Transcript Highlights:

• Please come to the testimony table.
• If you'll please come to the testimony table.
• And we have one person remote. We have a remote panel. Would you call them, please, Senator Nobles?
• Thank you for your testimony. Thank you. Natalie.
• Thank you for your testimony. Thank you. Natalie.

Bills: SB6277 , SB5992 , SB6078 , SB6089 , SB5918 , SB5861 , SB6118 , SB6065 , SB6052

Committee: Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education

Keywords: military families, military children, school enrollment, residency requirements, public schools, school districts, educational stability, student mobility, interstate compact, military relocation, active duty, military orders, special education, IEP, Section 504, records transfer, conditional enrollment, Washington schools, RCW 28A.225.215, military installation

Transcript Highlights:

• The clerk will call the names of the members participating remotely.
• And I want to talk just a little bit about one piece of that testimony.
• And this isn't my testimony. It's my voice, his testimony. And you heard about his daughter Harper.
• The clerk will call the names of the members participating remotely. >> Johnson, yes.
• The clerk will call the names of the members participating remotely. >> Johnson, yes.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll go next to remote testimony, Amy Manning. Thank you.
• We will now go to remote testimony. Jeff Pack, please go ahead.
• We'll go to remote testimony. Natalie Manitius.
• “Okay, that—we’re going to go to some remote testimony. Jean Welch Hill.”
• Okay, we're going to go to some remote testimony, Gene Hill.

Bills: HB1069 , HB2091 , SB6355 , HB2104 , SB6003 , HB2441 , HB2124 , HB2610 , HB2338

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: collective bargaining, retirement benefits, employee rights, public sector, supplemental benefits, public employers, employee information, bargaining representatives, labor relations, union representation, electric transmission, energy policies, infrastructure, regulatory framework, transmission systems, aviation, wildland fires, funding, disaster relief, emergency response

Transcript Highlights:

• We’ll go next to remote testimony: Amy Manning.”
• We will now go to remote testimony. Jeff Pack, please go ahead.
• We'll go to remote testimony. Natalie Manitius.
• Okay, then we’re going to go to some remote testimony. Gene Hill.
• Okay, that we're going to go to some remote testimony. Gene Hill.

Summary: The committee took up executive action on the capital budget, Proposed Substitute Senate Bill 6003, and several policy bills. Staff described amendments to the capital budget that shifted funding among behavioral health, local/community projects, irrigation projects, and juvenile rehabilitation capacity, plus a technical fix to the water pollution control revolving program. The committee adopted Senator Dozier’s budget-neutral amendment and a technical amendment, then advanced the amended capital budget to the Rules Committee. It also moved House Bills 2441, 2124, 2471, 2133, 2610, and 2338 forward with due-pass recommendations, and advanced Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2251 on Climate Commitment Act accounts to the Transportation Committee after adopting two amendments and withdrawing three others. A major public hearing focused on Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2034, which would terminate and restate LEOFF Plan 1 in 2029, transfer surplus assets, and direct portions to the Climate Commitment Account and the pension funding stabilization account. Staff said the plan is currently about 160% funded and explained the bill’s IRS-review process, statute of limitations, and estimated implementation costs. Testimony was sharply divided: some retirees, firefighters, counties, and cities opposed the bill as an improper use of pension assets and urged benefit enhancements or protection of local medical obligations, while others supported using the surplus for broader public purposes. No vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee also heard House Bill 2179 on PERS coverage for certain port workers, with ports and the Washington Public Ports Association supporting clarification for railroad employees covered by the federal railroad retirement system. House Bill 1069, allowing Department of Corrections employees to bargain over supplemental retirement benefits, drew support from Teamsters and corrections workers, while House Bill 2091, expanding employee-information sharing with bargaining representatives, drew union support and privacy objections from Washington Policy Center. Finally, Second Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1210 on targeted urban area tax preferences drew support from labor, local governments, and project proponents, and opposition from contractor groups and environmental advocates over project labor agreement requirements and nuclear-related concerns; Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1408 on community preservation and development authorities and Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1974 on land bank authorities for affordable housing were also heard, with both receiving supportive testimony from community and housing advocates.

Transcript Highlights:

• Appreciate your testimony this morning. We'll move on to panel number three.
• Thank you so much for your testimony today. Anthony. All right.
• And you may begin your testimony when you're ready. Yes, thank you.
• Thanks, and thank you for your testimony, Jim. Ms. Megan Perry available?
• Thanks for your testimony. And I do have a question. Thank you. Thanks for your testimony.

