Transcript Highlights:

• In 2025, 30% of students reported experiencing cyberbullying via digital media.
• In 2025, 30% of students reported experiencing cyberbullying via digital platforms, and 85% of cyberbullying
• And what it does is it allows us to make use of the sophistication of entities with assets, with lawyers
• just having expendable people to go to jail, it actually creates an incentive to never allow your assets
• citizens of all income levels to hedge against inflation by buying gold and silver while making those assets

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The House convened, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, welcomed judicial branch guests for Judges Day, and recognized several visitors and proclamations, including 2026 Social Work Month. Members also received routine announcements and committee substitutions before moving into Committee of the Whole on multiple calendars. In Committee of the Whole, the House considered and advanced a large number of bills, often after committee and floor amendments. Notable measures included HB 2035 on kinship placement in child welfare; HB 2041 on keeping children from being removed from parents solely due to poverty; HB 2251 on licensed midwifery standards; HB 2429 on short-term rental regulation; HB 2444 on pharmacist-provided testing/treatment, which drew strong opposition from several members over safety, oversight, and cost concerns but still advanced; HB 2615 on court-appointed supervisors; HB 2726 on a sleep apnea device for AHCCCS/Access coverage, which drew concerns about vendor specificity and process; HB 2914 on protecting vulnerable adults in long-term care; HB 4018 on public safety; HB 2127 on an omnibus transportation/license plate measure; HB 2240 on tuition waivers for children of disabled veterans; HB 2344 and HB 2403 on appropriations-related matters; HB 2991 on social media and youth safety; HB 4070 on trafficking-related corporate penalties; and HB 4136 on unlawful entry involving vulnerable adults. Several sponsors described stakeholder negotiations and policy goals, while opponents raised concerns about safety, scope, costs, or process. The House then adopted Committee of the Whole reports and sent many bills to engrossing. In third reading, HB 2123 failed on a 24-28 vote after debate over gold and silver legal tender; HB 2270, HB 2324, HB 2404, HB 2557, HB 2574, HB 2594, HB 2611, HB 2681, HB 2697, and HB 2800 were among the bills voted on, with most passing. Members explained votes on several measures, including support for county authority changes, mental health services, patient records access, domestic violence address confidentiality, child welfare rights, and a bill tied to impaired-driving-related tragedy. The session ended with additional votes still underway on later third-reading bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• and we talked about out the assets and we talked about regional<00:10:24.000> economic<00:10:
• This digital signage is not for drivers, right? It's for pedestrians, right?
• They have these digital kiosks to be able to communicate with the public.
• kiosks uh to bring us no sort of digital kiosks uh to bring us no corporate. corporate. corporate.
• kiosks that are on the public digital kiosks that are on the public rights<01:20:50.320> away.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 2693 relating to capital improvement projects for aerospace infrastructure. Members had no questions, and the recommendation to pass the bill with a defective date of July 1, 2050 was adopted unanimously. The committee then deferred decision making on Senate Bill 26980 relating to transportation and Senate Bill 2374 relating to the blue economy until Thursday, February 19, 2026, in Room 229, pending additional information. In the joint hearing on Senate Bill 2816 relating to state enterprise zones, agencies and organizations including DBEDT, HTDC, Taxation, the University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Oceanit, the Hawaii Medical Association, and the Queen’s Health System testified in support or submitted written comments. One public testifier urged expanding enterprise zones around the Kakaako/Cancer Center area and combining them with the foreign trade zone to reduce taxes and attract business. A senator questioned whether the enterprise zone program had ever been comprehensively evaluated, noting DBEDT said it had not done a full study in recent years and cited annual report figures including about $221 million in company revenues and $460,000 in foregone state revenue in 2022. The discussion focused on whether the bill would subsidize existing activity or support new economic development, and on the broader policy question of whether enterprise zones should be used to revitalize depressed areas or to target strategic sectors like health care technology. The committee then heard Senate Bill 2900 relating to sports officials. The Department of Education supported the measure, saying the Attorney General is best positioned to represent employees in temporary restraining order matters and that elevating intentional bodily injury of a sports official to a class B felony would improve safety. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing it would escalate conduct already covered by existing assault statutes and go beyond other protected classes. The Department of the Attorney General recommended narrowing the bill by inserting “substantial” before bodily injury in the criminal section and deleting a section that would make the AG’s office act like plaintiff’s counsel in civil matters, suggesting instead that departments adopt policies to help employees obtain TROs without creating an open-ended civil representation role. Several sports and school-related organizations testified in support, and members discussed whether the bill should be narrowed or coordinated with other measures before further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• um working to bring those digitized um working to bring those digitized records<04:41:17.920>
• We have created a state-of-the-art digitization center up there, and so we're doing a lot more with digital
• Wow." with with digital records uh helping with with digital records uh helping smaller<04:43:47.160>
• > smaller agencies digitize their records smaller agencies digitize their records as<04:43:49.920>
• We have created a state-of-the-art digitization center up there, and so we're doing a lot more with digital

