Transcript Highlights:

• I'm pleased to welcome to the gallery a coalition of gun safety organizations here for their advocacy
• I'm pleased to welcome to the gallery, a coalition of gun safety organizations here for their advocacy
• I know that we did already recognize the gun safety, gun violence prevention organizations, but I just
• President Pro Tem, but a very important group of individuals either were or are in the gallery.
• SB 1452, cargo theft task force — Public Safety.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then recorded 30 members present and approved the prior journal without objection. Several members used personal privilege to welcome guests, including students from Aliento for an annual education day at the Capitol, a coalition of gun safety advocates, constituents visiting individual senators, and a guest shadowing Senator Gobildone. Senators also recognized a visitor from Tempe and a group from the area agencies on aging. The chamber then moved through second reading of a long list of bills and resolutions covering topics such as solar radiation management, veterinary telemedicine prescriptions, pharmacist prescribing standards, public records and digital media copies, health facility complaints, utilities and renewable energy, water and groundwater management, juvenile and criminal justice, school funding and records, insurance licensing, autonomous vehicle safety data, digital currency, county and municipal governance, behavioral health appropriations, and several election, tax, and constitutional measures. Standing committee reports on the calendar were not read and were entered into the journal. Before recess, Senator Ortiz spoke in support of student walkouts across the Valley protesting immigration enforcement, praising the students’ nonviolent activism and describing it as part of a broader civil rights tradition. After recess, the Senate took up first reading and committee referral of additional bills on public benefits eligibility, workforce reporting, tribal consultations, insurance settlements, missing kidnapped children reporting, small modular reactors, firearm safety instruction in schools, election petition cures, housing and HOA issues, public records fees, water quality testing, groundwater withdrawal fees, and cargo theft. The only recorded vote was on adjournment, which passed by voice vote, and the Senate adjourned until Thursday, January 29, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• This amendment clarifies that those who are contracted must be bona fide nonprofit organizations and
• and that they non-profit organizations and that they may<00:11:18.280><c> also</c><00:11:18.720><c>
• It's a product that protects personal property used to secure a loan in the event of theft, accidents
• , accidents, or natural event of theft, accidents, or natural disasters.<00:45:15.480><c> Kentucky's<
• Colleagues, today I rise to recognize an organization that has shaped generations of Kentuckians, the

Transcript Highlights:

• VICE CHAIR, HE ORGANIZED EXPLAIN THE PROPOSED BILL.
• EXEMPTION IS NECESSARY TO PREVENT THE RELEASE OF INFORMATION THAT MAY SUBJECT INDIVIDUALS TO IDENTITY THEFT
• YOU'VE TWO GROUPS HERE.

Transcript Highlights:

• The travel industry encompasses attractions, airlines, airports, arts and entertainment organizations
• I represent 21,000 Texans who are members of my group opposing Daylight Saving Time in Texas. 21,000
• I'm the president of the non-profit organization Safe Standard Time in Arizona.
• Groups that would exempt one another from being possible grand jurors mean our criminal justice system
• So that allows for a lot of problems, such as rampant oil theft that we really can't do anything about

Bills: SB1888 , SB3003 , SB2417 , SB2459 , SB3055 , HB1393 , HB2884 , SB2943

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• This exposes individuals to various forms of exploitation, identity theft, scams, misinformation, and
• This exposes individuals to various forms of exploitation, identity theft, scams, misinformation, and
• a champion of this bill, and who has testified previously on it, experienced stalking and identity theft
• Community leaders and residents have organized to share updates about immigration enforcement activities
• . leaders and residents have organized to share updates about immigration enforcement activities, using

Committee: House Privacy and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• Are they in charge of state funds in some other entity or organization in the state?
• Was there anybody else within the organization, though, overseeing the expenditure of these funds?
• Presented in Exhibit 3 on pages 6 and 7 of the report is a summary organized by judicial district, as
• Of the report is a summary organized by judicial district.
• entities that there's coverage for those thefts from that program.