Bills: SB5917 , SB6080 , SB6085 , SB5940 , SB5945 , SB5957 , SB5966

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: abortion medications, reproductive health, mifepristone, misoprostol, abortion access, medication abortion, early pregnancy loss, miscarriage management, Department of Corrections, Department of Health, health care providers, health care entities, Indian health care providers, pharmacy distribution, wholesale distribution, reproductive rights, women's health, emergency clause, immediate effect, public health

Transcript Highlights:

• because we are expecting a large turnout for a few of our issues, we will be limiting today's public testimony
• Remote and hybrid work models have proven not only viable but often more effective, offering increased
• Remote and hybrid work models have proven not only viable but often more effective, offering increased
• Remote and hybrid work models have proven not only viable but often more effective, offering increased
• jobs across the country, and one of the first questions they will ask... ...is whether the job is remote

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 5 heard updates from the Secretary of State, EDD, the State Controller’s Office, CalHR, and DGS on a range of budget proposals and federal policy impacts. Secretary of State Shirley Weber opened with remarks about California’s election system, emphasizing its safety, transparency, high voter registration and vote-by-mail participation, and the office’s response to bomb threats and other election threats. Her staff then presented funding requests for the Cal-Access Replacement System (CARS) and Help America Vote Act/VoteCal activities, describing them as needed to modernize campaign finance and lobbying disclosure systems and maintain election security and voter services. A major portion of the hearing focused on federal election policy, especially the potential effects of a presidential executive order and the SAVE Act. Secretary of State staff said California would face significant, potentially unquantifiable costs if forced to comply, including new burdens on county recorders, county election offices, and the Secretary of State’s office, and warned of voter disenfranchisement, especially for students, seniors, disabled voters, military and overseas voters, rural residents, and people with limited transportation. Members and public commenters strongly opposed the federal proposals and argued California’s current system is functioning well. The committee also heard that federal HAVA funds were not expected to be at risk because the state draws them down into an interest-bearing account. EDD reported on paid family leave, explaining that recent delays were tied to a system transition and increased claim volume, and said it was simplifying applications and adding staff and automation. Public testimony supported expanding paid family leave to chosen family. EDD also said it is prepared for possible unemployment spikes, citing a recession plan, a command center, and recent hiring. The State Controller’s Office requested funding to continue the Fiscal migration project, which would move the state’s accounting book of record to the new system by July 1, 2026; Finance and LAO had no objections, and the committee expressed support for the project’s progress. CalHR presented a proposal for a statewide recruitment, outreach, and education paid media campaign under AB 1511, saying its current advertising budget is too small to reach diverse communities effectively. The final item addressed Governor Newsom’s executive order requiring a return to office on a four-day schedule. CalHR and DGS said they were working department-by-department to assess space, parking, transit, and other logistics, but had not completed a statewide cost analysis. Members and many public commenters criticized the order, arguing it was rushed, costly, harmful to telework benefits, and potentially disruptive to workers, especially those with disabilities, caregiving responsibilities, or long commutes. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I do have written testimony.
• Thank you for your testimony.
• In today's remote testimony, there were four in support and six opposed, and on today's blue sheet there
• And I do have written testimony at this time. Written testimony... Sorry, at this time?
• I do have some written testimony.

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Transcript Highlights:

• c> uh</c> but in remote testimony a person uh but in remote testimony a person uh signed<01:09:52.400
• On the remote testimony, we have eight in support and zero opposed.
• In our remote testimony, we have 77 in support and two opposed.
• Uh, remote testimony shows 51 in support and one in opposition.
• Uh, in remote testimony, we had seven in support and zero opposed.

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:07:07.800><c> with</c> three minutes for public testimony with three minutes for public testimony
• </c> well as people um providing testimony well as people um providing testimony thank<01:17:48.840><
• Is that your testimony?
• Madam Chair, there were remote testimony counts: five in support, five opposed, and one on the blue sheet
• Thank you for your testimony.

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to begin testimony shortly.
• We'll start with testimony for those who have RSVP'd to testify in person.
• Certainly, anything you don't get to in your testimony, feel free to submit written testimony as well
• I appreciate your time and testimony.
• Appreciate your testimony, and sorry again for the interruption.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Transportation

Summary: The Joint Committee on Transportation heard testimony on a range of bills focused on transportation funding, governance, and equity. Supporters backed proposals to create a North Central Massachusetts intercity passenger rail fund tied to a possible new gaming license (H. 3680/S. 2363), local parking assessments (H. 3756), third-party delivery fees (S. 2356/H. 3774), broader roadway pricing and congestion management measures (S. 2353/S. 2354), tolling equity and regional transit authority advisory boards (S. 2400/S. 2401), and Steamship Authority oversight reforms including board term limits (S. 2395). Testimony in favor emphasized new dedicated revenue sources, commuter rail expansion, regional equity, improved oversight, and better transit access for riders and communities that rely on public transportation. There was also testimony in opposition to the third-party delivery fee bills from Chamber of Progress, which argued the fee would raise costs for consumers, small businesses, and delivery workers, could reduce demand and jobs, and might not achieve the intended environmental benefits. Associated Builders and Contractors of Massachusetts opposed H. 3633, a transit expansion, electrification, and resiliency bill, specifically objecting to its mandatory project labor agreement requirement and saying it would limit competition and disadvantage non-union contractors and workers. Several witnesses spoke in favor of the Steamship Authority bill, saying term limits would improve transparency, accountability, and board turnover. The committee also heard detailed support for the North Central rail proposal from a legislator, the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, and a transportation advocate, who described the bill as a way to generate long-term bonded revenue for rail infrastructure. After testimony concluded and no questions remained, the chairs entertained and received a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• Weber's testimony, and I would direct you to my written testimony to the extent there's anything further
• Implicit in your testimony and explicit Mr. Weber's is this idea that, testimony and explicit Mr.
• Thank you so much for your testimony.
• Thank you for hearing my testimony today.
• We'll go to in-person testimony.

Summary: The committee held public hearings on House Bill 2255, House Bill 2548, and House Bill 2320. HB 2255 would regulate third-party litigation funding by requiring disclosure of funders and agreements, prohibiting funder control over litigation, capping funder recovery at 25%, and creating enforcement remedies. Supporters, including the sponsor, insurance groups, and liability reform advocates, described it as a transparency and consumer-protection measure that could improve court efficiency and reduce costs. Opponents, including the Washington State Association for Justice and the commercial litigation funding industry, argued it would burden plaintiffs, reveal protected work product, chill access to justice, and create satellite litigation. No vote was taken; the chair closed the hearing and asked testifiers to submit written comments. HB 2548 would expand state oversight of health care market transactions by broadening the types of mergers, acquisitions, asset sales, and ownership/control changes that trigger notice to the Attorney General, pausing transactions until information requests are substantially complied with, expanding interagency data sharing, and revoking nonprofit status in certain transactions. Supporters, including patient advocates, nurses, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner, the Attorney General’s office, physicians, and individual health care workers, said private equity and consolidation are driving higher costs, reduced access, and lower quality. Opponents from the Washington State Hospital Association and MultiCare said the bill is unclear, may contain drafting errors, does not adequately target private equity structures, and could create problems around nonprofit status and charitable assets. The hearing ended with the committee moving on to the next bill. HB 2320 would update Washington’s ghost gun laws to address 3D-printed firearms, CNC manufacturing, digital firearm manufacturing code, and the sale of machines marketed for firearm production, and would make certain violations per se Consumer Protection Act violations. The sponsor and supporters, including school officials, gun violence prevention advocates, a trauma survivor, a 3D-printing industry representative, and others, said the bill closes a public safety loophole and responds to the growing availability of untraceable weapons. Opponents, including the NRA, makerspace representatives, and some industry witnesses, argued the bill is overbroad, may sweep in lawful 3D-printing and CNC activity, raises First, Second, and Fifth Amendment concerns, and could create uncertainty through rebuttable presumptions and the CPA provisions. The transcript ends during the HB 2320 hearing, with additional testimony panels still to come and no final committee action recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you can come up, I think there’s some folks remote as well.
• Thanks for your testimony. Interesting stuff.
• I believe one will be remote, one will be in person.
• All right, we will move straight into testimony. Great, thank you.
• All right, we will move straight into testimony. Great, thank you.

Bills: HB2161 , HB2332 , HB2102

Committee: House Civil Rights & Judiciary

Keywords: attorney general, legal authority, state powers, judiciary, civil rights, driver privacy, data protection, personal information, surveillance, consumer rights, legal obligations, financial responsibility, debt management, consumer protection, court systems

Transcript Highlights:

• So for those bills, we will have testimony, and the testimony will be 30-minute blocks for support, opposition
• So for those bills, we will have testimony.
• So for those bills, we will have testimony, and the testimony will be 30-minute blocks for support, opposition
• Chair, we have no callers for opposition testimony. Thank you so much.
• We will move your testimony to support. Broadcast, do we have any other callers?

Bills: SB6 , SB62 , SB74 , SB90 , SB104 , SB119 , SB132 , SB133 , SB135 , SB182 , SB185 , SB193 , SB207 , SB217 , SB229 , SB233 , SB260 , SB262 , SB280 , SB281 , SB300 , SB306 , SB378 , SB382 , SB393 , SB403 , SB422 , SB427 , SB431 , SB434 , SB442 , SB452 , SB456 , SB468 , SB472 , SB487 , SB503 , SB6

Committee: Assembly Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for your testimony. Thank you for having me. Yep. All right.
• So in order to support a remote desktop, you need a remote tool in order to be able to log into that
• desktop remotely.
• So in order to support a remote desktop, you need a remote tool in order to be able to log into that
• desktop remotely.

Summary: The Government Finance Committee met with new leadership, approved the December 11 minutes, and received a series of informational updates on the state’s finances and related policy issues. The Office of Management and Budget reported the general fund is tracking very close to forecast, with revenues about $2 million above forecast and an estimated ending balance of about $397 million, higher than previously expected. OMB also reviewed balances in major funds, including the budget stabilization fund, legacy fund, foundation aid stabilization fund, social services fund, and strategic investment and improvements fund, and answered questions about oil tax revenues and fund management. The Tax Department provided updates on taxable sales and purchases by county and industry, noting Cass County as the largest county by taxable sales and that retail trade remains the largest industry sector. Tax Commissioner Brian Kroshus also discussed the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act and its estimated effects on North Dakota income tax collections, explaining that the projected revenue impacts are measured against a 2025 baseline and that some provisions are temporary while others are permanent. He also reported that primary residence tax credit applications were running ahead of last year, with more than 154,000 received so far and an expectation of roughly 160,000-plus applications. The committee also heard fee-study presentations from the Department of Transportation and the Information Technology Department. DOT explained that driver’s license fees cover only about half of program costs and that the shortfall is subsidized by the highway fund, while also noting recent changes such as the blackout plate and motor vehicle excise tax distribution changes. NDIT described its internal service fund model, current billing structure, and possible future changes to simplify invoices and billing frequency. Legislative staff also updated the committee on office space needs in Bismarck-Mandan and on legislative branch space planning, and subcommittees reported progress on fixed-route transit funding and regional jail capacity, including a visit to the Burleigh-Morton detention facility and discussion of future prison bed needs. No formal votes or legislative actions beyond approving the minutes were taken, and the committee adjourned with its next meeting set for June 25.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, and on the remote testimony, we had zero in support and one opposed.
• Uh, the remote testimony was one in support and eight opposed.
• :42.080><c> remote</c><02:36:42.479><c> testimony</c><02:36:43.040><c> was</c> support was uh the remote
• testimony was support was uh the remote testimony was one<02:36:43.600><c> in</c><02:36:43.920><c> support
• The remote testimony shows two in support and zero opposed.

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Transcript Highlights:

• Weber's testimony and I would direct you to my written testimony to the extent there's anything further
• Thank you so much for your testimony.
• Thank you for hearing my testimony today.
• Thank you for hearing my testimony today.
• We'll go to in-person testimony.

Bills: HB2255 , HB2320 , HB2548

Committee: House Civil Rights & Judiciary

Keywords: litigation finance, legal funding, lawsuit, financial services, access to justice, firearm regulation, manufacturing, safety standards, background checks, license requirements, health care market standards, hospital consolidation, merger review, health care transaction notice, attorney general review, antitrust, provider organizations, hospital systems, contracting affiliation, material change

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to get right into the testimony here.
• Oh, they are remote.
• Okay, thank you very much for your testimony.
• My testimony and just answer Representative Griffey's question.
• Thanks very much for your testimony.

Bills: HB1228 , HB1239 , HB2310 , HB2464

Committee: House Community Safety

Keywords: DUI, driving under the influence, impaired driving, toxicology, forensic toxicology, breath test, blood test, THC, marijuana, cannabis, alcohol concentration, state toxicologist, implied consent, evidence admissibility, venous blood draw, forensic phlebotomist, certified laboratory, accredited laboratory, law enforcement, DWI

Transcript Highlights:

• But shouldn't the remote person recording the remote vote actually get an affirmative aye or nay from
• But shouldn't the remote the person out.
• But shouldn't the remote the person recording<04:30:46.520><c> the</c><04:30:46.600><c> remote</c><04
• Just for clarity, the vote was not recorded remotely.
• The person came not recorded remotely.

Transcript Highlights:

• and then we'll come back to the testimony on this bill.
• , and then we'll come back to the testimony on this bill.
• Thanks for your testimony.
• And thanks for your testimony today.
• Vice Chair Frame: Thank you for your testimony today.

Bills: SB6007 , SB6186 , SB6212

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: assessment practices, public policy, children, youth, families, evaluation, outcomes, SNAP, nutrition, public health, food access, unhealthy foods, benefit program, assistance, pilot program, state support, public welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• From remote testimony on this bill, we have two in support and two opposed. >> Thank you.
• On today's remote testimony, there were four in support and 15 opposed."
• Uh, today in the remote testimony, there were two folks in support of the bill and 16 opposed.
• And on the in-house blue sheet, there is... today uh in the remote testimony, there today uh in the remote
• And today's remote testimony, we had one in support and 13 opposed.

Committee: House Municipal and County Government