Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you to TVW for broadcasting the important work of the people's house.

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held a work session on the December 2025 flooding in Washington and its impacts on agriculture, with no public testimony. Emergency Management Division Director Robert Azel described the storm sequence, record rainfall, widespread river flooding, landslides, power outages, evacuations, rescues, and damage to homes, roads, flood control infrastructure, and agricultural land. He said the state was preparing a major disaster declaration request and noted that mitigation investments and interagency coordination helped reduce losses, while debris removal and federal reimbursement remain important next steps. Snohomish County Emergency Management Director Lucia Schmidt focused on farm impacts in Snohomish County, where tens of thousands of acres were underwater. She described damage to equipment, fences, hoop houses, feed, hay, nurseries, and perennial crops, and said many small farms face losses not well covered by existing federal disaster programs. She urged funding for the Washington State Conservation Commission’s disaster assistance program and emphasized the importance of helping small-scale farms recover to preserve the local agricultural community. WSDA Assistant Director Kelly McLean outlined the department’s disaster response role, including food and feed safety, animal health, livestock sheltering, and coordination of resources. She described efforts to keep feed and dairy products moving, support dairies and livestock producers, connect farmers to relief and mental health resources, and distribute food assistance. She also said WSDA is working on a report due in July with recommendations for small and mid-sized farms and noted interest in developing a broader agricultural disaster assessment tool. Washington State Dairy Federation policy director Jay Gordon described repeated flooding in the Chehalis Basin and other areas, praised state and local partnerships, and argued that continued flood mitigation, storage, levee adjustments, and basin-specific planning are needed because these events are becoming more frequent and severe. Committee members asked about debris removal, federal disaster assistance, insurance challenges, farmworker impacts, and future mitigation projects, and the chair adjourned the meeting after thanking the presenters.

Transcript Highlights:

• Participants in the room must use their microphone when speaking so that it will be broadcast into Zoom

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several capital-related bills. HB 2353 would raise the pre-design threshold for state-funded capital projects from $10 million to $15 million and index it to inflation beginning in 2027. The sponsor and a testifier said the change would reduce delays and save money on projects by avoiding costly pre-design work for mid-sized projects; staff noted the bill could reduce future capital budget costs. HB 2420 would increase the Small Works roster contract cap in stages from $350,000 to $650,000 by 2030, with a proposed substitute shifting the first increase from July 2026 to January 2027 to allow time for rulemaking. Testimony from universities, cities, ports, counties, and water/sewer districts supported the bill as a way to reduce administrative burden, speed projects, and help small and diverse contractors. The committee also heard HB 2470, which would change how the School Construction Assistance Program treats school facilities on military bases. Staff explained the bill would exclude on-base instructional space from a district’s available-space calculation and adjust state assistance to account for federal funding, potentially increasing eligibility for affected districts such as Clover Park and Medical Lake. The sponsor and supporters said current rules unfairly reduce state support for districts serving military families; OSPI testified in support but said the bill would need amendment to avoid federal-law issues and was working on a revised approach that would increase the SCAP funding assistance percentage instead of directly referencing federal funds. Clover Park School District and the Veterans Legislative Coalition also supported the measure. In executive session, the committee moved HB 2338, which expands the low-income weatherization program to include community-scaled projects, out of committee with a do-pass recommendation by a vote of 17 ayes and 2 excused. The committee then held a work session with the Recreation and Conservation Office on its competitive grant programs, including Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program accounts, youth athletic facilities, community forests, aquatic lands, boating, off-road vehicle, firearms and archery, and federal grant programs. Members asked about demand, ADA compliance, geographic distribution, and technical assistance; RCO said demand is high in several programs and that it uses scoring criteria, regional allocations, and outreach to improve access statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• Participants here in the room must use the microphone when you’re speaking so that it will broadcast

Bills: HB2238 , HB1311 , HB1608 , HB1735 , HB1825 , HB1976 , HB2062

Committee: House Agriculture & Natural Resources

Keywords: HB 2238, HB2238, statewide food security, food security strategy, hunger, food insecurity, food access, food assistance, anti-hunger, nutrition education, food system literacy, agricultural viability, supply chain resilience, Washington Department of Agriculture, food policy forum, BIPOC, tribal consultation, small farmers, diet-related health disparities, food affordability

Transcript Highlights:

• all the time, and they're well spoken about in the public, but they quickly go away after the news media
• But they quickly go away after the news media is gone.
• If we truly care They quickly go away after the news media is gone.
• JLBC, Legislative Council, broadcast, public records.
• I do also want to thank the news media.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• From the pulpit to parliament, boardrooms and broadcast networks, Dr.