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with testimony from Charlotte Harding of the Conservation Land Stewardship Program, who explained that the office protects the state’s interests in conservation lands by monitoring conservation easements and related stewardship obligations. She described the program’s funding sources: a land conservation endowment held at the State Treasury and administered by the Council on Resources and Development, plus transfers from Fish and Game for easements not covered by the endowment. Members discussed how the endowment is funded when new easements are created, the program’s staffing, the loss of a state vehicle, and the need to increase in-state travel so staff can use personal vehicles for field monitoring. Harding said the office has two full-time positions and a seasonal employee, that the work is mostly monitoring rather than hands-on land management, and that enforcement issues are referred to the grantee agencies or, if needed, to the Council on Resources and Development. She also noted that the office works directly with landowners to resolve smaller issues and that stewardship has become a greater focus in the conservation community because ongoing oversight requires funding. Members asked about examples of properties under the program, including LCIP lands such as Musquash Headwaters, Hidden Valley Boy Scout Camp, and Nash Stream, and the committee did not take a motion before moving on. The committee then heard from Paul Breen and Susie Anzelone of the Pease Development Authority regarding the Division of Ports and Harbors operating budget. They explained that the authority provides finance, legal, environmental, and engineering support to the division, which operates New Hampshire’s only deep-water berth at Market Street, as well as facilities in Hampton, Rye, the Portsmouth Fish Pier, and navigational waters in the Piscataqua and Great Bay. They described the authority’s history after the closure of Pease Air Force Base, the transfer of roughly 2,400 acres, and the creation of a self-sustaining enterprise fund tied to airport and port operations. They emphasized that the division does not draw on the general fund because revenues from wharfage, dockage, parking, registration, and mooring fees cover operating costs, with any surplus retained for capital improvements and replacement. Members questioned several budget lines, including a sharp increase in overtime and workers’ compensation. Breen said overtime is driven largely by security needs at the deep-water port and fluctuates with vessel traffic, such as salt shipments, while workers’ comp is a DAS-set cost and not something the division controls. He said the budget is conservative and that if revenues fall short, capital projects would be the first items scaled back. The discussion also covered fee-setting, with Breen saying rates are reviewed against the local market and infrastructure constraints, and that some smaller facility fees had recently been increased after being stagnant for years.

Transcript Highlights:

• would ensure consumers maintain control over their preferred privacy settings on their phones and digital
• would ensure consumers maintain control over their preferred privacy settings on their phones and digital
• However, when I saw asset sales, thank you. And have an efficient consolidation of districts.
• However, when I saw asset sales and water district, it's alarming.
• the tools they need, and students the knowledge they deserve, to safely navigate an increasingly digital

