Transcript Highlights:

• of him for a good deal of time on the House Financial Services Committee.
• of him for a good deal of time on the House Financial Services Committee.
• </c><01:31:27.840><c> Financial</c> good deal of time on the House Financial good deal of time on the
• Incompetence in financial ability is not and should not be something that truth at the heart of this
• </c> of veterans deemed to be financially of veterans deemed to be financially incompetent<02:44:42.399

Transcript Highlights:

• That history and that unique legal standing make this in the interest of the trust and of the state to
• As the fiduciary of state forest lands, DNR is obligated to act in the county's best interests and no
• So I’m kind of a little bit interested in that subject because I haven’t seen that, you know, where I
• In the interest of time, we are getting close. We have one more bill that we need to hear.
• In the interest of time, we are getting close. We have one more bill that we need to hear.

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held public hearings on several bills, with most of the discussion focused on tribal representation and natural resource management. On HB 2117, which would add a tribal representative to the Board of Natural Resources, the prime sponsor and DNR officials said the bill would strengthen government-to-government relationships without replacing existing consultation duties. Tribal leaders from the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation testified in support, as did the Commissioner of Public Lands and DNR’s tribal relations director. County and timber interests said they were not opposed to tribal representation but raised concerns about trust responsibilities, beneficiary interests, and whether the representative should come from a tribe with commercial forest management experience. The committee later closed testimony on HB 2117 and read into the record 192 pro, 124 con, and zero other sign-ins. The committee also heard HB 2516, which would impose a two-year moratorium on the use of certain anticoagulant rodenticides and bromethalin after a Department of Agriculture report and while the Washington State Academy of Sciences studies alternatives and impacts. The prime sponsor argued the bill balances rodent control with concerns about wildlife, groundwater, and human exposure, while opponents from the pest management industry warned it would remove effective tools and worsen rodent problems, especially for low-income and manufactured-home communities. Supporters included the Washington Poison Center, wildlife rehabilitators, Birds Connect Seattle, the Stillaguamish Tribe, and other advocates who cited poisonings in wildlife and children and pointed to non-toxic alternatives and integrated pest management. The committee read into the record 754 pro, 176 con, and five other sign-ins. For HB 2554, which would repeal RCW 77.110 and related language tied to Initiative 456 and tribal fishing rights, the sponsor and the Attorney General’s Office said the statute is unconstitutional and inconsistent with federal treaty law and court rulings. The Department of Fish and Wildlife also supported repeal, describing the measure as removing an unenforceable anti-tribal statute. The committee then moved on to HB 2327, a bill directing JLARC to audit the county forest board lands trust and DNR’s management of those lands. The sponsor, former Rep. Jim Buck, county representatives, and forest industry witnesses supported an independent review of the trust structure and performance; some asked for amendments to address reconveyance options, broader legal and ecological considerations, and consultation with tribes and the Board of Natural Resources.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's kind of handy. Okay, employment disclosure forms. None. That's kind of handy. Totally.
• And on page two of the draft opinion, there is a list of the items that There is a list of the items
• And there are a lot of, they print a lot of things. So anybody have any questions?
• Well, it was interesting.
• The House almost—I mean, the votes were very interesting initially out of the Senate.