Bills: SCR12 , HB221 , HB509 , HCR58 , HB75 , HB1222 , SB121 , SB312 , SB348 , SB485 , SCR9 , SCR58 , SB65 , SB215 , SB249 , SB269 , SB282 , SB296 , SB323 , SB363 , SB369 , SB474 , SB490 , SB492 , SB500 , SB514 , HCR54 , HCR79 , HCR87 , HCR94 , HCR104 , HCR32 , HB944 , HB17 , HB41 , HB73 , HB223 , HB244 , HB410 , HB750 , HB759 , HB906 , HB966 , HB1006 , HB1009 , HB1086 , HB1107 , HB1112 , HB1215 , HB1242 , SB208 , SB217 , SB283 , SB387 , SB389 , SB401 , SB408 , SB469 , HB74 , HB119 , HB368 , HB414 , HB552 , HB732 , HB776 , HB848 , HB870 , HB953 , HB956 , HB1236 , SB29 , SB42 , SB43 , SB78 , SB149 , SB274 , SB300 , SB341 , SB382 , SB441 , SB449 , HB134 , HB210 , HB258 , HB359 , HB468 , HB784 , HB1117

Keywords: logging, recognition, John Keith, environment, safety, Mississippi River bridge, Trump Expressway, transportation, federal funding, Louisiana highways, injection wells, public hearing, geologic sequestration, environmental impact, public comment, Ascension Parish, state capitol, economic development, community partnership, celebration day

Transcript Highlights:

• Participants in the room must use their microphone when speaking so that it will be broadcast into Zoom

Bills: HB2295

Committee: House Capital Budget

Keywords: Washington capital budget, supplemental capital budget, capital appropriations, state building construction account, taxable building construction account, climate commitment account, natural climate solutions, housing trust fund, affordable housing, supportive housing, homelessness, manufactured home communities, mobile home parks, school construction, school modernization, school seismic safety, healthy schools, school electrification, SCAP, behavioral health facilities

Transcript Highlights:

• of Health and Welfare, many of which are reports that we get here as the legislature and that are broadcast

Summary: The committee began by honoring pages Finn Meekum and Cooper Smith for their service, with both students describing the experience as eye-opening and professional. Members thanked them for their help, presented gifts and certificates, and then approved the minutes from February 2 and February 5, 2026. Senate Bill 1316, by Senator Blaylock, would update Idaho’s newborn screening exemption language to align with vaccination exemption standards and clarify that parents may decline newborn screenings and related treatments without stating a specific religious objection. A pediatrician testified in support, saying the bill codifies current practice and supports parental choice. The committee advanced the bill to the floor with a do pass recommendation. Senate Bill 1294, by Senator Galloway, would codify newborn hearing screening in Idaho law and standardize the screening methods used. Supporters, including an education official, an early intervention provider, and parents of children with hearing loss, said early screening improves language development, reduces long-term costs, and helps prevent delayed diagnosis. Some members questioned whether the bill was necessary if screenings already occur and whether the mandatory language conflicted with exemption provisions, but the committee sent the bill to the floor on a 4-3 roll call vote. Senate Bill 1314, also by Senator Blaylock, would repeal the Board of Health and Welfare and regional behavioral health board statutes, shifting authority and rulemaking directly to the department while keeping services in place. The sponsor said the boards are outdated and duplicative; an opponent argued the changes could affect federal settlement obligations, grant funding, oversight, and regional input in behavioral health. After debate, the committee advanced the bill to the floor with a do pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• of Health and Welfare, many of which are reports that we get here as the legislature and that are broadcast

