Transcript Highlights:

• Just for the edification of the committee, would you all talk about some of the work that this group
• I know they've done some work in some other states.
• Right now, they have been working with Louisiana, and they're moving in.
• Mason actually works for both. Mason Bishop, and he's the lead for this Work Ed group.
• So he's worked with the Georgia Institute. So he's actually part of the group that was here.

Summary: The Executive Subcommittee met and first considered a waiver request from the Stuttgart School District to use the TIPS interlocal purchasing system for a turf replacement project instead of a traditional competitive bid. Superintendent Jeff McKinney explained that three bids were received but none fully met the RFP specifications, including warranty and insurance requirements. After review by the district’s architect, the committee approved the waiver request by voice vote. The committee then approved a consultant services agreement between the Bureau of Legislative Research and Work Ed Consulting to support the Hospital Medicaid Developmental Disability Subcommittee’s study under Act 145. Legislators said the consultant would help develop workforce-system reform legislation for the 2027 session, and noted the firm’s experience in other states. The contract runs through June 30, 2027, with a maximum amount of $158,000, and was approved without opposition. Next, the committee approved an actuarial and consultant services agreement with Perrin Knight to provide ongoing actuarial support for the state property insurance captive and related legislative oversight work. Bureau staff said the contract would run from April 1 through December 31, 2027, with a maximum amount of $475,000, though only actual hours and travel would be billed. Members asked about budgeting, invoice timing, and overlap with other insurance consultants, and the agreement was approved. Finally, the committee approved using Bureau committee room funds to renovate Committee Room C in the Big Mac Building, citing outdated audiovisual equipment and the need to update the room to match other recent renovations before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• I was hoping to go to a work group last year.
• I was hoping to go to a work group<00:14:08.800> last<00:14:09.160> year.
• solid work, and it comes out of a work solid work, and it comes out of a work group.<00:15:08.760
• this, we we shot uh that to a work this, we we shot uh that to a work group,<00:15:18.160> but
• group, but we're proving that work group, but we're proving that work groups<00:15:19.920> can

Transcript Highlights:

• The first group included The consumer products we are currently reviewing fall into two groups.
• Did that work? Okay. So at the beginning of the Through the Advent calendar. Did that work? Okay.
• So we started working in summer 2024 and worked in three phases.
• I'd next like to add up Arnie Olson to our next group in the work session as we're going to talk about
• We're working on it. Go ahead.

Summary: The committee held a work session covering PFAS regulation and impacts, no-cost allowance allocation for emissions-intensive trade-exposed industries (EITEs), and regional resource adequacy and data center load growth. Senator Victoria Hunt was welcomed as a new member. The Department of Ecology reviewed Washington’s Safer Products for Washington PFAS work, including completed restrictions on PFAS in outdoor furniture, carpets, rugs, stain/water-resistant treatments, and newer rules adopted in November restricting PFAS in most apparel, cleaning products, and automotive washes, with reporting requirements for some other products such as cookware and firefighting gear. Ecology also described Cycle 2 PFAS reviews now underway, including artificial turf and paints, and answered questions about compliance, online sales, sell-through periods, and how Washington’s approach differs from broader bans in states like Maine and Minnesota. The Department of Ecology also presented on PFAS in biosolids, describing a 2024 sampling study, limitations in testing methods, and a 2025 statutory amendment requiring additional sampling between 2027 and 2028 and a report to the legislature in 2029. The Department of Health then updated the committee on PFAS in drinking water, reporting that most Group A public water systems have completed sampling, that 317 sources and 188 systems are expected to exceed new contaminant levels, and that treatment costs for public systems are estimated at about $970 million, leaving a large funding gap; members also asked about private wells, health effects, bathing exposure, and home filters. The Board of Health’s new state action levels are being aligned with federal MCLs, and the department said it expects to continue monitoring and notification under state rules. Ecology also briefed the committee on no-cost allowance allocations to EITEs under the Climate Commitment Act, explaining the leakage-mitigation rationale, the current allocation schedule through 2034, and a forthcoming report on policy options for 2035-2050; members asked about industry barriers, competitiveness, and whether facilities might leave the state. Finally, E3 presented a regional resource adequacy study showing rising load, retirements outpacing additions, limited winter reliability value from wind, solar, and batteries, and a projected shortfall beginning in 2026 that could grow to about 9,000 MW by 2030 if planned projects are not built. The presentation emphasized winter cold-weather events, hydro variability, the importance of permitting and transmission, and longer-term options including nuclear, geothermal, hydrogen, carbon capture, and long-duration storage. EPRI then introduced its DC Flex initiative, which is studying how data centers can provide flexible load through workload shifting, cooling optimization, and on-site backup or bridging resources to reduce grid stress and protect ratepayers.