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING

Summary: The committee first adopted prior minutes and then heard several standing committee audit reports. The executive committee report noted audit and special reports scheduled for the month, one outstanding committee-requested report, and a request to gather information on a possible special report for February. The city/county/local report covered delinquent private water and sewer audits, including reinstatement of turn-back funds for 17 entities, 59 of 64 delinquent 2023 entities filing reports, and action on the town of Daisy requiring repayment of misused street funds. The education report filed three higher education audit reports and deferred one Northwest Arkansas Community College report. The state agencies report filed four reports and deferred audits of the Department of Human Services and the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism for more information on corrective actions. The committee then received a special audit review of the Charles W. Donaldson Scholars Academy at UA Little Rock. Auditors said the program received $10 million in desegregation funding and a $50,000 grant, awarded $1.87 million in scholarships to 379 students, and saw 116 students graduate. The review found many scholarship eligibility exceptions, including awards above the maximum and to students who did not meet GPA, enrollment-hour, or full-time requirements, and numerous disbursement documentation and authorization problems. Committee members sharply questioned the program’s oversight, the role of former staff, the use of funds for travel and cultural activities, and whether any improper spending should be referred for criminal review. UALR representatives said the program was overseen as a sponsored program, that some controls were later strengthened, and that Philander Smith only verified enrollment rather than eligibility. The committee voted to table the report until the next meeting and asked staff to gather the federal court order and additional information. Finally, the committee reviewed the annual report on matters referred to prosecutors and the Attorney General for 2024. Staff said 164 matters were referred, with 28 criminal charges filed, 39 still under review, 3 dismissed, 5 pending in court, and 96 not charged; convictions in 20 cases led to fines, restitution, audit costs, and some bond trust fund payments. Prosecutor representatives explained that many referrals do not become criminal cases because of intent, timing, or other legal limits, and said they generally seek restitution even when charges are not filed. Members asked for more standardized reporting, including whether restitution was recovered and why cases were not prosecuted, and discussed possible training and a checklist for future reports. The committee then voted to file the report and adjourned, with the next meeting set for February 12-13.

Transcript Highlights:

• of faith-based, criminal justice, economic justice, and civil rights organizations.
• There's missed pieces of mail, serious medical conditions, and even identity theft.
• Is there any organized opposition?
• I haven't heard any organized opposition.
• This is a statewide group that focuses on road safety.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Transportation

Summary: The Joint Committee on Transportation held a public hearing on several bills related to driver’s license suspensions, junior operator training, online driver education, and regulation of e-bikes/scooters. A major focus was the Road to Opportunity Act (H. 3662/S. 2368), which would end license suspensions and registration holds for unpaid fines and fees unrelated to road safety, create hardship waivers and payment options, and replace suspension with nonrenewal in some cases. Supporters included the Attorney General’s office, ACLU, CPCS, Greater Boston Legal Services, transportation and anti-poverty advocates, and several affected residents who described job loss, housing instability, and difficulty paying toll and fee debts. They argued the current system punishes poverty, disproportionately affects Black and Latino residents, and is costly to enforce. Some testimony also noted that the bill would preserve suspensions for dangerous driving offenses. District Attorney Marion Ryan testified in favor of two bills: one allowing partial payment plans for certain RMV penalties and another closing a loophole that makes the penalty for violating a hardship license less severe than driving after a full suspension. Senator Sear and Representative Reed also spoke for the Road to Opportunity Act, while the AAG said the Attorney General supports it. Committee members asked about RMV implementation and whether the agency supports payment plans; Ryan said the RMV has been cooperative but believes legislation is needed. No votes were taken during the hearing. The committee also heard testimony on bills affecting young drivers. Senator Lovely and Representative Cruz supported a bill to create a junior operator license training fund, expand access for low- and moderate-income families, require refunds in some cases, and allow earlier passenger privileges. Another bill would make virtual instructor-led driver education permanent; AAA and several driving school owners supported it as an access and convenience measure, while other instructors opposed it, arguing in-person instruction is safer and more effective. Finally, Senator Collins and others testified for a transportation safety bill regulating motorized bicycles, scooters, e-bikes, and mopeds, increasing fines, requiring insurance for commercial use, and requiring public hearings and accessibility review for new bike lanes. Advocates for blind and disabled pedestrians supported that bill, while some transportation and business voices backed it as a safety and planning measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, it always will be other age groups?
• theft details.
• There's a completely different group of detectives.
• </c> theft which might go to our zone theft theft which might go to our zone theft details.<01:45:06.480
• Some might come to group of detectives.

