Transcript Highlights:

• But based on the lengthy history of this officer, which wasn't just minor types of offenses in his file
• In statute, we're part of law enforcement, and there's a game out there.
• I even furthermore beg, based on the testimony that I heard today, to speak with the chiefs and figure
• Because the person that reported it had, based on what I knew, some type of vendetta, and they went after
• Because the person that reported it had a, based on what I knew, had some type of vendetta, and they

Summary: The Government Operations Subcommittee heard three bills. HB 1479, by Rep. Baker, created a public records exemption for lethality assessment forms and the victims’ answers under the domestic violence lethality assessment law. The sponsor said the goal was to protect victims and keep the form consistent statewide; a question was raised about whether other agencies such as DCF could access the information. The only public testimony was in support, and the bill passed 17-0 and was reported favorably. The committee then took up HB 317, by Rep. Fabricio, which would require complaints against law enforcement and correctional officers to be written and sworn, require officers to receive the complaint and supporting evidence before interrogation or discipline, and keep unfounded investigations out of personnel files and from being used for promotions or commendations. Supporters, including the Fraternal Order of Police and a state corrections PBA representative, argued the bill would protect officers from frivolous or retaliatory complaints. Opponents, including the Florida Police Chiefs Association and the Florida Sheriffs Association, warned it would undermine transparency, early warning systems, accreditation, and accountability, and could discourage legitimate anonymous complaints. Several members debated the balance between officer due process and victim protection; the bill passed 11-6 and was reported favorably. Finally, the committee heard HB 961, a Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles measure presented by Judge Maney. A strike-all amendment replaced the original language with a package aimed at improving customer service and efficiency in driver and vehicle services, including online title and registration requests, longer renewal periods for certain permanently handicapped persons, and a new misdemeanor offense for selling DHSMV appointment slots. The amendment and the bill as amended were supported by Florida tax collectors, adopted, and the committee passed HB 961 unanimously, 17-0, with a favorable report.

Transcript Highlights:

• Market development is a long game; you can't necessarily get the buyers in one year.
• They're based in London, but they serve clients in over 150 countries.

Committee: House Agricultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Students were assigned to schools based solely on their zip code.
• Game wardens shouldn't be afraid to ticket poachers.

Bills: HB3725 , HB3260 , HB3660 , HB3369 , HB3370 , HB2937 , HB3419 , HB3264 , HB3266 , HB3267 , HB3268 , HB3310 , HB4311 , HB3841 , HB3024 , HB3075

Keywords: labor, e-verification, immigration, employers, employment eligibility, Department of Labor, penalties, funeral licensing, continuing education, Oklahoma Funeral Directors Association, professional development, licensing requirements, HB3660, natural organic reduction, human composting, soil reduction, green burial, funeral services, cremation, burial permit

Transcript Highlights:

• If capital leaves our state, our tax base will shrink, deficits will grow, and the cycle will repeat
• wanted to put it out there that Governor Newsom has not... ...responded to his bet on the Hawks-Niners game

Summary: The House convened for the opening day of the 2026 regular session of the 69th Legislature with roll call, the Pledge of Allegiance, the national anthem, a prayer, and a tribal welcome from Squaxin Island Tribe member Chris Peters and other tribal leaders. Justice Mary Yu administered the oath of office to Representatives Hall, Obras, Thomas, Salahuddin, and Zahn. The Speaker also recognized the service of Justice Yu, the late Senator Bill Ramos, the late Speaker Emeritus Frank Chopp, and Trooper Tara Marissa Gooding. The Speaker and Republican leader Stokesbary delivered opening remarks focused on the session’s priorities and challenges, including affordability, taxes, housing, public safety, and the impact of federal policy on Washington. The House adopted several organizational resolutions and motions. House Resolution 4665, notifying the Governor that the House was organized and ready to do business, passed. House Concurrent Resolution 4406, setting the Governor’s address to the Legislature, and House Concurrent Resolution 4407, returning bills and resolutions to the normal process for consideration, both passed. Senate Concurrent Resolution 8407, establishing cutoff dates for the 2026 session, also passed. The House suspended rules to move various measures, referred introduced bills to committees, and approved House Resolution 4667 adopting the permanent House rules. The Speaker announced committee assignment changes, including new appointments for Representatives Engel, Hall, Parshley, and Zahn, and reminded members of pink slip deadlines. A House delegation then reported back from the Governor’s office, saying he welcomed the Legislature and was ready for the session. The House adjourned until the next day, with a pro forma session and the Governor’s State of the State address scheduled for the following morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• If capital leaves our state, our tax base will shrink, deficits will grow, and the cycle will repeat
• to put it out there that Governor Newsom has not responded to his beef and bets on the Hawks-Niners game

