Transcript Highlights:

• participated in that site plan that has multiple different uses, from some residential, uh, and commercial
• residential<00:04:35.840><c> uh</c><00:04:36.880><c> uh</c><00:04:37.040><c> and</c><00:04:37.360><c> commercial
• </c><00:04:38.400><c> and</c><00:04:39.280><c> um</c> residential uh uh and commercial and um residential
• uh uh and commercial and um uh<00:04:39.840><c> it</c><00:04:40.000><c> is</c><00:04:40.160><c> a</c

Committee: Joint Universities and Colleges

Keywords: Universities and Colleges - Room 216, 3 March, 2026; 11:00 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our members are general contractors, commercial specialty contractors, and industry associates.
• 08:02.400><c> contractors,</c> members are general contractors, members are general contractors, commercial
• ,<00:08:04.000><c> specialty</c><00:08:04.479><c> contractors,</c><00:08:05.039><c> and</c> commercial
• , specialty contractors, and commercial, specialty contractors, and industry<00:08:05.680><c> associates

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education and Workforce Development met without a quorum and heard presentations on several workforce and school-safety funding requests. The first item was a proposal for a school mapping data program, presented by Rep. Steve Bratcher with law enforcement and mapping partners. They said the plan would move money to the 911 system so school maps could be embedded there and kept current for all schools, public and private, to improve response times and officer, student, and teacher safety. The request was described as a $10 million one-time appropriation, with an estimate that the work could be completed in about a year. The committee then heard testimony on the Be Proud Initiative, a mobile workshop program aimed at exposing students age 13 and up to skilled trades and related education and career opportunities. Speakers from the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers, MI2, the Kentucky Treasury, and the Associated General Contractors said the program would improve perceptions of manufacturing, construction, and metals careers, connect students to training and employers, and help build the workforce pipeline. They said private industry would contribute $1 million in FY 2026-2027 before state funds are released, and requested $3 million in state funding in FY 2027-2028 contingent on that match. A Treasury official said handling the funds through the Treasury would have minimal impact on the office. Committee members responded favorably, including a comment from Rep. Bojanowski about the value of hands-on learning for students who struggle with test-focused instruction. Speakers also explained that the program includes classroom materials before and after the truck visit and ongoing outreach for students and parents. The final presentation was on an MI2 metals career pathway proposal, which cited economic impact data for Kentucky’s metals industry and asked for a $3 million one-time investment for FY 2027-2028 to pilot a middle- and high-school pathway in Carroll and Logan counties. The proposal would be matched by industry funds and used for curriculum, equipment, dual-credit and apprenticeship connections, student stipends, and parent outreach. The chair closed by noting it was the final scheduled meeting of the session and moved toward adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• governor in order to support the construction of an alternative jet fuel production facility at a commercial
• on some of the most difficult problems and some of the most pressing issues associated with the commercial
• are currently 11 approved pathways for producing alternative jet fuel, only a few are being used commercially
• As we determine what to analyze, we will consider the commercial feasibility of production methods and

Bills: HB2111 , HB2495

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: Interstate 5 bridge, toll facility, bond retirement, transportation, state funding, vehicles, streetcar operation, public safety, urban regulation, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• governor in order to support the construction of an alternative jet fuel production facility at a commercial
• on some of the most difficult problems and some of the most pressing issues associated with the commercial
• are currently 11 approved pathways for producing alternative jet fuel, only a few are being used commercially
• As we determine what to analyze, we will consider the commercial feasibility of production methods and