Summary: The committee held an informational briefing on fraud in the community, with presenters from ARP, CoinFlip, HPD, the Hawaii Bankers Association, DCCA’s Office of Consumer Protection, and the Department of Law Enforcement. The chair described widespread scams targeting kupuna and other residents, including impersonation of grandchildren, lottery/inheritance schemes, romance scams, online shopping fraud, investment scams, and tech-support scams. Members emphasized the emotional manipulation used by scammers, the difficulty of getting victims to report losses, and the need to educate the public on warning signs and available resources. ARP said scams are an epidemic and highlighted national data showing major losses among older adults, including $4.8 billion lost by people age 60 and over in 2024. ARP focused especially on cryptocurrency kiosks as a growing scam channel in Hawaii, citing 64 complaints totaling $922,000 in 2024 and noting that complaints nearly doubled from the prior year. ARP urged stronger safeguards such as limits on transactions, refunds, live customer support, and a law-enforcement contact for operators, and said its Fraud Watch Network can help victims freeze credit, identify next steps, and track current scams. The chair said he intends to introduce legislation to lower and ultimately eliminate the amount of Bitcoin that can be purchased through ATMs. CoinFlip said it supports consumer-protection regulation and described its compliance practices, including scam warning screens, anti-money-laundering controls, blockchain analytics, wallet pinning, transaction monitoring, and cooperation with law enforcement. The company said it is registered as a money services business, files suspicious activity and currency transaction reports, and holds money transmitter licenses in many jurisdictions. It also pointed to Illinois-style refund protections for new users and said it refunds fees to scam victims, though not the underlying funds. In response to committee questions, members and the company discussed whether crypto kiosks are necessary, how scams can be traced, and whether banks and kiosks can better intervene when suspicious activity is detected.

Transcript Highlights:

• They should state their name, whether they support or oppose, and their organization.
• We are eligible members of U.S. osteopathic organizations.
• Please state your name, your organization, and whether you support or oppose.
• We've all seen the rise in retail theft and organized crime targeting high-value, easily resold items
• Of course, it's not limited to retail theft, but to individuals' homes as well.

Committee: Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• The USTA is now the largest tennis organization in the world.
• These diagnoses affect Californians in every community, every age group, and every background.
• America, made up of many ethnic groups, each group has a story to tell. Thank you.
• Many ethnic groups, each group has a story to tell, as we celebrated in the API Heritage Month last week
• It was a valued part of the organization for more than three decades.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the committee or the working group. the committee or the working group.
• Again, for our group, for our base, we mostly organize low-wage workers from immigrant and migrant communities
• Again, for our group, for our base, we mostly organize low-wage workers from immigrant and migrant communities
• for our base we mostly for our uh group for our base we mostly organize<01:26:10.320><c> low-wage</c
• </c><02:46:34.960><c> Uh</c> uh working group. Uh uh working group.

