Transcript Highlights:

• And Natural Resources Committee.
• Lily Smith, staff to this committee.
• We don't allow props in committee.
• Committee report form.
• The motion before the committee is the proposed substitute House Bill 2544 be reported out of committee

Bills: HB2598 , HB2620 , HB2104 , HB2348 , HB2544 , HB2554 , HJM4009

Committee: House Agriculture & Natural Resources

Keywords: anadromous fish, environmental conservation, state coordination, wildlife recovery, fisheries management, forest management, natural resources, collaboration, forest practices, sustainability, aviation, wildland fires, funding, disaster relief, emergency response, timber sales, land sales, process efficiency, legislation, department language

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the State Government and Tribal Relations Committee.
• House Bill 2435 would create the Legislative Office on Indian Affairs as an agency of the legislative
• legislative staff.
• House Bill 2435 would create the Legislative Office on Indian Affairs as an agency of the legislative
• legislative staff.

Summary: The committee heard several bill presentations and took executive action on three measures. House Bill 2249 would remove a civil service exemption for Washington Technology Solutions cybersecurity employees, allowing those workers to be covered by state civil service law; the prime sponsor and a Washington Federation of State Employees representative said the bill would correct an unintended statutory discrepancy and let similarly classified IT security staff organize like counterparts in other agencies. House Bill 2475 would direct the Office of Equity to develop uniform language-access guidelines for state agencies and address interpreter and translator shortages; supporters from the Latino Community Fund, WFSE, and the Office of Equity said the bill would improve access to public services for limited-English-proficiency residents. House Bill 2237 would require deputy state fire marshal salaries to be competitive with comparable local fire agencies and direct a report on whether the State Fire Marshal’s Office should be made independent of the State Patrol; supporters said current pay is too low and hurts recruitment and retention. House Bill 2408 was described as a cleanup bill removing expired provisions and obsolete references to the Department of Personnel and other outdated statutes, and OFM supported it. In executive session, the committee adopted amendments and reported out three bills. Substitute House Bill 2281, concerning tribal traditional cultural places and consultation, was amended to narrow consultation scope, remove a reference to “contemporary” lands, and add a three-year statute of limitations; a proposed amendment to remove the cause of action was rejected, and the bill passed 4-3. House Bill 2309, which limits OFM from treating a postgraduate degree as the only way to show qualifications unless required by law, was reported out unanimously. House Bill 2244, a Sunshine Committee cleanup bill on ethics and public disclosure, was amended to restore exemptions for certain donor records and driver case records and then passed unanimously. The committee also heard House Bill 2352, which would lower the ownership threshold for state ethics conflicts from 10% to 1% to align state law with municipal ethics rules. Representative Paulette argued the current 10% standard is too lax and weakens public trust, but no vote was taken on the bill during the meeting. The hearing on House Bill 2435, which would create a Legislative Office on Indian Affairs to provide training and resources for legislators and staff on tribal affairs, featured strong support from Representative Lekanoff, who said it would strengthen the legislature’s government-to-government relationship with tribes. The committee then recessed and later adjourned after completing the remaining hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:01:11.880><c> I</c> bill to come before the committee I bill to come before the committee I would
• </c> it's worked I sit on the legislative it's worked I sit on the legislative audit<00:04:33.919><c>
• Chair, members of the committee.
• Chair, members of the committee.
• Chair, members of the committee.

Bills: HF1 , HF2

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• I also reviewed certain fiscal impact reports published by the Legislative Finance Committee and certain
• I also reviewed certain fiscal impact reports published by the Legislative Finance Committee and certain
• I also reviewed certain fiscal impact reports published by the Legislative Finance Committee and certain
• Members initially found it difficult to concentrate on legislation and committee work as they sought
• Although Pam's presentation indicated that this committee used to endorse legislation.

