Transcript Highlights:

• What it doesn't contain, and all of you are aware, is information about candidates.
• One of the things I would like to specifically include is candidate information.
• goes to the core of your question, currently there is not a policy bill moving forward to add that candidate
• goes to the core of your question, currently there is not a policy bill moving forward to add that candidate

Summary: The committee met with a quorum present and first reviewed the Industrial Commission’s base budget and FY 2027 requests. The analyst and agency staff described the commission’s dedicated-fund structure, the IRIS technology modernization project, and several requested adjustments: ongoing support for IRIS maintenance, additional funding for the annual seminar and CWICS training, an increase for the Peace Officer Temporary Disability Fund due to rising claims, and replacement IT hardware. Members asked about the IRIS contract, seminar fees, and the crime victims compensation fund and general fund support. Agency staff said IRIS is still being supported by an outside vendor because OITS lacks the needed expertise, that seminar and training fees are already competitive and the plan is to expand services rather than lower fees, and that crime victims compensation could be covered temporarily by dedicated or federal funds if needed. No votes were taken on the Industrial Commission budget during the meeting. The committee then heard the Public Utilities Commission budget review. The analyst explained the commission’s dedicated funds, staffing, and the FY 2026 trailer appropriation tied to the Wildfire Standard of Care Act, along with a FY 2027 request for IT hardware only. Questions focused on a large variance in the indirect cost recovery fund, which staff attributed to timing of federal reimbursements and rent not being charged to that fund at the time. Commissioners and staff also received positive comments about the implementation of the wildfire-related duties. No action was taken on the PUC budget. Next, the Secretary of State’s budget was presented. The analyst outlined the office’s election, business, and commission functions, noted the prior $10 million election system upgrade, and described FY 2027 requests for a voter pamphlet and guide, overtime for the post-election audit team, and replacement technology. Secretary of State Phil McGrane and staff emphasized the rapid growth in business filings, the office’s revenue generation, and the need to maintain service levels, arguing against ongoing cuts. He said the voter pamphlet request is tied to statutory election-year mailings, the overtime reflects cyclical election workload, and the office is considering AI cautiously due to sensitive voter data. Members asked about business filing growth, the difference between a pamphlet and a voter guide, and the possible impact of hand-counting ballots; McGrane said hand-counting would mainly affect counties, not the state office. The meeting ended with scheduling remarks for the next day’s budget work and a note that the FY 2026 rescission bill was still being processed.

Transcript Highlights:

• We will be meeting the candidates for the position of adjutant general.
• <00:08:04.319><c> be</c><00:08:04.479><c> meeting</c><00:08:05.120><c> the</c><00:08:05.440><c> candidates
• We will be meeting the candidates 10.
• We will be meeting the candidates for<00:08:06.160><c> the</c><00:08:06.319><c> position</c><00:08:06.639

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving through that, I believe we're at the point where we're reviewing two final candidates this morning
• Moving through that, I believe we're at the point where we're reviewing two final candidates this morning
• Moving through that, I believe we're at the point where we're reviewing two final candidates this morning
• We've replaced the staff attorney with a qualified candidate. She starts on October 14th next week.

Committee: House Public School Capital Outlay Oversight Task Force

Transcript Highlights:

• One of those programs is the tech program, which is an acronym for the engineering candidate, horsepipe
• service, the classroom, the lodging, and everything that we provide, and it is free to successful candidates
• One of the selected candidates was from Florida.
• And again, one selected candidate was from Florida.

Committee: Senate Education Postsecondary

Summary: The Committee on Education Postsecondary heard a presentation on Florida’s maritime and ocean economy from Florida Atlantic University, the College of the Florida Keys, and Star Center. Speakers emphasized the importance of maritime industries such as aquaculture, marine engineering, shipbuilding, transportation, coastal resilience, and offshore renewable energy, and described workforce programs, certifications, and partnerships designed to train students and workers for these fields. They also highlighted federal and state initiatives supporting ocean economy research and commercialization, including tech hubs and innovation programs. The committee then considered SB 312 relating to the Florida Institute of Human and Machine Cognition. Senator Gates explained that the bill would allow IHMC to create a subsidiary to commercialize research, similar to Moffitt Cancer Center. Senator Fine offered and the committee adopted a friendly amendment addressing board membership concerns tied to a University of West Florida trustee. However, after questions arose about whether the bill and analysis aligned on whether subsidiaries would be for-profit or not-for-profit, the bill was tabled. Finally, the committee took up SB 270 on the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The bill would extend eligibility for students in certain military/public-service family situations, giving families more time to establish Florida residency after returning to the state. Senator Fine’s amendment was adopted to add AP Capstone Diploma students to the automatic Bright Futures eligibility provisions, alongside IB and Cambridge AICE students. The committee then reported the bill favorably as amended by a vote of 7-0, and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• These enhance qualifications expanded to include candidates with an associate degree or equivalent credit
• partnered with 5, 9, stakeholder groups to cast the widest net possible to attract and hire the best candidates
• This past session to expand to additional candidate statewide today.
• designed to highlight the critical work of our teams while while also recruiting highly skilled candidates