Summary: The Assembly convened after initially lacking a quorum, then completed the prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, journal motions, and a long series of procedural actions, including suspending rules to move bills and approve a large Appropriations Committee hearing list. Members also made several guest introductions, including Shannon Lee, district staff from Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez’s office, and later guests tied to agritourism and education recognitions. The floor debate centered heavily on AJR 31, a resolution urging Congress to restore and strengthen the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Supporters argued that recent Supreme Court decisions and redistricting efforts in other states were weakening Black and other minority representation and that California should take a clear stand for voting rights. Opponents argued the measure promoted racial division, conflicted with equal protection principles, and that districts should be drawn based on place or communities of interest rather than race. After a contentious debate with repeated parliamentary warnings over decorum, the Assembly suspended the rules to take up the resolution, added coauthors, and passed AJR 31 by a vote of 58-8. The Assembly then moved through a series of bills and resolutions, generally approving them with little or no opposition. These included AB 2341 clarifying emergency language translation rules for local agencies; AB 1816 extending court supervision for certain sex-offender rehabilitation programs; AB 2561 protecting consumer privacy settings on phones and digital devices; ACR 167 recognizing World Agritourism Day; ACR 190 recognizing California Day of the Teacher; AB 1581 improving identification of Native American students in public schools; AB 1586 requiring opioid overdose prevention training for school resource officers and safety planning; AB 1665 requiring mental health training for school coaches; AB 1693 streamlining retail tenant-improvement permitting; AB 1768 authorizing a local tax measure related to health funding; AB 1712 facilitating a water-system sale for Santa Fe Springs; AB 1792 addressing sexually exploitive AI imagery in health education; and AB 1822 prioritizing school projects that address extreme heat. Most measures passed overwhelmingly, several unanimously, and the resolution on agritourism and the teacher day were adopted by voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• We deployed some assets up there to get some visibility on what they potentially are seeing.
• I will say that... ...as soon as we activated our assets, we did see drones outside the perimeter, which
• And when you say assets, are you talking detection, mitigation? Can you say what sort of assets?
• But by and large, those are single digits; all 300 employees have come back to work.
• I mean, if it's someone that needs to stay home and there's still an asset, that's one thing.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard an update on the Northwest Louisiana earthquake cluster. Laura Sori of the Department of Conservation and Energy said the agency has inspected Class II injection wells within 12 miles of the earthquakes, found no permit violations, and is requiring monthly reporting of daily injection data. LSU and Tulane researchers explained that the swarm includes about 50 earthquakes detected by USGS since December 2025, including a 4.9 magnitude event on March 5, and that better monitoring is needed because Louisiana has very limited seismic station coverage. Dr. Cynthia Ebinger said her temporary array has detected more small quakes than USGS, that the pattern looks more like a swarm than normal aftershocks, and that the data suggest pressure changes in the subsurface, though no definitive cause was identified. Keith Hall of LSU described how other states responded to suspected induced seismicity with more monitoring, more frequent reporting, injection limits or moratoria, and “traffic light” systems that escalate regulatory responses as seismicity increases. Members asked about depths, fault locations, possible links to injection or fracking, and whether more monitoring and data-sharing should be pursued; several speakers said Louisiana likely needs a denser monitoring network and more structured data collection. A Texas geoscientist, William Berger, also testified that Texas uses large-scale data analysis and AI to study injection-related seismicity and argued for secure sharing of operator data to improve forecasting and risk management. The committee then took testimony on UAV and drone incursions over Barksdale Air Force Base. GOSEP said the incident was logged in WebEOC and the common operating picture, but that Barksdale did not request direct GOSEP resources and that the matter was handled through law enforcement channels. Louisiana State Police and the FBI said they were limited in what they could disclose, but confirmed multiple drone sightings on the morning and evening of March 9 and continued monitoring for several days. State Police said they have created a task force with the Police Chiefs Association, Sheriffs Association, GOSEP, and LSP, and that officers are receiving FBI-related training to help detect and, where authorized, mitigate drones. Members discussed whether the activity was nefarious, what counts as an incursion, and the need for better public education about drone restrictions near military and critical infrastructure sites. No formal action was taken, but members said the issue will continue to be tracked alongside pending legislation. Finally, the committee received a one-year update on the merger of GOSEP with the Louisiana National Guard and Military Department. Major General Thomas Freelieu and Brigadier General Jason Maffus said the merger has reduced GOSEP from seven divisions to three, shifted administrative functions to the Military Department, and produced about $10.5 million in first-year cost avoidance. They said the agency has modernized its common operating picture, returned staff to in-person work, and continued statewide preparedness exercises. Freelieu highlighted Guard missions including cyber expansion, the new Air National Guard cyber squadron at Jackson Barracks, modernization of the 159th Fighter Wing, and ongoing support for homeland security missions in New Orleans and Washington, D.C. Maffus said GOSEP’s core mission remains emergency preparedness, response, and recovery, and that the merger is intended to make state support to parishes faster and more efficient.

Transcript Highlights:

• We deployed some assets up there to get some visibility on what they potentially are seeing.
• some visibility on what they potentially are seeing, I will say that as soon as we activated our assets
• And when you say assets, are you talking detection, mitigation? Can you say what sort of assets?
• But by and large... ...those are single digits; all 300 employees have come back to work.
• I mean, if it's someone that needs to stay home and there's still an asset, that's one thing.