Summary: The House convened for the opening day of the 2026 regular session of the 69th Legislature, with 96 members present. The session included the Pledge of Allegiance, the national anthem, a prayer, and a tribal welcome and blessing from Squaxin Island Tribe members, followed by the swearing-in of several representatives by retired Justice Mary Yu. The Speaker also recognized the deaths of Senator Bill Ramos, Speaker Emeritus Frank Chopp, and Trooper Tara Marissa Gooding with a moment of silence. In opening remarks, the Speaker emphasized the impacts of federal actions on Washington, including tariffs, H.R. 1, health care costs, Medicaid and food assistance losses, climate and clean energy funding threats, immigration and civil rights concerns, and the need to protect food, health, shelter, and affordability. Representative Stokesbary responded for House Republicans, focusing on Washington’s high cost of living, opposing an income tax, and urging action on affordability, housing, and crime. Both sides framed the session as a difficult but important period for budget and policy decisions. The House adopted House Resolution 4665 to notify the governor that it was organized and ready for business, and adopted House Concurrent Resolutions 4406 and 4407 to receive the governor’s address and establish the session’s cutoff dates. The chamber also adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 8407, adopted permanent House rules, and approved several committee reassignments and appointments. A House delegation then reported back from a visit with Governor Ferguson, and the House adjourned until the next day, when it was scheduled to meet in pro forma session before the joint session for the governor’s State of the State address.

Transcript Highlights:

• Utilities will bring in maybe a dozen, 14, 15 witnesses, and we tend to cover all those bases with about
• Like, all right, we're going to bring our A game. And I hope you bring yours.

Summary: The joint committee met with a quorum present and first received an overview of its jurisdiction and duties related to appointing the Florida Public Counsel. Staff explained the committee’s authority under joint rules and state law, noted that the current Public Counsel’s term expires February 28, 2025, and that applications for the next four-year term were open with a February 6, 2025 deadline. The committee then heard an extensive update from Public Counsel Walt Truerweiler on the Office of Public Counsel’s work representing utility ratepayers before the Public Service Commission and in appeals. Truerweiler described the office’s caseload and priorities, including electric, gas, water, and wastewater rate cases; storm recovery dockets; cost-recovery clauses; rulemakings; and customer service hearings. He emphasized that the office seeks to challenge unsupported or imprudent costs, find value for customers, and use expert analysis and customer testimony to shape outcomes. He highlighted recent and ongoing matters, including major Duke, TECO, Sunshine water/wastewater, and hurricane recovery proceedings, and said the office had fully litigated four of its last five rate cases, while also achieving a major settlement in Duke that reduced a requested increase and imposed cost controls on solar projects. Members praised the office’s work and asked about the benefits of settlements, staffing and compensation, and how the office decides when to fully intervene versus provide guidance or monitor a case. Truerweiler said settlements can create predictability, reduce uncertainty and expense, and produce tangible value for both customers and utilities. He also acknowledged recruitment challenges, including lower pay than comparable agencies and difficulty attracting attorneys who do not want in-person litigation work. The committee took no substantive action beyond receiving the presentations, and adjourned after a motion was adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> and healthy property tax base and healthy property tax base per<00:08:39.320><c> student</c> per
• </c> sound property tax base. sound property tax base.
• How to transition a charter base to charter base governance could increase the local district flexibility
• How to transition a charter base to charter base governance could increase the local district flexibility
• </c><01:21:25.600><c> on</c> Reports of abuse or neglect based on Reports of abuse or neglect based on

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• This was based on a cash flow projection and what we anticipate needing for LIHTC programs, for Tier
• on a projection a cash flow based on a projection a cash flow projection<00:15:36.000><c> and</c><00
• I'm also seeing, based on your numbers, that as of last year, 2024, you had $519 million cash in the
• We're talking about smaller projects, so possibly 90 units total based on this.
• That's not in your base? It is? That's operating? No? Yeah, I'm asking for...