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Summary: The committee heard several housing, landlord-tenant, and condominium-related measures. Senate Bill 62, relating to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, would allow HPHA-owned parcels and related areas such as parking lots to be closed to the public with posted signage; HPHA strongly supported the bill, saying it would help reduce loitering, drinking, and other problems, and no further testimony was offered. Senate Bill 822, relating to the landlord tenant code, would create a three-year working group in the Department of the Attorney General to study and improve the residential landlord-tenant code. The Judiciary supported the measure but said the scope should be narrowed; the Attorney General opposed leading the group and suggested another agency should do so; Hawaii Realtors and the Hawaii Worker Center supported the concept and suggested moving the chairmanship to the Judiciary and including Legal Aid participation. The Judiciary said it could chair the group if the bill were narrowed to matters within the court’s purview. Senate Bill 38, relating to housing, would limit counties from imposing stricter conditions, AMI requirements, or fee-waiver reductions on certain affordable housing proposals if those changes would increase project costs. HHFDC supported the bill, saying county changes after state approval create uncertainty for developers, while the Hawaii State Association of Counties opposed it as an intrusion on local authority and a restriction on county safety and infrastructure conditions. Members asked about whether existing county review periods were sufficient, and the county association said the main concern was the bill’s language limiting counties from making cost-increasing conditions. Senate Bill 146, relating to condominiums, would revise alternative dispute resolution procedures for condo disputes, including evaluative mediation and binding arbitration. The Hawaii Real Estate Commission said it took no position overall but supported a $150 mediation fee and asked for a similar arbitration fee; Community Associations Institute supported the bill with suggested amendments; however, most testimony was strongly opposed by condominium owners and advocates, who said the bill had been changed to the detriment of owners and would increase costs and reduce protections. The committee noted 44 testimonies on the bill, with 2 in support, 37 in opposition, and 2 with comments. Senate Bill 253, relating to condominium reserves, would require a detailed budget summary to stand on its own, remove a good-faith defense for certain noncompliant budgets, and clarify standing and the association’s burden regarding substantial compliance. Hawaii Realtors and Community Associations Institute supported the measure as improving transparency and giving owners and buyers a clearer picture of association finances. Greg Msakian also supported it, arguing it would help owners and describing problems he experienced with budget committee exclusion and budget noncompliance in his own association. The discussion ended while testimony on the bill was still underway, with additional witnesses expected.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 29 is by Representative Bagley and concerns payment of group insurance premiums for clerks
• House billed by representative by Gala, payment of group insurance premiums for clerks and employees.
• House Bill by Representative Bagley, premium costs of group hospital insurance for sheriffs and deputy
• House Bill by Representative Turner, District Attorney's Office of the Third Judicial District, group
• purchasing organization, 692.

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:

• We can our disability, our group homes.
• So all of that the it's the same group.
• After the theft or the suspicion of theft occurs and the investigation has to follow, our state agencies
• And like a lot of the parents on the working group do.
• </c> of the parents on the working group do. of the parents on the working group do.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are they in charge of state funds in some other entity or organization in the state?
• Was there anybody else within the organization, though, overseeing the expenditure of these funds?
• And that this was a requirement on the part of, I can't remember the name of the group, but to be able
• Presented in Exhibit 3 on pages 6 and 7 of the report is a summary organized by judicial district.
• entities that there's coverage for those thefts from that program.

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from the prior meeting and then heard several audit-related reports. The executive committee report noted audit and special reports were scheduled for standing committees and the full Legislative Joint Audit Committee, with one requested report still in progress. The City, County, and Local report covered delinquent private water and sewer audits, reinstatement of turnback funds for entities that filed required reports, and action involving the town of Daisy, which was directed to repay misused street funds at 10% of general fund revenue annually. The education and state agencies reports included higher education audits and state agency findings, with some reports filed and others deferred to the February meeting for additional information or corrective-action details. The committee then took up a special audit of the Charles W. Donaldson Scholars Academy at UA Little Rock. Legislative Audit reported that the program, funded with $10 million in desegregation money plus a $50,000 grant, awarded $1.87 million in scholarships to 379 students, with 116 graduates, but found numerous eligibility and disbursement problems, including scholarships to ineligible students, excessive awards, improper documentation, and unclear disposition of some assets. Committee members questioned UALR representatives about oversight, staffing, and whether funds were properly used, and also heard from Philander Smith College about its limited role in verifying enrollment. Members expressed concern about the program’s results and the lack of detail on accountability, and the committee voted to table the report until the next meeting for further review and requested additional information, including the federal court order and more detail on expenditures and oversight. Finally, the committee reviewed the annual disposition report on matters referred to prosecutors and the Attorney General for 2024. Staff said 164 matters were referred, with 28 resulting in criminal charges and convictions, 39 still under review, 96 not charged, and others dismissed or pending; 20 convictions produced fines, restitution, and audit-cost orders, and bond trust fund claims were paid in some cases. Prosecutor Coordinator and Attorney General representatives explained that some referrals do not meet criminal standards, may lack intent, or are otherwise not prosecutable, and members asked for more standardized reporting, clearer explanations of why cases are not charged, and more information on restitution efforts. The committee discussed possible templates, training, and better coordination, then voted to file the report and adjourned, with the next meeting set for February 12, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, totally different organization.
• It's Carl Vinson Strike Group and a Patriot.
• One of the things they're getting is the ability to circumvent sanctions, and that theft is a piece of
• World Trade Organization, and before we allowed them to basically sell whatever they wanted to this country
• Alaska Natives serve at higher rates in the military than any other ethnic group in the country.