Transcript Highlights:

• official estimate counties eligible for Scott or contacted by FDOT district offices and asked to submit candidate
• scout in our contacted annually by the FDOT Central Office local programs office and asked to submit candidate
• s census counties eligible for scrap were contacted by FDOT district offices and asked to submit candidate
• Counties and municipal partners submit candidate projects annually to the FDOT District offices for this

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill would provide that it must be filed by candidates not more than five days after the deadline
• they're filing, provided that independent candidates will have to file them more than five days after

Bills: SB165

Committee: House Ethics and Campaign Finance

Keywords: candidates, economic interests, disclosure, ethics, transparency, public officials

Transcript Highlights:

• And line 22 and 23, the person that's sought to be removed may be a candidate himself.
• want to be a candidate.
• If that individual candidate himself.
• ,</c><00:14:06.480><c> they</c> does not want to be a candidate, they does not want to be a candidate
• So they're by by to be a candidate.

Bills: SJ0001 , SF0017

Committee: House Minerals, Business & Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• All all president candidate for you have se zena report your bill out as a do pass. Thank you, Mr.
• Candidate for you have ive ye one nayorship bill has a do pass. Thank you so much, Mr.

Bills: SB1213 , SB1221 , SB1636 , SB1687 , SB1772 , SB1932 , SB2062

Committee: House Public Safety

Keywords: SB1213, earned credits, inmate credits, good time, sentence reduction, Department of Corrections, DOC, prison reform, corrections policy, inmate classification, class levels, rehabilitation credits, achievement credits, vocational training, educational credits, prison programs, public safety, violent offenders, violent crime exclusions, sex offense exclusions

Transcript Highlights:

• sure we have polling places, because schools would not be open anymore, we need to talk about the candidate
• primary, as will the signature calculation date, to make sure that we know how many signatures candidates
• I do want to bring up some clean elections issues because currently clean candidates can start qualifying

Summary: The Judiciary and Elections Committee met with a hard stop at 4:30 p.m. and approved the February 4, 2026 minutes. Members announced several bills would be held for a later supplemental meeting, then took up SB 1426, the “squatter” bill, which would expand forcible detainer law to cover certain unauthorized occupants who refuse to leave after a reasonable request and require immediate writs of restitution after judgment. Law enforcement and county representatives testified in support, and the committee voted 7-0 to give SB 1426 a do-pass recommendation. The committee next considered SB 1687, a strike-everything amendment moving Arizona’s primary election date from late July to the Tuesday before Memorial Day beginning in 2027. The sponsor said the goal was to create more time between the primary and general elections and align Arizona more closely with other states. County election officials were neutral but raised implementation concerns, including filing deadlines, redistricting timelines, polling place availability, and interactions with presidential preference and local elections. The committee adopted the amendment and gave the bill a 4-3 do-pass recommendation, with some members voting no over concerns about clean elections timing and local control. Members then heard SB 1110, creating a home confinement program for certain nonviolent inmates with GPS monitoring, work requirements, and DOC rulemaking, while excluding serious and violent offenses. Supporters said it would reduce recidivism, save money, and help families; an opponent questioned the fiscal impact and monitoring costs. The bill received a 5-1 do-pass recommendation. The committee also heard SB 1275, which would allow judges limited discretion to depart from mandatory minimum sentences for qualifying veterans and first responders with diagnosed service-related PTSD or similar conditions; supporters framed it as a narrow safety valve, while opponents warned it could undermine mandatory sentencing and victims’ rights. SB 1275 passed 7-0. Finally, the committee considered SB 1140, a misdemeanor expungement bill. The amendment adopted by the committee extended the waiting period for expungement of convictions to five years for all eligible misdemeanor convictions, while keeping a three-year period for eligible matters that did not result in conviction. Supporters said the bill would remove barriers to employment and housing and help survivors and people who have turned their lives around; the committee adopted the amendment and then passed SB 1140 as amended 7-0. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I will tell you that what makes McAllen great is that after every election, all of the candidates
• And I will tell you that after every election, all of the candidates have the right to vote.
• All the candidates, unite to make sure that McAllen continues to create jobs. continues to provide security

