Video & Transcript : 'prompt pay' :
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MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
Veterans and Armed Forces Feb 3rd, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Veterans and Armed Forces
Transcript Highlights:
- Is there a, is there, has anybody looked into how we can approach paying for this by a reduced cost in
- Is there a, is there, has anybody looked into how we can approach paying for this by a reduced cost in
- And so... ...into how we can approach paying for this by reduced cost in that? Does that clear?
- That's part of the hurdle is how do we pay for it?
- The barriers, to me, the main barriers are: how are we going to pay for it?
Committee:
House Veterans and Armed Forces
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Session / Gov. Bob Ferguson State-of-the-State Address Jan 13th, 2026 at 11:45 am
Transcript Highlights:
- Washington families whose income is in the bottom 20 percent pay a whopping 13.8 percent of their total
- income in taxes, while those whose income is in the top 1 percent pay only 4.1 percent of their income
- Less than one-half of one percent of Washingtonians will pay it.
- They should not have to pay a B&O tax until they gross more than a million dollars in revenue.
- That small business owner should pay nothing.
Summary:
The joint session of the Washington Legislature convened to receive Governor Bob Ferguson’s State of the State address, with the House and Senate roll called and a quorum confirmed. The chamber recognized Supreme Court justices, statewide elected officials, tribal leaders, consular corps members, and other guests before the Pledge of Allegiance, the national anthem by the Wapato High School Choir, a prayer by Reverend Indiana Driver Gimmer, and a poem by State Poet Laureate Derek Sheffield. The governor opened by thanking those present and highlighting recent flooding as a major test of the state’s resilience, praising first responders, National Guard members, WSDOT crews, and local leaders for their response and recovery efforts.
In his address, Ferguson said Washington’s economy remains strong but argued the state must make major investments in transportation, ferries, housing, and affordability. He proposed more than a billion dollars for bridge repairs, $164 million for road paving this summer, another billion dollars for three new ferries, and a $244 million housing investment. He also called for a millionaire’s tax to fund expanded Working Families Tax Credit benefits, tax relief for small businesses, more K-12 funding, and affordability measures such as utility bill credits and expanded energy assistance. He criticized federal immigration enforcement tactics and changes at the CDC, urged action on a bill limiting masked law enforcement, and said Washington should rely on science-based public health guidance through state-led efforts.
The governor also highlighted several bills and proposals he said he would support, including expanded early learning for military families, modular housing standards, reckless driving changes, improved crash data access, wildfire air support for local fire departments, fee refunds when agencies miss processing deadlines, and a campaign to improve FAFSA completion rates. He said his administration has already reduced processing times for several licenses and wants government to be more responsive. After the address, the joint session was dissolved by motion and vote, and the House then adjourned until January 14 at 10:30 a.m.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Legislative Republican Leaders Media Availability Jan 13th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- The things that the working class are paying the most of proportionate to their income.
- the working class are paying the most of proportionate to their income.
- They pay their taxes. They do what we think the right thing is.
- They pay their taxes. They do what we think the right thing is.
- The governor, of course, proposes using some of that to pay for that exact thing.
Summary:
House and Senate Republican leaders held a media availability on the second day of the 60-day legislative session, reacting to Governor Ferguson’s State of the State address and outlining their priorities. They said the top issue is affordability, and argued the governor and Democratic majority are responding with more taxes, regulation, and government spending rather than restraint. They criticized the prospect of a state income tax, calling it unconstitutional, politically unpopular, and likely to expand beyond high earners over time. They also said the state should avoid raiding the rainy day fund and instead look for savings through tighter budget management, reduced middle management, and a focus on core services.
The leaders also discussed public safety, immigration enforcement, child care oversight, transportation, housing, and the Climate Commitment Act. On immigration, they said law enforcement coordination is essential and criticized mixed messages from state leaders about federal enforcement and sheriffs. On child care, they said allegations of fraud in subsidy programs should be investigated through audits and oversight, and rejected the idea that looking for fraud is offensive to honest providers. They said there is some bipartisan agreement on using Climate Commitment Act revenue for the Working Families Tax Credit, transportation, and wildfire prevention, but argued the tax itself is regressive and should be redirected to better uses.