Summary: The committee met on May 26, 2026, and first approved the minutes from the May 22, 2025 meeting. The main topic was the Northwest Louisiana earthquake cluster, with testimony from Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy staff, LSU and Tulane geoscientists, and later LSU law professor Keith Hall. Witnesses said the cause of the swarm has not been definitively identified, but induced seismicity from wastewater injection or hydraulic fracturing remains a concern. They described 50 earthquakes reported by the USGS in Red River, Bienville, DeSoto, and Natchitoches Parishes, including a magnitude 4.9 event on March 5, 2026, and explained that Louisiana’s sparse seismic network limits detection and depth/location estimates. C&E said it inspected Class II injection wells within 12 miles of the events, found no violations, now requires more frequent injection reporting, and is working with researchers and LSU on a possible state monitoring network and future policy changes. Committee members asked about injection depths, fault locations, whether the activity could be natural, and whether Louisiana should adopt stronger monitoring or a traffic-light regulatory system like other states. The witnesses said more data is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn, but that denser monitoring can detect smaller quakes and help identify patterns. Professor Hall summarized responses in other states, including more frequent reporting, increased monitoring, injection reductions, moratoria, and traffic-light systems in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Ohio, and Illinois. Members also discussed whether operators should share more seismic and geologic data, and several said the state should avoid jumping to conclusions while still improving oversight. The committee then heard from William Berger, a Texas geoscientist, who described using AI and operator data to model wastewater injection and seismic risk, and said broader data sharing would improve forecasting and siting decisions. He and another witness emphasized that many earthquakes arise from clusters of wells rather than a single well, and that proprietary concerns limit voluntary disclosure. The committee also received a brief update from GOSEP and the Louisiana National Guard on the Barksdale Air Force Base drone incursions. GOSEP said it logged the incident in WebEOC and shared releasable information, while State Police and the FBI said they were limited in what they could disclose. Officers said a task force has been formed, some personnel have received federal drone-mitigation training, and House Bill 940 is intended to mirror the task force MOU. Finally, Major General Thomas Friloux and Brigadier General Jason Maffus updated the committee on the merger of GOSEP into the Louisiana Military Department. They said the merger has reduced GOSEP from seven divisions to three, brought back employees to in-person work, modernized the state’s common operating picture, and produced about $10.5 million in first-year cost avoidance through staffing and contract changes. They also noted the planned transfer of the Louisiana Center for Safe Schools to the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, ongoing hurricane preparedness, and continued coordination with parish emergency managers. No votes were taken on the substantive topics, and the meeting ended with the committee moving through its agenda items and receiving informational testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• that appropriation because we are trying to address as many, for a preservation example, as many assets
• that appropriation because we are trying to address as many, for a preservation example, as many assets
• In 2020, in response to user preferences, it shifted more toward digital.
• In 2020, in response to user preferences, it shifted more toward digital, online interactive experiences
• Maintain critical transportation assets, covering the statewide goals of preservation and stewardship

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from WSDOT on balancing uncertainty in capital program estimates and cash flow management. WSDOT explained the differences between design-bid-build and design-build delivery, its tiered risk-assessment process by project size, and how it uses base estimates, inflation, and risk modeling to set budgets. Staff said design-bid-build estimates are generally accurate within about 1% across the program, while design-build projects carry much wider uncertainty and are better communicated as ranges; they cited a P85 budget approach and noted that large, complex projects can be affected by market competition and long procurement timelines. Members asked about the Columbia River Bridge cost growth and about value engineering, and WSDOT said it uses value engineering but has limited scope to cut costs because of project requirements and policy mandates. Troy Swing also discussed cash flow, noting that a few large projects can significantly affect biennial funding needs, and said a risk pool would not reduce overall program risk but could help manage timing if paired with appropriation and cash-flow controls. The committee then received the final presentation in the WSDOT Project Delivery and Innovative Practices study from HKA Global. The consultant said WSDOT’s estimating practices are generally robust and recommended improving transparency by presenting budget authorizations as ranges or estimate classes, better tracking estimate growth over time, and adjusting advertisement timing to avoid competing lettings. The report also discussed surety bonding, suggesting the legislature consider restoring authority for reduced bonding on select large design-build projects or using phased bonding and alternative securities. On indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracting, the consultant said current job order contract rules are restrictive and recommended legislative changes to make such tools more usable, especially for smaller tasks and to help use unspent funds more flexibly. The committee also heard a follow-up presentation on transit-oriented development policy recommendations tied to HB 1491. The Urban Institute’s Yona Freemark said Washington has been a national leader on TOD but that housing construction, especially in the Puget Sound, has slowed sharply since 2022. He said rising construction costs, high financing costs, and local tax and rent conditions are making many TOD projects infeasible, and recommended that the state fill infrastructure funding gaps around stations, revisit MFTE affordability requirements, consider minimum rather than average density requirements near transit, and create a statewide system to track TOD outcomes such as affordability, gentrification, and transit access. Members questioned the study’s developer interviews, the role of rent control and crime, property tax assumptions, and parking needs; the presenter said the study included five private developers, that rent control was not part of the study scope, and that parking was included in the model assumptions. Finally, the committee began a presentation on regulating emissions from ocean-going vessels at berth. Staff and consultants described California-style at-berth rules, which require shore power or equivalent emissions controls so ships can shut off diesel auxiliary engines while docked. The study is examining vessel traffic, emissions reductions, implementation costs, labor and operational needs, and possible effects on port competitiveness and cargo diversion. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• The asset is actually the vehicle.
• The asset is actually the vehicle.
• <01:40:58.320> Let<01:40:58.480> me asset that is not really viable.
• Let me asset that is not really viable.
• They go down and very valuable asset.

