Transcript Highlights:

• additional resources over the last year.
• And so in early 2025, we were allocated resources by the county and the state to appoint...
• We were allocated resources by the county and the state to appoint two additional judges, and they were
• And we use that data to track outcomes, to allocate resources, and to...
• To track outcomes, to allocate resources, and to make staffing decisions.

Summary: The committee held a work session in Mill Creek focused first on the eviction process. Judge Michael Scott of King County Superior Court described historic highs in unlawful detainer filings across Washington, especially in urban counties, and said King County has reduced its backlog and average time to resolution to about 60 days by adding two dedicated eviction judges and using more judges when needed. He also described how King County and other counties are implementing the right to counsel for indigent tenants, and noted that additional housing commissioners may help. Office of Civil Legal Aid representatives Philippe Knapp and Jane Paxe said the statewide appointed counsel program has represented more than 30,000 tenants, referred clients to social services, and helped many remain housed, but they warned of a funding shortfall that could eliminate about 17 attorneys and leave roughly 2,000 tenants without representation. A landlord-side panel argued that eviction timelines remain too long and fragmented, creating unpaid rent, safety issues, and uncertainty for both landlords and tenants; they urged more uniform procedures, streamlined rental assistance, and procedural changes to reduce refiling and delays. The second work session addressed theft and vandalism of critical infrastructure, especially copper and telecom cable theft. Committee staff reviewed existing criminal and regulatory laws covering malicious mischief, theft, scrap metal businesses, and metal property deception. Comcast, Mason Public Utility District, and the Recycled Materials Association testified that theft of aerial cable and copper has become a crisis affecting power, internet, 911 service, schools, hospitals, and line-worker safety. Utility representatives described outages, hazards, and rising costs, and asked for stronger audits of scrapyards, tougher penalties for theft affecting critical infrastructure, and tighter rules on payment and identification. Recyclers said they oppose the thefts and already operate under heavy regulation, but acknowledged enforcement gaps and the need for better coordination; committee members discussed possible bill concepts and asked for written recommendations. The final work session covered standards for law enforcement personnel. Criminal Justice Training Commission Executive Director Monica Alexander and Assistant Director Kimberly Bliss explained current certification and decertification rules, including background checks, training requirements, mandatory and discretionary grounds for decertification, and the hearing process. They said elected sheriffs are not currently required to undergo the same pre-election background check as other applicants, though they can still be decertified if already certified, and they reported a backlog of more than 1,000 cases with about 70 to 80 new cases coming in each month. Retired Judge Ann Levinson then outlined ways the legislature could strengthen and align standards for chiefs, sheriffs, and marshals, including requiring certification within a set time, setting a minimum age, requiring recent state background checks, and making loss of certification a vacancy in office. Committee members asked questions about accountability for elected sheriffs, background-check administration, and decertification outcomes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, the American Academy of Pediatrics advocates for increasing resources to improve MAT for
• gave these allocations before.
• That means all the money that we have allocated here is going to revert.
• are being allocated properly.
• Is there like a library of resources that the regions can at least get some ideas from?

Transcript Highlights:

• resources in ways that best serves its students, staff, and community.
• resources in ways that best serves its students, staff, and community.
• <00:34:50.240> best allocate resources in ways that best allocate resources in ways that best
• districts to manage our resources districts to manage our resources effectively<00:35:04.800>
• It's going to drain resources from classrooms.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the Labor and Policy Strategy Officer with the Office of Financial Management and State Human Resources
• hospitals, or doing field work, if they work for, let's say, Parks or the Department of Natural Resources
• not talking about everyone being equal; rather, we're looking at fairness and how positions are allocated
• At a 10,000-foot level, I'll be covering briefly how state budget allocations work for our employees
• On this slide, incremental state budget allocations for salaries and benefits changes occur for employees