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Participants in the room must use their microphone when speaking so that it will be broadcast into Zoom

Bills: HB2470 , HB2353 , HB2420 , HB2338

Committee: House Capital Budget

Keywords: HB2470, school construction assistance, capital budget, school facilities, on-base schools, military base schools, military installations, public school construction, school plant projects, state funding assistance, superintendent of public instruction, OSPI, school capital funding, instructional space, school district construction, alternative learning experience, ALE, free and reduced-price meals, special housing burden, district growth

Transcript Highlights:

• It looks on the consolidated fund that our receipts and transfers broadcast expenditures.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee heard budget presentations for the Idaho Military Division, the Division of Veterans Services, and the Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho (PERSI). For the Military Division, analysts and Major General Tim Donnellan reviewed the division’s structure, recent transfer of emergency medical services into the division, and the fiscal year 2027 request. The request included a small general fund amount for hazardous materials response, a pay-parity adjustment for state employees tied to federal military pay scales, and a dedicated-fund enhancement for overhead recovery, offset by rescissions including vacant positions and reduced tuition assistance. Members asked about the 3% rescission, EMS transition costs, and why certain CEC-related positions appeared in and out of the budget; the general said the division had absorbed the cut but that further reductions could affect education assistance for Guardsmen. He also described the EMS transition as smooth and said the division was modernizing its Army and Air components. The committee then reviewed the Division of Veterans Services budget and heard from Administrator Mark Champal. The analyst outlined the division’s homes, cemeteries, veteran assistance programs, and fiscal year 2027 requests, including one-time equipment and replacement items, an ongoing reduction for expiring software fees, and reductions for long-vacant positions. Questions focused on nursing shortages, contract labor, the miscellaneous revenue fund, and memory-care capacity. Champal said the division is using a temporary nursing pool to reduce reliance on contract nurses and expects to save nearly half a million dollars, while continuing to struggle with staffing. He said the Boise home currently meets memory-care needs and that the new Boise facility could expand if needed. He also highlighted outreach efforts, claims assistance, cemetery services, and the division’s efforts to connect veterans with outside support. Finally, PERSI’s budget was presented and discussed with Director Mike Hampton. The analyst described the retirement system’s defined benefit and defined contribution plans, the ongoing pension software upgrade, and one-time requests for the final software phase, disaster recovery planning, and IT replacements. Committee members asked about administrative growth, who participates in PERSI, software maintenance costs, and why there was no general fund rescission. Hampton explained that PERSI is fully funded by employer and employee contributions, that the software project is nearing completion, and that the annual maintenance increase reflects licensing costs. He also discussed post-retirement allowance adjustments, saying the board recommended a retroactive catch-up through 2022 and that future increases depend on fund performance and legislative action. The committee also discussed the merits and risks of defined benefit versus defined contribution plans, and Hampton said PERSI remains well funded, with strong investment returns and broad participation across Idaho public employers. The meeting ended with adjournment until the next morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Participants in the room must use their microphone when speaking so that it will be broadcast into Zoom

Bills: HB2295

Committee: House Capital Budget

Keywords: Washington capital budget, supplemental capital budget, capital appropriations, state building construction account, taxable building construction account, climate commitment account, natural climate solutions, housing trust fund, affordable housing, supportive housing, homelessness, manufactured home communities, mobile home parks, school construction, school modernization, school seismic safety, healthy schools, school electrification, SCAP, behavioral health facilities

Transcript Highlights:

• Participants in the room must use their microphone when speaking so that it will be broadcast into Zoom

