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:

• 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:

• 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:

• 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:

• 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:

• The last question I'll ask on this component is about this work group that you intend to create with
• 40 faculty work groups that would then develop, with a goal of creating a thousand system-wide credit
• I'm grateful to Chancellor Christian for asking me to chair that work group.
• That work group is meeting now as we speak this spring.
• So, the work group is critical to providing those standardized procedures up and down the state.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><00:11:38.399> your working group and ask for your working group and ask for your consideration
• <00:16:13.600> group<00:16:13.839> is and we think that this working group is and we
• group, or what will this working group need to do to address some of the concerns regarding the conflicts
• organizations that want to be included in the working group.
• organizations that want to be included in the working group.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've worked for the Arizona Department of Education and...
• I worked in the Mesa school district for 20 years and now I'm currently working with the Arizona Association
• And then just the general large-group versus small-group plans: in 2025, employees at small firms faced
• The out-of-pocket maximum is also significantly lower for large group compared to small groups.
• significantly lower for large group compared to small group.

Bills: HB2089, HB2090, HB2092, HB2120, HB2138, HB2173, HB2273, HB2693, HB2786

Keywords: retirement benefits, health insurance, premium payment, Arizona State Retirement System, contingent annuitant, long-term disability, benefits limitations, disability compensation, social security, retirement system, elected officials, ASRS, eligibility waiver, age 65, property tax exemption, disability, veterans, widows, income limits, Arizona Revised Statutes

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

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:

• And NMSBA supports the intent of this memorial that is tasked in pulling together a working group that
• We would have companies coming in or groups coming in and doing the work instead of the LESC.
• I also want to point out on page five, lines seven to nine, be it further resolved that the working group
• So if the working group recommends creation of a statewide education commission, I guess legislative
• But good work, folks.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've been involved in redistricting for at least six years, working with local, state, and national groups
• The MPCA, in addition to working with state agencies, also works with federal agencies, and informal
• us to try to Define inter Agency Group us to try to Define inter Agency Group of<00:45:37.559>
• representative Duran is willing to work representative Duran is willing to work on<00:48:34.640>
• <00:59:04.680> of<00:59:04.799> people work because like these groups of people work

Bills: HF390, HF1202, HF550

Keywords: government data, data practices, record keeping, penalties, legal enforcement, public meetings, transparency, government accountability, interagency groups, Minnesota Statutes, redistricting, Bipartisan Commission, Minnesota Constitution, census, legislative districts, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This is looking at opportunities where you have groups that have very different statutes that they work
• groups.
• So we had a port working group, a school district working group, and then water, sewer, and PUD working
• groups.
• We've been working in earnest in 2025 with our project working groups and our task force.