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 22 January, 2026; 8:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The hearing began with the State Board of Architecture’s budget presentation. The executive director described the board’s mission to regulate architecture, landscape architecture, and certified interior design to protect public health and safety. He highlighted the board’s consolidated structure, license totals, high reciprocity rate, recent rule changes to reduce barriers to practice, and a proposed FY 2027 budget of $368,123, which included a 5% staff salary increase and higher operating costs. He also noted a newly identified need to modernize the licensing system, estimated at at least $25,000, and asked that the board not be reduced below the requested level. A board member also praised the small staff’s responsiveness and effectiveness. The State Board of Public Accountancy then presented its budget and policy requests. The executive director said the board regulates CPAs and CPA firms, oversees the CPA exam process, and has about 3,600 active individual licensees and 800 firms. The board requested only a 3% compensation increase for staff, plus a special request to allow an audit supervisor to repay the cost of a Becker review course through payroll deduction as part of succession planning. She also described a board-approved waiver program that began January 1, eliminating application fees for CPA exam candidates and retakes; 42 candidates had used the waiver in the first two weeks. In response to questions, she said the board does not assist CPAs with IRS disputes, but it does investigate complaints from the IRS, SEC, PCAOB, or others. Finally, a representative presented for the Board of Licensed Professional Counselors. She explained that the board regulates licensed counselors and psychotherapy providers, meets frequently, and has two staff members. The board’s main request was for additional investigative capacity: a full-time investigator and related funding, because complaints are currently handled by part-time investigators, contractors, and sometimes board members, which can require recusals from hearings. She said the state auditor had recently flagged complaint backlogs at regulatory agencies, supporting the request. The board also sought funding for a contractual administrative position, salary progressions, and a one-time technology increase to modify its new licensing system for the counseling compact and better search functions. Members questioned the board about its large cash balance, which was reported at about $860,000, and whether it should provide fee relief or other benefits to members; the presenter said the board would look into that and noted that revenues had increased significantly in recent years, partly due to out-of-state and telehealth-related licensing demand.

Transcript Highlights:

• Any time by providing through informal digital correspondence or by submitting a digital form the entity's
• But are we really getting to the crux of civil asset forfeiture?
• And why is the government involved in civil asset forfeiture? Oh, I do need to get notes. Hold on.
• Check that one off. >> Oh, this civil asset forfeiture cesspool over here, let me tell you.
• I'd like to come up here and say civil asset forfeiture.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• asset cryptocurrency scam back in December.
• Of 17th, and we've had a steady diet of digital asset, uh, frauds that we've been active on.
• to hold primarily, I'd say 95 plus, uh, percent that were all just fraudulent offerings and, um, digital
• asset.
• asset space is that the bad actors have.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I've caught wind that a lot of these establishments are doing a digital component, is that correct
• As in like a digital game where they're playing online?
• digitally?
• How would you differentiate from the online digital?
• Requires continuing education. an asset by commission rule for all elevator mechanics, and stipulates

Bills: HB679, HB1764, HB1788, HB2186, HB2204, HB2418, HB2885, HB2983, HB2996, HB3250, HB3352, HB3756, HB3816, HB3913, HB3928, HB4077