Summary: The Joint Committee on Employment Relations met on May 8, 2026, to review goals and objectives for the 2027–2029 master collective bargaining cycle and to hear updates on higher education and Washington Management Service bargaining. OFM’s Jenny Sheehan outlined the state workforce, noting that most employees are represented, the workforce remains heavily governed by civil service rules and CBAs, and the state is entering bargaining under a constrained hiring and budget environment. She described the bargaining timeline, the role of the June revenue forecasts in determining whether targeted compensation increases can be funded, and the state’s goals of affordability, maintaining labor relations, supporting equity, and addressing non-economic issues such as AI use, leave, immigration-related workplace concerns, and union access in a hybrid work environment. Sheehan also reviewed the 2025–2027 bargaining cycle, including the prior WPEA ratification issue and the requirement that tentative agreements be submitted by October 1 for financial feasibility review and possible legislative funding. She said the 2025–27 agreements cost about $1.2 billion in general funds and $1.7 billion total, excluding the later-funded WPEA agreements. In response to a question, she explained that paid family and medical leave is not bargained over directly because it is governed by statute and ESD rules. She then presented on Washington Management Service bargaining, explaining that only certain WMS employees are eligible to bargain, that representation remains small, and that current WMS contracts are handled through addenda to existing agreements. She also described interest arbitration for certain groups, including ferries and public safety-related employees, and said arbitration awards still must be financially feasible and submitted by October 1. The committee also heard from Western Washington University and the University of Washington on higher education bargaining. Western described its locally bargained contracts, the importance of local bargaining for workload, tenure, grievance, and safety issues, and the impact of the state fund split on budget planning. Western said it has no state funding for student compensation and has requested inclusion of student employees in the wage base. UW outlined its large workforce and the different bargaining frameworks under RCW 41.56 and 41.80, emphasizing that state funding and tuition make up only a portion of its budget and that the fund split and health care cost increases significantly affect compensation planning. UW also highlighted its request for state funding for academic student employee compensation, saying rising costs are reducing the number of positions and affecting class sizes and the academic pipeline. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after members discussed the upcoming bargaining and arbitration timelines.

Transcript Highlights:

• These are resources that the state manages on behalf of others.
• Therefore, the resources are not available for state operations.
• Quick answer: no, I do not have enough resources to do all of these audits.
• So there isn't a state-specific allocation that's being paid to the Wonder Fund.
• It's the federal allocation that ultimately they're managing.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is an important distinction, as it could affect how we plan and allocate resources moving forward
• This continues to signify the ongoing efforts and resources allocated towards border security operations
• Chair: Yes, it's imperative that we allocate the necessary resources to ensure all our locations are
• It also allowed them to prioritize direct services and allocate their time and resources more effectively
• It also allowed them to prioritize direct services and allocate their time and resources more effectively

Bills: SB1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The committee heard a Legislative Budget Board presentation and then testimony from the Department of Public Safety on the Article 5 public safety budget. LBB said DPS’s 2026-27 recommendation totals $3.7 billion, down from the prior base, while FTEs rise by 856.7. Major items included increased funding for driver license services and customer support, new trooper funding and recruit schools, crime lab operations, border security, and reductions tied to one-time facility, vehicle, and aircraft spending. The committee also discussed new riders, including one to lapse unused trooper funds and require reporting after recruit schools. Members focused heavily on driver license operations, questioning why prior staffing increases and a prior efficiency study had not solved long wait times, high call abandonment, and appointment delays. DPS and LBB said the agency receives about 22,000 calls per day, answers only about 9 percent, and is seeking more staff plus technology upgrades such as automation, kiosks, and better online processing. Senators also raised concerns about rural access, REAL ID document requirements, and whether the department should rethink its processes rather than simply add employees. DPS leadership then described needs for the Williamson County training academy, additional troopers, Capitol and Alamo security, border operations, aircraft and vehicle replacement, and regional headquarters in El Paso and San Antonio. Members asked about Operation Lone Star costs, overtime, pursuit safety, border crime, oilfield theft, and sexual assault kit and toxicology backlogs. DPS said border deployments remain focused on criminal threats, that overtime is partly driven by deployments and staffing shortages, and that the sexual assault kit backlog is down to 118 cases with a goal of zero by April. The committee later recessed and began the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission budget presentation, where LBB outlined a $115.1 million recommendation and noted ongoing costs for the AIMS technology project.

Transcript Highlights:

• they celebrate Spring by ta resources they celebrate Spring by ta trees<00:37:58.240> collecting<
• The Department of Natural Resources serves as that trustee for the 2.5 million acres of school trust
• serves as that trustee for the Resources serves as that trustee for the 2.5<01:12:04.719> million
• This amount is allocated among the qualifying schools in proportion to the number of students served
• This amount is allocated among the qualifying schools in proportion to the number of students served