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held a work session on electric vehicles, renewable fuels, hydrogen, and related transportation investments, followed by public hearings on several bills. Agency presenters from WSDOT, Commerce, and Ecology described the Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council’s work, Washington’s slowing EV adoption growth, charging infrastructure gaps, and programs such as NEVI, ZEVIP, and a new medium- and heavy-duty incentive program. Members asked about fast-charging standards and whether higher-capacity chargers could be supported. Commerce also outlined renewable fuels and sustainable aviation fuel efforts, including the Office of Renewable Fuels, hydrogen and SAF modeling, technical assistance, and the Cascadia Sustainable Aviation Accelerator’s partnerships and funding. WSDOT then discussed hydrogen investments in transit, aviation, backup power, and corridor planning, while Ecology explained the alternative jet fuel programmatic environmental impact statement, its scope, timeline, and how it will support future project review. In the public hearing on Substitute House Bill 2114, the committee heard testimony supporting a no-fee replacement process for defective license plates within two years of issuance, with optional fee waivers later; the sponsor and county auditors said peeling or unreadable plates are a real customer-service problem, especially in eastern Washington. The hearing on House Bill 2111 concerned allowing the I-5 Bridge Replacement Project toll facility bond retirement account to keep its interest earnings instead of sending them to the general fund; the prime sponsor said it is a straightforward fix requested by the state treasurer. Substitute House Bill 1823 would update Transportation Improvement Board statutes by replacing “non-motorized” with “active transportation” and removing obsolete references; TIB said it is a cleanup bill that aligns statutes with current grant practices and complete streets policy. The committee also heard House Bill 2495, which would let the City of Seattle direct immediate impoundment of unattended vehicles blocking streetcar operations, similar to existing authority for Sound Transit. Seattle’s streetcar manager said blocked tracks cause frequent delays and that the bill would reduce waits for police authorization and restore service faster. Public testimony and sign-in counts were noted for each bill, but no votes were taken in the transcript, and the meeting concluded after the final public hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Authority, this could include any encounter, enrollment, or claims data housed across our Medicaid, commercial
• fact that mental health providers in Washington are paid on average about only 88% of Medicare by commercial
• If we're going to ask the privates and commercials, I believe that the coverage ought to be afforded
• If we're going to ask the privates and commercials, I believe that the coverage ought to be afforded

Summary: The House Health Care and Wellness Committee held public hearings on four bills and then took executive action on three measures. HB 2555 would require the Health Care Authority to apply for a Medicaid waiver to cover traditional health care practices provided through Indian Health Service, tribal, and urban Indian facilities. Supporters, including the prime sponsor, tribal health leaders, and the Health Care Authority, said the bill would recognize traditional medicine, expand access, and leverage federal funding, though HCA noted the July 1, 2026 waiver deadline and urban Indian reimbursement questions may be difficult to resolve. HB 2685 would codify tribal data sovereignty principles for state agencies, require reporting of notifiable conditions to tribal health jurisdictions, and exempt certain tribal data from public disclosure. Tribal representatives supported the bill as necessary for access, governance, and better public health planning, while the Washington Coalition for Open Government and HCA raised concerns about the breadth of the PRA exemption, undefined ownership interests, and implementation details. HB 2658 would require health carriers to submit standardized public data on behavioral health and other coverage and access metrics, with the Insurance Commissioner posting the information on a public dashboard. Supporters said the bill would improve transparency about mental health parity and help families, employers, and policymakers compare plans; opponents argued it duplicates or complicates recent parity reforms and could be misinterpreted. HB 2683 would shorten carrier credentialing timelines from 90 days to 30 days and require carriers to post billing and coverage information online. Supporters said it would reduce delays for providers and patients, while opponents warned the shorter timeline could be hard to meet and that posting information without login protections could raise privacy concerns. In executive session, the committee adopted two amendments to HB 2168, which concerns overdose mapping data, then reported the substitute bill out with a due pass recommendation by a vote of 16-1. It rejected an amendment to HB 2196 that would have extended PANDAS/PANS coverage to public and school employee plans, then advanced the substitute bill with a due pass recommendation by a vote of 15-2. Finally, the committee passed HB 2545, which would allow ambulatory surgical facilities to perform elective percutaneous coronary interventions, by a vote of 13-4, after members discussed safety, access, and cost savings.