Keywords: environment, regulation, land use, public health, community development, alcohol, Sunday sales, local option election, Texas, business hours, alcohol sales, liquor, off-premise consumption, alcoholic beverages, CPA, Certified Public Accountant, licensing, accountancy, state regulation, continuing education

Transcript Highlights:

• Traditionally, the federal code requires those expenses incurred to buy a capital asset to be deducted
• Traditionally, the federal code requires those expenses incurred to buy a capital asset to be deducted
• Traditionally, the federal code requires those expenses incurred to buy a capital asset to be deducted
• Traditionally, the federal code requires those expenses incurred to buy a capital asset to be deducted
• Um, have you sent this digitally, or will you send it digitally next week?

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we've developed course assets that include the scenarios with accompanying videos and then teaching
• exercises, explore new cases and provide an open forum to express challenges in progress with the assets
• Our institutes virtual reality assets, which will speak about in a little bit will also be integrated
• We intend to grow more of those simulation assets that can be utilized in that space.
• We are working on building out additional assets and training assets for that so that we have things

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're talking about records back to the 1970s that we've digitized.
• And in the historical digitizing, we spent that.
• Cheapec, we began with approximately 1450 boxes of files to digitize.
• And we'll be one of the few states that are completely digitized.
• Constant audits of our assets and what we seize.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > committee,<00:15:05.839> an<00:15:06.560> uh have an asset liability committee
• how does asset liability management work?
• more complicated and you know asset more complicated and you know asset liability<00:25:10.559><
• Many, it's their only asset or at least a substantial portion of their wealth.
• Many, it's their only asset or at least a substantial portion of their wealth.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first held a public hearing on Senate Bill 25, which would allow state-chartered credit unions to compensate board members if the membership approves it. Prime sponsor Senator Dan Innis said the bill is enabling only, intended to help credit unions recruit and retain qualified directors and align New Hampshire with other states that already allow such compensation. Credit union representatives from the Cooperative Credit Union Association and St. Mary’s Bank supported the bill, saying board service has become more complex because of cybersecurity, asset-liability management, and other regulatory demands, and that compensation could be modest and take forms such as meeting fees or educational reimbursement. In response to committee questions, they said compensation would be set by the membership, disclosed in advance, and subject to bylaws and internal policies; they also noted that board members must be credit union members and that voting procedures vary by institution, with some using mailed ballots rather than proxy voting. Members raised questions about why credit union boards were historically excluded, what kinds of compensation were contemplated, whether there would be a cap, and how voting and confidentiality would work. Testimony explained that the historical rationale was the nonprofit, volunteer mission of credit unions, but witnesses argued that the modern environment and competition for talent justify a change. They also said the bill would not mandate compensation and would not create a salary structure comparable to banks, but would allow members to approve modest compensation or reimbursements. After no further testimony, the chair closed the public hearing on Senate Bill 25. The committee then opened a public hearing on Senate Bill 26, sponsored by Senator Howard Pearl, concerning the definition of deposits in land sales and escrowed accounts. Pearl said the bill would clarify that buyer funds for upgrades and luxury items in new-home construction are not treated as refundable deposits that must be held in escrow, arguing that the current Attorney General interpretation raises builder costs, increases home prices, and can limit buyer choices. He said the proposal would allow those upgrade funds to be paid directly to builders for construction, with signed disclosures making clear that the buyer requested the items and bears the risk if financing falls through. The hearing on Senate Bill 26 had just begun when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• plans, and anyone who relies on digital plans, and anyone who relies on digital format. format.
• those digital titles. those digital titles.
• rather than long-term community assets. rather than long-term community assets.
• their own digital collections. their own digital collections.
• <00:41:02.240> digital<00:41:03.240> publications<00:41:03.920> are digital digital

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• judgment, self-deing and asset judgment, self-deing and asset stripping,<02:08:18.239> unequal
• to conduct an onseene preview of digital to conduct an onseene preview of digital media<02:49:09.279
• And uh uh located on the digital device.
• We have specialized um digital material.
• <02:51:24.560> media the number of different digital media the number of different digital