Summary: The House Capital Budget Committee opened its first hearing of the session on HB 2295 and briefly heard a presentation from OFM Senior Budget Advisor Jen Masterson on Governor Ferguson’s proposed supplemental capital budget. She said the proposal uses about $396 million in new appropriations, leaving roughly $5.4 million in remaining bond authority, and includes major investments in housing, urgent state facility needs, climate-related projects, K-12 school safety and modernization, and higher education minor works. The housing package was the largest share, with $225 million for the Housing Trust Fund, plus funding for homeownership, preservation, manufactured housing communities, and flood-impacted home repair. Committee members asked follow-up questions about Rainier School and juvenile rehabilitation projects, and staff said Rainier School was on the plan and that juvenile rehabilitation funding included flexible capacity funding and facility improvements. Public testimony was largely supportive of the governor’s housing, education, climate, and natural resources proposals, while several speakers urged changes. Housing advocates, Habitat for Humanity, community land trusts, and service providers backed the Housing Trust Fund and homeownership funding, including support for manufactured housing preservation and transit-oriented affordable housing. School and college representatives supported small district modernization, seismic safety, lead remediation, and minor works funding, while some asked for additional support for specific projects such as Cascadia College’s new building, Central Washington University’s feeder line replacement, and WSU Spokane health education renovations. Natural resource and tribal witnesses supported salmon recovery and community forest investments, but asked for more funding for RCO community forest and estuary programs. A major recurring concern was the proposed $75 million transfer from the Public Works Assistance Account, which cities, counties, sewer and water districts, and the Public Works Board said would jeopardize low-interest loans already awarded for local infrastructure projects and shift costs onto distressed communities. Other testimony opposed the budget’s omission of certain projects, including the University of Washington’s power plant decarbonization work and a Spokane cultural hub, while some local governments requested funding for wastewater and flood-control projects. No votes were taken; the chair closed the public hearing after testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• member and their excellent staffs, and the Senate team that gets everything in place and keeps this broadcast

Bills: HB46 , HB272

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: local government spending cap, expenditure limit, political subdivision, property tax, ad valorem tax, budget cap, taxpayer protection, spending restraint, inflation adjustment, population growth, voter approval, supermajority vote, county budget, municipal budget, school district finance, junior college district, hospital district, special district, attorney general enforcement, local fiscal limits

Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs heard several House bills and took no final votes, leaving each bill pending after testimony. HB 272 would align venue and evidentiary rules for fraudulent use or possession of credit/debit card information with existing credit card abuse law; the sponsor said it would improve prosecutions, and the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center supported it. HB 1661 would increase penalties for certain election-related offenses, including failure to distribute election supplies and early release of election results; no substantive opposition was heard. HB 551 would protect the residential addresses of people who receive campaign expenditures on public Texas Ethics Commission reports, similar to donor privacy protections, and a witness from Texas Eagle Forum later indicated support for the privacy change. The committee also heard HB 2820, which would raise the amount charitable bingo organizations may keep in operating capital from $50,000 to $100,000. The sponsor and a Texans for Charitable Bingo representative said inflation and operating costs have made the current cap too low and that the bill would help charities maintain stable operations without expanding gaming. HB 3181 would impose stronger consequences for repeated denial of court-ordered child possession and access, including limiting probation and requiring attorney’s fees after multiple contempt findings; a family court judge and a parent testified in support, while another witness argued the bill should be paired with stronger criminal enforcement and that parents already face high costs. HB 4157 would update Texas law for commercial spaceflight by recognizing liability waivers and preserving workers’ compensation rights; no one testified against it. The committee also heard HB 4145, which would let health care providers satisfy a timely billing requirement by sending bills to a patient’s legal representative in a personal injury case, closing what supporters described as a loophole in letter-of-protection situations. Finally, HB 46, relating to the Texas Compassionate Use Program, drew the most extensive discussion: supporters said it should expand access for legitimate medical cannabis patients and add more delivery methods and conditions, while opponents warned against broader marijuana expansion and questioned adding chronic pain and other conditions. The sponsor said he still supports the program and wants a balanced, regulated expansion, but noted the bill is still being worked on. All bills were left pending at the close of the hearing.

Committee: House Education Policy and Administration

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• leadership of Ranking Member Velasquez won't get the headlines, because this doesn't sell to the news media
• proposed recisions affect programs of the Department of State as well as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
• well as the Corporation<04:30:31.199><c> for</c><04:30:31.439><c> Public</c><04:30:31.880><c> Broadcasting
• ,</c><04:30:32.880><c> the</c> Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
• a</c><08:24:11.638><c> name</c><08:24:12.638><c> on</c> And so you can be called a name on social media

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, in going over the documents here, I can obviously and also what my own eyes saw on our TV broadcasts
• uh</c><01:31:50.800><c> on</c><01:31:51.040><c> our</c><01:31:51.440><c> TV</c><01:31:51.840><c> broadcasts
• </c><01:31:52.960><c> Um,</c><01:31:53.440><c> but</c> saw uh on our TV broadcasts.
• Um, but saw uh on our TV broadcasts.

