Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Reeves votes aye. Morgan. Representative Morgan votes aye. Dent.
• Representative Dent votes nay. Engell. Representative Engell votes nay without recommendation.
• Representative McClintock votes nay without recommendation. Nance. Representative Nance votes aye.
• Representative Richards votes aye. Richards. Representative Richards votes aye. Schmick.
• Representative Springer votes aye.

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee heard public testimony on House Bill 2279, which would require the Department of Agriculture to create a program and criteria to evaluate PFAS chemicals in fertilizers and pesticides. The prime sponsor argued PFAS are persistent “forever chemicals” that are entering soil, water, wildlife, and people, and said Washington should begin acting now rather than waiting for federal action. WSDA said the bill is implementable but would require rulemaking, ongoing staff resources, and likely a 12-month extension to complete stakeholder engagement; it also noted the bill should be clarified to address all pesticides, not just new ones. Agricultural and industry witnesses opposed the bill as duplicative of EPA review and warned it could reduce product availability and put Washington farmers at a competitive disadvantage, while environmental advocates supported it as a needed food-safety and environmental measure. No vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee then heard House Bill 2463, which would expand the Washington Commodity Donation Program and create a Farm to Food Pantry Program to help hunger-relief organizations buy Washington-grown food directly from farmers. The sponsor said the bill is part of a broader state response to reduced federal food-security support and is intended to keep families fed by strengthening local food purchasing. Testimony was largely supportive from food banks, food hubs, farmers, AARP, and hunger-relief groups, who said the programs help move surplus produce, dairy, protein, and other products to people in need while supporting local farms and reducing waste. Several witnesses, however, raised concerns about language limiting participation to organizations that “solely” function for food sourcing, saying it could exclude many existing regional organizations and reduce resilience; one tribal representative also requested an amendment to include tribally owned small-scale farms. No action was taken on HB 2463 during the hearing. After the hearings, the committee went into caucus and then held executive session only on House Bill 1941, which authorizes licensed cannabis producers to form agricultural associations for collective processing, handling, and marketing. Supporters said it would help smaller cannabis producers cooperate and prepare for possible federal changes, while opponents argued it was premature given marijuana’s federal status and too broad in scope. The committee approved HB 1941 on a 6-5 vote and reported it out of committee with a do-pass recommendation. House Bill 2238 was deferred to the following day for further review of amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I will be voting no and urge my colleagues to also vote no. Any other debate?
• DEI is preferable. Please vote no. Thank you for your testimony.
• If you're in favor, vote yes. If you're against, vote no.
• And by your vote, SB 1054 is voted favorably.
• By your vote... Senator Wright? Yes. Vice Chair Jones? No. Chair Passidomo? Yes. By your vote, C.S.

Bills: S0092 , S0110 , S0192 , S0212 , S0260 , S0350 , S0394 , S0422 , S0434 , S0442 , S0484 , S0546 , S0556 , S0684 , S0696 , S0706 , S0748 , S0786 , S0820 , S0824 , S0838 , S0840 , S0848 , S0856 , S0962 , S1000 , S1014 , S1036 , S1050 , S1054 , S1080 , S1118 , S1134 , S1338 , S1480 , S1500 , S1506 , S1622 , S1724

