Transcript Highlights:

• small practices out of operation.
• </c> of operation. of operation.
• I received about 20,000 hours of donated labor last year.
• That hours of donated labor last year.
• 48 hours, then anybody can get that regardless of status.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2024, I believe we did about 35,000 hours of community service work to the communities, and those
• work</c><00:15:43.920><c> to</c><00:15:44.160><c> the</c> hours of community service work to the hours
• But I think there's rehabilitative aspects of farming, of forestry, of other types of shops that maybe
• , of um of forestry, of other farming, of um of forestry, of other types<00:39:14.480><c> of</c><00:39
• </c> hour a day. hour a day.

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Are you aware of how it works currently like the operation?
• In contrast, psychiatric nurse practitioners complete a minimum of 500 hours, including just 100 hours
• It is a minimum of 11 years of education after high school followed by minimum of 12,000 clinical hours
• You've heard one of my colleagues say that for psychiatry is it is 15,000 hours of Clinton, a clinical
• However, it is a minimum of 6 years of education, followed by 750 hours on the upper range for clinical

Transcript Highlights:

• think of all of these areas.
• prostitution, without subjecting anyone to the trauma of being defrauded in a prostitution sting operation
• Prostitution sting operation and subjecting anyone to the violence of arrest.
• of corn, and four slices of apple.
• They apply to active undercover operations instead of just undercover operations, with no clarification

Summary: The committee heard several public safety bills and took testimony on each, with members often noting amendments and continuing negotiations. SB 1009 by Senator Becker would require juvenile courts to find that less restrictive alternatives are unsuitable before ordering detention, and would require periodic review of continued detention and consideration of alternatives at disposition. Supporters argued it would reduce unnecessary youth detention and improve transparency; probation, judges, and police groups opposed it as an undue limit on judicial discretion and potentially unsafe in serious cases. The chair said he would recommend an aye with amendments, but the bill was held pending quorum and later remained on call. SB 1130 by Senator Gomez Reyes would update privacy law for wearable recording devices such as smart glasses, requiring consent before recording in places where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy and banning devices or accessories designed to defeat recording indicators. Supporters said the bill addresses secret recording and invasive surveillance; opponents from tech and hospitality groups sought clarification to avoid unintended liability for businesses and exempt workplace communication devices. Members discussed those exemptions, and the chair recommended an aye, but the measure also remained on call. Senator Blake Spear presented SB 99, which would let courts consider military protective orders in domestic violence proceedings and require better communication between civilian law enforcement and military authorities. Supporters from the Department of Defense, local officials, and military representatives said it would close protection gaps for military families; the ACLU opposed it on due process grounds because MPOs are issued without judicial process. The chair and author emphasized that the bill only allows consideration of MPOs and does not require civilian enforcement of them. The bill passed out on a vote, though it remained on call for additional members. The committee also heard SB 937 by Senator Gonzalez, restricting flashbang use for crowd control and banning flashbangs and explosive breaching charges in immigration enforcement, and SB 1022, creating a statewide anti-trafficking task force. SB 937 drew support from civil rights and community groups and opposition from police and sheriffs over the use-of-force standard and limits on tactics; it passed out on a vote but remained on call. SB 1022 was supported by survivor and faith groups and opposed by public defenders and sex worker advocates who raised concerns about racial disparities and enforcement harms; it also passed out on a vote. Later, SB 1395, extending criminal protective orders for certain felony sex offenses against minors up to 20 years, and SB 1230, increasing penalties for repeat illegal dumping, were both heard with mixed testimony and were held on call after committee votes. The committee also adopted a consent calendar and several bills were moved forward with amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• As we wind down, the many hours put in to get here, and the frailty of our bodies tend to make us just
• And the show of the will of the people—agree with all of that. The show of the will of the people.
• of Elections, with the Secretary of State being in charge and the oversight of this, then... ...of state
• You have been battling with this bill for a number of years, and you just operate with so much grace.
• And I also move that the Senate stand in recess for one hour or upon the call of the President.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of introductions recognizing interns, pages, and retiring Senate staff, including Pastor Gary Austin. Leaders also noted ongoing budget talks with the House and said senators would not need to plan on being in Tallahassee the following week. The chamber then moved to third reading and returned messages from the House later in the day. The main floor debate centered on Committee Substitute for House Bill 12.5, the citizen initiative/constitutional amendment bill. Sponsors said the measure was intended to address fraud in the petition process, citing investigations, arrests, pleas, and open cases involving paid circulators and invalid petitions. Opponents argued the bill would make citizen-led amendments far more difficult, expensive, and risky, warning it would chill grassroots participation, burden supervisors of elections, and effectively favor wealthy or corporate-backed efforts. Supporters responded that the bill preserved grassroots petitioning, placed reasonable guardrails on paid circulators and sponsors, and included a provision barring public funds from being used to advocate for or against ballot initiatives. The bill passed 28-10. The Senate also passed several education measures unanimously, including bills tied to Bright Futures, dual enrollment, educator preparation, and broader education policy. Later, the chamber concurred in House amendments on several bills: stem cell therapy legislation clarifying permitted therapies and penalties for improper use of fetal or embryonic tissue; an EKG requirement bill for student athletes with exemptions and partnership options for districts; and a cardiac emergency response bill that renamed the school emergency plan and removed a bill title honoring Rafe McCrone. These measures passed by wide margins, generally 37-0 or 38-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a professor of medicinal chemistry at the College of Pharmacy, University of Florida.
• Unrestricting work hours for minors that are still in school is an unreasonable... ...of workers in our
• So we're going to make children work long hours, and they're going to opt out of minimum wage, and, you
• of it.
• So that has been a concern of law enforcement, a concern of FDLE, and a concern of some of these state's

Committee: Senate Commerce and Tourism

Summary: The committee first took up a committee substitute for SB 752, which would require newspapers and television stations to remove online reports later found to be false or defamatory in certain circumstances, and would change when the statute of limitations begins to run. The sponsor said the bill was intended to address lasting harm from false accusations that remain searchable online. Several speakers opposed the measure, arguing it would chill reporting, punish accurate historical coverage, and create vague legal risks for the press. After debate, the committee reported the bill favorably. The committee then approved CS/SB 846, a bill aimed at preventing immigration service fraud by non-attorneys and misuse of the term "notario." Supporters, including an immigration attorney, said the bill would protect vulnerable immigrants from bad advice and fake legal services. The committee also approved CS/SB 800, which updates battery labeling and recycling requirements to reduce fires caused by discarded batteries; waste and recycling representatives supported it, while a battery industry group warned the bill could effectively ban battery-embedded products. CS/SB 578, dealing with wine container rules and allowing recyclable inserts and boxes up to 5.16 gallons, was also reported favorably. The committee next approved CS/SB 1734, the Florida Kratom Consumer Protection Act, which sets product standards, labeling rules, age limits, testing, and enforcement provisions. Supporters said it reflects current science and consumer safety needs, while opponents warned it could burden small businesses and overregulate the market. SB 918, which would loosen state child labor restrictions for certain minors and align Florida law more closely with federal standards, drew extensive opposition from advocates, students, and labor groups who said it would increase exploitation and harm education; several senators also raised concerns, but the bill was still reported favorably. The committee also reported favorably SB 854 on unlicensed contractors and deposit fraud, and confirmed several appointments to state boards and commissions. A separate bill on online encryption and child safety, SB 868, was taken up with an amendment and public testimony, but the transcript cuts off before final action on that item.

Transcript Highlights:

• this chamber for over a decade, that we do not want government interfering with the operations of private
• It requires kiosk operators to register with OFR, Office of Financial Responsibility, and disclose the
• physical address of each kiosk operating in the state.
• of these operating without any daily transaction limits And with over 3,000 of these operating without
• So I still have kind of a little bit of confusion.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Tourism

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The office operates independently of the legislature and the Joint Legislative Audit Review Committee
• The office operates independently of the legislature.
• The office operates independently of the legislature and the Joint Legislative Audit Review Committee
• , dealing with the operations of the Liquor and Cannabis Board.
• of operation and other information.

Summary: The committee meeting began with a brief explanation of the renamed Joint Legislative Audit Review Committee subcommittee, now called the Committee to Hear SAO Performance Audits, and a presentation from the State Auditor’s Office on its current biennium performance audit work plan. The auditor described how topics are selected from a large pool of potential audits and highlighted several ongoing or planned audits, including the Liquor and Cannabis Board, oversight of authorized entities serving students with disabilities, the Quality Home Care Initiative, Medicaid managed care versus fee-for-service costs, the Housing Commission tenant ownership follow-up, DSHS vendor payment patterns, implementation of the Since Time Memorial curriculum, and the Washington State ferry system. Members asked about coordination with JLARC to avoid duplication, and the auditor said the offices exchange work plans, monthly updates, and quarterly coordination meetings. The committee then heard the State Auditor’s performance audit on how charter schools identify and support at-risk students. Auditors reviewed four charter schools—Catalyst Public Schools, Innovation High School, Pinnacles Prep, and Rainier Prep—and focused on English language learners, homeless students, and special education students. The audit found the schools met nearly all legal requirements reviewed, with only one area where two schools partially met a language-access requirement. The schools also used several promising practices, including small-group instruction, culturally responsive environments, and multi-tiered systems of support, though the auditors recommended better documentation of procedures to improve consistency. Families interviewed generally reported positive experiences, while noting resource constraints. Committee members asked about how the four schools were selected, whether the audit compared charter populations to home districts, and how MTSS requirements applied to the schools reviewed. The State Auditor’s Office said the sample was chosen for geographic diversity, student population characteristics, and representation from both authorizers, and that K-2 MTSS requirements were not evaluated because they applied to only one school. Representatives from the Charter School Commission and charter school advocates responded positively, emphasizing technical assistance, collaboration, and sharing best practices across schools. Two public testifiers also supported the report and said it highlighted effective practices that could be expanded across charter and traditional public schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now today I am here in the capital eight hours away from home with one of my other sons who is
• I am Sondra and I'm a retired operating room nurse after 32 years of service, and I thank you for this
• Finally, consistency in the state operating rooms can only be achieved through the passage of this bill
• Another recent survey by the American Operating Room Nurses Association found that 95 percent of all
• The cost is $16 and is part of the cost of operation, therefore it is paid for by insurance, Medicare

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Yesterday we had the operating budget hearing and an awful lot of thanks, but no, you didn't get it right
• Well, I think the biggest standout to me is really in the operating budget and the raiding of the rainy
• kind of odd hours, and at speeds that they argued would be pretty difficult for a human to replicate
• kind of odd hours, and at speeds that they argued would be pretty difficult for a human to replicate
• There's rural child care operations there, too, but if we need some type of electronic attendance, if

Summary: House and Senate Republican leaders held a media availability focused on the final stretch of the legislative session, with most of the discussion centered on budget proposals, a proposed income tax on high earners, and several policy bills they oppose. They criticized the operating budget for relying on a new income tax, using one-time fund sweeps and pension-related financing, and drawing down the rainy day fund, while saying the capital budget was more bipartisan and the transportation budget had some positive emphasis on road preservation but still included concerns such as Public Works Trust Fund sweeps and ferry funding. A major topic was allegations that sign-ins on the income tax bill included duplicates or fraudulent entries. Republicans said they took the issue seriously, supported verification improvements, and argued that even after removing duplicates the bill still drew over 100,000 unique emails opposing it. They rejected claims that their side had manipulated the process and said the Legislature should fix the sign-in system, possibly with more IT safeguards, while also arguing the bill should lose its emergency clause so voters could weigh in through a referendum. Republicans also criticized bills they described as anti-police or anti-law-enforcement, including measures related to face coverings and sheriff qualifications, and they opposed a bill requiring arbitration before claims against the state or local governments can go to jury trial, saying broader tort reform is needed instead. They said the state’s liability problems stem from harm done in areas like juvenile rehabilitation and child welfare. On the budget side, they objected to cuts to Medicaid, child care, transitional kindergarten, rural school funding, and other programs, while also warning against using pension funds to balance the budget and against a proposed 75-year Sound Transit bond, which they called financially irresponsible. No votes were taken in this media availability.

Transcript Highlights:

• You spent dozens of hours trying to understand better how to help us in a way that's fiscally responsible
• So 11 of our 21 vessel fleet is beyond the vessel lifespan that most maritime organizations would operate
• So at the age of 60, which, as John mentioned, is basically double what any private fleet operator would
• So that's one of our hallmarks of success.
• center, and coordinating with field crews at all hours of the day and night.

Summary: The committee first met in brief executive session and advanced Senate Bill 5989 without recommendation to the Ways and Means Committee. Staff explained the bill would redistribute sales tax on aircraft fuel, affecting general fund revenue, which was why it was better suited for Ways and Means. The motion passed by voice vote. The committee then heard a presentation from Transportation Secretary Julie Meredith on WSDOT’s 2025 work and 2026 priorities. She highlighted agency reorganization, safety initiatives, preservation needs, bridge strikes and storm damage, ferry service improvements, major projects such as Revive I-5, the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project, fish passage work, and preparations for the World Cup. Members praised the department’s communication and work, and asked about additional paving and preservation funding; Meredith said WSDOT had prepared projects that could be advanced if more money were available. Washington State Ferries Assistant Secretary John Vizina and staffer Jenna Forty followed with a detailed briefing on vessel and terminal preservation. They described the aging fleet, the need for new hybrid-electric vessels, the governor’s proposed funding for three additional ferries and life-extension work on older vessels, and the importance of terminal upgrades such as Fauntleroy. Senators asked about service contingency planning, the cost and timing of hybrid versus diesel vessels, and whether additional vessels would require rebidding; staff said hybrid-electric construction is the fastest path and that any expansion would depend on statutory direction and legal review. The committee then heard from local government representatives on preservation and storm recovery. The Association of Washington Cities and the Transportation Improvement Board described city road and bridge needs, limited local funding, and the importance of sustained preservation investment and programmatic grants. County representatives from the Washington State Association of County Engineers, Snohomish County, and the County Road Administration Board discussed the December flooding, road washouts, bridge damage, and recovery costs, emphasizing that counties face large preservation backlogs and need state and federal help for repairs and resiliency.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that particular... ...so for every megawatt you make, every megawatt hour, it's half a ton of carbon
• It's going to put out 350 metric tons of carbon every hour, 24-7, that particular plant.
• ensuring a diverse energy portfolio capable of meeting all customer needs, all hours, in all seasons
• Very briefly, current law requires every operator of any ski lift device available to the public, or
• Very briefly, current law requires every operator of any ski lift device available to the public, or

Bills: HB2272 , HB2285 , HB2296

Committee: House Environment & Energy

Keywords: ski areas, winter sports, terminology update, recreation, regulatory changes, carbon capture, clean energy, environmental regulation, sustainability, green technology, distributed energy, renewable energy, energy resources, energy policy, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Kind of spread out over the state, and they inspect them kind of when they come to town.
• What is the purpose of this law?
• types of things.
• And do you have... a sense of what that fee might be, or is that kind of one of those things you'll figure
• The date seems Like it was pulled out of the air on the date of February 4th, 2019.

Committee: House House Health & Human Services

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by prohibiting the operation of robotic devices equipped or mounted
• in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by prohibiting the operation of robotic devices equipped or mounted
• I am the Chief Operating Officer and the General Counsel of Boston Globe Media and the President of the
• of the Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism, I also listened to hours of...
• At the April meeting of the Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism, I also listened to hours of

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on the Judiciary

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee opened with procedural guidance for a very large hearing, explaining testimony limits, written testimony procedures, and rules for maintaining order. Members then heard testimony on a wide range of bills, including proposals to define antisemitism using the IHRA definition, regulate facial recognition technology, restrict weaponized robotics and drone use, expand protections for journalists’ confidential sources, address access to decedents’ email accounts, and create or adjust rules around municipal enforcement and animal cruelty fines. Several sponsors and advocates asked for favorable reports, and committee members asked clarifying questions on implementation, costs, and how the bills would interact with existing law. On facial recognition, sponsors and advocates described the technology as a threat to privacy, due process, and civil liberties, and urged adoption of the Special Commission’s recommendations, including warrant requirements, notice to defendants, and limits on untargeted surveillance. Support came from legislators, the ACLU, CDT, EFF, and a UMass professor, while committee members asked about current state law and municipal bans. On robotics, Senator Moore and industry witnesses from MassRobotics, Boston Dynamics, and AUVSI supported a bill prohibiting weaponized robots and requiring warrants for certain law enforcement uses, describing it as a public-safety and trust-building measure. On the shield law bill, newspaper publishers, journalists, NEFAC, and the Reporters Committee argued Massachusetts needs statutory protection for confidential sources, citing costly subpoenas and chilling effects on reporting. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to expand the right of publicity to cover image and voice, with SAG-AFTRA members supporting protections against AI-driven exploitation and some discussion about viral content and consent. Another bill would allow limited access to a decedent’s email accounts, with one witness describing a family’s inability to use a deceased relative’s email to notify friends. The committee then took testimony on psilocybin-related bills: supporters described medical and personal benefits and argued for narrow decriminalization or study, while an opponent warned of public-health risks, impaired driving, and youth exposure; the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society supported limited, safety-based decriminalization. Finally, the committee heard strong support for a “safe reporting” bill for sex workers and trafficking survivors, with advocates saying immunity would encourage victims and witnesses to report crimes without fear of arrest, and members raised questions about how the immunity would work in practice.

Transcript Highlights:

• Black Lawyers, $700,000; One Community Alliance, $700,000; Ambassadors of Culture Hoya Hour, $200,000
• Black Lawyers, $700,000; One Community Alliance, $700,000; Ambassadors of Culture Hoya Hour, $200,000
• Black Lawyers, $700,000; One Community Alliance, $700,000; Ambassadors of Culture Hoya Hour, $200,000
• of Culture Hoya Hour 200,000 Ambassadors of Culture Hoya Hour and<00:15:03.040><c> United</c><00:15:
• </c><00:15:37.760><c> million</c> operating increase of 2.274 274 million operating increase of 2.274

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Talking to a number of people, and that's the why of the bill, talking to a number of people so far on
• So this is kind of what I'm aware of as of right now.
• I'm the chief operating officer of DigiPen Institute of Technology.
• I work 40 hours a week and 30 hours in school, so 70 hours is a very long week for me.
• I work 40 hours a week and 30 hours in school. So 70 hours is a very long week for me.

Summary: The committee began with a work session on dual credit, hearing first from the Council of Presidents and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, then from the Education Research and Data Center. The dual credit overview described Washington’s six dual credit programs, high participation rates, transferability, and recent efforts to improve transparency, pathways, and equity. Testimony emphasized both benefits and challenges, including access, funding, advising, and the need for clearer statewide coordination. ERDC outlined its annual report, dashboard, research briefs, and future work on school-level factors and possible causal effects of dual credit participation. No votes were taken during the work session. The committee then held public hearings on several bills. SB 6227 would direct WSAC to work with public higher education institutions to create formal data collection protocols for parenting students and convene a work group to recommend how to identify and support them. Senator Wilson and multiple student and advocacy witnesses supported the bill, citing the lack of consistent statewide data and the barriers parenting students face; WSAC testified that its research found significant food, housing, and child care insecurity among these students. SB 6235 would prohibit public colleges with athletics programs from entering certain private equity or sovereign wealth fund agreements involving athletics revenues or control. Senator Holy said the bill was intended to prevent loss of institutional control, while UW and WSU testified in opposition, warning it could limit flexibility and create competitive disadvantages. The committee also heard SB 6217, which would expand Washington College Grant eligibility to students in eligible non-degree credential programs beginning in 2027-28. Supporters from the community and technical college system, a community college president, and workforce representatives said the bill would help students access short-term training for family-wage jobs and address workforce shortages, especially in construction trades. Finally, SB 6209 would restore Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship eligibility for certain private four-year and career/vocational schools if they meet a gainful-employment standard. DigiPen, Evergreen Beauty College, Seattle Film Institute, and related students and administrators testified in support, arguing the bill would preserve access for low-income and nontraditional students in career-focused programs; some witnesses on the bill’s earlier panel also urged that certificate and two-year programs be included. The hearings were managed with shortened testimony times because of the large number of sign-ins, and no final committee action or votes were recorded in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• The hour of 8:30 having passed—it's a good thing we didn't decide to start at 8:30, because half the
• of practice.
• of rights.
• Those came because of the lack of collaboration.
• But because of the nature of her disability and the needs of my other children, supported living was

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 754, which would add physical therapists to Idaho’s direct primary care statute so they can enter direct payment agreements with patients without those arrangements being treated as insurance contracts. The sponsor and supporters said the bill would improve access, especially for patients who need frequent therapy or live in underserved areas, and emphasized that it would not expand physical therapists’ scope of practice. One member objected that the bill’s wording could blur the definition of primary care and create scope confusion. After testimony from a physical therapy association representative and a small business health care provider, the committee voted to send the bill to the floor with a do-pass recommendation, with several members recording no votes. The committee then took up House Bill 724, which would add and clarify safety-related rights for children in foster care, including safe placement, access to medical and forensic exams after abuse disclosures, basic necessities, and consideration of safety in visitation and placement decisions. The sponsor said the bill is a narrow child-safety measure that does not alter parental rights or removal standards, while foster parents, a psychologist, former foster youth, and others testified in support with accounts of abuse, unsafe placements, and inadequate oversight. Some members raised concerns about enumerating rights in statute and about broad language that could have unintended future consequences; a substitute motion to send the bill to amending order failed on a roll call vote, and the original motion to send the bill to the floor with a do-pass recommendation passed. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 759, a budget-related measure to reduce Medicaid residential habilitation funding and require a new audit/rate study of home and community-based services. The sponsor said the reduction reflects a governor’s budget recommendation and that the audit would help determine appropriate rates and spending. Providers and family members of people with disabilities testified that the bill was too vague, that prior rate studies were not fully followed, and that any reductions could harm staffing and services; they asked for clearer standards, collaboration, and assurance that rate-study results would actually be used. A motion to hold the bill until a later date was offered, but the sponsor opposed delaying the budget item and the committee continued discussion toward a floor recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• you</c> responsible stewards of uh of of of you responsible stewards of uh of of of you know,<00:47:07.200
• Culture, Huyu, Hour, and United Way of Central... to the table that would be great. to the table that
• United</c><01:20:41.360><c> Way</c><01:20:41.600><c> of</c><01:20:41.840><c> Central</c> Huyu, HOUR,
• I'm sure many of you may have heard of Midtown Global Market. We own and operate that property.
• I'm sure many of you may have heard of Midtown Global Market. We own and operate that property.

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, of our state, of 52 percent, back to families, fast. of 52% back to families, foster families
• of Missouri operate safely and to the benefit of all Missourians.
• The next thing it does is it requires a waiver of personal jurisdiction for any corporation operating
• If you're operating the vehicle and you're someone from outside of the state, simply being outside the
• All of these are, the goal of all of these is to ensure that the responsibility of the people who are

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• yours of the sponsorship of your senator.
• I want to debate in favor of this.
• full consideration of the senate.
• His active duty naval career included over 5,000 hours of flight time and over 1,200 hours flying overland
• I hung up the phone and told him to give me 24 hours. I texted him two hours later and said I'm in.

Committee: Senate Veterans and Military Affairs

Keywords: 914, all