On the budget, Republicans said the current deficit will not be solved by a future income tax and that the state will likely need spending cuts or savings. They said there is some limited agreement with moderate Democrats against further tax increases and against using the rainy day fund as a first step. On housing and transportation, they said the real solutions are permitting reform, changes to the Growth Management Act and energy code, and more stable transportation funding, rather than more state spending on affordable housing or piecemeal fees. No votes were taken, and the event ended as a press availability with questions from reporters.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Session / Gov. Bob Ferguson State-of-the-State Address Jan 13th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Washington families whose income is in the bottom 20 percent pay a whopping 13.8 percent of their total
- income in taxes, while those whose income is in the top 1 percent pay only 4.1 percent of their income
- Less than one-half of one percent of Washingtonians will pay it.
- They should not have to pay a B&O tax until they gross more than a million dollars in revenue.
- That small business owner should pay nothing.
Summary:
The joint session of the Washington Legislature convened to receive Governor Bob Ferguson’s State of the State address, with the House and Senate, Supreme Court justices, statewide elected officials, tribal leaders, consular representatives, and other guests formally introduced. The meeting also included the Pledge of Allegiance, a performance by the Wapato High School Choir, a prayer by Reverend Indiana Driver Gimmer, and a poem by State Poet Laureate Derek Sheffield.
In his address, Governor Ferguson said the state remains strong economically but faces major challenges from recent historic flooding, aging transportation infrastructure, ferry reliability problems, the housing shortage, and affordability concerns. He proposed major budget priorities including more than a billion dollars for bridge and road maintenance without raising taxes, another billion dollars for ferries, and a record housing investment. He also called for a millionaire’s tax to fund expanded Working Families Tax Credit benefits, tax relief for small businesses, and more support for K-12 education, along with utility assistance and early learning expansion funded in part by a large private gift.
The governor also criticized federal immigration enforcement practices and changes at the CDC, urged action on a bill to prohibit masked law enforcement and require identifying information, and backed shifting vaccine recommendations to the state health department. He highlighted several bipartisan proposals he said he would sign, including expanded early learning for military families, modular housing standards, reckless driving changes, crash review access to medical information, wildfire air resources for local fire departments, and fee refunds for missed agency deadlines. After the governor’s remarks, the joint session was dissolved by motion and the House adjourned until the next legislative day.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- Is that like a rush payment that someone makes to make sure that they pay it without a late fee and on
- time because they hadn't set up the... ...pay it without a late fee and on time because they hadn't
- It's if you didn't have it perhaps on auto pay.
- It's not a term we have in statute, not that I know of, but more you may have to pay very close to the
- for folks, it could be right there before their due date if they don't already have, like, an auto pay
Committee:
Senate Commerce and Tourism
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Public Counsel Oversight Dec 8th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- for customers, If I can achieve a fair result for customers that matches costs to what we're going to pay
- I'm tired of paying for them to, you know, get on to my utility.”
- of a widows-and-orphans fund, I mean, the investor-owned utility regulatory scheme was designed to pay
- as you go, to avoid the replication of... ...utilities and paying for the uneconomic duplication.
- It's not just paying for it now, but in one of the settlements that we just had, we were simply going
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Public Counsel Oversight met to receive an overview from Public Counsel Walt Trierweiler on the work of his office. He described the office’s role in representing Florida utility customers in rate and service cases, including investor-owned electric, water, and wastewater matters, storm cost recovery, fuel clauses, storm protection plans, and specialized dockets. He emphasized the office’s use of depositions, expert witnesses, customer correspondence, and service-hearing testimony to challenge unsupported utility costs and seek “fair, just, reasonable, and affordable” outcomes for customers.
Trierweiler highlighted several current issues, including affordability, data centers, and the growing use of AI in reviewing large utility filings. He said the office has begun using affordability experts and data center witnesses, and that data center-related utility proposals raise concerns about energy demand, water use, and community impacts. He also expressed caution about AI and machine learning because of confidential utility information, while acknowledging that utilities, regulators, and his office are increasingly using such tools.