Summary: The committee approved the minutes as corrected and noted there were no employment disclosure forms. It then discussed a draft advisory opinion on legislative stickers, pens, business cards, and similar items. Members agreed the opinion should identify historically provided items as presumptively within normal legislative conduct, but add clearer language that such items still cannot be used in a campaign-related way or otherwise conflict with ethics rules on use of public resources. Staff said Legislative Support Services and administration would be the main points of review for questionable requests, and the draft would be revised for board review. The committee also reviewed a second advisory opinion request about legislative and caucus staff interacting with caucus social media posts. The discussion focused on whether staff may like or engage with posts about legislation or policy positions. Members generally agreed that liking or otherwise engaging with caucus posts could be viewed as support and could create ethics problems, especially because social media content remains online and could later be tied to legislation. The draft was to be revised to draw clearer lines for compliance. Members then discussed a long-running project to review and either retain or retire older advisory opinions, and agreed to continue and complete that review process. They also discussed the recently passed ethics bill and supported issuing an ethics alert summarizing major changes, including concerns about a House amendment affecting social media and website references during the election year activity period. Finally, the committee approved spending about $19,171 to digitize archived case files into searchable format, with members expressing support for moving away from paper records. After public business ended, the committee adjourned the public session and planned to reconvene in executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• I just wanted to share with you some of the patient stories of people that I have taken care of because
• We also appreciate the acknowledgement of the multitude of factors impacting the health of our communities
• of 18?
• any of that?
• And our community, as you all know, has higher percentages of addiction, of suicide, and of making it

Committee: Senate Health

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:19:12.760><c> of</c> that except for like in the statement of that except for like in the statement
• of purpose or general you know statement of purpose or description<00:19:31.200><c> but</c><00:19:31.400
• I think the most interesting part of this bill was the recordkeeping requirements.
• Representative Bixby, yes, so as it stands right now... interesting part of this bill was was interesting
• </c><01:18:23.960><c> interest</c><01:18:24.960><c> that</c> constitute a conflict of interest that constitute

Summary: The meeting covered two main items. First, the solid waste subcommittee reviewed draft language for HB 707, focusing on landfill siting and permitting standards. Members and the Department of Environmental Services discussed replacing repeated references to “aquifer” with “drinking water well,” clarifying that aquifer is a broad term, and considering whether a statutory definition was needed. They also debated the bill’s setback and time-of-travel provisions, including the 10^-5 standard, a 1,500-foot distance, and whether the bill should rely more on performance-based criteria than prescriptive distances. Another major topic was permit denial language tied to applicants with significant histories of repeated serious violations or landfill-related litigation; the department said it already has related authority in current rules, but noted some wording was still too vague and could be tightened. No vote was taken, and the chair closed the hearing with plans to continue work later. The second item was a work session on HB 424, which would direct the Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food to create forms for businesses to request information about service animals and establish a study committee on fraudulent or untrained service animals. Several members said the problem raised by the bill was real but expressed concern that the legislature may be limited by the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. Others argued that a study committee would likely not produce a workable solution and might conflict with leadership’s direction to avoid unnecessary study committees. Members discussed whether the bill should be retained, amended, or instead replaced with a letter or resolution to the federal delegation. The committee appeared to lean toward ITL and possibly pursuing a letter to federal officials, but no final vote is reflected in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• of today, much less those of tomorrow.
• . of the life cycle of a missile.
• Sir, it's a whole-of-command effort supporting a whole of Department of Defense effort.
• Can you give us a sense of scale of how big the advantage...
• Of a lot of those are TTPs that the Department of the Navy had and I think they need to pull those out

Committees: Senate Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces , Senate Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel

Keywords: military strategy, nuclear triad, deterrence, STRATCOM, SPACECOM, SLICOM, B-21, hypersonic defense, spectrum auction

Summary: The meeting focused on the strategic posture of U.S. military capabilities with an emphasis on deterrence amid growing global threats. General Cotton from STRATCOM and General Whiting from SPACECOM provided insights into the modernization efforts of the nuclear triad. Key discussions involved the importance of maintaining control over specific frequency spectrums critical for military operations and the implications of potential auctioning of these bands. Members expressed concerns regarding the evolving landscape with adversaries like China and Russia, emphasizing that swift action is needed to adapt and preserve U.S. national security. Various proposals and existing programs, including the B-21 bomber and the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile (SLICOM), were debated, alongside the necessity of increasing military investment in hypersonic defense systems.