Summary: The committee heard a series of presentations on comprehensive plan updates, permitting reform, special purpose district coordination, and subdivision reform. Pierce County and the City of Redmond described their recent comprehensive plan updates, emphasizing housing production, transit-oriented development, middle housing, preservation of affordable housing, and the need for technical assistance and clearer state guidance. Both jurisdictions said the planning process took years and was complicated by overlapping state requirements, changing legislative mandates, and multiple review authorities. Redmond in particular said mid-course legislative changes forced supplemental environmental review and added significant cost and delay, and both local governments asked for more stability, clearer statutes, and better-aligned timelines. Presenters from the architecture, building official, and development sectors focused on permitting delays and proposed ways to speed housing delivery. Dave Boucher of AIA Washington argued for a provisional construction permit process for projects stamped by licensed professionals, along with mandatory deadlines and fewer stalled review cycles. Tim Woodard of WABO described existing tools such as pre-application meetings and phased approvals, noting they can improve certainty but also require staff time and careful coordination. Representatives from Master Builders and D.R. Horton said permit and subdivision delays add substantial cost to housing, citing studies showing months of delay and tens of thousands of dollars added per home, and urged administrative approvals, concurrent review, self-certification, and limits on repeated review cycles. The committee also reviewed a Commerce-led task force report on integrating special purpose districts into Growth Management Act planning. The task force recommended early invitation and notice to water, sewer, school, port, and other service providers during countywide planning policy and comprehensive plan updates, better coordination on grants and capital projects, updated water system coordination plans, and improved school siting and funding alignment in fast-growing areas. Speakers stressed that the recommendations were intended to be light-touch and focused on better communication rather than major statutory overhaul, while also noting that rural and slow-growing areas should not be burdened with the same requirements as rapidly growing jurisdictions. On subdivision reform, FutureWise and the City of Spokane discussed making more subdivision decisions administrative, preserving vesting, clarifying exemptions, and reducing unnecessary notice and appeal steps. Spokane described local reforms such as smaller minimum lot sizes, unit lot subdivisions, and reduced-process “minor engineering review” for simple plats, while raising concerns about new notice requirements and appeals to city councils for technical plat decisions. Across the hearing, members repeatedly returned to the theme that local governments, builders, and state agencies need clearer, more coordinated rules to reduce delay and uncertainty while still protecting safety and planning goals.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:10:38.760> group inter agency Food Systems working group inter agency Food Systems working
• So, with the working group, it’s near and dear to my heart.
• <00:15:36.160> group as a result of the 2024 um working group as a result of the 2024 um working
• With that, we do hope to join the working group.
• /c><00:31:01.240> make working group to review and make working group to review and make recommendations

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees heard several agriculture and food-system bills. SB 1562 would create a Combined Housing Operational Agricultural Mobilization Program to help bona fide farmers live and farm on agricultural lands and provide a tax credit for donated land. Testimony generally supported the goal of housing for farmers and farm workers, but raised concerns about placing the program within the Department of Agriculture, possible constitutional and drafting issues, land-quality standards, lease structure, and whether another agency might be better suited. The committees recommended passing SB 1562 with amendments, including clarifying DOA authority to acquire agricultural lands and establishing an advisory committee within the department; the recommendation was adopted. The committees also heard SB 1171 on providing monofilament netting through hardware stores to help slow coconut rhinoceros beetle spread, SB 1186 on creating a statewide interagency food systems coordination team and working group, SB 1250 on a Farm to Families program, SB 1303 on agricultural loans, SB 1395 on a climate mitigation and resiliency special fund, SB 504 on a local agricultural transportation cost reimbursement program, SB 1185 on reviewing and repealing obsolete agricultural laws, and SB 187 on funding permanent agricultural biosecurity positions. Most testimony on these measures was in support, with some suggested refinements: for SB 1186, a youth advisory seat and clearer performance benchmarks; for SB 1250, broader eligibility for food pantries, cold storage, and staffing support; for SB 1303, support for lower interest rates and expanded loan tools; for SB 1395, debate over the fund’s structure and revenue source; for SB 504, clearer eligibility for small and beginning farmers, cooperatives, and food hubs; and for SB 1185, interest in joining the working group but concern about overbroad deregulation. No roll-call votes were taken on the other measures in the excerpt, but the chair reported testimony counts on some bills, including 89 in support and none opposed for SB 1250, 13 in support and one opposed for SB 504, and 14 in support with one comment for SB 1395. SB 1303 and SB 187 also drew supportive testimony from the Department of Agriculture, farm groups, food banks, and industry organizations, with SB 187 emphasizing the need to make Act 231 biosecurity positions permanent and fully funded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those three groups are no longer categorically exempt from the work requirements.
• Our work Is increased, and we're just now back to where we were before some of this increased work came
• I mean, I don't know how that's gonna work.
• group is high utilization.
• I'm sensitive to that group.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Where we stand is the issue was referred to a working group.
• We also had NAMI on the working group, a representative from NAMI.
• And like a lot of the parents on the working group do.
• of the parents on the working group do. of the parents on the working group do.
• group meeting that at the last working group meeting that you<00:26:18.480> remain<00:26:18.880