Members asked questions about how customer input is gathered, how profit is evaluated in rate cases, the role of settlement agreements, and whether the office is considering water consumption impacts from data centers. Trierweiler said customer feedback largely comes in through hearings, correspondence, and direct calls rather than office-led canvassing, and that his office seeks to limit imprudent costs while allowing utilities a fair return. He also explained that the office may file motions for reconsideration and appeals after PSC orders, and that it sometimes submits alternative settlement proposals even when approval is unlikely, to present a different option for the commission’s consideration. No votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after concluding its agenda.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- So like what we're doing with school taxes, we're paying for what we want to pay for and the assistance
- What would be the consequence of someone not being able to afford paying those fines?
- What if they can't pay it and so they refuse to cure? No, this is.
- But you can't tell me what the consequence would be of not paying the fine?
- I think any state agency or any political subdivision of the state should be able to pay that unless
Keywords:
real property, fraud, theft, elderly, disabled, statute of limitations, criminal offense, property rights, property tax, ad valorem tax, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, tax rate calculation, Tax Code, local government finance, municipality, county, special taxing unit, sales and use tax, property tax cap
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- The driver must provide a physician's letter and pay the appropriate fee.
- The train will make money, and then the operator who will have all those bonds will have to pay the debt
- I've seen cities that go to the trouble like they want an outer loop and then they go and they pay the
- They don't have to pay for the local inspection, but the $7.50 and the $5.50 still has to go to those
- Way back there, so you can make people take their vehicles down there and pay even more, going through
Bills:
HB647 , HB791 , HB1242 , HB1729 , HB2003 , HB2029 , HB2061 , HB2775 , HB3751 , HB4804 , HB3611
Committee:
Senate Transportation
Keywords:
driver's license, vision correction, medical verification, Texas Department of Public Safety, renewal fees, HB 791, Central Catholic High School, San Antonio, specialty license plate, specialty plates, license plate, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Transportation Code, general revenue fund, With Loyal Hearts, Catholic school, private school, religious school, school spirit plate, commemorative plate
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs May 12th, 2025
Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- So the fix today is pay more so you can have the filtration system to keep it from looking brown and
- You said if this filtration system was installed, that the consumers should be willing to pay for it.
- We are willing to pay for good water. We want good water. There's been two rate increases.
- We're willing to pay for good water.
- We have tailored this down as much as we possibly can... ...we are willing to pay for good water.
Committee:
Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Keywords:
outboard motors, certificate of title, vessel regulation, Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, marine documentation, HB 685, municipal utility rates, water rates, sewer rates, local government code, rate discrimination, tax-exempt entities, sales tax exemption, ad valorem tax exemption, nonprofit organizations, charitable organizations, municipal water service, municipal sewer service, utility billing, public utilities
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs met with no quorum at the start, but later reached quorum and took up several bills. House Bill 2692, codifying the San Antonio River Authority’s enabling legislation and making non-substantive modernization changes, received brief supportive testimony from the River Authority and was left pending before later being voted out favorably. House Bill 685, which would prevent municipalities from charging higher water or sewer rates to tax-exempt entities than comparable customers, also drew support and was reported favorably. House Bill 1318, clarifying compensation issues when a municipality decertifies part of a retail water utility’s service area, was heard without opposition and passed out of committee. House Bill 630, exempting certain older outboard motors from title requirements, likewise passed and was placed on the local and uncontested calendar.
The committee spent the most time on Senate Bill 2497, relating to filtration systems for certain public drinking water systems. Senator Zaffirini described the bill as a response to ongoing secondary water quality complaints, while TCEQ testified that such contaminants are aesthetic rather than health-based and that the water remains safe to drink if primary standards are met. The Texas Rural Water Association opposed the bill as written, arguing filtration may not solve most water quality problems and could be costly for small systems, while a consumer witness from Floresville supported it and described repeated rate increases and brown water after a filtration system was removed. Members discussed narrowing the bill through a committee substitute and emphasized the need for flexibility and technical expertise; the committee substitute was adopted and the bill was reported favorably, with Senator Kolkhorst later asking to be recorded as voting no.
