Transcript Highlights:

• And just for our committee members' knowledge, I have asked staff to email Senate rules out and operate
• In the center, you can see OEDC, the Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness, together with
• So we need to make sure that we are not forgetting the different rural areas, regional areas, and that
• Increasing operational expenses and involving employment regulations significantly erode our ability
• As a third-party administrator, they have call centers out of state.

Summary: The Senate Business, Trade, and Economic Development Committee met for its first session under the committee’s new name and heard a work session on Washington’s economic development policy from the Department of Commerce. Commerce described its Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness, including small business finance, export assistance, business attraction, and sector development work, and emphasized the need for a statewide economic development strategic plan with regular review, stakeholder input, and attention to rural and regional needs. Members asked about foreign trade offices, federal funding uncertainty, tax competitiveness, workforce programs, and the role of the Keep Washington Working program. Commerce said the state’s trade and investment efforts are valuable but face funding challenges, and that Washington must compete on more than taxes, including its business ecosystem and workforce. The committee then heard public testimony on Senate Bill 5919, which would encourage fire districts and insurers to develop voluntary incentives for wildfire mitigation best practices related to agricultural activities. The sponsor described the bill as a way to reward farmers for practices such as defensible space, fire breaks, equipment storage, and avoiding high-risk work during red flag conditions. A fire chief testified in support, citing recent standing grain fires and the need for practical incentives in rural areas. The bill was described as having no appropriation and no requested fiscal note. Members also heard testimony on Washington in the Making 2040 from the Association of Washington Business and a business owner. Supporters said the 16-year economic vision plan was built from broad public engagement and focuses on workforce, business climate, infrastructure, housing, and community. They argued Washington needs more housing, a more competitive regulatory and tax environment, and reliable energy to support growth. Senators questioned how the plan would achieve its housing goals and what specific regulatory changes were needed; AWB said it would provide a regulatory study soon. The committee also received a wildfire mitigation work group update from the Office of Insurance Commissioner, which recommended stronger community mitigation, better data sharing, consumer transparency, and a possible grant program for home hardening, though it did not reach full consensus on a single property mitigation standard. Finally, the committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 5871, which would prohibit assignment of benefits in property and casualty insurance and set new rules for motor vehicle glass repair claims, including ADAS-related disclosures and limits on steering and inducements. The sponsor and supporters, including the Office of Insurance Commissioner, Safelite, NAMIC, and the Northwest Insurance Council, said the bill would reduce auto glass fraud, improve transparency, and help stabilize premiums. Independent glass shop owners and the Independent Glass Association opposed the bill as written, arguing it would favor large vertically integrated companies, restrict small businesses, and fail to address insurer steering and conflicts of interest. Several witnesses requested technical amendments, and the committee took no final vote before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• This project addresses critical security and operational gaps for the New Hampshire Division of Ports
• We use the term readiness center and armory interchangeably. The modern term is readiness center.
• Part of that is to then create this North Country operations center in addition to the local fire and
• That high security unit has had...
• Operations.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think that's a lot of the sort of the center part of the bill, is removing a lot of the barriers
• They wanted to delete Section C3-2, where... ...to delete Section C3-2, where there are two pilot regions
• The second region was Summers County, Raleigh County, Fayette County, and Monroe County.
• continue to employ an employee after receiving a final nonconfirmation, a Department of Homeland Security
• Chair recognizes the center from Jefferson.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They accepted the bulk of our work on regional assessment districts.
• as reflected in the conference committee report, and I especially appreciate the goal of creating regional
• appreciate the goal of creating regional high schools that bring tech ed into an integrated secondary
• I represent a totally non-operating, very, very small district that doesn't operate a public school at
• And then I operate a hybrid district that operates and tuitions. And so we have it all.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So you're still operation.
• We are still operating today, uh, and we would prefer to be operating through the regulations passed
• Uh, they were told they were operating with the rules.
• Lottery courier services currently operate in at least 17 states, and jackpot.com operates in all four
• over the past several years that we've been operating here.

Bills: SB 28

Committee: House Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Keywords: groundwater, groundwater conservation district, Water Code, Water Development Board, modeled available groundwater, aquifer, water permit, groundwater transfer, export groundwater, out-of-district transfer, management area, desired future conditions, well permit, retail public utility, potable water, emergency interconnect, subsidiary, controlled entity, aquifer management, water resources

Transcript Highlights:

• in this super region.
• Who's paying for the construction, the operation, the maintenance and all of this stuff?
• I'm the chairman of the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority and I represent that entity. Um.
• Uh, we operate that as staff.
• Uh, so anything we can do locally will truly help the South Texas region.