Committee: Senate Rules

Summary: The Committee on Rules met with a quorum and considered a long agenda of bills, many of them retained from the prior week. The most debated measure was CS for SB 706, which would preempt naming of major commercial service airports to the state and designate Palm Beach International Airport as the Donald J. Trump International Airport, subject to FAA approval and a trademark agreement. Amendments were offered and rejected, including proposals to prevent private financial benefit from the naming. Several senators spoke in opposition, citing concerns about naming an airport after a sitting president, lack of local input, and the trademark/licensing arrangement; supporters argued there was no cost to the airport and that the bill simply set a state naming policy. The committee reported the bill favorably after a roll call vote. The committee also reported favorably CS for SB 546 on conservation land notice requirements, CS for CS for SB 1014 on municipal utility service to properties outside city limits, CS for SB 1500 on uncontested probate proceedings, SB 962 on excluding farms from certain zoning definitions, and CS for SB 820 on problem-solving court reporting requirements. The committee then approved several bills from Senator DiCeglie and Senator Arrington. SB 840, addressing land-use regulations for local governments affected by natural disasters, was supported by local-government and environmental advocates who said it would restore local control after SB 180’s hurricane-related restrictions; the sponsor said it was intended to correct unintended consequences of last year’s law. CS for SB 856, requiring online listing platforms to show estimated ad valorem taxes on residential listings, was amended to exclude social media platforms and broaden liability protections; the sponsor and a county property appraiser described it as a consumer-transparency measure. CS for SB 110, clarifying homestead exemption treatment for long-term leases that end at death, was also reported favorably. The committee took up a controversial strike-all amendment to SB 212, which focused on public swimming pools and added residency and related restrictions for certain sex offenders and offenders on community control or probation. The amendment drew strong opposition from advocates and affected families, who argued it would worsen homelessness, impose broad geographic restrictions, and lack evidence of improving child safety; supporters said it was a targeted public-safety measure. Despite the objections, the committee reported the bill favorably. The committee also approved SB 684 on electronic signatures for total-loss vehicle and vessel titles, SB 394 on reinsurance intermediary managers, SB 434 on property tax assessment treatment for wind-hardening improvements, CS for CS for SBs 658 and 608 on water-safety requirements for rental properties with pools or nearby water, SB 748 on adding voting-rights restoration information to sentencing score sheets, and CS for SB 824 requiring school districts to inventory unimproved real property. The meeting ended while the committee was beginning SB 848 on stormwater treatment, with an amendment being introduced as the transcript cut off.

Transcript Highlights:

• When we voted to ratify the IAM, they drug out bargaining for a year and a half because the regional
• I ask you to vote in favor of this bill.
• Despite all this, we were ready to vote union yes.
• Amazingly, we still won our union vote, but almost one year later, we still don't have a union contract
• Amazingly, we still won our union vote, but almost one year later, we still don't have a union contract

Summary: The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee heard testimony on several bills. SB 6152 would add physical and occupational therapists as attending providers in workers’ compensation claims. Supporters said it would reduce delays, improve access to care, and speed return to work; opponents, including the Washington State Medical Association, retail and business groups, and L&I, raised concerns about diagnosis, scope of practice, network enrollment, implementation time, and the $1.9 million fiscal note from accident and medical aid accounts. The committee also heard SB 5437, which would prohibit non-compete agreements and clarify non-solicitation rules. The sponsor and labor and physician groups supported ending non-competes as anti-competitive and harmful to worker mobility, while business, banking, and clinic representatives argued non-competes protect investments, confidential information, and patient/customer relationships and asked for narrower changes. The committee then heard SB 6058, which would give L&I discretion over whether to investigate wage complaints and would toll civil statutes of limitation when a complaint is filed. The sponsor said it would better match agency resources, and testimony was entirely supportive. SB 5944 would require language access provider compensation bargaining to include missed or canceled appointments and make CBAs prevail over conflicting agency policies; the sponsor and union representatives said it would create consistency across agencies, with no opposition testimony. SB 6039 would modernize L&I communications by allowing electronic notices while preserving a non-electronic option; supporters called it a permissive modernization, while worker advocates warned email could be missed and could burden vulnerable workers, though L&I said the bill preserves choice and has no fiscal impact. Finally, the committee heard SB 6117, which would place workers and employers not covered by the NLRA under PERC jurisdiction if federal law no longer applies, with card-check and secret-ballot procedures and interest arbitration provisions. Supporters said it would create a state backstop if federal labor enforcement fails and protect workers’ organizing rights; opponents from agriculture, business, and small business groups warned it was too broad, could sweep in agriculture and small businesses, and could weaken secret-ballot protections and disrupt harvest operations. The sponsor closed by saying the bill is intended to create a clear framework where federal jurisdiction is absent. No votes or executive actions were taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• bill that is scheduled for a public hearing, for example, on a Monday, would not be eligible to be voted
• on until Wednesday, except during... ...be eligible to be voted on until Wednesday, except during cutoff
• So this would maintain the tax preference for sales tax exemption for when a new data center is built
• The governor's budget proposal does assume three tax preferences would be closed.
• So this would maintain the tax preference for sales tax exemption for when a new data center is built