The committee also heard Senate Bill 2850, which would create a pollinator task force to study habitat loss, public education, and best practices for protecting bees and other pollinators. Senator Menendez and invited witness Erica Thompson of Texas BeeWorks highlighted major colony losses and the economic importance of pollinators to Texas agriculture, and Environment Texas and the Texas Beekeepers Association supported the measure. Members discussed monarch butterflies, native grasses, milkweed, and conservation efforts, and the bill was reported favorably and sent to the local and uncontested calendar. After testimony, the committee also voted out several pending items, including House Bill 5560 with a committee substitute addressing water-loss penalties and infrastructure improvements, and then recessed subject to the call of the chair.
ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Appropriations - Government Operations Division Apr 16th, 2025 at 02:00 pm
Appropriations - Government Operations Division
Transcript Highlights:
- Chairman, Senator Irby, I am telling you, you and I are already paying for St.
- A's, paying for Altru. It's in our budgets, paying for the community behavioral health centers.
- That's just a catch-up; that's paying for some fees that we were obligated to and were short.
- Paying for some fees that we were obligated to and were short.
- There was $2.75 million short for OMB to come up with to pay, to provide every agency with the new FTE
Bills:
SB2012
Summary:
The Government Operations division met to consider House Bill 1015, the OMB budget, with several amendments already in hand. A major portion of the discussion centered on Senator Mathern’s concerns about the proposed new state hospital in Jamestown. He argued the project is outdated, too expensive, and should be delayed or reduced in favor of local behavioral health services and deferred maintenance at the existing LaHogue facility. Other members questioned him about staffing, capacity, constitutional issues, and the relationship between the hospital proposal and broader mental health investments in other bills.
The committee also reviewed budget mechanics, including the transfer of up to $240 million from the Social Services Fund to the Human Services Finance Fund, a $40 million deferred maintenance fund, a $3 million deficiency appropriation for the new and vacant FTE pool, and other OMB-related items. Members discussed whether OMB should have managerial control over the Jamestown project and generally agreed that OMB oversight could help manage costs, though concerns about the hospital remained.
The committee then considered two funding items that drew the most debate: guardianship grants and a pro-life education campaign. After testimony from a representative supporting the campaign, members agreed to reduce that item by $500,000 and add $1 million for guardianship grants, while leaving the overall bill to be finalized in conference. The committee adopted Amendment Version 2006 with those changes and then passed HB 1015 as amended on a roll call vote, with all members voting aye except Senator Burckhard on the amendment vote; he later voted aye on the bill itself. The chair indicated the bill would move to conference committee.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Vets Committee Meeting - 2025-03-26
Veterans and Military Affairs Division
Transcript Highlights:
- Paying $20,000 to $30,000 to a soldier to keep them for another six years and retain that wealth of knowledge
- And he took a pay loss as a result of his state active duty time.
- Kerr, and he told me that there are conversations in Washington about how a state can pay for a retirement
- what we call state active duty or state active service and federal service, matching whether it's base pay
- This is something that will just add a little taste when a soldier sees their pay stub and they see that
Committee:
House Veterans and Military Affairs Division
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Environment committee hears 'Keep it Clean' bill, HF1120 2/25/25
Transcript Highlights:
- We all pay dearly to use state lands and waters, and we are proud to be good stewards.
- :59.400><c> all</c> excrement on your picnic grounds we all excrement on your picnic grounds we all pay
- 00.959><c> State</c><00:04:01.280><c> lands</c><00:04:01.720><c> and</c><00:04:01.920><c> Waters</c> pay
- dearly to use State lands and Waters pay dearly to use State lands and Waters and<00:04:02.439><c> we
- 02.959><c> they</c> have their waste contaminated which they have their waste contaminated which they pay
Summary:
The committee heard House File 1120, the follow-up “Keep It Clean” bill from Representative Andrew Myers, which would create grant funding for local governments and organizations to improve garbage removal and related clean-water programs, especially around frozen lakes and winter recreation areas. Myers said the earlier Keep It Clean effort to enforce litter laws on frozen lakes had already reduced garbage in the water, and he framed this bill as a way to expand that success with additional resources. Testifier Robin Dwight of the Upper Red Lake Area Association and Keep It Clean Coalition described growing problems with trash and human waste on ice, said the coalition now has 60 members representing more than 10,000 lakes, and explained that local programs use dumpsters and separation systems to manage waste. Tom Johnson of the MPCA and Assistant Commissioner Bob Myers of the DNR both testified in support, saying improper disposal of human and solid waste is a real and growing problem and that the public education campaign has changed behavior on the ice.