Summary: The committee’s final day focused first on a historical overview of New Mexico tax packages by Pam Stokes of Legislative Council Services. She described how tax packages have alternated over the decades between tax relief, revenue raising, and tax reform, with examples ranging from the creation of the gross receipts tax in 1966 to major packages in 1981, 1986, 1991, 1994, 2005, 2019, 2022, 2024, and the vetoed 2025 package. Members discussed how tax policy often tracks revenue conditions, how packages can combine increases and decreases, and how local government gross receipts taxes and hold-harmless distributions have affected communities differently. Several members reflected on past packages, especially the 2004 food tax repeal and the 2013 film tax and manufacturing changes, and noted that tax policy can have major economic and political effects even when it is not “sexy” legislation. The committee then heard a proposal to expand the health care practitioner gross receipts tax deduction to include co-insurance, and to extend the sunset date. Sponsor Senator Figueroa said the bill was intended to help recruit and retain medical providers and build on prior deductions for co-pays and deductibles. Testimony explained that co-insurance is the patient’s share after the deductible, that providers currently absorb the gross receipts tax on those payments, and that the proposal would cost about $30 million to the state plus about $20 million to municipalities and counties, with the exact fiscal impact likely to be updated. Members raised concerns about the effect on local governments, whether insurers could be required to reimburse providers, whether the bill would actually attract doctors, and whether better evaluation measures and sunsets should be added. The sponsor said the bill was part of a broader set of efforts to address provider shortages and that the discussion would continue. Representative McQueen then presented a bill to update the Land Conservation Incentives Act. He and conservation partners said the program has protected more than 500,000 acres but has not kept pace with rising land values, especially for irrigated agricultural land in the Middle Rio Grande. The proposal would increase the percentage of conservation value eligible for the credit, raise the per-transaction cap from $250,000 to $2 million, and make the credit refundable rather than only transferable. Testimony emphasized that the program is voluntary, keeps land in private ownership and production, and helps land-rich, cash-poor landowners preserve farmland and water rights. Members asked about average credit amounts, how easements work, whether landowners could effectively buy land and then use the credit, and whether there should be inflation indexing or a statewide cap. The discussion also touched on water rights, fencing, and the role of conservation easements in protecting agricultural land and compact water deliveries. Finally, Senator Sharer previewed his 2% tax proposal with a historical presentation on New Mexico tax law, using props to illustrate the evolution from early territorial tax codes to the modern tax system. He argued that the state’s current tax structure is overly complex and that recent federal changes have disrupted the personal income tax base. The committee did not take any votes on the day’s presentations; the meeting was primarily informational, with members offering feedback and raising policy concerns for future sessions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee, any debate or discussion on that?
• Good morning, committee.
• I mean, if we want to roll through this piece of legislation. In what committee?
• Piece of legislation in what committee? Representative Rubel.
• Committee, just stay tuned. motion carries. Committee, just stay tuned. I'm sure there'll be more.

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• While chairing that committee, I worked with legislative colleagues to pass a bipartisan TCJA conformity
• Good morning, members of the Joint Committee, Joint Revenue Committee. Thank you.
• Good morning, members of the Joint Committee, Joint Revenue Committee.
• Good morning, members of the Joint Committee, Joint Revenue Committee. Thank you.
• Good morning, members of the Joint Committee, Joint Revenue Committee.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Revenue