Transcript Highlights:

• of every ounce of their humanity.
• lack of it... ...of God, everybody, regardless of their giftedness or lack thereof, or their lack of
• Forest Service released an environmental impact statement calling for the restoration of the Ocklawaha
• Forest Service released an environmental impact statement calling for the restoration of the Ocklawaha
• It requires the Department of Financial Services to review and adjust those caps every five years using

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• The capital financing fund is interest-free to agencies, while bonds carry some costs on top of repayments
• of manually writing in a quantity. 19 of the twenty had some level of 'other' space added or a manually
• But on a question from the chair, not really a question but more of a statement, if I feel like over
• the total space also involve the management of the actual utilization of the agency of that space?
• That's certainly information we have and can collect and can provide to this body if it's of interest

Committee: Senate Oversight Committee for the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT)

Transcript Highlights:

• That aspect of the training, they were concerned about in terms of their interest in joining. ...aspect
• of the training, they were concerned about in terms of their interest in joining the troopers because
• So there are a lot of people in my particular district who use that, but I just would love to know financially
• We're only going off of where we are in this fiscal year, and I would be interested and intrigued to
• This slide goes into granular detail of the source of each means of finance.

Committee: House Appropriations

Summary: The committee heard FY27 budget presentations for the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, beginning with Public Safety Services. House Fiscal Division staff reviewed the department’s recommended budget of $645.9 million, including supplemental pay, State Police, Motor Vehicles, and the State Fire Marshal. Officials explained that the overall budget reflects a net decrease from FY26, driven largely by shifts in funding sources, removal of one-time statutory dedications, and adjustments tied to undercollections in fees and self-generated revenues. State Police was recommended at $459.7 million, OMV at $86.7 million, and the Fire Marshal at $41.1 million. Department leaders also described ongoing modernization efforts, staffing vacancies, and the use of efficiencies identified internally. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Burns and agency heads testified about State Police operations, including increased cadet graduations, improved Mardi Gras security, progress on APHIS and OMV modernization, and the new crime lab under construction. Members asked about undercollections, vacancies, the role of public tag agents, and whether the agency could expand counter-drone capabilities. Burns said the department has identified about $11 million in efficiencies, but warned that counter-drone work would require additional funding, citing a $4.5 million fiscal note for HB 940 and roughly $9 million more for a robust unit. OMV officials said staffing and retention remain difficult, but modernization should improve service and reduce lines; they also said the agency continues to rely on public tag agents and is working through reinstatement fee collection issues. The committee then reviewed the Department of Corrections FY27 budget, recommended at $902.3 million, with most funding from State General Fund and a large increase tied to higher incarceration costs, medical needs, overtime, and added capacity at Louisiana State Penitentiary. DOC officials said the department remains under pressure from vacancies, turnover, contraband, and medical costs, and that the budget includes funding to add 150 correctional officers at Angola and to house ICE detainees at Camp J. They also discussed criminal justice reinvestment savings, prison enterprises, and reentry programs funded through the Second Chance Act. Members asked about staffing, inmate deaths at Elaine Hunt, work-release pay, and whether the department is tracking the true long-term cost of incarceration. Officials said they are pursuing pay increases, recruitment, expanded training and reentry programs, and more data-driven workforce alignment, while acknowledging that many budget pressures remain unresolved.

Transcript Highlights:

• the lack of clarity in financial reporting.
• , so that was kind of interesting how that happened.
• Now, it was kind of interesting.
• Yes, there's a lot of right uncertain questions. No, okay, sure. Yeah, it's kind of interesting.
• Yes, there's a lot of right uncertain questions. No, okay, sure. Yeah, it's kind of interesting.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several water, land, and conservation measures. HB 86, which would fund a permanent DLNR Makai Watch coordinator position, drew strong support from DLNR and community advocates. Testifiers said the coordinator is needed to connect community-based nearshore monitoring groups with government, support training and reporting, and provide stable civil-service funding instead of relying on grants and philanthropy. The committee discussed the position’s duties and cost, estimated at about $110,000 with fringe benefits, and noted broad support from organizations including Kuaʻulu, The Nature Conservancy, OHA, and others. HB 36, relating to state water code penalties, was also supported in principle by DLNR, but the agency proposed amendments to create two tiers of violations, distinguish first-time/non-harmful violations from repeat or harmful ones, and give the commission discretion on whether each day counts as a continuing violation. DLNR said the bill is intended to address egregious cases such as Red Hill while avoiding undue impact on small farmers and others without malicious intent. Testifiers from the Board of Water Supply, Lono Initiative, and others supported stronger penalties and transparency, while Earthjustice raised concerns about broader structural issues and the risk of penalties being applied unfairly. The committee then heard HB 316, which appropriates funds to continue the Green Jobs Youth Corps program. DLNR, the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office, Kōkua, The Nature Conservancy, and other groups testified in support, describing the program as a workforce pipeline that places young professionals in communities, builds trust, and helps recruit future state employees. Supporters said the program has expanded capacity in watershed and reef management and has drawn extensive public backing. Finally, HB 506, funding equipment for the Oʻahu branch of DOCARE, received support from DLNR and others. DOCARE said recent recruit classes are moving through training, that the new positions will expand patrol capacity, including nighttime enforcement, and that the Oʻahu-specific funding is tied to priorities such as the Māʻili Bay herbivore rules. The committee also began hearing HB 510 on water shortage and emergency declarations. DLNR proposed limiting shortage declarations to 90 days unless extended, capping groundwater reductions at 20% for lower-priority permits, removing climate-crisis language as a standalone criterion, and moving the process into rulemaking for more public input. The Board of Water Supply supported the bill and the proposed changes, while Earthjustice urged deferral absent broader Water Commission reforms. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided; the chair indicated the committee would be decision-making after the hearing on items on the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• trying to inquire into the financial respects of people.
• trying to inquire into the financial respects of people.
• That is, of course, of interest to us as well from an election law perspective.
• interest between the conflict of interest between the Secretary<01:29:52.880><c> of</c><01:29:53.040>
• </c><02:43:15.160><c> the</c> conflict of interest if we remove the conflict of interest if we remove

Committee: House Election Law

Transcript Highlights:

• <c> culture</c> &gt;&gt; part of our preservation of culture &gt;&gt; part of our preservation of culture
• /c> fund up to 50% of the cost of the fund up to 50% of the cost of the project.<00:03:21.560><c> Currently
• /c><00:32:34.360><c> I</c><00:32:34.400><c> think</c> of of rationing it and I think of of rationing
• Uh, very interesting read if any of you are on the Natural Resources Committees. Oh, great.
• Uh, very interesting read if any of you are on the Natural Resources Committees. Oh, great.

Committee: Senate Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, in the interest of time, when we jump into the Q&A Also, in the interest of time, when we jump
• folks in the next panel want to as well, so in the interest of time.
• And just in the interest of time, I’ll just close with a more, again, a more general question.
• plans and certificates of financial responsibility.
• Marie Lou, reading a statement on behalf of Earth's Justice, who had to leave this evening.