Transcript Highlights:

• basin and outlines membership requirements for the work groups.
• groups and they kind of talked about the specific things that their work groups do with their federal
• these state basin work groups.
• We have existing NRCS working groups. They're already working on this together.
• This allows them to have that work group.

Bills: SB1082, SB1200, SB1335, SB1336, SB1559, SB1761, SB1762, SB1785, SCM1007

Keywords: petting zoos, animal encounters, public health, handwashing, supervision, sanitization, safety regulations, civil penalties, water supply, groundwater, Phoenix, certificates, long-term storage credits, water conservation, municipal provider, replenishment obligation, water banking, annual report, Arizona Water Banking Authority, water supply management

Transcript Highlights:

• group uh made up of legislative working group uh made up of eight<00:05:29.440> legislators<00
• <00:27:17.840> group to thank the uh cannabis working group to thank the uh cannabis working
• <00:28:01.120> licenses working group, and med combo licenses working group, and med combo
• <00:28:05.679> the<00:28:05.840> trenches working group jumped into the trenches working
• And we've done the work. We've met with the environmental groups.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House first took up Senate File 334, a bill to modernize county human services technology used to administer programs such as Medicaid and SNAP. The author and several members described the current systems as outdated “green screen” platforms that are slow, duplicative, and difficult for workers and applicants, and argued modernization would improve service, retention, and fraud prevention. The bill would create a technology modernization fund with about $90 million over time, capped at $50 million, route funds through Minute, establish an interagency group with county representation, create a legislative working group, and provide $15 million for Office of Inspector General technology. Members from several counties spoke in strong support, citing local system failures, cyberattacks, and the need for better tools; one member noted the bill was about 20 years overdue. The bill passed third reading by a vote of 134-0, and a title was agreed to. The House then considered Senate File 4401, the cannabis bill. The author described it as a maintenance and cleanup package developed with more than 80 stakeholders over months of meetings, including business owners, labor, tribal representatives, and medical cannabis interests. The bill was presented as making noncontroversial adjustments to support small businesses, clarify statutes, improve privacy protections, adjust event and transporter rules, address good-faith errors, strengthen enforcement against unlicensed operators, and support local governments and municipal cannabis dispensaries. It also included a first step toward a medical psilocybin program and changes intended to make the medical cannabis market more sustainable, including easing the grow-and-sale ratio issue. The transcript cuts off before final action on this bill, but members speaking in support emphasized collaboration and the need for practical regulatory fixes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The LC LESC then convened working groups to shape this recommendation.
• We have already formed a working group with the first meeting scheduled next Tuesday.
• Um, as I mentioned, we have our first stakeholder, our first working group scheduled for next Tuesday
• Yes, but we will absolutely add them, um, to, uh, to the working group moving forward.
• A lot of this exists in plans and recommendation and wisdom from groups, in the work of the legislature

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so the 21 to 64 year old group, once they're working, what's the continued cost if they stay working
• So I think that kind of effort, a work group that consists of our agency, our counties, someone from
• <01:43:10.239> group<01:43:10.480> that but I'd like to see a work group that but I'd
• like to see a work group that includes<01:43:11.040> someone<01:43:11.360> from<01:43:
• So I think that kind of effort, a<01:43:43.040> work<01:43:43.199> group<01:43:43.440><

Bills: HR1

Keywords: January 6 insurrection, pardon, law enforcement, violent crimes, public safety, justice system, political accountability, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• uh 41% was from group uh 41% was from group use<00:04:05.000> and<00:04:05.439> our
• <00:04:22.880> as I mean we cater to uh such groups as I mean we cater to uh such groups as
• They get in a group and they'll start talking.
• for their whole life they get in a group for their whole life they get in a group and<00:10:03.880
• It's all good, and you're doing good work.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And in this does the work group.
• working group back in 22. working group back in 22. couldn't<00:12:53.680> come<00:12:53.920
• A work group though Senator How's right.
• Article nine is the work group section.
• It has the relief association work group as well as where we'll put in the new work group that we just

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's met as a partnership a number of times, but also established work groups to really work on four
• The partnership established four work groups: one specifically tied to investigation and enforcement,
• an education and Outreach uh uh work an education and Outreach uh uh work group<00:09:00.760>
• <00:09:33.959> group we also have a data sharing work group we also have a data sharing work
• for that work for that work group<00:20:45.679> all<00:20:45.799> right<00:20:45.919

