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

Transcript Highlights:

• those have either been filled or, for many of the currently vacant positions, we have tangible candidates
• I'd say that we made an assessment as to the qualifications of the candidates and decided that Ed was
• However, when we chose, I guess, the best candidate, they were someone that was out of state.
• However, when we chose, I guess, the best candidate, they were someone that was out of state.
• , and I don't think you should exclude great candidates.

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations from the Department of Financial Services and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, then returned to its ongoing budget workshop with the Department of Management Services. DFS’s Division of Risk Management described its role as the state self-insurance fund, covering about 200,000 employees and 27,000 vehicles, paying roughly $150 million in claims last year, and managing a pilot ETS treatment program for veterans and first responders that had 49 patients and 804 treatments as of the latest report. The Division of State Fire Marshal outlined its fire prevention, training, emergency response, and grant programs, including hurricane deployments, the Florida State Fire College, and several capital and grant requests for roof, courtyard, memorial, and equipment needs. The Division of Rehabilitation and Liquidation explained how it handles insolvent insurers under Chapter 631, currently administering 14 estates with $1.2 billion in assets and $3.7 billion in liabilities, and said no new receiverships had been opened since February 2023. Members asked about grant backlogs, fire truck procurement delays, memorial repairs, and whether affiliate transfers were occurring in insurer liquidations. Secretary Griffin then updated the committee on DBPR’s implementation of House Bill 1021 on community associations. He said the department had used the new authority to expand education, complaint handling, and ombudsman services, including 10 free standardized courses, a new condo website, and a four-hour board certification course that had already drawn more than 12,000 attendees. He reported that outreach to condominium communities had increased by more than 60%, that complaint filings were up 39% while jurisdictional dismissals dropped to 11%, and that about 81% to 82% of the 65 new positions had been filled. Members pressed him on whether the department had enough authority and funding, how condominium counts are determined, how self-reported structural integrity reserve study data is verified, and whether more public-facing complaint tracking and better reporting from local governments or developers would improve the system. The committee then resumed questioning Secretary Allende of DMS about outstanding budget and operations issues. Members focused on the delayed People First contract extension required by statute, with the secretary saying the delay involved technical and contractual complexity in moving a legacy hard-coded system to the cloud. They also revisited the state data team and data catalog project, asking why a statutory 2022 deadline had not been met, how the four-person team and broader data staff were organized, how many applicants were considered for key positions, and what each role was doing. The secretary said the catalog work was being simplified into six metadata fields and supported by a broader community of practice, but no firm completion date was given during the exchange.

Transcript Highlights:

• The House bill relative to the nomination process for candidates for town meeting in Milford, House No
• An act relative to the nomination process for candidates for town meeting in Milford, House No. 4185.

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and then adopted a resolution congratulating the town of Kingston on its 300th anniversary after suspending the rules. The chamber also recognized the 2025 cheerleading squad captains and coaches for winning the MSAA small co-ed division championship and being named grand champions, as well as the Franklin High School girls’ varsity volleyball team for winning the MIAA Division I championship. The House received a gubernatorial message submitting fiscal year 2026 supplemental appropriations requests, which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. It also suspended Joint Rule 12 to allow consideration of a petition authorizing eminent domain in Norwood, referring that matter to the Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. The Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling then placed several local bills on the calendar, including measures for Plainville, Milford, Westboro, Revere, and Hopedale. Those local bills were taken up on second reading and ordered to a third reading. The House also considered Senate amendment House 4171, concerning vacancies among town meeting members in Milford; the amendment was reported correctly drawn, the House concurred, and the bill was passed to be enacted. The session ended with adoption of an order to adjourn and the House standing adjourned to meet Monday at 11 a.m. in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• One says no appointed inspector general shall hold or be a candidate for elective office, including elective
• One says no appointed inspector general shall hold or be a candidate for elective office, including elective
• One says no appointed inspector general shall hold or be a candidate for elective office, including elective
• One says no appointed inspector general shall hold or be a candidate for elective office, including elective
• We might have a candidate. Right, no. The government candidates. Correct.