Summary: The joint informational hearing of the Assembly Committees on Utilities and Energy, Transportation, and Natural Resources focused on California’s transportation fuels sector, especially the state’s response to refinery closures and the broader transition away from fossil fuels. Opening remarks emphasized the tension between climate and air-quality goals, fuel affordability, refinery jobs and local tax bases, and the need to avoid crisis-driven responses as Phillips 66 and Valero consider shutting refineries in Wilmington and Benicia. Professor Emily Grubert framed the issue as a long-term managed transition in which the public already bears much of the risk and should also capture benefits from a well-planned shift. CARB Chair Leanne Randolph reviewed the state’s emissions and fuel policies, including AB 32, the low-carbon fuel standard, clean vehicle programs, and the at-berth regulation for ocean-going vessels. She said California’s transportation sector remains the largest source of greenhouse gases and a major source of smog-forming pollution, but that the state has made substantial progress and still needs to reduce demand for fossil fuels while maintaining compliance with federal air-quality standards. Randolph also said CARB’s recent LCFS amendments had not caused the predicted spike in gas prices and explained that compliance pathways for the at-berth rule include emissions-reduction technologies or payments into a remediation fund. CEC Vice Chair Gunda described declining gasoline demand, shrinking in-state refining capacity, and growing dependence on imports, arguing that the state is in a “mid-transition” period that requires both support for legacy infrastructure and continued investment in cleaner alternatives. He outlined the administration’s petroleum market stabilization proposal, which aims to return California crude production to 125 million barrels a year through four components: codifying the ban on fracking, validating the Kern County oil-and-gas permitting ordinance, creating a temporary CEQA exemption paired with a two-for-one plug-and-drill framework, and strengthening pipeline and spill-safety requirements. Department of Conservation Director Jennifer Lucasey said the proposal is intended to stabilize crude supply and pipeline throughput while preserving health and environmental protections, and noted that CalGEM would still review permits and enforce other requirements. Mayor Steve Young of Benicia testified that a Valero closure would significantly reduce city revenue and leave the community facing years of cleanup and redevelopment challenges. He said the city supports environmental protection but is worried about the economic hit, the possibility that Benicia becomes a fuel-import terminal, and the lack of local influence over refinery decisions. Members pressed the panel on the CEQA exemption, tribal and habitat review, disclosure of closure liabilities, fuel-demand projections, and whether the proposal should include more demand-side measures. No formal votes were taken; the hearing was informational, and officials said some proposals, including a margin-cap pause and further transition planning, would be taken up later in the process.

Transcript Highlights:

• Kind of interesting that there actually is a fund that anticipates a deficiency.
• Kind of interesting that there actually is a fund that anticipates a deficiency.
• Just witnessed the election of the new Pope of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, and head of state of
• And I have the honor of lifting up one of my constituents…” “And I have the honor of lifting up one of
• They were part of the soul of our community, of our state.”

Summary: The Senate took up Senate House No. 4010, a fiscal year 2025 supplemental appropriations bill funded largely by surplus Fair Share revenues. The Ways and Means chair described the bill as a $1.28 billion package, with major investments in education and transportation, including special education circuit breaker aid, higher education deferred maintenance, career technical education capital grants, school construction relief, high-dosage tutoring, English language learning grants, MBTA reserve replenishment and safety training, commuter rail maintenance, Chapter 90 local road aid, regional transit authority support, ferry and micro-transit funding, and a small World Cup transportation appropriation. Members from both parties generally praised the bill’s one-time, regionally balanced approach while emphasizing fiscal discipline and the limited, surplus-based funding source. The minority leader and others questioned the fund balances and the use of the education and transportation innovation and capital fund, the Student Opportunity Act trust fund, and the transitional escrow account; the chair said the bill would zero out the innovation and capital fund, leave about $430 million in the SOA trust, and about $200 million in the escrow account. Several members highlighted specific priorities. Senator Cronin and Senator Feeney strongly supported the $100 million career technical education investment, arguing it would expand vocational opportunities in comprehensive high schools and help meet workforce needs. Senator Feeney also emphasized MBTA funding, special education, local road repairs, English language learning tied to workforce needs, and World Cup preparations in Foxborough. Senator Comerford praised the bill’s regional equity, higher education maintenance funding, special education support, and transportation investments, while also noting the need for broader future work on Chapter 70 and school finance. Senator Tarr supported the bill but repeatedly stressed that the spending was a unique one-time opportunity and that the Commonwealth should preserve fiscal reserves and continue to address school funding inequities and MBTA finances more broadly. The chamber then considered numerous amendments. Amendment 1 on tariff pricing transparency was withdrawn after brief remarks, and Amendment 14, proposing a DESE study on educational outcomes for young men and boys, was rejected. Amendment 182, funding Worcester Regional Transit Authority capital expenses, was adopted. Amendment 228, adding $500,000 for Free Period to expand access to menstrual products in schools, was adopted. Amendment 257, funding Springfield Public Schools communication and safety systems, was also adopted. Other amendments, including Tarr amendments on supplemental district aid, MBTA reporting, and the Foundation Budget Review Commission, were rejected. Amendment 308 concerning MBTA Communities and Milton was withdrawn, after which Senator Driscoll began a presentation arguing Milton was being misclassified under the MBTA Communities Act and should be treated fairly under the law.

