Transcript Highlights:

• It clarifies Title I spending flexibility and ensures charter schools access to available programs and
• learning coalitions to school districts, and allowing public school VPK programs to verify attendance
• We have Scott Howitt, Orange County Public Schools, waving in support.
• I wish you were in the Senate during my school board days.
• My Orange County Public Schools are here, and they have waved in support, and I am aligned with my school

Committee: Senate Fiscal Policy

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a federal program meant to incentivize the construction of affordable housing.
• It's credit program, also known as LITC.
• ><c> to</c><00:04:24.320><c> incentivize</c> a federal program meant to incentivize a federal program
• </c> the construction of affordable housing. the construction of affordable housing.
• And this is a good program for us to invest into. reinvesting them into the programs that reinvesting

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• He said that each program noted here—the preservation program, the maintenance program, and the improvement
• Our capital program within facilities plans and constructs the improvement and preservation projects.
• Our capital program within facilities plans and constructs the improvement and preservation projects.
• The TEF equipment program provides equipment services to all programs in the agency, not just maintenance
• program.

Summary: The committee received a detailed staff presentation on Washington State Ferries’ capital needs, current fleet status, and long-range funding outlook. Staff described the current service pattern, ridership recovery since the pandemic, the aging fleet, and the state’s plan to add three new hybrid-electric Olympic-class vessels under the 2025 budget, with delivery expected around 2030-2032. Members also heard that the fleet is operating with no reserve vessel, that preservation time is below the desired level, and that terminal electrification and vessel conversion plans face timing, cost, and procurement risks. Questions focused on ridership trends, biofuel supply, design-risk allocation in vessel contracts, sequencing of terminal electrification with new vessel delivery, and the cost and feasibility of restoring international Sidney service, which would require a SOLAS-certified vessel. Staff then outlined ferry capital funding, saying recent spending and programmed needs are far above regular ferry-specific revenues and that the system relies on a mix of dedicated accounts, transportation package money, federal grants, and transfers. They said the near-term budget is balanced through 2027-29, but the longer-term capital outlook shows a shortfall of roughly $250 million to $300 million per biennium, with broader unmet needs much higher. The presentation estimated costs for future vessels, life extensions, terminal electrification, and additional Jumbo Mark II conversions, and noted that the current enacted plan does not fully fund fleet replacement, full electrification, or life extension of older vessels. Members asked for follow-up information on terminal seismic/environmental issues, contract options for additional vessels, and the timing and cost of alternative vessel designs. The committee then shifted to WSDOT maintenance and preservation. Pascoe Focktich described maintenance operations, including winter response, guardrail repair, facilities, equipment, and the effects of underfunding and inflation. He said most of the maintenance budget is fixed cost and labor, that material prices have risen sharply, and that many facilities are in poor condition with asbestos issues and deferred upkeep. He also noted growing guardrail damage, increasing pavement claims, and the burden of maintaining aging bridges and facilities. Members asked about prior planning for these needs, the role of asbestos, and whether more proactive sequencing could help budget decisions. Troy Suing then presented the highway preservation program, saying WSDOT is in the early stages of critical failure and has stretched preservation dollars as far as possible. He explained the distinction between pavement, bridge, and other highway asset preservation, said the department is largely reactive, and estimated that delaying work can make it three to five times more expensive later. He said about 40% of roadways are currently due or overdue for preservation, bridge conditions are nearing the federal poor-bridge threshold, and the department’s 10-year preservation need is about $8 billion. Members asked about the cost of deferring work, whether the department could do more if funded, how priorities are set, and whether other states face similar problems. Finally, Evan Grimm and Mike Fay briefed the committee on bridge strikes by overheight vehicles. They described recent incidents on I-90 near Cle Elum and SR 410 near White River, the damage and closures caused, and possible countermeasures such as public outreach, improved trip-planning tools, and a pilot warning system with sensors and flashing beacons. Fay explained the state’s financial recovery process for third-party damage, saying WSDOT recovers roughly $20 million per biennium and about 78% to 80% of billed damages, with money going to the motor vehicle fund. Members asked about prevention, insurance recovery, and whether the state uses claim data to inform future design or safety changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• we call it, the TCUP program.
• We have a TCUP program. Just work with the TCUP program.
• Most of these programs, like the T-CUP program, if I am enrolled in that program, according to the alcohol
• Use Program.
• months in public school.