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to work my regular job half-time too.
• And so we did include public focus groups.
• Was there any discussion in those groups?
• ...” “...stakeholders about legislative work.
• And so I think it takes some work off of us, but it builds a more consistent message too. ...some work

Summary: The Legislative Arrangements and Procedure Committee met with a quorum, approved the prior minutes, and then took up several follow-up items related to legislative security, public records, and the impacts of term limits. The Secretary of State’s office presented draft language to make legislators’ and candidates’ residential addresses confidential in public records, with discussion of who would be covered, how the protection would work, and whether it should expire when a candidate’s term ends. Members raised concerns about unintended consequences, transparency, and whether the public should still be able to see enough information to evaluate residency requirements. Rather than act immediately, the committee set the draft aside for a future meeting and asked for an amendment reflecting the Secretary of State’s suggested changes. The committee also reviewed a security best-practices memo and NCSL materials on capitol security. The memo encouraged legislators to be aware of their surroundings, avoid real-time vacation posting, vary routines, report threats, and follow security alerts. Members discussed a recent incident and the need to improve alert distribution and update contact information so legislators and staff receive notices consistently. The Secretary of State and committee members noted that the alert system may need refinement, including a separate legislative notification channel. The bulk of the meeting was devoted to Garrity Consulting’s final report on how to mitigate the effects of legislative term limits. The consultants summarized interviews, surveys, and focus groups with legislators, the public, and stakeholders, identifying major themes such as loss of institutional knowledge, leadership turnover, staffing pressures, and the need for stronger onboarding and training. Recommendations included considering annual sessions or shifting biennial sessions to even-numbered years, restructuring organizational session, making interim committees more consistent with regular committees, adding office hours, formalizing mentorship and leadership succession planning, expanding staff and professional development resources, creating public-facing educational tools, and improving communication and virtual testimony options. Members generally appreciated the report and its phased implementation roadmap, while also debating the practicality of some recommendations and the tension between making service more demanding and keeping the legislature accessible to new candidates.

Transcript Highlights:

• plug it into our work here.
• So, okay, well, you two of you work together. What you expect it.
• So you're doing great work. Yeah, we like it. Yep. Okay. So you're doing great work.
• I can reach out to for these questions, who can I work?
• I would remind you, though, not all groups... not all groups have quite, you know, I'm...

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The committee began by approving the November minutes on a roll-call vote, with a majority of members voting aye and the minutes adopted. Staff then provided updates on pending pension-related litigation, including Fowler et al. v. Leathers, where cross-motions for summary judgment were scheduled for May 1, and Dolan v. King County, where the court ruled against the state’s position on reimbursement of attorney’s fees but did not award fees against the state. The actuary also previewed upcoming presentations on OSA’s annual update and the June actuarial valuation and contribution rates, which will reflect updated demographic assumptions. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on the interim work plan and possible study topics. Members discussed a potential study of Plan 3, including how it compares with Plan 2, retirement ages, benefit adequacy, and whether the plan is meeting its original purpose. Staff agreed to work with DRS on a study outline and bring back a proposal. Members also raised the ongoing COLA issue, noting interest from retiree groups and the need to develop a recommendation for the next budget cycle, likely by October or November. Another major topic was LEOFF 1 disability/medical boards; staff said they are still gathering basic information on how many boards exist, who administers them, and what they cost, and suggested separate briefings on House Bill 2034, LEOFF 1 governance, and the medical study. The committee also reviewed constituent correspondence, which included requests related to Plan 1 COLAs, a Plan 3 study, teacher retirement age, and a missed early retirement factor. Staff explained that correspondence procedures are being revised for cybersecurity and privacy reasons, and future public correspondence may be handled differently. The committee approved the draft May agenda, which will include the OPMA refresher, OSA’s annual update, the LEOFF 1 medical board study update, a Plan 2/Plan 3 study outline, an overview of House Bill 2034, and a correspondence update. The meeting then adjourned without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then the primary working age group of 25 to 54, and the 55 to 64 years age groups have been decreasing
• as the age 65-plus age group increases.
• work.
• group, or that one?
• I do appreciate everyone's work today.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Significant effort may be required for the working group to work through their process.
• Significant effort may be required for the working group to work through their process.
• That's something I think the working group needs to look at as well.
• And here’s our work group. We worked very closely with our work group members.
• We worked very closely with our work group members.