Transcript Highlights:

• Meyer said he based that on his background coming from a Colorado cooperative.
• that upon actually my um I I based that upon actually my background<00:14:32.480><c> from</c><00:14:
• My name is Casey Cree, co-founder of Everite Solar, based in Brooklyn Park and Savage.
• </c><00:53:13.640><c> in</c> co-founder of everite solar based in co-founder of everite solar based in
• We're based in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

Bills: HF845

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Keywords: net metering, distributed generation, solar energy, rooftop solar, renewable energy, utility rates, electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, public utilities, Public Utilities Commission, net billing, bill credits, cost of service study, standby charge, qualifying facility, energy policy, clean energy, customer generation, interconnection, Minnesota Statutes 216B.164

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not a diagnosis-based system in long-term care.
• This forecast is based on the so-called animation release model.
• Our services are grounded in research and evidence-based approaches.
• As part of our case management approach, we are able to utilize evidence-based and research-based interventions
• They don't have statutory ruleouts, which are crime-based.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on the effects of H.R. 1 on Washington’s Medicaid, developmental disability, long-term care, and food assistance systems, followed by a separate discussion of juvenile rehabilitation caseloads and placement capacity. DSHS officials said HR1 could affect home equity rules, immigration-related eligibility, work requirements for some expansion-population enrollees, and provider taxes, while also creating a future opportunity for a new 1915(c) waiver. Advocates and providers warned that any state response that cuts home and community-based services would worsen already thin provider networks, increase waiting lists, push more people into hospitals or out-of-state placements, and strain families and workers. A pediatric behavioral health expert and a supported living provider said Medicaid reimbursement is already too low and further reductions would threaten outpatient, residential, and inpatient services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and severe behavioral needs. The committee then turned to SNAP and the state food assistance program. DSHS said HR1 would tighten work requirements and exemptions, end some immigrant eligibility for the federal program, eliminate the SNAP education program, raise state administrative costs, and eventually require Washington to share in benefit costs based on its error rate. Officials estimated large numbers of residents could lose or see reduced benefits, with significant added state costs. Anti-hunger advocates, a food bank director, and a SNAP recipient described the program as essential for low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities, and said the changes would increase paperwork, reduce benefits, and worsen food insecurity while also harming local food economies. Testimony emphasized that food banks cannot replace SNAP and that work requirements may be difficult to meet for caregivers, people with disabilities, and those facing child care or transportation barriers. In the juvenile justice portion, the Caseload Forecast Council presented the JR forecast, which is currently mostly flat through the end of the biennium but expected to grow modestly over the longer term. Members discussed how policy choices, including the 2019 JR-25 law, have increased lengths of stay for adult-sentenced youth in JR, while diversion and other reforms have affected regular JR trends. A court researcher explained the data available to help forecast admissions and noted ongoing efforts to improve data sharing with JR, AOC, and county systems, though staffing and system-lag issues limit how quickly data can be produced. Juvenile court administrators and DCYF officials described the community-based juvenile justice continuum, rising complexity in the JR population, overcrowding at Green Hill and placement constraints at Echo Glen and Harbor Heights, and the need for more flexible community transition and mental health capacity. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Actually, the genesis of this bill came from Bibb County when I was sitting in a junior high football game
• 54.799><c> football</c> was sitting in a junior high football was sitting in a junior high football game
• 57.759><c> was</c><00:01:58.000><c> sitting</c><00:01:58.320><c> below</c><00:01:58.640><c> me,</c> game
• and uh a guy was sitting below me, game and uh a guy was sitting below me, April,<00:02:00.479><c> vaping

Bills: SB9 , SB90 , SB82 , SB84 , SB9 , SB90 , SB82 , SB84

Committee: Senate Healthcare

Keywords: Alabama Athletic Commission, Attorney General, criminal penalties, unarmed combat, regulation, boxing, mixed martial arts, civil fines, Green County, racing, pari-mutuel wagering, gaming regulations, commission appointments, historical horse racing, local tax, SB82, warrant recall, outstanding warrants, stale warrants, misdemeanor warrants

Transcript Highlights:

• on some advice from Ed Minnesota, based on some advice from Ed Minnesota, but<00:31:55.920><c> I</c>
• It could be an H-1B or F-1 or marriage-based family status.
• We believe the bill before you based on the work group efforts does that.
• </c><01:17:55.840><c> on</c> We believe the bill before you based on We believe the bill before you based
• </c> Again, based on those assumptions, and then option three.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:13:23.959><c> on</c> housing and what you can see is based on housing and what you can see is
• based on the<00:13:24.240><c> goal</c><00:13:24.680><c> we</c><00:13:25.120><c> hit</c><00:13:26.160
• </c><01:13:27.719><c> on</c> already made an impact in fact based on already made an impact in fact based
• based on parcel specific conditions<01:15:59.159><c> this</c><01:15:59.320><c> bill</c><01:16:00.000
• We're a city of 95% residential and 5% commercial tax base. Losing any commercial is a big deal.

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• So I just want to be very clear, this is not the end game.
• Based on priorities and availability. Okay, great. Thank you.
• So each year, based on per capita, we get a certain amount of resources to allocate.
• We are a cloud-based filing system.
• We used 5% as the assumption for increased cost based on what we've seen from our prior experience.