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• purchase a long-term care policy for their needs because they've got the means, they've got the resources
• ; on the other end, people who don't have means and resources, the social safety network is there to
• <00:01:39.360> on the means they've got the resources on the means they've got the resources
• the social safety means and resources the social safety network<00:01:44.200> is<00:01:44.600
• Sixty percent of our slots are allocated or earmarked for families who have a demonstrated need.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I think we did have a back-of-the-budget cut for natural and cultural resources.
• I think we did have a back-of-the-budget cut for natural and cultural resources.
• I think we did have a back-of-the-budget cut for natural and cultural resources.
• <00:27:13.240> okay um natural and cultural resources okay um natural and cultural resources
• not enough to cover what was allocated not enough to cover what was allocated by<03:52:33.279>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Committee met to review Division One of a very large budget package, with the chair explaining that the budget was being analyzed in three divisions over multiple days. Members first discussed procedure, including when amendments and line-item votes would be taken, and agreed to proceed with the division’s presentation before questions. Representative Maguire then outlined the division’s approach as a series of tradeoffs to close a large budget gap, emphasizing cuts, some revenue changes, and a focus on overall spending levels as well as individual reductions. The presentation covered a wide range of agencies and policy areas. Major proposed changes included cuts or eliminations to several boards and commissions viewed as costly or duplicative, such as the Housing Appeals Board, Board of Tax and Land Appeals, Human Rights Commission, Commission on Aging, Office of the Child Advocate, and the Personnel Appeals Board, with some functions consolidated into other boards. The division also proposed back-of-the-budget cuts to the Information Technology Department, Judicial Branch, Justice Department, Retirement System, Corrections, and Environmental Services, along with fee increases in several areas. Other notable items included ending marketing for Paid Family Leave, reducing job advertising and tourism promotion, defunding the Arts Council, moving liquor enforcement functions out of the Liquor Commission, and shifting some funds such as the College Savings Commission money to Division Two. Several members questioned specific cuts, especially the elimination of the Council on Aging, the reduction in regional planning commission grants, and the large cut to tourism advertising. Maguire defended the choices as necessary budget tradeoffs, arguing that some programs duplicated work done elsewhere, that regional planning grants were not among the most essential items, and that tourism promotion was a form of spending he viewed skeptically. He also explained that the public defender’s budget was partially restored after a credible claim of a governor’s budget error, and that the committee would continue refining corrections-related cuts because the House was only halfway through the budget process and further changes could still occur in the Senate and conference committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Jason Ml, Department of Natural Resources.
• I'm Ml, Department of Natural Resources.
• <00:04:05.040> and talking about groundwater resources and talking about groundwater resources
• strategies for managing this resource. strategies for managing this resource.
• and natural resource trust fund all and natural resource trust fund all contribute<00:10:09.680>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• resource protection and development. resource protection and development.
• of Natural and Cultural Resources. of Natural and Cultural Resources.
• the Department of Natural Resources. the Department of Natural Resources.
• allocates funds to educate those kids. allocates funds to educate those kids.
• net and find some additional resources. net and find some additional resources.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting was a House budget briefing focused on the overall state budget and the first of three divisions. The presenter reviewed the size and structure of the budget, noting that the state had eliminated the interest and dividends tax and still balanced the budget. He explained the major spending categories in the general fund and total budget, emphasizing that health and human services and education remain the largest areas, while transportation is largely self-funded. He also walked through the revenue picture, including business taxes, insurance taxes, court fees, communications taxes, and Medicaid recoveries, and said the remaining interest and dividends tax revenue reflected late payments from prior assessments. Members asked about the size of the tax cut from eliminating the interest and dividends tax, federal funding stability, and why Medicaid was being reduced if federal support was expected to remain steady. The response was that the lost revenue would have been about $200 million absent repeal, and that the budget gap was addressed through many small cuts across departments. On federal funds, the presenter said most aid is tied to multi-year grants and that core programs such as Medicare and Medicaid were expected to remain relatively stable, though some federal reductions could occur. He also said some agency reductions came from eliminating long-vacant, funded positions and from expected lapses. The discussion then moved into Division One, which covers smaller and miscellaneous agencies. The division made cuts to the governor’s office, eliminated a temporary position at the Governor’s Commission on Disability, reduced Department of Information Technology spending through a back-of-budget cut, and found savings in Administrative Services. It also delayed maintenance at the Sununu Youth Services Center, stopped advertising for paid family medical leave, changed retiree health insurance funding, and consolidated several personnel-related boards into one. The division eliminated the Commission on Aging and the Office of the Child Advocate, made a temporary special education advocate position permanent, reduced the Secretary of State’s budget, kept municipal rooms-and-meals distributions flat, and made changes to the retirement system, including $55 million to improve Group 2 retirement benefits and a new retirement structure for future state hires. The judicial branch was also asked to find savings and received two additional judges because of expected caseload increases from other eliminations.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:15:35.600> toward were able to put some resources toward were able to put some resources
• They're a great resource.
• <01:21:04.400> at fund which is one of the resources at fund which is one of the resources
• <01:23:59.280> below developers compete and we allocate below developers compete and we allocate
• to us on a sort of per capita allocates to us on a sort of per capita allocation<01:27:10.960> and

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These are resources that could otherwise be allocated to funding that would benefit the education, safety
• These are resources that could otherwise be allocated to funding that would benefit the education, safety
• These are resources that could otherwise be allocated to funding that would benefit the education, safety
• <01:30:49.320> resources<01:30:49.840> where<01:30:50.000> they're to allocate
• resources where they're to allocate resources where they're needed<01:30:50.560> most<01:30:50.840