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee opened with committee guidelines for the 2026 session, including limits on testimony, amendment deadlines, confidentiality expectations, and professionalism rules. Chair Ormsby also reviewed housekeeping for the public hearing, noting the meeting was recorded and live streamed, and that testimony would be limited to one minute because of the large number of sign-ups. The committee then began its work session on Governor Ferguson’s proposed 2026 supplemental operating budget, presented by OFM Director Katie Chapman, who outlined the state’s fiscal pressures: higher caseloads in major programs, a revenue forecast decline of about $390 million, federal policy changes tied to H.R. 1, inflation, and a relatively small ending fund balance. She said the governor’s budget solves about a $2.3 billion shortfall through nearly $800 million in spending reductions, revenue shifts, fund transfers, use of about $1 billion from the Budget Stabilization Account, and some tax preference changes, while also making targeted investments in areas such as child welfare, behavioral health, wildfire response, housing, and IT modernization. Chapman also explained that the proposal does not fully balance over the four-year outlook under the state’s statutory assumptions, but said the governor relied on the budget-balance law’s exception tied to BSA use and low employment growth. A question from Rep. Connors about credit ratings was answered with the view that the impact is difficult to predict and that Washington’s strong pension funding and balanced-budget framework remain positives. The public hearing drew testimony from state officials and many advocates, most of whom opposed specific cuts or fund shifts in the governor’s proposal. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs objected to proposed sweeps from the corporations and charities fund and the library archives account, citing prior cuts, layoffs, cyberattack-related costs, and the need to upgrade aging systems. Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove urged restoration of wildfire prevention funding, saying the proposed amount was still $30 million short of the commitment in House Bill 1168 and that underfunding would increase suppression costs and risk to communities. Many education witnesses opposed reductions to Working Connections Child Care, transition to kindergarten, local effort assistance, Running Start, and higher education across-the-board cuts, arguing they would harm access, equity, and workforce development. Higher education leaders from community colleges, the University of Washington, Western Washington University, and Evergreen State College described staffing cuts, program reductions, and pressure on student services, while K-12 groups and OSPI said the budget would deepen existing funding gaps. A large portion of testimony focused on human services, health, housing, and civil legal aid. Child welfare and youth-serving organizations supported some targeted investments but opposed cuts to child care, child welfare network administration, and youth programs; advocates for foster youth, homeless youth, and mentoring programs asked for continued or increased funding. Health care and long-term care providers warned that proposed Medicaid and rate changes would reduce access for seniors, people with disabilities, and safety-net patients, while Planned Parenthood and abortion access advocates urged full restoration of the Abortion Access Project and related reimbursements. Housing and legal aid witnesses backed the governor’s proposed right-to-counsel funding but asked for more support, and homelessness advocates sought contingency funding for federal housing programs. Crime victim and domestic violence service providers repeatedly said the proposed $12 million was far short of the roughly $21.38 million needed to avoid service cuts and closures. Other testimony addressed the Climate Commitment Account shift for the Working Families Tax Credit, with environmental advocates opposing the diversion of CCA dollars and workforce advocates supporting the governor’s economic security and employment programs. No votes or formal committee action were taken during the hearing portion described in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Truenow: YES. >> BY YOUR VOTE, SB 786 IS REPORTED FAVORABLY.
• YOU ARE RECOGNIZED TO EXPLAIN THE BILL OR DELETE ALL, WHICHEVER YOU PREFER. >> Sen.
• Truenow: I PREFER WE MOVE TO STRIKE ALL. >> Sen.
• Grall: YES. >> BUYER VOTES SB 700 REPORTED FAVORABLY.
• ANY SENATOR WISH TO BE VOTING TODAY. >> I WILL VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ON SENATE BILL 178, 980 AND 786