Bills: HB 28 , SB 3

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: hemp regulation, consumable products, cannabinoids, state health, youth protection, licensing fees, criminal offenses, HB28, public testimony, committee decorum, bill substitute, legislative process

Summary: The meeting featured significant discussions regarding HB28, where the chair outlined the plans to bring forward a substitute for the bill. The chair emphasized the importance of maintaining order and decorum during the proceedings. Members engaged in deliberations, and a number of public witnesses were invited to testify, thereby enriching the discussion around the bill. This interaction provided valuable insights into public sentiment regarding the issues at hand.

Transcript Highlights:

• Medical Assistant Protection or MAP Act. Medical Assistant Protection or MAP Act.
• </c> protect a popular and important program protect a popular and important program that<00:01:33.800
• </c> public programs like child day care. public programs like child day care.
• </c> defrauding public programs. defrauding public programs.
• program.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is our maintenance dashboard, and we also rolled out one for construction projects late last year
• You guys ask me anything you want, but we're just working hard to deliver the program.
• Director Tudor started this program. She got this started before she left.
• We'd love to see schools using that.
• And expanding Just about what the program is and what it can do for them.

Committee: All ALC-HIGHWAY COMMISSION REVIEW AND ADVISORY SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from ARDOT Director Jared Wiley, who introduced Highway Commission members and reported that the agency has completed the final five recommendations from its long-running efficiency review. He highlighted new public-facing maintenance and construction dashboards on the agency website, and noted quarterly reports on land conveyances, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding, annual revenue expenditures, and major projects were provided with no major questions or objections. Members asked about ARDOT’s budget priorities, project delivery, and specific corridors. Wiley said roughly 75% of construction dollars go to maintaining the existing system, with additional maintenance and operations funding also directed to upkeep; he said Arkansas has about 16,300 centerline miles, nearly 40,000 lane miles, and about 73,700 bridges. He gave updates on Interstate 57 and Highway 5 work in Lonoke County, Interstate 49 public meetings in northwest Arkansas, passing-lane projects on Highway 412/62 in north central Arkansas, widening plans for Interstate 40, the Toad Suck Bridge flood mitigation project, and Highway 82 improvements in south Arkansas. The director also discussed ARDOT’s litter control efforts, saying the agency spends about $8 million annually on litter pickup and is exploring future legislation. He said work-zone safety tools such as cameras and mobile work-zone enforcement are helping reduce dangerous driving, though distracted driving remains a problem. Wiley also announced new agency initiatives on human trafficking awareness training for staff, a “Street Smart” traffic-safety education program for students, and a spring cleanup effort in which ARDOT crews and some office staff will collect litter statewide. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is our maintenance dashboard, and we also rolled out one for construction projects late last year
• You guys ask me anything you want, but we're just working hard to deliver the program.
• The budgetary expenses, the construction dollars that we have, so the projects that we let to contract
• We'd love to see schools using that.
• Just about what the program is and what it can do for them.

Committee: All ALC-HIGHWAY COMMISSION REVIEW AND ADVISORY SUBCOMMITTEE

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the clarification, senator, when you say that the similar programs, similar plants have
• And I I consider that a successful program. >> Thank you, Senator.
• comes to health insurance here, the reasons why we're having difficulty with the health insurance programs
• exemptions to reduce financial barriers to recreate the veteran and military spouse Entrepreneurship Program
• I'm speaking against this bill because first as an American government teacher, a proud public school

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The seventh best program on Capitol TV is now in session: the House AI and Innovation Committee.
• DTE in Detroit implemented some of these take-or-pay minimum constructs, and so we've also adopted, in
• DTE in Detroit implemented some of these take-or-pay minimum constructs, and so we've also adopted, in
• DTE in Detroit implemented some of these take-or-pay minimum constructs, and so we've also adopted, in
• Chairman Wilmeth, Representative Cooper, the regulatory construct today would support that.