Bills: SB2 , SJR36 , SB2 , SR19 , SR27 , SR30 , SR32 , SCR11

Transcript Highlights:

• distinct disconnect between the availability of certified, well-prepared teachers. prepared teacher candidates
• The PREP allotment provides funding to districts, PREP program programs, and teacher candidates.
• The art of teaching in a true resident fashion and it also funds the candidate, the teacher candidate
• This bill provides logical requirements for certification, strong support for candidates, and school
• Opportunities to learn and learn like I had are desperately needed to attract more candidates to enter

Bills: HB2 , HB2

Committee: House Public Education

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace

Transcript Highlights:

• And so those may be for candidates or campaigns who are looking to see who their voters are.
• Tara, I would say there's federal candidates on our ballots.
• duty to share the information, our voter rolls, if the federal government, since they have federal candidates
• Tara, I would say there's federal candidates on our ballots.
• duty to share the information, our voter rolls, if the federal government, since they have federal candidates

Summary: The House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee held a virtual work session focused first on federal actions affecting elections. A representative from NCSL reviewed recent U.S. Supreme Court and pending cases, including a redistricting/Voting Rights Act case and a case on whether mailed ballots received after Election Day can be counted. She also discussed a Trump executive order directing USPS to draft mail-ballot rules, the federal SAVE system’s expanded use for voter list maintenance, DOJ requests for unredacted voter rolls, and reduced federal election-security support. Committee members asked about proof of citizenship requirements, whether DOJ requests are compulsory, and how federal election funding and grants may be changing. The Attorney General’s Office then described Washington’s litigation challenging two election-related executive orders and DOJ’s lawsuit seeking unredacted voter registration lists. State lawyers said courts have already enjoined parts of the executive orders, including documentary proof-of-citizenship requirements and voting-system changes, and have upheld Washington’s ballot-receipt deadlines so far. They said DOJ’s voter-roll demands have been rejected by multiple courts and that Washington’s position is that state law limits disclosure of sensitive voter data. Members asked about the legal basis for DOJ’s requests, the risk of immigration-enforcement use, and whether attestation on registration forms counts as proof of citizenship; the office said it does under state law and that no evidence of mass voter-fraud problems in Washington has been shown. Deputy Attorney General Todd Bowers then gave a broader overview of the Attorney General’s federal litigation, saying Washington has filed 61 cases since January 2025, often with other states, and has had notable success obtaining preliminary injunctions and favorable summary judgments. He highlighted cases involving election rules, environmental and energy disputes, public health funding, student loans, housing, and data privacy, and said many challenges involve executive-branch conditions added to congressionally appropriated funds. He also described a growing number of federal audits and inquiries directed at state agencies. Finally, Office of Equity Director Megan Matthews discussed how federal actions are affecting state and local equity work, community organizations, and public confidence. She said the office is coordinating more closely with the Attorney General, governor’s office, other agencies, and local governments through the immigration subcabinet, while also working on data privacy, Keep Washington Working compliance, and community outreach. Committee members asked about the office’s human-trafficking work and how it is encouraging agency compliance; Matthews said the focus is on clearer guidance, technical support, and consistent expectations across agencies. The committee adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• very helpful either because they support and have the business with the county and don't represent candidates
• very helpful either because they support and have the business with the county and don't represent candidates
• Because they support and have the business with the county and don't represent candidates.
• But if you're a candidate, it's very difficult if you're new to the political arena because this is a
• reasons, I overall support the bill, but I like to increase the surety bond and make sure that candidates