Transcript Highlights:

• directly serve individuals experiencing homelessness, providing comprehensive resources such as a commercial
• The Engagement Center will feature a commercial kitchen and dining hall, indoor and outdoor warming spaces
• Most notably, our downtown commercial district serves as the economic and cultural heart of Lanesboro
• This park is centered around mixed-use in our central business district and includes commercial and residential

Bills: HF474 , HF218 , HF210 , HF441 , HF691 , HF720 , HF1068 , HF1314 , HF1465 , HF1860 , HF2046 , HF1389 , HF2404 , HF2854 , HF2985 , HF3128 , HF3103 , HF778 , HF3125

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: HF474, Hubert H. Humphrey, Henry Mower Rice, Statuary Hall, United States Capitol, statue replacement, capital investment, general fund appropriation, Minnesota State Capitol, Minnesota State Historical Society, public art, commemorative statue, National Statuary Hall Collection, commissioner of administration, cultural heritage, monument, Washington D.C., HF218, Minnesota, Department of Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO EQUIP OUR STUDENTS FOR HIGH DEMAND CAREERS IN FIELDS SUCH AS HEALTHCARE AND COMMERCIAL
• WITH PRACTICAL INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC SKILLS FROM OUR HEALTHCARE LABS TO OUR LEARNING FACILITIES AND COMMERCIAL
• OUR CURRENT COSTS ARE FOR CERTIFIED NURSING $800 CVD CLASS AA FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVING CLASS A.
• $3,100 COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVING CLASS B $2,600 LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSING $8,400 AND WELDING $5,300

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• activities and become more of a commercial enterprise, uh, that would change potentially the zoning
• activities and become more of a commercial enterprise, uh, that would change potentially the zoning
• activities and become more of a commercial enterprise, uh, that would change potentially the zoning
• </c><01:15:47.120><c> activities</c> if you're doing commercial activities if you're doing commercial
• </c> and become more of a commercial and become more of a commercial enterprise,<01:15:52.159><c> uh<

Bills: SB2603 , SB2083 , SB2341 , SB2306 , SB2782 , SB2756 , SB2161 , SB2477

Committee: Senate Water, Land, Culture and the Arts

Keywords: Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, state funding, public performances, educational programs, cultural arts funding, historic properties, preservation, inheritance, working group, public-private partnerships, sustainable funding, historic preservation, Hawaii Revised Statutes, construction, state review, burial sites, cultural artifacts, development review, phased review, administrative fees

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 2603, which would designate the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra as the state orchestra of Hawaii. Testimony was uniformly supportive from the Attorney General’s office, the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Retail Merchants of Hawaii, Hawaii Youth Symphony, the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association, and others. Supporters emphasized the bill’s value to arts education, cultural vitality, and the visitor economy. The chair noted there were also many written testimonies submitted, and the bill was left without questions or action in the excerpt. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2083, which would create a state-owned historic properties preservation plan working group within DNR. The State Historic Preservation Division supported the bill and said it would help create a statewide database and better planning for state-owned historic properties, while noting its current review work is reactive and project-by-project. The committee asked about duplication and existing consultation processes; SHPD said it already reviews state projects under existing law and has in-house architectural staff. The measure was then set aside after brief discussion, with no vote shown in the excerpt. Next was Senate Bill 2341, which would authorize phased review of certain private-property projects and change SHPD’s review deadlines. SHPD and the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development supported the bill, saying it could encourage more proactive, programmatic review and that the current average review time for simple projects is about 56 days. Several opponents, including Sierra Club of Hawaii, Bianca Isaki, Malama Kane Lua, and Tara Roas, argued phased review would delay projects, create conflict, and weaken historic preservation protections, especially for iwi kūpuna and burial sites. Committee members raised concerns about whether the bill conflicted with prior court decisions and asked SHPD for its view; SHPD said it was not a legal question for them and suggested a programmatic alternative. The bill was not voted on in the excerpt. Finally, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 2306 on administrative fees for the Bureau of Conveyances. HGEA opposed the measure, focusing on a provision allowing the special fund to be used for qualified contractors, while the Bureau of Conveyances supported the bill as a fee correction that would equalize recording fees between systems. The bureau said specialized technical work sometimes requires outside contracting and that it could consider a contract period; the chair and members discussed the HGEA concern and asked whether the issue could be addressed. No final action was shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• He's with the Commercial Transportation Appeals Board, 4-year term beginning July 1st, ending June 30th
• I've served 4 years on the Commercial Appeals Board for MDOT. So, it's reappointment.