Committee: Senate Subcommittee on Personnel

Keywords: Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. military strategy, China military drills, Taiwan, Philippines, North Korea, defense budget, military modernization

Summary: The meeting focused on significant strategic discussions regarding the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and its military posture in the region. Admiral Paparo and General Brunson were commended for their services, with the Chair noting an alarming shift in the balance of power towards China. Key topics included China's aggressive military drills near Taiwan, the increasing coercion against the Philippines, and the need for the U.S. to reaffirm its commitments to its allies in the region. Concerns were raised regarding China's military modernization and its implications for U.S. forces, alongside discussions on North Korea's threats and its burgeoning nuclear capabilities. The committee emphasized the urgent need for military and defense appropriations to counteract these growing security challenges.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> takes or can't afford to get the organic takes or can't afford to get the organic Madagascar<00:
• We have a lot of motor vehicle thefts in an area late at night, things like that.
• We have a lot of motor vehicle thefts in an area late at night, things like that.
• We have a lot of motor vehicle thefts in an area late at night, things like that.
• We have a lot of motor vehicle thefts in an area late at night, things like that.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• They hold campus events with some of these organizations here in the United States, here in Louisiana
• They hold campus events with some of these organizations here in the United States, here in Louisiana
• Foreign source shall mean any of the following: a partnership, association, corporation, organization
• A partnership, association, corporation, organization, or any other combination of persons organized
• So Representative Turner, you've got the whole acronym group here in support.

Committee: House Education

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 399 by Senator Bass, which would create the Louisiana Higher Education Research Security Council to review and potentially block certain gifts, contracts, academic partnerships, and research partnerships involving foreign adversary sources. Bass said the bill is intended to protect university research, intellectual property, and students from foreign influence, and would also require public disclosure of certain foreign-linked arrangements and a plan to eliminate foreign-adversary-linked software. Supporters from State Armor argued Louisiana universities have been vulnerable to Chinese Communist Party influence and intellectual property theft. Representatives from Tulane University and Lenovo raised concerns that the bill could create duplicative review, delay research, raise costs, and sweep in legitimate private or multinational entities; a proposed amendment to exempt entities operating under a CFIUS national security agreement failed 4-8. After debate, the committee moved SB 399 favorably. The committee then considered Senate Bill 310 by Senator Cloud, presented by Representative Carlson, which would require public school and college health centers to display information about pregnancy resources available in Louisiana. Supporters from Louisiana Right to Life said the bill would help connect pregnant students with existing state and private assistance programs, while the ACLU submitted a red card in opposition without speaking. The bill was moved favorably without objection. The committee also advanced House Resolution 171 by Representative Turner, which calls for a study of the workforce-oriented TOPS Tech and M.J. Foster programs, with business and workforce groups supporting the study as a way to measure outcomes and return on investment; it was moved favorably. Next, the committee took up House Bill 1084 by Representative Turner, a tuition autonomy bill for public post-secondary institutions. An amendment was adopted to add a conceptual framework for tuition-setting considerations, but the bill would still remove the existing 10% over two years cap and allow institutions to set tuition more freely. Turner argued universities need more flexibility because state funding has declined and campuses face deferred maintenance and operating pressures. Several members, especially Representative Carlson, warned that higher tuition could reduce access and that the bill did not address broader structural problems in higher education. Despite those concerns, HB 1084 was moved favorably by an 8-3 vote. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 351 by Senator Jackson Andrews, which would let families apply for child care assistance through CCAP once pregnancy is known, rather than waiting until after birth, to help move them up the waiting list. An amendment was adopted to have BESE, rather than the department, handle rulemaking and to allow the House and Senate education committees to approve the implementation process. The bill was then discussed as a way to help parents return to work sooner, and the hearing continued with questions from members.