Bills: HB2133 , HB2592

Committee: House Artificial Intelligence & Innovation

Keywords: sexual material, consent, synthetic depiction, privacy, internet regulation, rights protection, artificial intelligence, government regulation, innovation, procurement, administrative burdens, 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• provides funds to eligible organizations to establish scholarship programs for employees of assisted
• The third change is just a technical change for the funding mechanism in the child care assistance program
• So the previous version included a transfer from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program
• This contains a prohibition on kickbacks in the medical assistance and CCAP program.
• </c> the medical assistance and CCAP program. the medical assistance and CCAP program.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It keeps the guardrails of the program in place, but modernizes it.
• Brian Condit, representing the New Mexico Building Construction Trades Council.
• We represent 15 construction craft unions in the state, and we stand fully in support of this bill and
• Research and development, if we are able to retain it, soon will mean construction jobs for our members
• your idea, because I'm probably going to vote for it, but what would cause this to end up being a program

Committee: House House Commerce & Economic Development Committee

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, I had a question from the public defender program.
• There's a couple um programs<00:19:13.240><c> that</c> programs that programs that I'm<00:19:16.080><
• c> during</c><00:19:21.679><c> the</c> defenders program during during the defenders program during during
• </c><00:22:18.000><c> could</c> but I I don't think the program could but I I don't think the program
• </c> clerical assistance. clerical assistance. um<00:40:03.359><c> and</c><00:40:03.760><c> and</c><00

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't know a lot about its uses, but I know that it's used for existing programs.
• I believe mostly for existing programs.
• fund the program under the state<00:21:27.200><c> airports</c><00:21:27.600><c> fund.
• </c><00:41:29.040><c> and</c> um scheduled, their money programmed and um scheduled, their money programmed
• It's not quite under construction yet; they're still working on it. About $20 million.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What I'm proposing is very similar to what was done when schools joined the state insurance pool.
• One difference is the state provided funding for the schools to join the plan.
• I would actually say that they would be similar to what we did with the school districts.
• So we had several school districts with two to ten members that joined the plan.
• And the impact of the school districts have been negligible.

Committee: House State Affairs

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from Thursday, March 12, and then held House Joint Memorial 19 subject to the call of the chair because Superintendent Critchfield was unavailable. The main item of business was House Bill 725, which would allow Idaho cities to apply to join the state employee health insurance pool through the Office of Group Insurance. Representative Cheatham said the bill is intended to give cities an option to seek lower and more predictable health insurance costs, with all expenses paid by the participating cities. Supporters, including the mayors of Pocatello and Idaho Falls and an Idaho Falls firefighters representative, said rising premiums are straining city budgets, and that joining a larger pool could improve predictability, recruitment, and retention. Committee members questioned whether the bill would shift costs to state taxpayers or attract only higher-risk groups; the Office of Group Insurance administrator said cities would pay 100% of costs, the state general fund would not be affected, and each city would undergo an actuarial review. The committee then voted to send HB 725 to the floor with a do pass recommendation. The committee next considered RS 33618, a draft bill from Representative Crane to prohibit foreign persons, foreign corporations, foreign governments, foreign REITs, and certain SEC-registered companies from purchasing single-family homes in Idaho. Crane said the measure was meant to prioritize Idahoans in the housing market and limit purchases by large outside entities. Members raised concerns about the breadth of the proposal and how it would affect noncitizens, temporary workers, foreign-owned businesses, and people tied to mining or other industries. The Office of Group Insurance administrator was not involved in this item, but the discussion focused on definitions, enforcement, and whether the bill could be too broad. After debate, the committee voted to introduce RS 33618 with a technical change on page 2, line 13, changing “and” to “or.”

Transcript Highlights:

• They are held at community schools, public schools, and again manned by volunteers.
• </c> So we are part of many clinical programs in the law school where we help.
• Richardson School of Law on developing a training program for law students and also attorneys who are
• Richardson School of Law on developing a training program for law students and also attorneys who are
• Richardson School of Law on developing a training program for law students and also attorneys who are