Committee: Joint Highways and Transportation

Keywords: Highways and Transportation - Room 216, 25 March, 2026; 11:45 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, so then what ends up happening is when you ban the commercial transportation, then you end
• You know, so then what ends up happening is when you ban the commercial transportation, then you end
• vehicles that, you know, part of the council response became an outright ban on commercial vehicles.
• vehicles that, you know, part of the council response became an outright ban on commercial vehicles.
• vehicles that, you know, part of the council response became an outright ban on commercial vehicles.

Committee: Senate Economic Development and Tourism

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee on Economic Development and Tourism met on April 1 to consider GM 510, the confirmation of Todd Aio to the board of directors of the Hawaiʻi Convention Center Authority. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support from HTA representatives and numerous individuals. Supporters described Aio as a strong leader with experience in tourism, development, nonprofit work, and public service, including his time on the city council and work with Disney’s Aulani, Ward Village, and the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation. In his remarks, Aio said he would bring legal, development, and corporate governance experience to the board. He emphasized the need for the authority to better define its role, oversee contractors, and help guide the relationship between destination management and branding/marketing contractors. He also said community engagement and cultural considerations should be central to tourism planning, and that the board should work to stabilize the agency during its transition. Members questioned him about board conflicts, the lack of a permanent HTA CEO, and how to measure the success of cultural and branding campaigns such as mālama and kuleana messaging. Aio said conflicts are inevitable when board members come from industry backgrounds, but they must separate their “work hats” from their board duties. He supported replacing the interim leadership with a permanent CEO once compensation legislation is finalized, and said success should be measured through better data, including possible exit surveys and other technology-based tools. He also said he would oppose replacing Hawaiian protocol with another cultural protocol, while supporting inclusion of other cultures alongside a Hawaiian sense of place.

Transcript Highlights:

• So right back after this commercial announcement, Representative Stevenson, is there a commercial for
• One of the things that I just want to put as a side commercial is that I want to tell you all this bill

Bills: HF2601 , HF2607 , HF2027 , HF2608

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: financial institutions, insurance regulation, insurance holding company, group capital calculation, liquidity stress test, NAIC, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, insurer solvency, affiliate transactions, groupwide supervision, internationally active insurance group, lead state commissioner, policyholder protection, hazardous financial condition, deposit or bond, contract for deed, conventional loan, cooperative apartment loan, mortgage interest rate cap, average prime offer rate

Transcript Highlights:

• Good commercial. I've done it a couple ways now.
• Good commercial. I've done it a couple ways now.

Summary: The Senate Health and Welfare Committee convened with a silent roll call and welcomed a new committee secretary, Madison Cray, who briefly introduced her background in administrative work at the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses and her Idaho roots. The committee also welcomed two pages, Finn Meekam of Eagle High School and Cooper Smith of Nampa, who each introduced themselves and answered a few light questions from senators about their interests, future plans, and travel experiences. Senator Birke then gave an update on the committee’s upcoming administrative rules review, noting that Madison and the pages had prepared organized binders, a binder key, a spreadsheet showing the first week’s docket and chapters to review, and an agency contact list. He said the committee would begin reviewing rules the week of the 19th and encouraged members to use the materials and contact agencies with questions. The chair also referenced the Department of Health and Welfare’s most current “facts, figures, and trends” document as a resource for upcoming work. Members were told that if any administrative rule needed more time or additional information, the committee could delay action rather than vote immediately. No bills were heard and no votes were taken; the meeting ended with a reminder for members to discuss any proposed legislation with the chair in advance, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, what 529 does, it doesn't change building codes.
• So, what 529 does, it doesn't change building codes.
• It itself doesn't change building codes.
• It does not weaken our building codes.
• The parents year of birth and zip code.

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I know some states do actually have, I think, a uniform teachers contract or, um, a uniform pay scale
• uh teachers contract or um uh uniform uh teachers contract or um uh pay<05:06:07.160><c> scale</c><05
• </c><05:11:36.520><c> a</c> that that that would depart from a that that that would depart from a uniform
• <05:11:37.440><c> one-size</c><05:11:38.080><c> fits-all</c><05:11:38.840><c> payoff</c> uniform one-size
• fits-all payoff uniform one-size fits-all payoff type<05:11:40.280><c> of</c><05:11:40.760><c> um</c