Committee: House House and Governmental Affairs

Summary: The House and Governmental Affairs Committee met on Senate Bill 123, a proposed constitutional amendment to create a legislative process for removing judges for cause. Senator Morris said the bill was needed because of uncertainty in the current Constitution about whether impeachment applies to judges, given the Judiciary Commission’s role in judicial discipline. He argued the measure would provide a clearer, higher-threshold accountability mechanism, and the committee adopted a technical amendment renumbering provisions and later clarified that the bill uses a majority vote in the House and two-thirds in the Senate, consistent with impeachment-style thresholds. Much of the hearing centered on testimony from Anna Carter and her family, who supported the bill after the murder of Jacob Carter in New Orleans. They described his death and other cases they said showed judges releasing dangerous offenders despite repeated violations, missed electronic-monitoring check-ins, and other warning signs. They argued the bill would create a last-resort accountability tool when judicial decisions or supervision failures lead to preventable harm. Several committee members expressed sympathy and said the testimony highlighted serious problems in the justice system, though some also suggested the bill should address district attorneys, electronic-monitoring oversight, or broader systemic issues. Opposition came from members who warned the proposal was overly broad, could become a political tool, and might conflict with existing constitutional provisions governing impeachment and judicial discipline. They argued the Judiciary Commission and Supreme Court already provide a disciplinary framework and that the bill could chill judicial independence or create due-process concerns. The ACLU’s Sarah Whittington also opposed the bill, noting technical inconsistencies in the draft, questioning why impeachment had not been tried first, and arguing the measure singled out judicial discretion while leaving other elected officials’ discretion untouched. The committee took no final vote on the bill during the hearing, but did adopt the technical amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> these new opportunities, some candidates these new opportunities, some candidates encounter<00:52
• We had one that went bankrupt that let teacher candidates just hang. >> That’s right.
• </c> bankrupt that let teacher candidates bankrupt that let teacher candidates just<01:25:33.760><c>
• </c> one not guiding their candidates one not guiding their candidates correctly<01:25:52.480><c> and
• ,</c><01:32:23.199><c> our</c><01:32:23.760><c> uh</c> list of recommended candidates, our uh list of

Bills: HB2185 , HB2621 , HB2179 , HB2534 , HB2168 , HB2427 , HB2560 , HB2565 , HB2172 , HB2298 , HB2304

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: sports officials, referees, umpires, athletic directors, school administrators, league administrators, coaches, assault, first-degree assault, substantial bodily injury, temporary restraining order, TRO, private counsel, Department of Education, DOE, sports safety, school sports, amateur athletics, professional sports, public schools

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation creates two pathways for candidates to become principals or superintendents: a Grow
• No matter the pathway, candidates go through the same process.
• While they're on the alternative certificate, candidates must complete an embedded in-person mentorship
• It states that legislative candidates must still meet the current requirements, and the bill adds an
• And we use this year as an example, the candidate filing period started on February 23 of this year.

Transcript Highlights:

• From the Secretary of State, Louisiana, hereby certify that the following candidates were declared elected
• I hereby certify that the following candidate was declared elected by the people, State Representative
• That the following candidate was declared elected by the people, State Representative, to the district
• House Bill by Representative Bowie: candidates who are not affiliated with a major political party; provide
• relative to qualifying; death of candidates; removal of a certain candidate's name from the ballot;

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then received and processed multiple resignation notices and special-election proclamations for vacant seats. The chamber later recognized and swore in newly elected members Doyle Boudreaux, Reese Broussard, Chassity Verrett-Martinez, and Edwin Murray after no objections were raised to their qualifications. The House also appointed committees to notify the Senate and the governor that it was ready to conduct business for the 2026 regular session, and it adopted the proposed standing committee meeting schedule and referred prefiled bills to committee without objection. The bulk of the meeting was devoted to the introduction and reading of a very large number of House bills and resolutions across many subject areas. Measures included the annual appropriations bill, a proposed constitutional convention, carbon dioxide sequestration and pipeline permitting, retirement-system changes, criminal justice and public safety proposals, education and workforce measures, local government and district creation bills, insurance and liability reforms, and numerous commemorative resolutions. Several prefiled bills were withdrawn, and many introduced measures were assigned to committees or allowed to lie over under the rules. The House then entered a joint session with the Senate for the governor’s address. Governor Jeff Landry outlined his administration’s priorities and praised recent legislative actions on taxes, insurance reform, transportation, education, and fiscal discipline. He urged support for Amendment 3 on teacher pay and retirement, called for further workforce and health initiatives, defended insurance and transportation reforms, and pressed for judicial reform, especially in Orleans Parish, citing the death of Jacob Carter and failures in electronic monitoring as examples. He also promoted replacing the vehicle inspection sticker with a QR code system and highlighted economic growth, lower taxes, and infrastructure investments. The joint session also included a presentation of the colors by the Louisiana National Guard and a Distinguished Flying Cross ceremony for Technical Sergeant Adam W. Brister, recognizing his 2018 rescue mission in Alaska. After the governor’s remarks and the military honor presentation, the joint session concluded and the House resumed introducing additional bills, continuing to file measures on topics such as health care, education, ethics, elections, local districts, and constitutional amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 136 is necessary to modernize campaign finance law and allow for the protection of candidates
• :28:09.760><c> the</c><00:28:10.000><c> protection</c><00:28:10.720><c> of</c><00:28:11.039><c> candidates
• </c> allow for the protection of candidates allow for the protection of candidates and<00:28:11.679><
• 1988 campaign was a seismic shift; he won 11 states and 6.8 million votes, proving that a Black candidate
• 14.240><c> black</c> 8 million votes, proving that a black 8 million votes, proving that a black candidate

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, it does not affect tax or any kind of political committee, candidate committees, party committees
• Um, it does not affect tax or any kind of political committee, candidate committees, party committees
• The other types are candidate committees, party committees, you know.
• The other types are candidate committees, party committees, you know.
• I would be okay with, like I said, a pilot project, and you specifically focus on candidates for office