Summary: The meeting began with introductions from members of the Joint Transportation Committee and a presentation from the Association of Washington Cities and the public works directors of Richland, Kennewick, Pasco, and West Richland. The cities described the Quad Cities region as one of the fastest-growing in the state and outlined shared transportation priorities that align with the committee’s focus on safety, multimodal access, climate resilience, and economic development. They emphasized Vision Zero efforts, complete streets, ADA accessibility, regional trail and bike/pedestrian planning, and coordinated long-range transportation and land-use planning to manage growth. The city officials also discussed major funding and delivery challenges, including rising construction costs, project phasing, pavement preservation, right-of-way acquisition, and delays caused by state and federal permitting and review processes. They highlighted regional cooperation through the Benton-Franklin Council of Governments, Good Roads, and local funding tools such as impact fees, transportation benefit districts, REET, tax increment financing, and state and federal grants. Specific projects discussed included Richland’s SR 240/Aaron Drive complete streets project and downtown connectivity work, Kennewick’s Columbia Center Boulevard improvements and rail study, Pasco’s Court/Road 68, Sylvester Street corridor, I-182 bridge/interchange work, and a new north-south bridge study, and West Richland’s SR 224 Red Mountain corridor project, which officials said was awarded under budget and is scheduled to begin construction. Committee members asked questions about sidewalk connections to schools, state-agency right-of-way timelines, apprenticeship utilization, contractor selection, and whether complete streets requirements add burdens to pavement preservation projects. The city officials said new development is generally meeting sidewalk standards, but older infill areas remain a gap; that state right-of-way transactions can take much longer than expected; that apprenticeship requirements are common but harder for smaller contractors and local labor markets; and that low-bid contracting leaves little room to screen for performance history. They also said complete streets requirements are usually manageable on major projects but can be difficult to absorb in smaller preservation work. The committee then shifted to a JTC-funded study on transit-oriented development, presented by Urban Institute researcher Yona Freemark. The study examined TOD conditions in 33 cities in Snohomish, King, Pierce, Clark, and Spokane counties near rail and bus rapid transit stations. Freemark said Washington’s housing affordability crisis is severe, especially near transit, and found that high-cost cities have seen more development near stations but also signs of gentrification and loss of affordable housing, while lower-cost cities have had less development and worsening affordability relative to income. He identified barriers including high debt costs, land costs, infrastructure costs, zoning and parking rules, and limited subsidies for affordable housing. He recommended more neighborhood infrastructure funding near stations, stronger affordable housing investment, and better use of public land, noting that HB 1491 and related legislation are already changing some local requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• It shouldn't work. It shouldn't work for me. It shouldn't work for anyone.
• Let me say on a personal level that my wife and I are so thankful for your work, for your group.
• Because once you have to work in a plant, things either work or they don't.
• It's important work.
• We work.