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue, chaired by Senator James Eldridge and Representative Adrian Madaro, opened its hearing with a moment of silence for the late Lowell State Senator Ed Kennedy and reviewed hearing procedures and deadlines. The committee then took testimony on several corporate tax bills, including S. 2033/H. 3110 on offshore tax avoidance, H. 3248 on a manufacturing tax exemption, H. 3057 on a tiered corporate minimum tax, and S. 2041 on a corporate tax haven blacklist, along with a separate business interest deduction bill. No votes were taken during the hearing. Supporters of S. 2033/H. 3110, including labor unions, health care workers, educators, public health advocates, seniors, and several legislators, argued that Massachusetts needs new revenue to offset federal cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, health care, education, and other services. They said the bill would raise roughly $400 million annually by increasing the share of offshore profits included in the state tax base from 5% to 50%, and they framed it as a fairness measure that would require large multinational corporations to pay more while leaving most local businesses and workers unaffected. Testimony emphasized risks to MassHealth, PCA services, adult dental care, hospitals, schools, and public health programs if new revenue is not raised. Opponents, including the Mass Taxpayers Foundation and the Council on State Taxation, argued the proposal is poor tax policy and likely unconstitutional because it would tax foreign-source income without allowing foreign tax credits or a comparable apportionment method. They said Massachusetts should take a broader, coordinated approach to federal tax changes rather than a standalone bill, and warned of litigation risk and possible double taxation. Supporters such as MassBudget and former tax counsel Don Griswold countered that the bill is a reasonable rough-justice approach, consistent with federal and neighboring-state treatment, and that it would primarily affect a small number of very large multinationals. On S. 2041, the Global Business Alliance opposed the proposed tax haven blacklist, while supporting a separate bill allowing business interest deductibility.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am a health and human services analyst for the Legislative Finance Committee. Great to see you.
• We'll be dealing with that in the that committee as well, but I think tying it to this committee, I think
• We have had legislation presented.
• I'd like to see how the legislation, um, endorsed by this committee moved through the session and, um
• Thank you, Madam Chairman's Committee, Kelly Clint, Legislative Finance Committee.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• But then empower the legislative committee to work with the legislative liaison to review language and
• Yes, that covers everything that That has been brought up to this point from a legislative committee
• Both the legislative committee needs feedback related to certain changes or whatever it may be.
• We can request individual feedback if, as long as the legislative committee has the power and ability
• Neutral unless and until the legislative liaison or the legislative committee receives further direction

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee.
• Senate Bill 1002, introduced by Senator Soules for the Legislative Education Study Committee, an act
• Senate Bill 107, introduced by Senator Pope for the Legislative Education Study Committee, an act relating
• Senate Bill 113, introduced by Senator Campos for the Legislative Finance Committee, an act relating
• I have a list: Legislative Council, Legislative Finance Committee, Legislative Education Study Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• So we don't have any 3 o'clock committees meeting.
• to the Finance Committee.
• to the Judiciary and Rules Committee.
• 103 by the State Affairs Committee; and Senate Bill 1323 by the State Affairs Committee.
• I'll just briefly go through the legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's time to pass this legislation.
• been chairing this committee.
• Questions that the committee may have? Thank you. Any questions, members of the committee? No?
• I want to thank the chairs and vice chairs of this committee and every one of you who are on this committee
• It is my sincere hope that this committee will consider passing this critical legislation.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills. Representative David Linsky supported HB 3383, which would designate the song “Roadrunner” as the official rock song of Massachusetts, describing its Boston roots and cultural significance. Representative Sean Garberle supported HB 3335 on public access to historical records, arguing that records from state institutions should be released after 75 years and that families and researchers should be able to identify people buried in unmarked graves at former state institutions. Representative Rodney Elliott and Lowell officials supported HB 4138, authorizing easements for a Lowell sewer separation project; they said the project is needed for Clean Water Act compliance, will reduce combined sewer overflows into the Merrimack River, and must proceed quickly to meet SRF and consent-decree timelines. Committee members asked about Article 97, the location and scope of the easement, environmental justice impacts, and minority/small business participation in construction. The committee also heard extensive testimony on Senate 2183 and its House companion, which would elevate the Massachusetts National Guard to a cabinet-level position reporting directly to the Governor. Senators Mike Moore and John Velis, along with the National Guard Association’s Matthew McKenna, argued the change would reduce bureaucracy, improve communication and readiness, and reflect the Guard’s broad domestic and military missions. Velis cited the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home tragedy as an example of a breakdown in communication, while committee members said they wanted more information, including input from the Governor’s office and Guard leadership, before acting. The committee noted the distinction between state-controlled and federalized Guard missions and said it would continue reviewing the issue. Senator Liz Miranda and a large panel of survivors, advocates, and Northeastern law students testified in support of S. 2174 and S. 2177, which would create an office and task force on unsolved homicides, allow families to petition for case review after three years, require written responses, and establish a tip line, database, and dedicated funding. Witnesses described long-standing lack of communication, low clearance rates, and the disproportionate impact on Black and Brown communities. Senator Becca Rausch also testified on S. 2210, extending public records law to the governor and Legislature, and S. 2207, creating stronger information-governance and records-retention standards; she said both would improve transparency and reduce waste. The transcript does not reflect any votes taken during the hearing, though chairs repeatedly indicated support for moving some bills favorably and said the committee would continue reviewing the National Guard proposal.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the committee. the committee.
• </c> piece of legislation. piece of legislation.
• Uh, members of the Appropriations Committee received testimony from the Education Committee and Legislative
• Madam Speaker, the committee has not yet reviewed the Senate proposal of amendment with the Legislative
• </c> legislative day. legislative day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Report of a committee.
• bills are heard and reported out of legislative committees, setting specific procedures for hearings
• rules on how and when bills are heard and reported out of legislative committees, setting specific procedures
• Report of a committee: Committee on Ways and Means.
• Report of a committee. Committee on Ways and Means.