Bills: SB2004 , SB2039 , SB2042 , SB2043 , SB2044 , SB2132

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Summary: The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee opened its first hearing of the year with remarks from Chair Jared Kohole outlining hearing procedures, a two-minute testimony limit, rules for remote testimony and decorum, and a revised testimony-publication pilot that keeps 96-hour notice but returns to a standard 24-hour testimony deadline. He then moved through the agenda, beginning with SB 2004 on outdoor advertising, which would increase penalties for violations of billboard and outdoor advertising laws. Testimony on that measure was limited; Henry Curtis of Life of the Land was first up, and written support was noted from Hawaiian Electric and the Outdoor Circle. The committee then heard SB 2039 on election campaign finance, which would prohibit certain business entities from engaging in campaign finance activities. The Attorney General’s office offered comments and did not take a formal position at the hearing. Several proponents testified in support, including Josh Frost, Tom Moore of the Center for American Progress, Hapa/Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, and Common Cause Hawaiʻi, all arguing the bill would curb corporate and dark-money influence and return elections to the people. Moore distinguished between regulating corporate “rights” and limiting corporate “powers,” and said the state can redefine the powers it grants corporations. In questions, Senator McKelvey asked whether the bill could be expanded to include unions; the Attorney General said he would need to get back with legal analysis, while Moore said his preferred approach would include all entities and that leaving out nonprofits or unions would create problems. Members also discussed whether the bill would affect PACs, and Moore explained that the proposal would prohibit corporate and dark-money flows into PACs while leaving individual political giving and existing political committees in place. The committee then moved on to the next measure. SB 2042, relating to insurance, was heard next. The bill would reduce the unimpaired minimum capital and surplus required of class 4 sponsored captive insurance companies under certain circumstances. The DCCA Insurance Division said it stood on its written testimony, and the Hawaii Captive Insurance Council testified in support, describing the change as a narrow, risk-based adjustment that would not affect the commissioner’s authority where actual risk resides and would help keep Hawaii competitive. The committee noted additional written support and proceeded without a vote or final action in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The House bill relative to the nomination process for candidates for town meeting in Milford, House No
• An act relative to the nomination process for candidates for town meeting in Milford, House No. 4185.

Transcript Highlights:

• Accordingly, three of the bills on today's agenda are suspense candidates, and they are as follows: File
• we have a quorum, an established quorum, we'll be taking this matter up, and this is a suspense candidate
• We'll be taking this matter up, and this is a suspense candidate. So thank you very much.

Committee: House Revenue and Taxation

Transcript Highlights:

• Would any senator like to be recognized to nominate a candidate for President pro tempore?
• 96th General Assembly, when the Senate is organized for the 96th General Assembly, that I will be a candidate
• That I will be a candidate for President pro tem. Thank you. Thank you.

Transcript Highlights:

• 24.640><c> of</c> includes disclosure of addresses um of includes disclosure of addresses um of candidates
• <c> and</c><00:18:26.000><c> their</c><00:18:26.400><c> committees</c><00:18:26.880><c> and</c> candidates
• and their committees and candidates and their committees and contributors.<00:18:28.000><c> And</c><

Bills: HB1805 , HB2110 , HB2180 , HB2184 , HB2219 , HB2469

Committee: House Legislative Management

Summary: The House Committee on Legislative Management heard testimony on several measures. HB 1805, relating to child welfare, drew support from the University of Hawaii and concerns from the Attorney General about the bill’s definition of state agency and possible separation-of-powers and supremacy clause issues. During decision-making, the committee opted to move the child advocate function to the Attorney General’s office, accepted the Attorney General’s suggested scope and jurisdiction amendments, set the salary at 90% of the Department of Health deputy director’s salary, and passed the bill with amendments. HB 2110, relating to nepotism, received support from the Hawaii State Ethics Commission, which said the bill would apply the rule consistently and noted the existing good-cause exception process. The committee later deferred the bill, saying existing House rules on nepotism were already strict and that the proposal would be duplicative in statute. HB 2180, relating to voting boards, had no oral testimony in the room during the hearing, but the committee later amended it into a blank appropriations vehicle for the House of Representatives and passed it with amendments. HB 2184, relating to lawmaker safety, drew concerns from the Campaign Spending Commission that the bill would require redaction of address information and could create implementation issues, and the Attorney General noted missing language regarding appointed officials and an internal cross-reference issue. The committee adopted amendments to address those concerns and passed the bill with amendments. HB 2219, relating to disclosure of privileged communications to the Ombudsman, was clarified by the Ombudsman’s office as not requiring disclosure of privileged material, only preserving privilege if such material is voluntarily provided; the bill passed with amendments. HB 2469, relating to a regular session review working group, received testimony from the State Procurement Office, the Legislative Reference Bureau, and others in support and opposition, and the committee passed it with amendments after changing references and funding language.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have received the names of three well-deserving candidates from fellow members of the Legislature
• order to discuss these serious and delicate matters and to preserve the respect deserving of each candidate
• Of each of the candidates.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have received the names of three well-deserving candidates from fellow members of the Legislature
• order to discuss these serious and delicate matters and to preserve the respect deserving of each candidate
• Members, I'd like to thank you for your thoughtful consideration of each of the candidates before we