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Bill Number 4607, sponsored by Senator Sanders, an act to amend the Banking Law in relation to asset-based
• I would argue it's in the single digits or dozens.
• I would argue it's in the single digits or dozens.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Banking Committee met with Chair James Sanders Jr. and reviewed a full agenda of banking-related bills. Early action included approval of a bill requiring licensed check cashers to file suspicious activity reports, and a bill on civil penalties for fraud or misrepresentation in financial products or services, though several members objected to removing the intentionality standard and warned it could broaden enforcement too far and discourage lending in New York. The committee also advanced a bill prohibiting fees for periodic paper statements, a bill on asset-based lending transactions, and a bill requiring reporting of suspected financial exploitation. Members spent substantial time on a bill regulating automated lending decision tools. The sponsor and chair said the measure would allow AI use but require a human review or appeal if a borrower is denied, while some senators raised concerns about competitiveness for state-chartered banks and possible overlap with existing human oversight. The bill was reported out and referred to the Internet and Technology Committee for further review. The committee also approved a DFS study bill on the financial stability and licensing of the check-cashing industry, with a suggestion that the study also examine risks of expanding the industry. A major discussion centered on the “Deep Protection Act,” aimed at preventing foreclosures tied to deed theft. The sponsor described cases involving elderly homeowners and fraudulent transfers, while opponents argued the bill was vague, could create unintended consequences or private litigation, and might affect only a small share of mortgages because it applies to state-chartered institutions. The sponsor said the bill would be amended and noted interest in related county clerk reforms. The committee ultimately sent the bill to Judiciary. The final bills addressed mortgage payment schedule fees and unsolicited mail loan checks; both were approved. The meeting ended after the chair emphasized open debate and committee review as part of improving legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• markup on what the person is buying at the ATM versus what the current market price of that coin or asset
• So you can digitally, manually input your account numbers and access your wallet, or account, that way
• willing to share part of their equity with the companies because their homes were not their largest assets
• I'm Deputy General Counsel at Point Digital Finance, one of the leading HESA providers, and a founding
• I'm Deputy General Counsel at Point Digital Finance, one of the leading HESA providers, and a founding

Summary: The committee first heard a work session on cryptocurrency kiosks from the Department of Financial Institutions and Spokane City Councilmember Paul Dillon. DFI described crypto kiosks as licensed money transmission terminals that allow cash purchases of virtual currency, and said the main concern is fraud: scammers often pressure victims, especially older adults, to deposit cash into kiosks and send it to wallets controlled by organized crime. DFI cited a sharp increase in kiosk volume, nationwide fraud complaints and losses, and said Washington currently has licensing and disclosure rules but lacks transaction and fee limits. The department said it is seeking stronger disclosures, a $1,000 daily transaction limit, and a fee cap. Spokane described its unanimous ordinance banning new kiosks and removing existing ones after local scam reports, and members asked about how the machines work, whether the fraud is in the hardware or the transaction, and whether stronger warnings or screening could help. The committee then reviewed home equity sharing agreements, or CHISAs, based on a report by Mariana Amaram and testimony from DFI and industry representatives. The report found that CHISAs provide homeowners a lump sum in exchange for a share of future home value or appreciation, with no monthly payments, but that consumers often struggle to understand the products and settlement calculations. The report said the market has grown quickly in Washington, that costs can be hard to predict, and that early uncapped contracts could produce very high settlement amounts, especially during periods of rising home prices. DFI said it views these products as mortgage loans and is moving forward with rulemaking, including counseling and clearer disclosures, while industry witnesses said the products are equity-based rather than debt-based and asked for tailored regulation. Members discussed the need for better consumer education, clearer payoff schedules, and whether the products should be treated as mortgages or a separate category. The final panel focused on Washington’s space economy, with presentations from Amazon Leo, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, Space Northwest, and Green River College. Speakers highlighted major in-state investments in satellite manufacturing, launch systems, and workforce training, including Amazon Leo’s Redmond and Kirkland facilities, Blue Origin’s Kent headquarters, and Stoke Space’s Kent manufacturing and Moses Lake test site. Space Northwest presented data showing the sector’s growing economic footprint, high-wage jobs, and regional clusters in Kent and Redmond, and urged more workforce programs, incentives, infrastructure support, and a state space commission. The companies emphasized local hiring, apprenticeship and certification programs, and the role of Washington’s aerospace supply chain in supporting the broader space industry. No votes were taken during the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• digital consumer payment applications. digital consumer payment applications.
• asset marketplace.
• asset marketplace.
• asset marketplace.
• <02:25:24.319> asset digital asset digital asset marketplace.<02:25:26.640> This<02:25:

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, 1012, house, all