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee met in executive session and first took up HB 193, which clarifies that dual and concurrent enrollment courses may not exceed four credits. Members said the bill came from the community college system and was intended to preserve the program’s high school-to-college pathway. An amendment changing the effective date to passage was adopted 18-0, and the committee then voted 18-0 to recommend OTPA on the bill as amended, with the bill placed on the consent calendar. The committee then retained HB 295 and HB 366, both related to school building aid, after members said the issues were complex and needed more work. Both motions to retain passed 18-0, leaving the bills in committee without reports. The chair also said HB 354 would not be taken up that day because of possible changes from the Department of Education and others. HB 494, funding the math learning communities program, was then amended to flat-fund the program rather than increase it, with members citing budget uncertainty. The amendment passed unanimously, and the committee then voted 18-0 for OTPA on the bill as amended, placing it on consent. Finally, HB 515, which would repeal charter public school eligibility for state school building aid, drew debate over whether charter schools should be treated differently from traditional public schools. The committee voted 10-8 for inexpedient to legislate, sending the bill to the regular calendar; Representative Damon was assigned the minority report and Representative Popovic the majority report. The committee then began HB 716, an appropriation for the dual and concurrent enrollment program, where members discussed flat-funding the program at $2.5 million per year and the potential impact on course availability, but the transcript cuts off before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• These requirements came from the Welfare and Institutions Code and when Proposition 1 passed, which established
• ...services in a manner that is not clinically supported, and also our health care payers, both commercial
• Making this benefit optional creates a patchwork system where access to care depends on your zip code
• undermines the very crisis continuum the state has been... ...where access to care depends on your zip code

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations from the Department of State Hospitals (DSH), the Commission for Behavioral Health, and the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) on budget proposals and implementation updates. DSH outlined its proposed 2026-27 budget, including funding for patient operating expenses, IST solutions savings, conditional release program costs, LPS bed allocation changes, electrical infrastructure projects at Napa and Patton, SB 380 transitional housing feasibility work, and expanded dental services at Metropolitan and Patton. DSH also reported that it has met court-ordered IST treatment benchmarks in the Stiavedi v. Clinton case, with average time to initiate treatment down to about five days and pending placements reduced to roughly 250, while noting that Proposition 36 could increase referrals and SB 1323 may divert some individuals earlier into community-based treatment. Members asked about rising outside hospitalization costs, Medicare enrollment, the timing and structure of capital projects, and whether IST solution funds are being fully used; DSH said the savings reflect slower-than-expected ramp-up of community programs and that the Central California FACT replacement program is still on track for January 2027 activation. The Commission for Behavioral Health described its role under the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA), including data, evaluation, grantmaking, technical assistance, and transparency work. It highlighted the new statewide Innovation Partnership Fund, a five-year, $20 million-per-year program with small and large grant categories; the first RFA drew strong interest, with more than 400 questions and over 1,000 bidders’ conference participants. The Commission also discussed a proposed extension to spend down about $4.1 million remaining for the Alcove Youth Drop-in Center grants so sites can finish implementation and Stanford can complete the final evaluation. Members asked about grant duration, whether projects can be renewed, what qualifies as innovation, and whether the fund could support service delivery rather than awareness campaigns or training; the Commission said awards are expected to be three-year contracts and that proposals must be new or meaningfully expanded approaches that support BHSA priority populations. DHCS reviewed major behavioral health changes under CalAIM and BH Connect, including peer support, mobile crisis, contingency management, traditional health care practices for tribal members, updated specialty mental health access criteria, and new substance use treatment standards based on ASAM’s fourth edition. DHCS reported strong contingency management results, with more than 13,000 members served and 95% testing negative for stimulant use during treatment, and said 21 Indian health care providers have been approved to offer traditional health care practices. It also described BH Connect initiatives such as the $1.9 billion access reform and outcomes incentive program, workforce investments, evidence-based practice expansion, IMD participation by four counties, and transitional rent services. On BHSA implementation, DHCS said it is not tracking individual county contract cuts but is monitoring county plans and statewide outcomes, while stakeholders raised concerns about local prevention and service gaps. DHCS also outlined its H.R. 1 implementation strategy, including outreach, streamlined renewals, exemptions for disabled, substance use, and medically frail individuals, and proposed clinic navigator and outreach funding; it said it has not yet produced a focused estimate of H.R. 1 impacts on behavioral health populations. The discussion ended with DHCS noting that B-CHIP bond funding has supported 437 infrastructure projects, creating 546 new or expanded facilities and more than 9,500 residential beds across the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are many residential subdivisions as well as commercial... ...and warehousing that has gone up
• We were given a phone number to call with the area code.
• map; it's a message, and the message we need to send to every community, regardless of state or zip code
• They gave us a phone number with the area code for San Antonio.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• with restrictive incomes and people who want to be entrepreneurs that can't afford that initial commercial
• with restrictive incomes and people who want to be entrepreneurs that can't afford that initial commercial
• </c><00:49:21.920><c> initial</c> that can't afford that initial that can't afford that initial commercial
• This is an excellent commercial kitchen.
• </c><00:53:01.920><c> fertilizer</c> which was about commercial fertilizer which was about commercial