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The program focused first on Minnesota Republicans’ efforts to combat fraud and improve government accountability, featuring Sen. Mark Koran. He argued that fraud in programs such as Medicaid, childcare assistance, PCA, autism services, housing support, and food aid harms both taxpayers and vulnerable recipients, and he cited cases where people in need were left without services. Koran said the problem stems from weak agency oversight, overreliance on self-attestation, and poor use of available data and site visits. He described a bill and related work to strengthen an independent inspector general structure, standardize eligibility checks, require better verification and external data use, and improve agency accountability; he also said federal involvement is necessary because many programs include federal dollars. No vote was taken in the interview, but he said the Senate had already passed an inspector general-related measure and that broader reform is still needed. The second major topic was the Senate DFL’s “ICE accountability agenda” in response to federal immigration enforcement activity in Minnesota. The package includes bills to protect sensitive spaces such as schools and hospitals, ban law enforcement officers from wearing masks while on duty, and allow Minnesotans to sue the federal government in state court. DFL members framed the issue as one of constitutional enforcement tactics rather than immigration policy, and said the measures are intended to prepare the state if ICE returns. No committee vote or final action was described. The final segment covered school seclusion policy. Sen. Judy Seeberger explained that seclusion is intended as an emergency safety tool, not discipline, but said the 2023 law banning it through grade 3 removed a resource without replacing it. She said supporters of the ban point to misuse and trauma, while she and a working group sought a compromise with tighter safeguards: extending the policy through grade 12, requiring explicit parental consent and access to the room, interpreter services when needed, and reporting if seclusion is used repeatedly. She said the working group’s recommendations were largely reached by consensus, but the issue remains unresolved and it is unclear whether further legislation will advance this session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there any, again, thinking about the work of the work of the work.
• Please continue this work.
• And that's just one group.
• I am working in a public school, my retirement job. I worked in middle school.
• I am right now working in an elementary. I worked in middle school.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The meeting focused on the commission’s work addressing antisemitism in Massachusetts, including security, education, victim services, and legal responses. A major presentation came from former federal prosecutor Eric O’Sham, who described the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, the attack’s planning and execution, the 11 victims killed, the defendant’s white supremacist and antisemitic online activity, the federal prosecution, and the long aftermath for the victim community. Commissioners asked about prevention, radicalization online, security for houses of worship, and how to support victims; O’Sham emphasized the limits of law enforcement when speech is protected, the importance of public education, security grants, and victim-witness support. The commission also heard from Ariel Holman of Agudath Israel, who described a wide range of antisemitic incidents affecting Orthodox Jews, including assaults, threats, vandalism, school harassment, and zoning barriers, and urged expanded security personnel grants, mental health resources, kosher food access, and support for synagogue development. Other speakers included advocates and local officials who supported Holocaust education, the planned Boston Holocaust Museum, cemetery protection, and broader public education efforts, while some public commenters criticized the commission’s focus or raised concerns about definitions of antisemitism and free speech. The meeting concluded with approval of prior meeting minutes and the start of public comment, which was limited to three minutes per speaker due to time constraints.

Transcript Highlights:

• Gagos, I would really tend to think that the answer to your question is this working group.
• I know that's what the work group will do, but I just think that's critical for us.
• Just figure out how you want to run that out, but I'm sure the work group will do that.
• That's one of the purposes, I think, of the working group, is to try to figure out exactly... ...what
• So those, I think, are the exact things this working group needs to address. Thank you for that.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sada Wages with Children Now, working with equity and education management groups, raising concerns directly
• Sada Wages with children now, working with equity and education management groups, raising concerns directly
• If the university is provided funding, this work group report will serve as guidance for meeting student
• CCN faculty work groups then reviewed and, when needed, upgraded the phase three templates.
• groups have made over the last nine months or so, the UC is now in the process of working with Academic

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So they represent additions of key elements brought forward by that working group, bipartisan working
• Additions of key elements brought forward by that working group, bipartisan working group.
• He's been working with me and with the compact working group. Absolutely.
• He's been working with me and with the compact working group.
• Sometimes it's also helped along by other groups, so was there some group or social work association

Keywords: 996, all