Committee: House Local Government, Elections and Pensions

Summary: The Local Government Committee first met in executive session and voted do pass on two House committee substitutes: House Bills 3283 and 3306 passed 11-1, and House Bills 1728, 2161, and 1830 passed 12-1. The committee then moved into public hearings. Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 914, dealing with septic system regulation, was presented as a measure to replace percolation testing with soil morphology testing as the baseline standard and to address a permit fee issue. The sponsor and supporters argued the bill would improve accuracy, consumer protection, and local public health administration; one witness noted the continuing-education language already exists in regulation and pointed out a minor wording change in the substitute. No opposition testified. House Bill 3467, sponsored by Representative Houseman, would allow county developmental disability boards to seek voter approval for a sales tax of up to one-half of 1% if property tax revenue is reduced or eliminated. The sponsor and multiple witnesses from county disability boards, sheltered workshops, and related associations said the bill was intended as a safeguard to preserve services, transportation, employment supports, and community-based care for people with developmental disabilities. Some members raised concerns about shifting from property tax to sales tax and the burden on low-income taxpayers, while others supported the measure as a revenue-diversification tool. No vote was taken. House Bill 312, relating to county treasurer duties and bank signature authority, drew testimony from the sponsor, county treasurers, auditors, and association representatives. Supporters said the bill clarifies that the county treasurer should have sole authority over county funds and reflects current practice, while also noting a forthcoming amendment to address what happens when a treasurer is absent. Some witnesses asked for stronger safeguards, including a bonded backup designee and clearer succession procedures, and one witness urged updating surety-bond requirements. The hearing closed with no opposition testimony and no committee action taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's no better time than now with no incumbent candidates on the ballot.
• Campaign Finance Board to conduct a feasibility study to determine the efficacy of allowing local candidates
• Campaign Finance Board to conduct a feasibility study to determine the efficacy of allowing local candidates
• that's available to your level of campaign to the much simpler requirements of Chapter 211 for local candidates
• available to your level of campaign to the much simpler requirements of chapter 2.11 mean for local candidates

Bills: HF2185 , HF1849 , HF3719 , HF3721 , HF3845 , HF3720

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Keywords: flag display, residential property rights, homeowners association, HOA, covenants, restrictive covenant, deed restriction, subdivision regulation, local ordinance, rental agreement, property rights, patriotic display, United States flag, Minnesota flag, POW/MIA flag, military flags, armed forces flag, Blue Star flag, Gold Star flag, common interest community

Transcript Highlights:

• We have threatened species, endangered species, and candidate species.
• For example, as a candidate species, that’s something that the Office of Species Conservation.
• For example, as a candidate species, that’s something that the Fish and Wildlife Service or NOAA Fisheries
• Another example of a candidate species would be sage grouse. They are not listed.
• to create the Office of Species Conservation for the very purpose of elevating the importance of candidate

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations and questions for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the Office of Species Conservation, and the Office of the Attorney General. Fish and Game’s budget was described as largely dedicated and federal funding with no general fund support, with discussion of ongoing and one-time enhancements for fisheries inflation, habitat projects, Good Neighbor Authority work, depredation claims, chronic wasting disease testing, and communications. Director Jim Fredericks also reviewed the new nonresident tag draw system, access challenges on private lands, and the department’s role in habitat work and species management. Members raised concerns about depredation claim shortfalls, survey and advisory committee processes, predator management, and the overlap between Fish and Game and the Office of Species Conservation on habitat and endangered species work. The Office of Species Conservation presentation focused on its role coordinating state actions for threatened, endangered, and candidate species, mostly through federal and miscellaneous revenue funds. Administrator Mike Edmondson explained that the office often serves as the policy and administrative lead while Fish and Game carries out much of the field work, and he described metrics for sage grouse, salmon and steelhead, and grizzly bear-related efforts. He also said the office has been working with the Department of Energy and Mineral Resources on a possible merger, with some staff reductions under consideration, and answered questions about grizzly bear delisting, wolf litigation, and tribal consultation. Attorney General Raul Labrador then argued that his office has produced significant results without asking for new money, but said the committee’s proposed reductions would force furloughs or position cuts and asked for $980,000 to be restored. He highlighted the ICAC unit’s elimination of a cyber-tip backlog, increased arrests, consumer protection recoveries, and expanded appellate and civil litigation work defending state laws. Members asked about the source of recovered funds, the office’s flexibility to absorb cuts, and whether the state could work on a framework to transfer incarcerated undocumented offenders to federal custody for deportation. The committee ended by noting upcoming budget-setting work and adjourned until the next morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you as a member, but candidates do have to purchase, and other people have to purchase.
• It's election year now, and it's going to bring a lot of confusion with candidates who want to buy that
• going to bring a lot of confusion it's going to bring a lot of confusion with<00:19:42.559><c> candidates
• 43.840><c> want</c><00:19:44.000><c> to</c><00:19:44.080><c> buy</c><00:19:44.320><c> that</c> with candidates
• who want to buy that with candidates who want to buy that data<00:19:45.679><c> in</c><00:19:45.919>

Bills: HB67 , HB89 , HB67 , HB89

Committee: House Constitution, Campaigns and Elections

Transcript Highlights:

• He is also a student at the University of Arizona, and he's a candidate for Tucson Unified School District
• She is also a candidate for the State House. Welcome to your Senate.
• Councilwoman, and chairwoman of the Rural Transportation Advocacy Council, and Grace Hacht, who is a candidate
• City Councilwoman, and Chairman of Rural Transportation Advocacy Council, and Grace Hacht, who is a candidate
• House Bill 29, candidate committee supposed to you miss closer. Judiciary and Elections.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are certain requirements for these elections, which include a specific candidate filing period
• Consistent with current law, all elected supervisors and candidates for supervisors in districts that
• Candidates in these districts would not be required to file F-1s.
• You are once a candidate, but you are not always a candidate.
• You are once a candidate, but you are not always a candidate. You're once an election official.