Summary: The joint Senate and House Select Committee on Civil Discourse and Freedom of Speech in Higher Education convened for its first public hearing, adopted its proposed rules without objection, and framed the hearing as an organizational, invited-testimony-only session. Members repeatedly condemned political violence and the assassination of Charlie Kirk, saying the committee was created in response to concerns about civil discourse, intimidation, and hostility on college campuses. Several members emphasized that the goal was not to suppress speech but to protect open expression while maintaining order, due process, and institutional accountability. The first witness, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Commissioner Wyn Rosser, outlined implementation of Senate Bill 37. He described the General Education Advisory Committee, which is reviewing broad core-curriculum knowledge and skills and may recommend reducing the current 42-hour core, while leaving review of specific courses to individual institutions. He also explained the new Office of the Ombudsman, the board’s role in supporting it, and existing training and certification requirements for governing board members. Members asked about enforcement tools, transparency, and whether the ombudsman would investigate complaints involving censorship, retaliation, or political bias; Rosser said some enforcement exists in certain laws, but he deferred on the exact scope of the ombudsman’s investigatory authority and on issues outside the agency’s role. University of Texas at Austin President Jim Davis testified that UT Austin supports free speech, academic freedom, and civil discourse, and he described three areas of focus: speech on campus grounds, classroom discourse, and how people treat one another. He said the university enforces time, place, and manner rules, expects professors to present alternative views on controversial topics, and has created internal reporting and appeal processes for students and faculty. Members questioned him about heckler’s veto incidents, protests, off-campus participants, complaints about professors, hate speech, and whether the university would protect speakers and students from disruption or unfair targeting. Davis said the university would not tolerate disruptions, would use due process and factual review, and is working to align campus practices with the new law and regents’ expectations. Ricky Adam Jr. of Turning Point USA’s Club America described the group’s campus and high-school organizing, praised Charlie Kirk’s approach to open debate, and said the organization is expanding in Texas. He raised concerns about school administrators and a counselor at an Early College High School in Killeen allegedly interfering with a student club and withholding footage, and committee members said they would seek information and, if necessary, use legislative process to investigate. Members from both chambers reiterated support for free speech, criticized political violence and campus suppression of viewpoints, and stressed that future hearings would continue examining implementation and enforcement issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so actually, Deputy Commissioner Peterson is being intimately involved in a working group on making
• So we did that work.
• It's intensive work for the individual who's working through that.
• You're going to work there, right? You're going to work at it.
• What works for locations, what works for education.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission approved the July 11 minutes and then received a detailed follow-up presentation from the Department of Correction on facility footprint, mission-driven housing, programming, and technology. Commissioner Jenkins and Deputy Commissioner Peterson explained recent and planned facility changes, including the closures of Walpole, MCI Cedar Junction, and MCI Concord, the transition of the Plymouth Section 35/Mass Act program to Health and Human Services, the return of Bay State to DOC control for possible future use, and the Shattuck Hospital move to East Newton Pavilion. Members asked about operational capacity, the exclusion of support beds from occupancy figures, and the status of mothballed or unused facilities. Framingham drew particular attention because of its historically low women’s population and planned renovations; members raised concerns about the cost and the need to consider the broader women’s correctional system. A major portion of the meeting focused on mission-driven units and evidence-based programming. DOC described specialized units for health services, nursing care, clinical stabilization, mental health, residential treatment, protective custody, reentry, emerging adults, education, and substance use recovery, and noted that security threat group support beds are not used. Staff explained the distinction between general population beds and support beds, and between programming and treatment. They said core recidivism-reduction programs are based on risk-need responsivity and COMPAS assessments, with Spectrum Health Systems as the current vendor, and presented recidivism data showing lower reoffending among participants who completed programs such as violence reduction, criminal thinking, and the Correctional Recovery Academy. For women, they highlighted the pathways model at MCI Framingham, which combines trauma-informed, gender-responsive services, and reported strong outcomes for those engaged for at least 26 weeks. Members asked about how needs are identified and counted, how declinations are handled, and how the department distinguishes completion from ongoing maintenance. DOC said participation is voluntary, individuals are re-recommended over time, and completion is recorded in the system when criteria are met. They also discussed educational supports for learning disabilities and trauma, including IEP/504 coordination, tutoring, and a new school psychologist for testing. Questions were raised about family reunification programming, and DOC pointed to family-focused services, mediation, Read to Me Mommy, and the Brave unit for young fathers. Sheriff Cabral and Sheriff Cochie praised the presentation and emphasized the importance of family reunification and the realities of trauma in incarcerated people’s lives. The final section highlighted the expanded use of tablets across all facilities. DOC said tablets now support free phone calls, emails, video visits, surveys, educational content, medical updates, sick-call requests, and an earned-good-time app, while also helping with communication during facility closures and with ongoing programming. Staff said the tablets are used both for learning and recreation, and that more than half of the incarcerated population uses them monthly for educational purposes. Members discussed whether user feedback or “reviews” of programs could help increase participation, and DOC said tablet-based surveys make that possible. The meeting ended with general agreement that the department has expanded programming and technology substantially and is using them to support reentry, communication, and facility operations.

Transcript Highlights:

• group.
• group.
• group.
• group.
• This bill is, as again Senator Pa mentioned, the homeowner association working group task force has been

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Electrical Engineer and Facilities of Governmental Development Working Group, Dr. Kelly Shari.
• I am the facilitator of the New Mexico Geothermal Working Group, and I'm here to fill in questions.
• It is a robust, effective working group, and we've gotten a lot done. Through that team.
• The state of New Mexico has been great in supporting us in some of those working groups.
• That works to advance a vital earth for all. I work in a group that's focused on water resources.

Transcript Highlights:

• It unites groups that ordinarily don't work together.
• So those groups generally don't work together, but they're in agreement: we should join these compacts
• We have several work groups working on these things.
• And so again, I think we've gotten to these places when those groups work together, but the insurance
• There are a lot of groups that are working on this, way beyond Think New Mexico, like Patients Primero

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:32:02.480> with work on behalf of Pew that works with work on behalf of Pew that works
• Those groups are worked as anonymous so that no one pressures anyone for funds going out, but to make
• Thank you very much. locally in those groups. Those groups locally in those groups.
• Those groups are<00:34:29.120> worked<00:34:29.600> as<00:34:29.960> anonymous<00
• groups in every county? groups in every county?

Keywords: 958, all