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 114, which would create a presidential preference primary for the 2028 election. The Office of Elections said the bill would cost about $4.1 million. Supporters, including the Hawaii Democratic Party and the League of Women Voters, favored moving the process to a state-run primary, while several opponents, including the Hawaiian Islands Republican Women and multiple individual testifiers, argued it would be too expensive, would shift control away from the parties, and would replace volunteer-run caucuses with a mail-in system. Committee members questioned the chief election officer about election timing, certification, and how a primary might be scheduled with other elections. Testimony was recorded as 11 in support, 41 opposed, and 3 comments, and no vote was taken in the excerpt. The committee then took up SB 725, which would require judges to make findings about a defendant’s ability to afford bail. Judiciary and Attorney General witnesses asked that the bill be deferred or amended, saying the Judicial Council is already reviewing pretrial bail reform and that the bill’s language could create practical problems for police, sheriffs, and courts. Supporters, including the Correctional System Oversight Commission, the public defender, the Community Alliance on Prisons, the ACLU of Hawaii, and disability rights advocates, said cash bail disproportionately harms low-income defendants, increases pretrial detention costs, and should require clearer findings and records. Opponents included the Hawaii County prosecuting attorney. Members questioned how bail is initially set, what records exist, and whether the bill would change current practice; Judiciary witnesses said initial bail decisions are often made by police or judges and later reviewed on the record, while supporters argued the bill would strengthen front-end due process. The ACLU said it supported the bill with amendments, including clearer standards for ability to pay and written findings. The committee also began hearing SB 733, a proposed constitutional amendment to establish a continuous legislative session. Early testimony was strongly supportive, with advocates arguing that the current 60-day session limits public participation, makes it hard for working people to testify, and prevents lawmakers from collaborating effectively. Supporters said a year-round model could improve transparency, reduce duplicate bills, and better accommodate neighbor island legislators. The excerpt ends during the opening testimony on SB 733, before any committee action or vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> school district. school district.
• to the school board and run in the to the school board and run in the school<02:56:38.800><c> board</
• </c><03:02:40.399><c> district</c> school district if the school district school district if the school
• You construct a simple new sentence which says that no member of the school board may be a member of
• </c><03:29:01.359><c> board,</c> the school board, the school board, school<03:29:03.680><c> district

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have programs that reach underserved communities called Free to Explore.
• </c> students from over 1,000 schools. students from over 1,000 schools.
• reach</c><00:08:16.520><c> underserved</c> We have programs that reach underserved We have programs
• Head of our animal health programs, Dr. Revas. Thank you.
• We're doing it with old school ways. Those are when the accidents are happening.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It elementary school and a high school.
• so that we can better target our school so that we can better target our programming<03:20:46.640><c
• Um, sometimes, you know, these teachers—there are training programs that are available to schools to
• </c> programs that are available to schools programs that are available to schools to<04:56:13.520><c
• I caution you, when you look at it, to be aware if you have a program in that school for students with

Committee: House Education Policy and Administration

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Program.
• Program.
• $3,600 THE OUTCOMES FOR THE PROGRAM ARE SUPERB WE TRACK THAT AFTER RECEIVING ASSISTANCE From FHPAP,
• On the rental side, the Family Homelessness Prevention Assistance Program—we spend a little money now
• THE DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH FHPAP CAN HELP TO STABILIZE A HOUSEHOLD FHPAP IS A PROVEN PROGRAM

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The goal is to promote better access to health care services by providing financial assistance to hospitals
• this is a huge, when you talked about every athletic, it's from soccer for three-year-olds to high school
• A little rusty on the first day of school. It is your second bill today.
• Volusia County, where we found out that people volunteered to become coaches on various different school
• And I coached high school for 15 years. I coached high school for 15 years.

Summary: The Health Care Facilities and System Subcommittee met and heard three bills, all of which passed favorably. HB 229 by Rep. Oliver would update the Health Facilities Authority Act to reflect modern health system structures, allowing not-for-profit LLCs and not-for-profit parent corporations of health systems to use the financing authority, and clarifying that authorities may use loan agreements as well as lease financing. An amendment narrowing and clarifying the not-for-profit definition was adopted without objection. AdventHealth testified in support, and the bill passed 17-0. The committee then heard HB 527 by Rep. Trabulsi, which creates a public records exemption for current and former AHCA personnel who investigate complaints, Medicaid fraud, abuse, waste, or inspect licensed health facilities. The sponsor said the exemption is intended to protect investigators and their families from retaliation. There was no public testimony, and members discussed balancing transparency with safety. The bill passed 17-0. Finally, the committee heard HB 431 by Rep. Trabulsi, which extends by one year the requirement for athletic coaches and similar youth sports volunteers to complete Level 2 background screening through AHCA’s clearinghouse, with the sponsor saying the delay would give the system time to expand and reduce costs over time. Public testimony from youth sports organizations supported the goal of screening but raised concerns about cost, implementation details, and age thresholds for screening. Members generally supported the bill as a child-safety measure, and it also passed 17-0. The meeting then adjourned.