Members asked about the bill’s results and funding needs. Representative Pelz asked for more context on the coalition’s impact, and Dwight said the group has been active for about three years and recently launched a survey to gather more data on infrastructure needs for wheelhouse users. Representative Fiser asked what dollar amount would be needed, and Myers said the bill seeks general fund dollars, with a rough ideal range of one to two million dollars, though he emphasized he wanted to work with the committee on the final amount and funding mechanism. The discussion also noted a second related bill with a $10 wheelhouse fee as another possible funding option.
No opposition testimony was presented. After discussion, the chair renewed the motion to lay over House File 1120 for possible inclusion in a future bill, and the bill was laid over.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:38:29.280><c> it</c> $11,000 on their home after paying it $11,000 on their home after paying
- They can barely pay the taxes.
- </c><01:31:42.320><c> the</c> notice if they couldn't pay the notice if they couldn't pay the increment
- We know how much property tax you're paying. We know how much this and that you're paying.
- </c> existing government program which pays existing government program which pays the<04:31:58.159><
Committee:
House Housing
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure
Transcript Highlights:
- So, for example, if a transaction totaled $10.52, it would be rounded down and the customer would pay
- If the transaction total was $10.53, then it would be rounded up and the consumer would pay $10.55.
- And the consumer would pay $10.55.
- This is strictly for those that pay with cash.
- provides a balanced, consumer-friendly approach, and the bill only applies when consumers choose to pay
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure held a public hearing on two bills: House Bill 5138, concerning consumer protections for cash transactions amid penny scarcity, and House Bill 5036, concerning consumer information related to tariffs. Chairs Tackey Chan and Senator Payano opened the hearing, noted the committee’s one-year anniversary, reviewed procedures, and explained that the Senate and House were both in session, with Senator Payano prepared to take over if needed. The committee heard from several industry and legislative witnesses, and the hearing was eventually closed by motion and voice vote.
Supporters of H. 5138, including Senator Paul Feeney, the Massachusetts Package Stores Association, the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, and the New England Convenience Store and Energy Marketers Association, said the bill would create a clear statewide rounding standard for cash transactions if pennies become scarce. They argued it would improve operational efficiency, reduce confusion, provide legal clarity, and protect businesses and consumers by requiring notice and limiting the rule to cash payments. The Retailers Association of Massachusetts also supported the concept but suggested amendments, including changing mandatory rounding language to allow flexibility and clarifying that taxes and fees would not be affected.
Witnesses were largely opposed to H. 5036. The Retailers Association, the New England Convenience Store and Energy Marketers Association, and the Massachusetts State Auto Dealers Association said tariff-related shelf or price disclosures would be difficult or impossible to implement because tariff costs change frequently and are hard to trace through complex supply chains. Auto dealers emphasized the challenge of calculating tariff impacts across thousands of vehicle parts and models, while retailers said the proposal would add burdens and could increase costs. No votes on the bills were taken during the hearing; the only formal action was adjournment of the hearing after testimony concluded.
VT
Transcript Highlights:
- And we can and we should absolutely support good paying jobs and Support good paying jobs, and we can
- And the people who pay the biggest price or bear a disproportionate amount of the harm for our inaction
- We're paying attention. We're watching. We're paying attention.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Apr 15th, 2026
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure
Transcript Highlights:
- So, for example, if a transaction totaled $10.52, it would be rounded down and the customer would pay
- If the transaction total was $10.53, then it would be rounded up and the consumer would pay $10.55.
- And the consumer would pay $10.55.
- This is strictly for those that pay with cash.
- provides a balanced, consumer-friendly approach, and the bill only applies when consumers choose to pay
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure held a public hearing on House Bill 5036, concerning consumer information related to tariffs, and House Bill 5138, concerning consumer protections for low-value tender scarcity and penny rounding. The chairs opened with procedural remarks, noted both chambers were in session, and explained that testimony would be limited to three minutes. The hearing also included light discussion of the committee’s one-year anniversary and the large volume of bills the committee handles.
