600

Keywords: surface estate, well plugging, Railroad Commission, landowner rights, liability, strategic reserve, gas supply, petroleum products, disaster response, Railroad Commission of Texas, energy security, emergency planning, oil and gas waste, environmental regulation, waste management, mining pits, groundwater monitoring, regulation, commercial disposal facilities, environmental standards

Transcript Highlights:

• For his leadership and dedicated support of this key piece of legislation.
• I'd like to give a little background and context to this legislation.
• We do have a legislative council approved committee substitute.
• The bill as filed was not a Legislative Council draft.
• The committee substitute is drafted by the Legislative Council.

Bills: HB 1039, HB2289, HB2370, HB2404, HB3066, HB3076, HB3117, HB3118, HB3169, HB3178, HB3179, HB3182, HB3196, HB3241, HB3377, HB3500, HB3567, HB3715, HB3954, HB4098, HB4109, HB4222, HB4226, HB4412, HB4659, HB4682, HB4683, HB4755, HB4926, HB5165, HB5562, HB5596

Keywords: hotel occupancy tax, municipal revenue, tax authority, border counties, tax legislation, municipalities, hotel tax revenue, convention centers, economic development, local government authority, HB 2370, HOT tax, venue projects, convention center, municipal finance, local government code, Section 334.0082, tourism tax, debt financing, bond repayment

Transcript Highlights:

• So we welcome Will Owens from the Legislative Analyst's Office.
• Some individuals do not understand the legislation, quite honestly.
• It was legislation that was authorized in 2021.
• Mark Newton with the Legislative Analyst Office.
• In addition, the legislation allowed the legislature to appoint representatives, delegates, for the legislators

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Texas Craft Brewers Guild would like to thank Chairman Garin for filing this legislation to cut arbitrary
• And we urge the committee to pass this legislation forward.
• In the '86 legislative session, they exempted school districts.
• meet the state's overall legislative approach.
• Threshold, um, but, uh, maybe in future legislation, but this is just about the lease agreement.

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation threatens press freedom, burdens journalists, and limits public access to information
• Members, this battery legislation hasn't been updated in quite some time.
• However, that legislation required that such containers be reusable.
• And if they're emancipated, frankly, they're already taken care of in the prior legislation.
• Legislation like this is a problem when protections for kids working are being stripped away.

Summary: The committee first took up a committee substitute for SB 752, which would require newspapers and television stations to remove online reports later found to be false or defamatory in certain circumstances, and would change when the statute of limitations begins to run. The sponsor said the bill was intended to address lasting harm from false accusations that remain searchable online. Several speakers opposed the measure, arguing it would chill reporting, punish accurate historical coverage, and create vague legal risks for the press. After debate, the committee reported the bill favorably. The committee then approved CS/SB 846, a bill aimed at preventing immigration service fraud by non-attorneys and misuse of the term "notario." Supporters, including an immigration attorney, said the bill would protect vulnerable immigrants from bad advice and fake legal services. The committee also approved CS/SB 800, which updates battery labeling and recycling requirements to reduce fires caused by discarded batteries; waste and recycling representatives supported it, while a battery industry group warned the bill could effectively ban battery-embedded products. CS/SB 578, dealing with wine container rules and allowing recyclable inserts and boxes up to 5.16 gallons, was also reported favorably. The committee next approved CS/SB 1734, the Florida Kratom Consumer Protection Act, which sets product standards, labeling rules, age limits, testing, and enforcement provisions. Supporters said it reflects current science and consumer safety needs, while opponents warned it could burden small businesses and overregulate the market. SB 918, which would loosen state child labor restrictions for certain minors and align Florida law more closely with federal standards, drew extensive opposition from advocates, students, and labor groups who said it would increase exploitation and harm education; several senators also raised concerns, but the bill was still reported favorably. The committee also reported favorably SB 854 on unlicensed contractors and deposit fraud, and confirmed several appointments to state boards and commissions. A separate bill on online encryption and child safety, SB 868, was taken up with an amendment and public testimony, but the transcript cuts off before final action on that item.