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and several ceremonial items, including introductions of championship Tri-County High School football and boys’ cross-country teams and adoption of a resolution honoring Auburn and the Robert and Esther Goddard Centennial Committee for the 100th anniversary of the first liquid-fueled rocket launch. The chamber then gave final passage to several local bills, including measures authorizing payment by the City of Revere, adjusting Wellesley’s senior property tax deferral income threshold, amending the Hopedinton/Hopkinton town charter regarding library trustees, and other local matters, all of which were passed to be enacted and sent to the Governor. The Senate also suspended Joint Rule 12 to refer House petitions to committees and took up several local bills from the Orders of the Day. These included bills enhancing the powers of the Cotuit Fire District’s Board of Water Commissioners, authorizing the Cotuit Fire District to raise money for the Historical Society of Santuit and Cotuit, further regulating the Salem licensing board, and validating the results of Bourne’s May 20, 2025 annual election. Each was advanced by unanimous consent, read a third time, and passed to be engrossed. A major portion of the session focused on two orders from Senator Friedman requesting advisory opinions from the Supreme Judicial Court on initiative petitions. One concerned a public records proposal that would extend public records law to the General Court and Governor’s office; the other concerned a legislative stipends proposal that would alter internal legislative procedures and compensation rules. Senator Feeney argued the requests were needed to clarify constitutional issues before the Legislature acts on the initiatives, and both orders were adopted. The Senate also received a Ways and Means report on Senate Bill 2720, a bill banning the retail sale of dogs, cats, rabbits, and pet sharks, with a new draft, Senate No. 3014, recommended. The chamber adopted an order placing the bill on the Orders of the Day for second reading on March 19, 2026, with amendments in order, and then adopted a separate order to adjourn until Monday at 11 a.m., dispensing with the printing of a calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to committee. Your name and who you represent. Good morning, Senators, committee.
• Thank you for being in committee. Thank you. Alexis Matron. Welcome to committee.
• Chairman and committee members.
• Welcome to committee. State your name and who you represent. this legislation is about.
• Chairman, members of the committee. Ben Taves, Legislative District 4, Coeur d'Alene area.

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• The Special Committee on Rural Issues will come to order.
• that House Committee substitute.
• Chair, members of the committee.
• Chairman, members of the committee.
• This legislation, it gives someone like me options. this legislation, it gives someone like me options

Committee: House Special Committee on Rural Issues

Transcript Highlights:

• There are no reports of standing committees this morning. Any reports of special committees?
• Committee Substitute for House Bill 381, Finance, amended, and Senate Committee Substitute for Committee
• committee substitute for House Bill number 381 finance amended and Senate committee substitute for committee
• The committee removed the Senate floor amendment exempting required local contributions, which, per legislative
• , different committees, because they know that you want a gas line... ...want different legislators,

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the committee. Thank you.
• Thank you, committee.
• That's the whole purpose of this legislation is to be more closely, the whole purpose of this legislation
• So this is good legislation.”
• So this is good legislation.”

Committee: House State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Representatives, the Legislative Rules Committee shall come to order.
• Chair, and members of the committee.
• We've had some of this legislation go through this committee already.
• That is the piece of legislation that we already had to this committee once.
• That is the piece of legislation that we already had to this committee once.

Summary: The Legislative Rules Committee held a public hearing and then executive session on Senate Bill 1694, along with related Senate Bill 1688, which together would modernize and expand the Missouri Downtown and Rural Economic Stimulus Act (MODESA). Senator Steve Roberts said the bills would increase flexibility for redevelopment projects, broaden financing tools, extend timelines, and expand residential incentives, with no general fund risk. Supporters, including lobbyists for the Cordish Companies, the City of Kansas City, the City of St. Louis, Greater St. Louis Inc., Historic Revitalization for Missouri, and BioSTL/Next Missouri, argued the program has already helped transform downtown Kansas City and St. Louis and could spur major redevelopment such as Ballpark Village, Power & Light, the Millennium Hotel area, the AT&T Tower, and the Railway Exchange Building. They emphasized private investment, local control, and the potential to bring vacant buildings back onto the tax rolls. One witness, the state public advocate, opposed SB 1694, arguing it would create more bureaucracy and political subdivisions, rely on tax abatements and TIF-like tools, and shift costs to taxpayers. Committee members asked questions about the bill’s residential language, the history of MODESA projects, the fiscal note, and whether the incentives could apply to other downtown sites. Supporters clarified that the committee substitute removed a proposed income-tax incentive, reduced some escalators, and retained a voluntary, opt-in structure for cities. The chair also noted that stadiums themselves are excluded, though surrounding areas may qualify. In executive session, the committee adopted a substitute and voted 10-0 to do pass the House Committee Substitute for Senate Substitute for Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bills 1694 and 1688. The committee then voted 8-2 to do pass Senate Substitute Number 2 for Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1586, sponsored by Senator Brown, and 8-0 with two present votes to do pass House Committee Substitute for Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 889, which the chair described as a large cleanup bill removing obsolete statutes. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to begin with a work session from the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee, J-LARC
• I give this example to my legislators.
• Sam Brown, committee staff.
• I kindly ask this committee to consider and pass this important legislation and put it in front of all
• And I'm testifying pro, and I'm urging the committee to pass this out of the committee.

Summary: The committee first received a JLARC work session on the 2025 tax preference performance reviews, covering nine tax preferences and recommending legislative action on eight. JLARC reviewed natural gas transportation fuel preferences, travel agent and tour operator B&O rates, a property tax exemption for nonprofit low-income housing developers, and several shorter reviews including senior center property tax relief, a disabled veteran adapted housing remittance, trade convention nexus treatment, wholesale sales of fertilizer/pesticides/seed, a hazardous substance tax exemption for pesticides stored for out-of-state shipment, and three energy-related preferences for a silicon smelter. JLARC generally recommended continuing preferences that met stated or inferred objectives, modifying some to improve reporting or performance metrics, and allowing the unused silicon smelter preferences to expire. The Citizen Commission endorsed JLARC’s recommendations, and committee members asked a few clarifying questions, including about trends in travel agent/tour operator beneficiaries and the housing exemption’s performance metric and data issues. The committee then heard a work session and public hearing on Senate Bill 5754, which would create a Washington State public bank. A presentation from California public banking advocates and the Bank of North Dakota described public banks as government-owned financial institutions intended to keep public funds working locally, support lending for housing, infrastructure, and community development, and partner with community banks and credit unions. Committee questions focused on leverage, liquidity, constitutional issues, and how the model would interact with existing state investment and debt structures. Staff summarized the bill’s structure, including activation conditions, governance, powers, and fiscal impacts, noting the fiscal note was largely indeterminate and startup costs could be significant. Public testimony on SB 5754 was divided. Supporters included statewide elected officials, county and city officials, labor, educators, community advocates, and residents, who argued the bank could lower borrowing costs, improve access to capital, keep public money in Washington, and help finance infrastructure, housing, and disaster resilience. Opponents included community bankers and county treasurers, who warned about risks to safety and liquidity of public funds, questioned the need for a new institution given existing programs, and argued the proposal lacked a proven track record in Washington. The hearing concluded with no vote taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, esteemed committee. I'm Senator Christy Zito, and I represent Legislative District 8. Mr.
• Welcome to committee. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and committee.
• So, committee, I will stand for any questions, but respectfully ask the committee to send this bill to
• Welcome to committee, or that side of the committee, I should say. Thank you, Mr.
• Committee, is there anything else? Pretty subdued committee this morning, but... ...anything else?

Committee: Senate State Affairs