Testimony on H. 5138 was broadly supportive. Senator Paul Feeney, the bill’s co-sponsor, said the measure would address confusion caused by the penny’s scarcity by creating a statewide cash-rounding standard to the nearest five cents, with rounding up or down depending on the final digit. He emphasized that the bill would apply only to cash transactions and would require consumer notice rules from the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. Representatives from the Massachusetts Package Stores Association, Massachusetts Retailers Association, Massachusetts Restaurant Association, and New England Convenience Store and Energy Marketers Association all supported the bill, citing operational efficiency, legal clarity, fairness, and reduced burden on retailers and restaurants. The Retailers Association suggested amendments to make rounding discretionary rather than mandatory and to clarify that taxes and fees would not be affected.
Testimony on H. 5036 was largely opposed by business groups. The Massachusetts Retailers Association, New England Convenience Store and Energy Marketers Association, and Massachusetts State Auto Dealers Association all said the tariff disclosure requirements would be difficult or impossible to implement in practice, especially given frequent tariff changes and the complexity of pricing goods and vehicles. They argued the bill would create compliance burdens and could increase costs rather than help consumers. No votes were taken on either bill. The hearing concluded after no further witnesses came forward, and the committee voted to close the hearing.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- So, to read this so that I don't ask a dumb question, what this would be then is when we pay our health
- We pay for it from the general fund anyway. Can I have a follow-up? Okay, follow-up.
- I didn't know I was paying a state tax on my health insurance premiums. I didn't know that.
- basically what the Plyler decision says, you can't deny enrollment, but you get to figure out how to pay
- basically what the Plyler decision says, you can't deny enrollment, but you get to figure out how to pay
Committee:
Senate Education
Summary:
The committee began by recognizing and thanking page Caleb Williams for his service, including brief remarks and a song, before moving to approval of the minutes from March 12, 16, 17, and 18, 2026. All four sets of minutes were approved by voice vote.
The committee then heard Senate Bill 1420, which would redirect about 1% of the state health insurance premium tax into a fund for medical education, with the goal of stabilizing funding for undergraduate medical education and supporting future expansion of medical school seats. Senator Lent and Representative Manwaring explained that the bill would create a dedicated pathway for these funds and could also accommodate other medical education-related revenues. After questions about the premium tax and existing uses of the fund, the committee voted to send SB 1420 to the floor with a due pass recommendation; Senator Zito requested to be recorded as opposed.
Next, the committee considered House Joint Memorial 20, which asks the federal government to address the costs Idaho incurs under Plyler v. Doe for educating students regardless of immigration status. Representative Tanner argued the decision created an unfunded mandate and cited rough estimates of annual and long-term costs. After questions about the source of the student estimates, the committee voted to send HJM 20 to the floor with a due pass recommendation, with Senators Burtenshaw and Semmelroth requesting to be recorded as opposed.
Finally, the committee heard House Bill 915, which would establish a baseline recess policy for public and charter schools, including a 20-minute daily outdoor recess for grades K-5 when feasible and a prohibition on withholding recess from an entire class as punishment. Senator Taves said the bill was intended to protect children’s health and learning, while opponents argued it was unnecessary and infringed on local control because schools already provide recess. The committee voted to hold HB 915 at the call of the chair, and the meeting adjourned with notice that the IDLA bill was expected the next day.
WA
Transcript Highlights:
- be paid incrementally over the, in the case of leases of luxury vehicles to be paid incrementally or pay
- So when you renew your tabs, you have the option of paying by check or by debit, which generally is a
- So what we were doing this year is clarifying that all kinds of payment cards would pay the surcharge
- So what we were doing this year is clarifying that all kinds of pay. or credit cards and debit cards.
- So what we were doing this year is clarifying that all kinds of payment cards would pay the surcharge
Committee:
Senate Transportation
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Transportation Mar 4th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- be paid incrementally over the, in the case of leases of luxury vehicles to be paid incrementally or pay
- So when you renew your tabs, you have the option of paying by check or by debit, which generally is a
- So what we were doing this year is clarifying that all kinds of payment cards would pay the surcharge
- So what we were doing this year is clarifying that all kinds of pay. or credit cards and debit cards.