Summary: The committee first heard Substitute House Bill 1128, which would create a Child Care Workforce Standards Board within the Department of Labor and Industries to study child care workforce conditions and make recommendations on employment standards. Staff explained that the proposed second substitute narrows the board’s role from setting enforceable standards to making recommendations, with estimated ongoing costs for L&I staffing and smaller costs for board member stipends and possible DCYF support. Supporters, including child care providers, SEIU 925, and labor representatives, said the bill would help address understaffing, low wages, and retention problems; opponents, including child care industry groups and private schools, argued it duplicates existing work, adds bureaucracy, and creates unfunded costs. No vote was taken in the hearing. The committee then heard Second Substitute House Bill 1634, which would direct OSPI and ESDs to develop a technical assistance and training framework to help schools coordinate student behavioral health supports. Staff said the bill aligns with the Washington Thriving Strategic Plan and could largely be implemented with existing work and limited additional costs, though DOH would need some support. Testifiers from behavioral health and school counseling fields described severe youth mental health needs and urged passage, and OSPI said the work is doable with current resources. The committee also heard Substitute House Bill 2636, which would create a public education review advisory council to recommend K-12 policies and funding provisions for JLARC review; staff described JLARC, OSPI, and State Board costs, and no public testimony was offered. The committee next heard House Bill 1316, which would expand the Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness program so additional university campuses can access funding. The sponsor said the program has strong retention outcomes, and student advocates testified that campuses such as UW Bothell need access to already appropriated funds for emergency aid, food pantries, and case management. Staff then briefed Substitute House Bill 2474, which would allow the Student Achievement Council Tuition Recovery Trust Fund to be used for refunds tied to broader consumer protection violations, with no expected fiscal impact; there was no testimony. The committee also heard Substitute House Bill 2365 on digital equity, which would expand the Broadband Office’s role, revise the digital equity forum, and rename the grant program; supporters emphasized rural access, affordability, and the loss of federal digital equity funding, while staff estimated significant Commerce staffing costs and some additional agency impacts. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2401, creating a Washington State Boys and Men Commission contingent on non-state funding, with staff outlining OFM startup and fundraising costs and an estimated operating budget if fully funded. Supporters said boys and men face mental health, education, and mentorship gaps and that the commission would improve coordination; the bill drew testimony from rural school leaders, nonprofit advocates, and community members. The committee then heard Substitute House Bill 2475 on language access, which would require the Office of Equity to develop uniform language-access guidelines and a report on interpreter and translator shortages; staff said the office could absorb the work but other agency and local government impacts were uncertain. Substitute House Bill 2517, on permitting for high-capacity transit, would let regional transit authorities apply for permits earlier and streamline land-use processes; Sound Transit and the sponsor said it would speed delivery of major projects, while staff estimated Commerce technical-assistance costs and possible local government impacts. The last bill heard was Substitute House Bill 2145 on the 340B drug pricing program, which would bar manufacturers from restricting contract-pharmacy access and require reporting to DOH; supporters said it protects safety-net providers and patient services, while opponents warned of higher costs for employers, state health plans, and litigation burdens. No final committee action or votes were recorded in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• They also do not have a statutory purpose of supporting or opposing candidates or assessing one or more
• policy creation, from being used like specific purpose committees that are designed to support candidates
• But if that person... gave or any individual, regardless of whether it's any particular candidate, if
• Why should they get to vote for a school board candidate?
• Where they no longer live, they should vote for the school board candidate where they now live.

Bills: HB18 , SB 54 , SB 10 , HR76 , HR77 , HR78 , HR82 , HR83 , HR88 , HR89 , HR93 , HR94 , HR95 , HR98 , HR101 , HR102 , HR104 , HR105 , HR107 , HR108 , HR109 , HR110 , HR111 , HR112 , HR113 , HR123 , HR125 , HR79 , HR80 , HR81 , HR84 , HR85 , HR86 , HR87 , HR90 , HR91 , HR92 , HR96 , HR97 , HR100 , HR103 , HR106 , HR114 , HR115 , HR116 , HR117 , HR118 , HR119 , HR120 , HR121 , HR122 , HR124 , HB18 , SB54 , SB10 , HB8