Transcript Highlights:

• for Medicaid fraud over $100,000 and over $1 million, brings prison time in line with other state theft
• :19:10.720><c> state</c> prison time in line with other state prison time in line with other state theft
• :12.320><c> allows</c><00:19:12.640><c> us</c><00:19:12.799><c> to</c><00:19:13.039><c> better</c> theft
• laws and allows us to better theft laws and allows us to better prosecute<00:19:14.000><c> longunning
• ,</c><00:26:16.080><c> worker</c> by preventing wage theft, worker by preventing wage theft, worker mclassification

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• It is wrong, and it's probably the most brazen theft and plunder of public resources ever proposed in
• It is wrong, and it's probably the most brazen theft and plunder of public resources ever proposed in
• It is wrong, and it's probably the most brazen theft and plunder of public resources ever proposed in
• THERE IS ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE, HOWEVER, WHO WILL RECEIVE SOME RELIEF, THANKS TO THIS BILL.
• They are doubling, tripling, and crowding group monthly premiums.

Bills: HR874 , HB5371 , HR873

Keywords: Richard B. Cheney, Congress, House of Representatives, respect, resolution, continuing resolution, appropriations, fiscal year 2026, omnibus, government funding, federal budget, USDA, Department of Agriculture, FDA, Food and Drug Administration, Veterans Affairs, VA health care, military construction, legislative branch, Congress funding

Transcript Highlights:

• a question to clarify that name or organization.
• And we're asking this group to please, don't pass this bill.
• These organizations are outliers.
• These organizations are outliers.
• I am a community organizer with Roan People's Voice.

Summary: House Finance held a public hearing on Gross Substitute Senate Bill 6346, a proposal to impose a 9.9% tax beginning in 2028 on Washington taxable income over $1 million for individuals, with related rules for residents, nonresidents, pass-through entities, estimated payments, penalties, credits, and revenue distribution. Staff explained that the bill would also fund several tax changes, including an expanded Working Families Tax Credit, sales tax exemptions for grooming and hygiene products, higher small business B&O credits, an early end to the B&O surcharge on very large businesses, and repeal of most retail services sales tax changes from last session. The fiscal note projected about $2.53 billion in additional state revenue in FY 2029 and $3.21 billion in FY 2030, with local revenue losses and significant Department of Revenue implementation costs. The chair also announced concerns about apparent fraud and duplicate records in the public sign-in system and set testimony rules limiting questions and shortening testimony time as the hearing progressed. The prime sponsor, Senator Jamie Peterson, said the bill was intended to make Washington’s tax system less regressive and to raise revenue for schools, health care, higher education, and other public needs while reducing the burden on lower- and middle-income residents. Supporters from labor, education, health care, child care, housing, poverty-reduction, and social service organizations argued that the bill would help fund essential services, expand the Working Families Tax Credit, and improve fairness by asking the wealthiest households to contribute more. Several individual supporters, including business owners and workers, said they were willing to pay more and described the need for better-funded schools, health care, child care, and public defense. Opponents, including former Attorney General Rob McKenna, business groups, construction and real estate representatives, and taxpayer advocates, argued the measure would function as an unconstitutional income tax, would be unstable and likely expanded over time, and would harm small businesses organized as pass-through entities. They said the bill would reduce investment, discourage entrepreneurship, and could drive businesses and high earners out of Washington. Some local government representatives supported the public defense funding but asked for more dedicated revenue and protection against local revenue losses from the bill’s sales tax exemptions. No committee vote or final action was taken during the hearing.