- So what we were doing this year is clarifying that all kinds of payment cards would pay the surcharge
Summary:
The Transportation Committee met in executive session on Gross Substitute House Bill 2711, a transportation resources measure, after a staff walkthrough of the Senate striking amendment S-5820.4. Staff explained that the striker largely replaced the bill with provisions from Senate Bill 6352 and related transportation revenue and policy changes, including updates to mobile driver’s licenses, account interest provisions, recreational vessel and luxury vehicle tax clarifications, peer-to-peer tax administration changes, fuel tax timing changes, aircraft fuel tax and account changes, bicycle education grants, ferry payment-card fee authority, traffic safety camera revenue and rebuttable presumption rules, online driver education regulation, transit annexation tax/liability clarification, Sound Transit 75-year bond authority limits, stolen copper protections for light rail and DOT communications infrastructure, and a highway contracting threshold change. Staff also reviewed fiscal impacts, including revenue gains from trade-in value clarifications and aircraft fuel changes, and losses from the diesel tax delay, motorhome exemption, and repeal of the luxury aircraft tax.
Members asked several clarifying questions, including the luxury RV tax threshold, how trade-in value is treated under the luxury vehicle tax, whether ferry debit-card fees are authorized, and the legality of passing card-processing fees to customers. Staff and counsel said the luxury vehicle tax applies to value over $100,000, trade-in value is added back for the luxury tax calculation, and the ferry provision is intended to clarify that both credit and debit card surcharges may be passed through. On the traffic safety camera section, staff described a revised approach that would require stronger proof from registered owners to rebut presumed responsibility, and on Sound Transit bonds, staff clarified that bonds over 40 years would be limited to federal transportation loan purposes and would affect eligibility for certain state grants.
After caucus, the committee returned to executive session, waived the amendment posting deadline under Senate Rule 45, adopted the striking amendment, and then voted to advance ESHB 2711 as amended with a do pass recommendation to the Rules Committee. The motion carried, and the chair thanked staff before adjourning the meeting.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Health Care & Wellness Feb 10th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- these switches to biosimilars, which I'm not disagreeing with, give that guarantee the patient won't pay
- We're just doing a level of protection that the patient doesn't pay more in a switch. ...the substitution
- these switches to biosimilars, which I'm not disagreeing with, give that guarantee the patient won't pay
- We're just doing a level of protection that the patient doesn't pay more in a switch out. ...we sit here
- We're just doing a level of protection that the patient doesn't pay more in a switch out.
Summary:
The Health Care and Wellness Committee met on February 10 at 8:30 a.m. and heard two bills. On Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5594, staff explained that the bill would expand state policy on biosimilars by allowing health carriers to require patients to try a biosimilar before covering the equivalent brand drug starting in 2027, directing exchange plans to increase biosimilar utilization, and changing pharmacist substitution rules so substitution is generally allowed unless the prescriber says not to substitute. The prime sponsor, Sen. Harris, said the bill would lower costs and noted many other states already allow similar substitution. Supporters from health plans and generic/biosimilar manufacturers said biosimilars are safe, effective, and can save consumers and the system money, while a patient advocate raised concerns that the bill may not guarantee lower out-of-pocket costs at the pharmacy counter and suggested preferred formulary placement as a fix. AAM supported the bill with a technical amendment to place biosimilars in the same section as generics and interchangeable products, and the hearing on the bill was closed with no vote taken.
The committee also heard Engrossed Senate Bill 5142 on Medicaid network adequacy for post-acute care. Staff said the bill would require the Health Care Authority to adopt network adequacy standards for nursing homes and inpatient rehabilitation facilities, considering community access, regional availability, timeliness, and federal Medicaid rules, with standards due by January 1, 2028 and implementation by July 1, 2028. Sen. Muzzall described it as a follow-up to last year’s bill that would create a pre-approved pathway for patients who are difficult to discharge because continuing care is hard to secure. Testimony from hospital and health system representatives strongly supported the bill, saying patients often remain in hospitals longer than medically necessary because of delays in finding skilled nursing or rehab placements and because single-case agreements are time-consuming and unpredictable, especially in rural areas. Public testimony on SB 5142 was then closed, and the meeting adjourned without any recorded votes or other action.