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We would have put it out on social media, something, where they could say, "Hey, wait a minute, we want
• the Amber and Silver Alerts, going through various channels including radio stations, print and broadcast
• media, cellular service companies, state and federal law enforcement agencies, and state employees.
• our own to help locate our missing brothers and sisters through coordinated local efforts on social media

Transcript Highlights:

• amendment does is, again, as many of you have heard within your district, there was a problem with broadcasting
• amendment does is, again, as many of you have heard within your district, there was a problem with broadcasting
• amendment does is, again, as many of you have heard within your district, there was a problem with broadcasting
• 00:32:16.240><c> a</c><00:32:16.480><c> problem</c><00:32:16.799><c> with</c><00:32:17.519><c> broadcasting
• </c><00:32:18.480><c> of</c> was a problem with broadcasting of was a problem with broadcasting of sporting

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So I think the student-facing side with phase one, I think we're slowly learning how to best broadcast
• think the, on the student facing side with phase one, I think we're slowly learning how to best broadcast

Summary: The committee heard an overview of the California Community Colleges budget proposal, including Proposition 98 funding, a 2.41% COLA for apportionments, enrollment growth funding, repayment of an apportionment deferral, and one-time investments for a student support block grant and deferred maintenance. The Department of Finance described the Governor’s package as providing significant new resources, while the LAO recommended prioritizing COLA and enrollment growth within available funds but raised concerns about some smaller proposals, including making the Healthy School Food Pathways Program ongoing and adding more funding for credit for prior learning before outcomes are known. The Chancellor’s Office supported the COLA, enrollment growth, and one-time investments, and said current projections suggest enrollment growth closer to 3%, with about $85 million to $90 million in ongoing costs if fully funded. Members focused heavily on enrollment growth, the 10% district cap, and whether the state should continue funding growth in the current year and budget year. The Chancellor’s Office said some districts, especially in the Inland Empire and Central Valley, are growing rapidly and that about seven districts are above the cap, with roughly 1,563 FTES and about $30 million in ongoing costs tied to that issue. Members also discussed hold-harmless districts and whether declining campuses should be required to produce turnaround or right-sizing plans. The Chancellor’s Office said districts are already having local conversations and that state funding provides time to adjust, but no formal plan requirement was proposed. The committee then took up common course numbering, where the Chancellor’s Office said all 115 community colleges have implemented the first phase and more than 550,000 students enrolled in the first six commonly numbered courses. The office argued that CCN improves clarity but does not yet guarantee that credits will transfer with full value across UC and CSU, because articulation is still handled campus by campus and can require more than 3,500 separate reviews. Members expressed concern that students can still be forced to retake courses such as calculus or ethnic studies even when they have the same common number, and urged the systems to develop a stronger statewide articulation mechanism tied to outcomes and transparency. The item was left open. Finally, the committee heard the Governor’s proposal to make Calbright College’s funding ongoing at $53.1 million. The LAO recommended instead transitioning Calbright to the student-centered funding formula, with one-time bridge funding in the meantime, arguing the Governor’s proposal lacks a clear enrollment-based rationale and performance expectations. Calbright’s leadership defended the college’s competency-based, flexible model for adult learners, citing more than 6,800 students served, over 2,200 certificates awarded, and wage gains for graduates; they said enrollment is expected to grow from about 7,000 students now to roughly 8,000 to 9,000 next year and around 10,000 over the next couple of years. Members pressed for clearer enrollment and funding data before deciding how Calbright should be funded going forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• this very public, government, taxpayer-funded building where this meeting is conducted and being broadcast
• because this very public government taxpayer funded building that is meeting is conducted and being broadcast

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 1182, all