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors, and we are the state's largest commercial
• </c><00:46:24.960><c> and</c><00:46:25.440><c> and</c> state's largest um, commercial and and state's
• Our members predominantly perform HVAC in the commercial space, installing, maintaining, and repairing
• </c><00:54:13.559><c> space,</c> perform HVAC in the commercial space, perform HVAC in the commercial
• building and maintaining Minnesota's infrastructure, including roads and bridges, residential and commercial

Committee: Senate Capital Investment

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I got a kind of a related question, but not— But not how much did commercial property tax go up this
• know, x% this year, it's going to be hard to tell if we don't understand some other aspects of commercial
• 43.840><c> and</c><00:28:44.159><c> why</c><00:28:44.320><c> it's</c><00:28:44.559><c> doing</c> commercial
• business and why it's doing commercial business and why it's doing what<00:28:44.960><c> it's</c><00
• I think you're referring to the Wyoming historical total commercial property assessed values.

Committee: Joint Revenue

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is this going to apply to residential and commercial or just residential?
• Is this going to apply to residential and commercial or just residential?
• And so. and commercial or just residential?
• I agree with the sliding scale and all that, but I'm concerned about the commercial.
• My question about commercial is that $50,000 for a commercial might not be enough.

Summary: The committee met on April 15 at 5:13 p.m. with a quorum present and took up several local and municipal bills out of order to accommodate members’ travel. HB 87, which would increase the per diem for the Livingston Parish Gas Utility District No. 1 board, was presented as a local bill with no opposition and was reported favorably without objection. HB 481, dealing with the cost of publishing official proceedings and public notices, drew extensive testimony from the Louisiana Press Association, the Police Jury Association, and committee members. Supporters said a prior agreement intended a 15% to 20% reduction in notice costs, but a calculation error would instead produce roughly a 40% reduction, threatening small newspapers; opponents questioned the process and impact on local governments. The committee ultimately voted 10-5 to send HB 481 to the floor, with members urging further negotiation and possible amendment. HB 573, a major New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board governance bill by Rep. Hilferty, was amended in committee and then supported by Mayor Helena Moreno and several council members as a way to shift more oversight and accountability to the New Orleans City Council. Supporters argued the current structure diffuses responsibility and that local elected officials need more direct authority over operations, contracts, and transparency. Dr. Tracy Washington of the Louisiana Justice Institute opposed the bill, warning that transferring control could worsen financial strain, blur accountability, and raise equity and human-rights concerns for vulnerable residents. Despite the opposition, the committee voted to report HB 573 favorably to the floor. The committee also advanced HB 162, allowing the Jefferson Place/Bocage crime prevention and improvement district to impose a fee after local approval, and HB 368, which raises penalties for unauthorized demolition in New Orleans historic districts to the greater of $50,000 or 15% of assessed value. Both were reported favorably after brief discussion. HB 441, a cleanup bill clarifying that New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board employees remain in city civil service rather than state civil service, was also sent to the floor without objection. Finally, HB 257, concerning the powers and duties of the police chief of the city of Central, was amended to require consultation with the city attorney before discipline or dismissal and to delay effectiveness until January 1, 2027; after debate over due process and the chief’s authority, the committee voted to report it favorably.