Transcript Highlights:

• c> easiest thing to kind of take us out of easiest thing to kind of take us out of the<00:14:29.759><
• and that my friend that is a statement and that my friend that is a violation<00:17:46.320><c> of</c
• But the goal of this is to get the information most of interest to the public as quickly as possible,
• of</c><01:41:59.159><c> most</c><01:41:59.440><c> interest</c><01:41:59.800><c> to</c> information most
• uh of most interest to information most uh of most interest to the<01:42:00.159><c> public</c><01:42

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota and our residents and interested parties along the design of the council and its duties.
• Minnesota and our residents and interested parties along the design of the council and its duties.
• Minnesota and our residents and interested parties along the design of the council and its duties.
• Minnesota and our residents and interested parties along the design of the council and its duties.
• MCEA is a public interest law firm and advocacy organization with over 50 years of experience defending

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• This is about adding another tax on top of the capital gains, on top of all of the other taxes that we
• This isn't about... ...top of all of the other taxes that we continue to have in the state of Washington
• This is about adding another tax on top of the capital gains, on top of all of the other taxes that we
• This isn't about. top of all of the other taxes that we continue to have in the state of Washington.
• of bad labor bills that came out of Labor and Commerce.

Summary: House and Senate Republican leaders held a press event to preview the final weeks of the legislative session and criticize several Democratic proposals. Their main focus was a proposed income tax on high earners, which they said is really an income tax that could later be expanded, and which drew what they described as record opposition in public sign-ins and testimony. They also objected to other fiscal bills they said would raise costs for food, agriculture, health care, energy, labor, and consumer goods, and they argued these measures would worsen affordability and encourage people and businesses to leave Washington. The caucus also highlighted bills they opposed on policy grounds, including measures affecting local authority over camping bans and housing permitting, an anti-initiative bill they called anti-voter, and a bill on sheriff background checks. They said they supported or were pleased to see movement on some Republican-backed measures, including tax exemptions for diapers, prepared foods, and certain licensing and continuing-education costs, as well as a repeal of last year’s services tax. They also said the Senate’s move to roll back the estate tax was a partial step in the right direction, though not enough to offset the proposed income tax. A major portion of the event centered on child welfare and the Keeping Families Together Act. Republicans criticized a House bill they said only partially addresses the “imminent harm” standard and does not adequately protect children in drug-affected homes, citing recent fatalities and critical incidents. They said they will keep pushing for changes and also mentioned support for adding fentanyl to the child endangerment statute. In closing, they said they would continue floor fights over the next week, and House Republicans announced they will issue their own media credentials to promote press access in Olympia.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> of those aside? of those aside?
• the statements of economic interest.
• </c> the of the bill. the of the bill.
• </c> south of Hattisburg. south of Hattisburg.
• There's one highlights of of what it is.

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• the day, it's an ideology vote, not what's best interest of the citizens of the state.
• , not what's best interest of the citizens of the state.
• The heart of that bill is parent partnership, and the heart of the mission statement for our public schools
• The heart of that bill is parent partnership, and the heart of the mission statement for our public schools
• The heart of that bill is parent partnership, and the heart of the mission statement for our public schools

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• of employment.
• And most of these compacts have been outside of D.C.
• And most of these compacts have been outside of DC.
• Do we have any evidence of that that you're aware of?
• Do we have any evidence of that you're aware of?

Committee: House Economic Development