Summary: The subcommittee heard an extensive presentation on the administration’s housing reorganization proposal, which would centralize multifamily affordable housing finance under the new Housing Development and Finance Committee (HDFC) and align it with the Governor’s trailer bill language. Administration officials said the plan is intended to create a one-stop application and award process, reduce duplicative timelines and costs, and pair state subsidy with private activity bonds and federal tax credits more efficiently. They also described proposed changes to the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program, including shifting a larger share of funding toward housing-related awards while preserving a portion for sustainable communities investments. The Legislative Analyst’s Office generally supported the streamlining concept but recommended changes to the proposed bond set-aside timing and urged flexibility for integrated applications and future reporting on demand. Senators, especially Senator Cabaldon, raised concerns that the proposal could weaken the original climate-and-transportation purpose of the sustainable communities program and that the reorganization would be undercut by the lack of new housing production funding in the budget. The item was held open without a vote. The committee then received a report from the California Debt Limit Allocation Committee and the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee on federal and state housing tax credits. Staff explained that the federal H.R. 1 change lowering the bond-financing threshold from 50% to 25% greatly expanded the number of projects able to use the 4% federal tax credit, allowing California to fund many more projects and units. They also described the state low-income housing tax credit as an important gap-filling tool for projects that still need additional subsidy, and noted existing set-asides for rural, homeless, at-risk, and extremely low-income projects. Members discussed rehabilitation as well as new construction, and the item was informational only. Finally, the Civil Rights Department reported on the effects of federal civil rights policy changes and on three programs facing expiration: California vs. Hate, the Community Conflict Resolution Unit, and Investigations and Conciliation Enhancement. Director Kevin Kish said federal cuts and policy shifts have reduced support for fair housing and other civil rights functions, while CRD’s caseload has grown from about 8,700 open matters a year ago to more than 12,000, with a six-month wait for interviews despite overtime triage efforts. Senators expressed strong support for continuing the programs and concern about the broader federal rollback of civil rights enforcement. The department said it is using overtime, intake triage, and outreach partnerships to manage the workload and direct Californians to appropriate state, local, and nonprofit resources.

Transcript Highlights:

• If we end up being off, um, basing those off of the Senate hearing times, then we'll adapt.
• Will anybody lose their job based on this change of description? >> I'm not sure.
• </c> outside of um outside my knowledge base outside of um outside my knowledge base to<03:43:36.399>
• With respect to current evidence-based.
• </c><04:16:46.560><c> lensure</c> educational and state-based lensure educational and state-based lensure

Committee: House Executive Departments and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• In the fall, we did move some numbers around based off of what our needs were and what we foresaw as
• </c><01:56:58.400><c> on</c> so it appears at least to me based on so it appears at least to me based
• And that was based on this, and, um, I do remember, I think, Chairman, were you...
• </c> 35 additional staff and that was based 35 additional staff and that was based on<02:11:44.639><c
• Court yes so our case count is based on Court yes so our case count is based on docket<02:42:12.960><

Summary: The committee heard testimony from Insurance Commissioner DJ Bettencourt on the New Hampshire Insurance Department budget. He said the department is self-funded through assessments on insurers based on New Hampshire premium volume, with about $8 billion in premiums written in the state and a department budget of roughly $15.5 million. He explained that the department has 88 authorized positions, eight vacancies, and that three full-time positions were unfunded after the governor’s requested 4% reduction exercise. He also said the department is trying to balance staffing needs with not overburdening carriers during a hard insurance market. A major topic was the department’s $2.6 million rebate to industry from the prior fiscal year, which Bettencourt described as a credit against the next assessment rather than a direct cash payment. Members questioned why that credit was not reflected as a reduction in the upcoming budget, and Bettencourt and staff explained that the budget assumes full staffing and full spending, with any year-end surplus returned to insurers. The commissioner said the department had added staff in recent years for succession planning and to preserve institutional expertise, and that the rebate reflects careful budgeting rather than excess spending. Members also asked about staffing changes by division, including positions unfunded in fraud, property and casualty examinations, life and health examinations, and tax. Bettencourt said fraud investigations remain strong and that the department can use outside contractors for examinations, with those costs billed to the company being examined. He also described the department’s examination process, including periodic financial exams and targeted market conduct reviews triggered by consumer complaints or trends. Additional questions covered OIT transfers, the department’s oversight of fully insured health coverage, the insurance premium tax and fines going to the general fund, and the department’s limited role in auto repair reimbursement disputes, where he said complaints have recently declined.