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:16.920><c> on</c> offer that with then we will vote on offer that with then we will vote on
• We don't have the votes here to change it, but my recommendation is, as you're working on this, and I
• </c><00:41:38.760><c> the</c><00:41:38.880><c> trees,</c> ask Melissa, um she'd prefer the trees, ask
• I encourage members to adopt, uh, to vote in favor of the motion. Okay.
• </c> to vote in favor of the motion. to vote in favor of the motion.

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> is a uh preference. is a uh preference.
• ." prefer." prefer."
• </c> sexual violence to get their preference sexual violence to get their preference so<00:47:28.720>
• Those voting yes, 27. Those voting no, two.
• 10:23.800><c> was</c> The committee vote [clears throat] was The committee vote [clears throat] was 5

Transcript Highlights:

• No voting. Padilla? Reyes, aye. Umberg? Wiener? Aye. All right, the vote is 4 to 0.
• As they say, a picture's worth a thousand words, and I hope it earns your vote. Your aye vote.
• The current vote is 4 to 0. File item number 1, AB 1155. The current vote is 4 to 0.
• Vote 7 to 0, we will replace the call. Thank you. Vote 7 to 0. We will replace the call.
• The current vote is 5 to 0. Senators Cabaldon, Jones, Padilla, aye, Umberg. 6 to 0. Vote 6 to 0.

Summary: The committee first heard AB 1159, which would update California student data privacy law for educational technology and college-level platforms. The author and supporters argued that students’ personal information is being collected and used far beyond educational purposes, including sensitive health and demographic data, and said the bill would limit misuse and add stronger privacy protections. Support came from privacy, labor, education, and civil rights groups, while opposition from college store and industry representatives focused on narrowing the definition of “operator,” preserving institution-related communications, and concerns about the bill’s private right of action. Members raised questions about how the bill would affect scholarships, financial aid, adult students, consent, and litigation; the author said the bill includes a right to cure and notice to the Attorney General. The committee voted 4-0 to pass the bill to Appropriations, with the measure placed on call. The committee then took up AB 1709, which would set a minimum age of 16 for social media accounts on platforms with specified addictive design features and create a youth safety commission. The author, pediatric and safety advocates, and several public supporters argued that social media companies intentionally design compulsive features that harm youth mental health, sleep, and development, and that the bill is a necessary product-safety response. Opponents argued the bill is overbroad, may be ineffective, raises First Amendment concerns, and could cut off vulnerable youth from important online support networks. Members focused heavily on possible amendments, especially a non-addictive feed option for younger users and strengthening the commission; the author said he was open to those changes and to further work with the committees. The bill was moved to Judiciary on a 5-0 vote and placed on call. At the end of the excerpt, the author began presenting a third measure, AB 2076, which would strengthen California’s Parents’ Accountability and Child Protection Act by adding nitrous oxide to the list of age-verified dangerous products, banning purchase with gift cards or store credit, and increasing penalties for large sellers. The author described nitrous oxide as increasingly accessible to minors online and cited enforcement gaps in the current law, but the transcript cuts off before testimony or action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> closing vote closed. closing vote closed.
• Introduction vote. Introduction vote.
• </c> Vote. Closed. Vote. Closed.
• Closing<00:21:45.760><c> vote.</c> Closing vote. Closing vote.
• vote closing closing closing vote<00:26:41.120><c> closed</c> vote closed vote closed Senate<00:26:43.120

Transcript Highlights:

• one time and that their vote is counted.
• Is it a decision made by the mayor, or does it have to be voted on by the city?
• , registering to vote, or aiding another person in casting a ballot or registering to vote.
• To the new voting operations technology and election resources account, the voting equipment grant account
• I'd prefer to keep the language in.

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Transcript Highlights:

• The vote being 15 to1. Uh Okay. The vote being 15 to1. Uh represent<00:43:31.680><c> Elberger.
• We just voted. on the whole bill. Yeah. We just voted.
• Clerk votes<00:44:14.200><c> yes.
• </c> votes yes. Representative Sod yes. votes yes. Representative Sod yes.
• The vote being 15 to1. Is there any to1. The vote being 15 to1.

Summary: The committee met in work session and focused only on SB 291; SB 249 and SB 83 were postponed for at least two weeks, and the chair said there would be no meeting next week. The chair also announced a deadline of the 22nd for clearing out drawers and lockers, and reminded members about a field trip to Nashua the next day and mileage paperwork for attendees. For SB 291, the chair distributed Amendment 2025-1925H, explaining that it was intended to simplify the bill and address concerns about church parsonages by allowing a church to rent out a parsonage and apply the net income to a pastor’s housing allowance. Members discussed whether the language could unintentionally exclude non-Christian denominations, whether the bill was too narrow, and what guardrails would prevent abuse. Several members said the amendment was clearer and supported it, while one member preferred retaining the bill for more study. The discussion also touched on how “church” and “parsonage” are defined under existing law and IRS rules, with the chair and others saying the language was broad enough and that no testimony from other religious groups had raised concerns. After the discussion, the chair took a straw poll showing support for the amendment and then closed the work session. In executive session, a motion was made and seconded to ought to pass SB 291.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, our preferences, we know your preferences, and this continuation will take place.
• You know, our preferences, we know your preferences, and this continuation will take place.
• You know, our preferences, we know your preferences, and this continuation will take place.
• So I will be voting no, and I encourage the committee to vote no. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• So I will be voting no, and I encourage the committee to vote no. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Bills: HF1704 , HF2052

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Keywords: Minnesota agriculture budget, Department of Agriculture appropriation, Board of Animal Health, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Office of Broadband Development, farm bill, rural development, agricultural grants, soil health, livestock compensation, crop damage, meat inspection, poultry inspection, county agricultural inspectors, biofertilizer, nitrogen management, commercial nitrogen fertilizer, water quality, farm down payment assistance, beginning farmers

Transcript Highlights:

• I had mentioned a voice vote.
• vote.
• James Hovey, your vote, please? I vote no. Thank you. So recorded, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
• So we can't vote on the motion, but I'd have to vote on the motion.
• So the vote passed. Motion carried. Okay. So the vote passed for the revision.

Committee: Joint Child Custody Review Task Force

Summary: The Child Custody Review Task Force met with a quorum, approved the prior minutes, and then took up draft legislation to create a future interim committee to study the feasibility of a family court in North Dakota. Beth outlined the draft’s purpose, proposed 15-member membership, and the study topics, including constitutional authority, court structure, jurisdiction, fiscal impact, implementation, and possible phased-in approaches. Members discussed committee composition at length, ultimately agreeing to keep the committee at 15 by reducing legislative members from eight to six, adding two judges from different judicial districts, two family law section members with rural/urban representation, one parent subject to a custody order, and a clerk of court representative; the self-help, mental health, and domestic violence positions were debated, with domestic violence advocacy retained and some other positions removed or replaced. The committee also agreed to include analysis of state and local fiscal impacts and efficiencies, and to keep the provision on procedural rules in the draft. The revised draft was approved and recommended to Legislative Management, with one recorded no vote from Judge Hovey after the fact. The committee then turned to a second draft dealing with mandatory participation in a family transition program in contested parental-rights cases. Members first clarified that the term should be changed to a more general “parenting education course,” rather than a named private program, and discussed whether the bill should also require education about court process and family-law procedures. Some members argued the bill should specify content such as co-parenting, parental alienation, harassment, disorderly conduct, removal of a child from the jurisdiction, and contempt consequences, while others objected that the proposal was too vague, could impose costs without clear limits or waivers, and might amount to compelled legal advice or an undefined private program. Several members said the bill needed more specificity before it could be presented, and the discussion became increasingly divided over whether to keep the draft at all. The transcript ends amid that debate, with no final action yet taken on the second draft.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> preference is not to return those funds. preference is not to return those funds.
• </c><00:46:40.319><c> uh</c> manner uh with a majority uh vote uh manner uh with a majority uh vote uh
• So, I'm going to have to be a no vote.
• </c><01:33:35.920><c> 5</c> that bill which we've already voted 5 that bill which we've already voted
• I'm not gonna vote to Senator Rose.

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• Vote I. I'll explain my vote. Yes, please. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• Vote I. I'll explain my vote. Yes, please. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• Vote<00:15:27.440><c> I.
• </c><00:15:28.560><c> Yes,</c> Vote I. I'll explain my vote. Yes, Vote I. I'll explain my vote.
• </c> vote, Mr. Mr. Chairman. Yes, please. vote, Mr. Mr. Chairman. Yes, please.

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Health Services met with a quorum and first took up Senate Joint Resolution 116, sponsored by President Stivers. The resolution directs the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville, and Eastern Kentucky University to work over the next year on a statewide framework to improve health care access, especially in underserved and unserved areas. Members discussed physician shortages, maldistribution of doctors, recruitment and retention, loan forgiveness, scholarships, technology, and the connection between health care access and economic development in rural Kentucky. The resolution was reported favorably on a unanimous roll call vote. The committee then considered Senate Bill 116, relating to physician assistants and a shift from a supervisory to a collaborative practice model. The sponsor and PA witnesses explained that the bill was heavily revised through a committee substitute after discussions with the Kentucky Medical Association, physicians, and hospitals. They said the substitute keeps physician supervision in place while allowing health care teams to function more efficiently, and they emphasized that the bill is intended to improve access to care, particularly in rural areas with few doctors. Some members supported the compromise and the collaboration, while others raised concerns that expanding PA practice could worsen long-term physician shortages or reduce incentives for doctors to practice in rural Kentucky. The bill passed the committee 7-2 with favorable expression.

Transcript Highlights:

• If we had a preference, I would say that would make a lot of sense.
• If we had a preference, I would say that would make a lot of sense.
• We voted to oppose the bill. Basically, As a committee, we voted to oppose the bill.
• This certainly is a vote against them.
• But with that, we'll go ahead and take the vote. We got one more bill. We got one more bill.

Committee: Senate Local Government and Taxation

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'm not sure how to vote on this yet.
• I was stirring, trying to figure out how I would vote on this, and I'm usually like the only no vote
• I was like stirring, trying to figure out how I would vote on this and I'm usually like the only no vote
• So before I called a vote, I mean, let's go back to explaining votes.
• Senator Borrego to explain your vote.

Bills: HB70 , HB93 , HB95 , HB139 , HB140 , HJR4

Committee: House House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Keywords: Public Regulation Commission, PRC, utility oversight fund, public utilities, utility regulation, commissioners, commission staff, chief of staff, ethics, Gift Act, revolving door, post-employment restrictions, consumer complaints, telecommunications, pipeline safety, natural gas pipelines, oil pipelines, license fees, regulatory oversight, administrative cleanup

Transcript Highlights:

• And did we finish the vote on 231? >> Yeah. >> Okay. So we're going to move a lot slower now.
• And did we finish the vote on &gt;&gt; All right. And did we finish the vote on 231? 231? 231?
• Even though he voted for the amendment, he has no plans to speak against it on the floor.
• </c> voting for it. voting for it.
• I think &gt;&gt; I You prefer to not have it on.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 531 by Rosenthal, relating to the use of certain devices by a person occupying a voting station, refer
• HB 541 by Goodwin, relating to the use of preferential voting of certain elections, HB 541 by Shaheen
• HB 545 by Meza relating to the appointment of volunteer deputy voting registrars for the Committee on
• HB 569 by BC relating to an opportunity to correct certain defects in early voting mail ballot voted
• a Constitution Amendment to acquire a person's estimate proofs of citizenship to register for the vote

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Any members voting no? Any members voting no?
• Voting previously excused members, any members voting with reservations? Any members voting no?
• </c> Any members voting no? Any members voting no?
• Vice Chair, for the vote. Voting on SB 2175 SD2 HD1.
• Voting on Okay. Vice chair for the vote.

Bills: SB2960 , SB2347 , SB2272 , SB3137 , SB3132 , SB2271 , SB2804 , SB2175 , SB2487

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Commerce

Summary: The committee heard several resolutions and one bill focused on energy reliability, utility infrastructure, insurance, tenant rights, and home health licensing. On the energy side, members heard HCR 203/HR 193 on a status update for the Hawaii Electric Reliability Administrator, HCR 204/HR 194 on a comprehensive PUC analysis of cost reduction and risk, and HCR 202/HR 192 creating a legislative task force on future energy pathways. Testimony on the energy measures was generally supportive from the PUC, DCCA’s Division of Consumer Advocacy, the Hawaii State Energy Office, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, with OHA urging that equity, native Hawaiian impacts, and public trust resources be considered alongside cost savings. The committee also heard HCR 125/HR 117 on coordinating with utilities to address aging utility poles and lines along Farrington Highway and other high-risk corridors; Hawaiian Electric supported the measure, Hawaiian Telcom and Charter Spectrum said much of the work is already underway and questioned whether the resolution was necessary, and committee questioning focused on existing double-pole tracking and the role of DOT and the PUC. The committee then took up HCR 137/HR 129 on timely reimbursement of health care claims under the clean claims statute. The DCCA Insurance Division and the Hawaii Insurers Council opposed the measure as drafted, saying it could be read to require payment beyond policy limits and could raise premiums or reduce market participation. United Policyholders supported the measure, arguing it would simply give policyholders more time to collect benefits they already purchased, and clarified that it was not intended to increase coverage beyond policy limits. The committee later amended the resolution to direct the DCCA Insurance Division to prioritize investigation and enforcement of clean claims complaints. In the decision meeting, the committee recommended and adopted passage of HCR 203/HR 193 as is, HCR 204/HR 194 with an amendment removing the eighth whereas clause, HCR 202/HR 192 with an amendment adding a committee representative to the task force, HCR 125/HR 117 as is, and HCR 137/HR 129 with amendments. The committee also heard SB 2960 SC1 on property insurance, which would extend the time policyholders have after a declared disaster to document replacement-cost claims. The Insurance Division and Hawaii Insurers Council opposed it, warning it could force coverage beyond policy limits and increase premiums, while United Policyholders supported it and said it would help disaster survivors recover benefits they already paid for; members questioned whether similar laws in other states had caused premium spikes and clarified that the bill was not intended to exceed policy limits. The committee also heard SB 2347 SD1 on multilingual tenant-rights notices, with OHA, Hawaii Appleseed, and others supporting the bill but urging restoration of language requiring landlords to directly provide the notice at lease signing. Finally, SB 2272 SD1 HD1 on home health licensing drew support from the Department of Health, SHPDA, and the Health Care Association of Hawaii, with the association requesting an effective date amendment; testimony explained that the bill would allow state licensing compliance to be demonstrated through CMS-approved accreditation or certification surveys, potentially reducing duplication and freeing state resources.