Committee: House S/C on Transportation Funding

Transcript Highlights:

• Literacy initiatives operate as separate programs with their own timelines, reporting structures, and
• Access because the larger districts, certainly the ones I represent in my city and region, probably have
• By allocating resources to this project, we are not only investing in the present but also securing a
• Yeah, so I think to your point, sometimes this does require additional cost to operate your program and
• Abby Halperin on behalf of the Center for Ecoliteracy and in support of the Governor's budget proposal

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Had was just I mean had recently returned from uh an Operation Spartan Shield deployment.
• Health Center.
• </c><00:05:10.639><c> Health</c> at the Golden Triangle Regional Health at the Golden Triangle Regional
• Health Center.<00:05:12.160><c> That's</c><00:05:13.440><c> between</c> Center.
• That's between Center.

Keywords: MS Save Our Service Members Task Force - Room 216, January 12, 2026; 2:00 PM, 925, all

Summary: The meeting focused on veteran suicide and mental health challenges affecting Mississippi National Guard soldiers, with Colonel Chris Cookie describing recent losses in the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team. He said that in roughly 50 days, from late September to mid-December 2025, three soldiers died by suicide, and that the unit had seen 50 to 60 suicidal ideations over the past year. He emphasized that suicide is a threat he cannot “defeat” through military training alone, and that warning signs are often hard to detect compared with battlefield threats. Cookie identified the biggest gap as the period between drill weekends and annual training, when soldiers are back home and less connected to leadership. He said the unit does well when soldiers are together at drill or Camp Shelby, where behavioral health support is available, but struggles to reach them in between. He urged the state to create preventive and responsive support that leaders in traditional status could activate quickly, and he strongly supported expanded chaplain access because chaplains are trained in behavioral and mental health issues and may be easier for soldiers to approach without stigma. Committee members discussed possible solutions, including a statewide chaplain rotation or on-call system, community-based support networks, and a 24/7 hotline staffed by Mississippi veterans. They also discussed legislation to have the state cover TRICARE costs for Guardsmen and to use TANF funds for related support services. Members said a draft bill was being prepared for public review, with committee reporting deadlines approaching on February 3, and that they would circulate the bill once it received a number and was posted online. The meeting ended with a motion to rise and report.

Transcript Highlights:

• The most encouraging thing we've seen so far is that the state's own security operations center was able
• operations center work.
• For us, this is our own security operations centers.
• Every day, our security operations centers, we're seeing 90 billion events.
• We have 12 or 14 folks who are in our security operations center. They work 8 to 3, 9 to 4.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, voluntary though, voluntary that the people in a region could choose to form a region, but once
• a region is formed, can one hotel in the region say, 'I don't want to charge that tax.
• We operate 25 watercraft and 10 jet skis.
• We operate 25-1. Arizona-A-Rand launch ramp there. We operate 25 watercraft and 10 jet skis.
• But they wanted operational money. So this bill would end that practice.

Bills: HB2091 , HB2140 , HB2320 , HB2384 , HB2398 , HB2502 , HB2780 , HB2918 , HB2939 , HB2950 , HB2999 , HB4020 , HB4026 , HB4029

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: insurance, financial surveillance, regulations, assessments, Arizona Revised Statutes, investment, state treasurer, gold bullion, treasury management, financial regulations, school districts, bonds, financial advisors, elections, municipal advisors, cost of borrowing, lease agreements, school property, tax exemptions, impact aid revenue bonds

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> schools that are um currently operating schools that are um currently operating on<00:10:36.720>
• </c><00:10:51.200><c> We</c> um to operate their schools. We um to operate their schools.
• . operations. operations.
• </c> of facilities and operations undertook. of facilities and operations undertook.
• </c> CIP from operational. CIP from operational. &gt;&gt; Yes.<02:54:55.279><c> Okay.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:55:41.799><c> costs</c> million uh each year in operating costs million uh each year in operating
• </c><00:56:34.400><c> is</c> population of Fargo Morehead region is population of Fargo Morehead region
• This project comes with significant operating costs.
• This project comes with significant operating costs.
• This project comes with significant operating costs.

Bills: HF1167 , HF1242

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Keywords: Northern Lights Express, NLX, Minneapolis-Duluth rail, passenger rail, intercity passenger rail, high-speed rail, Duluth, Minneapolis, MnDOT, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Council, transportation funding, rail appropriation, general fund, trunk highway fund, rail project cancellation, infrastructure spending, commercial driver training, CDL, financial assistance

Transcript Highlights:

• That kind of unpredictability is devastating, not just financially, but for our sense of security as
• That kind of unpredictability is devastating, not just financially, but for our sense of security as
• we would likely still have our policy today. stating not just financially, but for our sense of security
• I represent Courage California, Climate Hawks Vote, Center for Biological Diversity, Sunflower Alliance
• Fourteen major fires swept through the region, with the Eaton Fire in Altadena and the Palisades Fire

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee met to consider several insurance-related bills, with SB 1301 by Senator Allen and SB 876 by Senator Padilla receiving the most discussion. SB 1301 would reform residential property insurance non-renewals by requiring clearer written explanations, giving policyholders a chance to fix identified issues, and limiting non-renewals based on unreasonable grounds. The bill was supported by consumer advocates, fire survivors, local officials, and several organizations, while insurers said they had worked extensively with the author and were moving to neutral, though they still raised implementation and proprietary-information concerns. The committee voted to pass SB 1301 as amended to Appropriations, with the roll left open briefly before the bill was declared out. SB 876 would overhaul wildfire and disaster claims handling by requiring updated replacement-cost estimates, stronger extended replacement-cost and building-code coverage options, faster status updates when adjusters change, and other consumer protections. Supporters included the Department of Insurance, United Policyholders, consumer groups, and local representatives, who argued the bill addresses underinsurance, delays, and inconsistent claims handling exposed by recent wildfires. Several industry groups said recent amendments resolved major concerns and moved them to neutral, while the California Fair Plan remained respectfully opposed pending further review. The committee approved SB 876 as amended to Judiciary, again leaving the roll open briefly before finalizing the vote. The committee also took up a consent item, SB 536 by Senator Archuleta, which was approved unanimously to Appropriations. Other bills listed at the start of the hearing, SB 555 and SB 795, were pulled at the request of the authors and were not heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• I uh work on a project which is called uh the New Hampshire Medicaid to Schools Resource Center, and
• </c><01:47:45.119><c> Community</c> think, is if Lakes Region Community think, is if Lakes Region Community
• From an operational standpoint, flexibility is important.
• From an operational and student growth.
• I mean, and what would be the motivation for the department to operate more efficiently?

Committee: House Education Policy and Administration

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, the need in town is to serve up to 180% AMI in order to help secure this workforce.
• That's pretty standard operating procedure up here.
• That's pretty standard operating procedure up here.
• That's pretty standard operating procedure up here.
• That's pretty standard operating procedure up here.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Housing

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing held a hybrid hearing on two bills: H. 5447, a home rule petition concerning the Town of West Tisbury’s affordable housing trust fund, and H. 5317/H. 5314, relating to condominium conversion or partition of co-owned two-unit buildings. Chair Richard Haggerty and Senate co-chair Julian Cyr opened the hearing and explained the format, including three-minute testimony limits and a July 31 deadline for written testimony. Peter Harrington testified in support of updating the partition law so courts could use condominium conversion when dividing co-owned property. He said the current law is rooted in medieval-era rules and can hinder preservation of middle-class housing, especially where a two-family home might otherwise be sold and redeveloped. He argued the change would give judges a modern tool to preserve existing housing stock and noted the issue arises in some partition cases, though not every day. Laura Silber testified for West Tisbury in support of H. 5447, saying the town wants its affordable housing trust fund expanded to serve households up to 180% of area median income and to support seasonal-community workforce needs, including public sector essential workers. She said the town and Martha’s Vineyard Commission also support broader seasonal-community housing tools and a future local option transfer fee. Senator Cyr questioned whether the home rule petition was necessary given the Seasonal Communities law, and Silber responded that the petition was a short-term measure while technical fixes and a pooled year-round housing trust are developed. No votes were taken, and the hearing ended with adjournment after testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• They tell me, like, oh, this system's the most secure system in the world.
• But for the cars that are operable, but they're just not registering their car.
• Maybe they're Tired of operating outside of the law. I would like to get legal. I would.
• Louis region, even though it's outside of the state of Missouri.
• I would argue that they probably look at the entire region in all of St. Louis City and St.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• an ICE detention center.
• It's embarrassing to know that there are seven ICE detention centers in our state.
• certainly all regions of the state.
• certainly all regions of the state.
• There are a variety of other operational costs.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you know, this is a hospital that is anchoring our region.
• Does HCAI believe that waiting until a hospital has fewer than 10 days of operating cash is the main
• hospitals that are maybe beyond the 10-day limit, but I'm curious just what are you sharing with centers
• an investment made and then have an emergency room closed or the only maternal health ward in the region
• They looked at demonstrable risk of closure, 90 days or fewer cash on hand, negative operating margin

Committee: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> Yes, we have one, Senator Burke. to his position and um center, you know, to his position and um center
• for the operation of the commission. commission. commission.
• They can only use it for the operation of that. >> That is correct. >> All right.
• and who ended up in the operating room.
• and who ended up in the operating room.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 01:09 Roll Call 02:11 SB 7 12:42 SB 7 Vote 13:48 SB 30 17:26 SB 30 Vote 19:56 SB 28 46:35 SB 28 vote, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A standing subcommittee on county and regional government will come to order.
• thank everyone for being here today as we convene the permanent standing subcommittee on County and Regional
• to make sure that third parties do not get access to sensitive data, information such as social security
• County jails often rely on mandatory overtime to maintain the security of their facilities.
• The third function that we're responsible for is the safety and security of the courthouse complexes.

Keywords: 1184, house, all