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Recognizes this behavior, provides resources to an individual.
• And here's just some resources.
• And then you've got the generating resources themselves.
• Generating resources, very similar issues.
• And that's where that question about how do you allocate the cost of those new resources comes in.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:30:23.679> ratably million which will be allocated ratably million which will be allocated
• billion that the governor uh allocated billion that the governor uh allocated and<00:31:04.720><
• Well, only when we do the ENT advancement technology allocation?
• we give a allocate a billion dollars. we give a allocate a billion dollars.
• So if resources and and and um funding.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Because of the timing of our funding process, we would be able to allocate these resources within this
• resources have financed infrastructure resources have financed more<00:14:09.600> than<00:14:
• c> this allocate these resources within this allocate these resources within this calendar<00:14:
• particularly thankful to see resources particularly thankful to see resources for<00:18:31.200><
• local affordable housing aid resources local affordable housing aid resources in<00:32:50.159>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:14:38.279> we know that without adequate resources we know that without adequate resources
• advocate for this pool of resources advocate for this pool of resources covering<00:26:53.080>
• <00:31:31.720> of expanding the wealth and resources of expanding the wealth and resources
• The legislature could help expand the success of this program by allocating additional resources for
• > down allocating additional resources for down allocating additional resources for down payment

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:12:06.560> supposedly uh where they have allocated supposedly uh where they have allocated
• <00:12:08.720> around they're supposed to be allocating around they're supposed to be allocating
• <00:12:11.680> they're<00:12:12.160> allocating $26 billion per year. they're allocating
• money that's allocated. money that's allocated.
• I appreciate that very much. is a wonderful resource. So, um, is a wonderful resource.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The commission met to continue its study of the cost of special education, with the chair emphasizing that the group needs to narrow its focus over the coming year toward specific cost drivers, including the IEP process, Medicaid, charter schools, and EFAs. Members reviewed a draft first report due November 1 and agreed it would be a brief synopsis of prior meetings, with minutes attached. The September 30, 2025 minutes were amended to correct the number of federally funded department staff from 234 to 23, and to revise language about Senator Sullivan’s comments so they reflected concerns about IEP advocates and fees charged to families rather than support for the concept. The amended minutes were then approved unanimously, with abstentions noted for members who were absent. The main presentation focused on how special education costs are handled for students attending charter schools. The DOE representative said there are 804 students with disabilities in charter schools across 88 of the state’s 176 districts, and that the district of residence remains responsible for all services and costs. She explained that students must meet IDEA criteria through district evaluation and parent consent, and that services are determined through individual IEP meetings rather than by a blanket charter-school decision. Members asked how those costs are tracked, whether any students are merely “monitored,” and whether districts separately identify charter-school special education expenses; the answer was that most districts fold those costs into their overall special education budget, though some may break them out as a line item. The discussion then turned to transportation and mileage costs for staff providing services at charter schools. Testimony indicated that districts may use their own staff, contract staff, or contract with a charter school for certified services, and that travel costs are often either built into contracts or absorbed as part of staff time rather than separately reimbursed. Members questioned whether mileage is reimbursed when staff travel to distant charter schools and whether those costs can be isolated in district budgets; the response was that practices vary by district and are not usually broken out by special education function. Several members argued this makes it difficult to determine the true cost of delivering special education, especially given New Hampshire’s model in which the district of residence pays regardless of where the charter school is located. The chair noted the complexity of the system and compared it to the state’s separate tuition and transportation approach for career and technical education centers.

Transcript Highlights:

• Additional resources for technical assistance.
• Are y'all here as resource witnesses?
• spent on water management is going to be for conservation, water reuse, and other surface water allocation
• The process is extremely important, and as it pertains to the board, we want to give them all the resources
• It matters in order to have a successful project to address risk allocation appropriately, because if

Bills: SB7

Keywords: water infrastructure, financial assistance, Texas Water Development Board, water supply, environmental sustainability, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:13:21.680> from funding buring critical resources from funding buring critical resources
• resources where they're needed most, such as addressing the mental health needs in schools, career and
• resources where they're needed most, such as addressing the mental health needs in schools, career and
• Community education fund balances are not excess funds; they are carefully managed resources dedicated
• resources resources dedicated<00:51:46.839> to<00:51:47.160> specific<00:51:47.680>

Bills: HF6, HF52, HF53

Keywords: education, literacy, science of reading, school performance, funding flexibility, innovation zones, equity and inclusion, HF52, New Germany, wastewater treatment, wastewater facility, sewer infrastructure, capital investment, bonding bill, state bonds, Public Facilities Authority, municipal infrastructure, water quality, sanitation, sewage treatment