Transcript Highlights:

• Out to school districts and charter schools based on the public school funding formula, which we'll talk
• Our schools are funded based on U.S. funding, either what you have included in statute.
• statute that govern how that money is used in certain ways, or the way that money is pushed out is based
• upon these factors, based on these categoricals.
• So this is where you'll see things around literacy, math, CTE, work-based learning.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so each of those may have a different taxpayer base.
• Based on the testimony that you'll hear from others today, we appreciate that the bill ensures federally
• Data center projects support high-skilled electrical work.
• The Washington data center tax exemption is based on longstanding sales tax exemptions...
• So based on the fiscal note and just the percentage of, I mean, these are small margin companies, so

Bills: SB5989 , SB5898 , SB6240 , SB6244 , SB6231 , SB6228 , SB6220

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: aircraft fuel tax, tax revenue distribution, aviation funding, transportation, state revenue, aeronautics, taxation, aircraft fuel, state funding, aviation fuel, hazardous substance tax, air quality, noise mitigation, environmental impact, tax exemption, agriculture, hazardous substances, crop protection, warehousing, data center

Transcript Highlights:

• And so each of those may have a different taxpayer base.
• the code reviser was converting the PPT tax rate to its numeric form, and this fiscal estimate is based
• Data center projects support high-skilled electrical work.
• The Washington data center tax exemption is based on longstanding sales tax...
• So based on the fiscal note and just the percentage of, I mean, these are small margin companies, so

Summary: The committee began with a work session on aircraft fuel taxes, hearing from WSDOT Aviation about the FAA’s aviation fuel tax rules, Washington’s compliance history, and the potential consequences of noncompliance. WSDOT said the state has collected roughly $210 million in aviation fuel taxes since the federal compliance period began, and that FAA has questioned some of the state’s claimed offsets. Members asked about the federal authority behind the rules, who pays the taxes, and whether Boeing is affected. The committee then moved to public hearing on several bills tied to aviation fuel tax revenue. SB 5989 would redirect a small share of state sales and use tax on aircraft fuel to the aeronautics account and require reporting on airport project funding. Supporters, including port, airport, and pilot groups, said it was a measured step toward FAA compliance and airport investment; the bill’s staff summary said it would reduce general fund revenue and increase DOR costs. SB 5898 would redirect hazardous substance, petroleum products, and oil spill-related taxes on aircraft fuel to the aeronautics account. Supporters said it would bring Washington into compliance and help airports, while Ecology, counties, and ports warned it would significantly reduce MTCA and related environmental funding. SB 6240 would create a new noise and air quality mitigation account funded by a portion of hazardous substance tax revenue; airport and aviation groups opposed it as duplicative or noncompliant with FAA rules, while community and environmental advocates from Sea-Tac area cities supported it as a needed mitigation source. The committee also heard SB 6244, which would extend a hazardous substance tax exemption for certain pesticides used in Washington agriculture through 2038. Agricultural and logistics witnesses supported it as important for food security, storage, and competitiveness, and staff said it would have a small revenue loss and administrative cost. SB 6231, a governor-request bill, would repeal the sales tax exemption for data center refurbishments while keeping the exemption for original server equipment; OFM and local government groups supported it as a revenue-raising budget measure, while data center, labor, and business representatives opposed it, warning of lost investment, jobs, and competitiveness. SB 6228 would repeal the preferential B&O rate for prescription drug resellers; OFM supported it as an outdated preference, but pharmacies, wholesalers, and business groups argued the cost would be passed through to pharmacies, hospitals, insurers, and patients and could worsen pharmacy closures. The committee then heard SB 6220, which would narrow and clarify a property tax exemption for nonprofit low-income homeownership property by allowing temporary community use and preserving the exemption when property is transferred to another exempt nonprofit. The sponsor said the bill was intended to let a community land trust host local performances without jeopardizing affordable housing plans. Finally, the committee heard SB 5880, which would allow blood and breath toxicology results to be admissible if tested by ISO/IEC 17025-certified labs, in addition to the state toxicologist process. Seattle’s city attorney supported it as a way to reduce a long toxicology backlog and speed DUI cases, while counties raised concerns about shifting costs to local governments and creating unequal access based on local resources. No votes were taken in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I would like to be a member, and I think based on the listings of the goals of this council, I could
• and fiduciary skills that are effective<01:48:16.880><c> to</c><01:48:17.119><c> oversight</c><01:48
• on the underlying securities and based on the underlying securities and and<01:58:52.159><c> the</c>
• Again, working off from Senator Carson is the base amendment. All right.
• So, rather than Kevin, rather than that, we're going to base this committee amendment on 1494 that I

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration