Transcript Highlights:

• In person, one remote.
• Representative Paul votes aye. Representative Nance votes aye.
• Representative Leigh votes aye. Representative Lee votes nay, do not pass.
• Representative Thomas votes aye. Representative Timmins votes aye.
• Representative Timmins, votes aye. Please look at the voting record.

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on HB 2337, which would repeal the planned 2027 requirement that certain family-member long-term care providers complete annual continuing education. Rep. Barnard said the bill was intended to reduce burdens on relatives caring for one loved one and to avoid forcing them into courses that are often not relevant to the person they support. Supportive testimony from family providers and disability advocates emphasized that family caregivers already receive individualized training from doctors and therapists, that the available course library is often geared toward aging-related care rather than developmental disabilities, and that mandatory CE could create compliance barriers and risk losing caregivers. Opponents, including SEIU 775 representatives and family caregivers who support the current system, argued that continuing education improves care quality, helps caregivers stay prepared as needs change, and should remain mandatory; they also said the state had already responded to prior concerns by expanding the course catalog and allowing repeat courses for credit. No action was taken on HB 2337. The committee then heard HB 2311, a technical bill making administrative changes to the Workforce Education Investment and Accountability and Oversight Board. The bill would extend co-chair terms, allow more than four meetings per year, shift consultation on workforce investment effectiveness to the Student Achievement Council, and eliminate the requirement for a public data dashboard. The bill sponsor and supporters from WASAC, Microsoft, and the United Faculty of Washington State said the changes would improve board operations and oversight, while also raising broader concerns that WEA funds have been used to supplant general fund support for higher education. Testimony noted the dashboard had not been funded and that WASAC already tracks related metrics through other tools. No vote was taken on HB 2311 during the hearing. The committee then moved to executive action on HB 2132, which limits disclosure and retention of personally identifying information in WASFA records. An amendment by Rep. Levitt was adopted to allow the Student Achievement Council to share applicant information with entities beyond higher education institutions under binding data-sharing agreements. The committee then adopted the amended substitute bill and voted it out of committee. The final roll call was 9-8 in favor, and Substitute HB 2132 was reported out with a do pass recommendation. The committee also announced that executive action on HB 288 and HB 2148 would be delayed and that no action would be taken on those bills that day.

Transcript Highlights:

• A remote testifier, Roland Thompson. Mr.
• The motion carries by your vote.
• Motion carries by your vote.
• The motion carries by your vote.
• The motion carries by your vote.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met for work sessions, public hearings, and executive action. In the work session, WSDOT briefed the committee on the U.S. 12 corridor near Walla Walla and the North Spokane Corridor. Brian White said U.S. 12 is an eight-phase project with seven phases complete, and phase eight would finish the corridor, improve freight mobility and safety, and include a jurisdictional transfer of the old highway back to Walla Walla County. He said the project remains short of full funding, including a gap between the $350 million corridor cost and the $110 million federal Rural Surface Transportation grant, but WSDOT hopes to build smaller independent-utility pieces and begin construction in summer 2027. Charlene K. then reported that the North Spokane Corridor is seven of eight highway miles open, with major remaining work on the I-90 connection and related interchanges, bridges, and trail segments. She described the project as on track for design completion in 2027 and construction completion around 2030, while noting risks tied to federal approval, tight construction space, labor and contractor availability, utilities, and community impacts. The committee also heard from Karen Messmer of the Cooper Jones Active Transportation Safety Council, who summarized the council’s 2025 report and 2026 priorities. She emphasized that pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities remain unacceptably high and urged a safe-system approach focused on safer speeds, roads, road users, vehicles, land use, and post-crash care. She highlighted recommendations including safety-based performance measures, better speed management, more local safety planning support, improved driver education, attention to micromobility and large vehicles, and faster toxicology and crash-data processing. In public hearings, the committee heard Senate Bill 6131, which would expand the Washington Traffic Safety Commission’s fatal crash review authority, designate it as a public health authority for limited access to health information, and create a confidential fatality review committee. The sponsor and Traffic Safety Commission said the bill would help identify common contributing factors in all fatal crashes while protecting confidential information; a media representative testified that the bill preserves public access to records already open and supports the goal of improving safety. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6155, which would extend disability parking placard renewal from every five years to every 20 years and remove the need for a health care practitioner’s signature at renewal; supporters said this would reduce burdens on permanently disabled people, while opponents warned it could increase fraud and misuse of placards. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 6238, which would raise the minimum tug escort horsepower for oil tankers in restricted waters to 3,000 horsepower or 5% of tanker deadweight, whichever is greater; the sponsor and Board of Pilotage said the change would align statute with current practice and newly adopted rules. Testimony was mixed, and the hearing closed with two people signed in pro and two con. In executive session, the committee advanced several bills. It passed Senate Bill 5746 on EV charging infrastructure property crime, Senate Bill 5824 on fifth wheel travel trailer length, Senate Bill 6110 on e-bikes and e-motos, Senate Bill 5839 on county ferry district passenger-only service, and Senate Bill 6148 on regional transit authority bond terms, all with due pass recommendations to the Rules Committee. An amendment to SB 6110 adding several state agency leaders to the e-moto work group was rejected. The committee adjourned after signing committee reports.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please vote your district, vote your conscience. Don't vote early. Don't vote often, but just vote.
• I hope you vote. Green.
• Go ahead and vote for it if you like, or don't vote for it if you don't want to. You don't want to.
• The clerk will call the name of the member participating remotely. House File 14, Olsen votes no.
• The member participating remotely: Olsen. House File 5. Olsen votes no. Olsen votes no.

Transcript Highlights:

• Seeing none, Vice Chair, for the vote. Voting on SB 1442 SD2.
• Members voting vote. Thank you, chair.
• Any members voting? No. Any amendments. Any members voting? No.
• Vice Chair, for the vote. Members voting on SB 1452, Senate Draft 1.
• </c> voting no. voting no.

Summary: The joint hearing opened with SB 1442, which would update the statute governing the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division and clarify its role as the state Medicaid provider of intensive mental health services for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbance. The Department of Health testified in strong support, saying the current statute is outdated and warning against any unfunded mandate because the division relies on federal funding and faces uncertainty about future resources. Written testimony from several organizations also supported the bill. The committees took no immediate action and said they would hold decision-making until later. The hearing then moved to SB 479 on ABLE savings accounts. The Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Hawaii Disability Rights Center supported the measure, arguing that ABLE accounts help people with disabilities save money without losing benefits and that the state needs more outreach and staffing to expand participation. A testifier with a disability said the bill would help people keep Social Security and housing stability. The chair indicated an intention to move the bill forward, and asked about funding; the discussion settled on a requested appropriation of about $75,000 for incentives. Next, SB 1245 on reimbursement of pharmacists drew broad support from the Hawaii Pharmacists Association, rural pharmacies, the Hawaii Primary Care Association, and others, who said the bill would improve access to care, especially on neighbor islands and in rural communities, and help pharmacies participate in 340B-related services. The Insurance Division and HMSA raised concerns about bill language, saying it could be read to cover pharmacists outside an insurer’s network and that the scope of reimbursable services needed clarification; the pharmacists’ association said the bill is intended to apply only to in-network pharmacists and should continue to reference existing scope-of-practice law. The hearing also took up SB 1279, which would allow pharmacists to authorize medications via telehealth under certain circumstances. The State Board of Pharmacy opposed the bill, citing patient safety, a pilot project with reported errors, concerns about controlled substances and unregulated technicians, and the view that in-person pharmacist services are safer and already available on the affected islands. Several pharmacies and health care groups supported the measure as a way to preserve 340B access and improve service on Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi, while some local pharmacies said they already provide in-person service and opposed remote dispensing. No votes were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• This year I brought SF 93, shared custody amendments, which failed introduction by two votes.
• The topic that we've requested for interim review is around our remote public access to court records
• The topic that we've requested for interim review is around our remote public access to court records
• Um, on our remote public access to court records.
• </c> toward a remote public access system. toward a remote public access system.

Summary: The Judiciary Interim Committee met under time constraints and asked members to rank interim topics for a letter to Management Council. The committee then took brief public testimony on a series of proposed study topics, with no formal votes recorded in the transcript. Early testimony focused on landlord eviction rights, where speakers said the court eviction process is too slow, can worsen housing shortages, and leaves landlords unable to recover rent, fees, or damage costs. The foster care topic was presented as a request to examine whether the system gives too much weight to reunification and not enough to the child’s best interests, especially for younger children. A Blue Envelope Program proposal was also discussed; supporters said it would help law enforcement communicate with autistic or otherwise communication-challenged individuals during traffic stops and emergencies, and improve consistency statewide. The committee also heard a proposal to study Wyoming’s homicide-by-vehicle statute, with testimony from a constituent whose mother was killed by a repeat dangerous driver. Speakers argued the current law leaves a gap because prior DUIs, high-risk driving history, and other aggravating factors do not meaningfully affect charging unless intoxication or extreme conduct is present. Related testimony from Wyoming Pathways said the change should be a tool in the toolbox for prosecutors and could improve safety for pedestrians and drivers. Senator Cooper then raised campaign finance reform and dark money, urging a resolution asking Wyoming’s congressional delegation to seek a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and restore state control over election spending transparency. Additional topics included a request from the Wyoming Livestock Board to review peace officer statutes so its investigators could act on felonies committed in their presence or prevent imminent bodily harm, while remaining within their current duties and certification. Representative Lee asked for review of non-disclosure agreements in public-private partnerships and executive sessions so the public can eventually understand how such agreements were used. Senator Pearson asked for interim consideration of shared custody amendments, saying fit parents should have a fair opportunity for shared parenting after separation. Representative Storer proposed revisiting DUI penalties, especially for refusal of chemical testing, arguing that refusal often prevents prosecution and that the law should impose treatment and license suspension consequences. The committee also heard a request to review statutes involving political parties, and the state court administrator asked for interim study of remote public access to court records, citing ongoing automation efforts, privacy concerns, and funding needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• presided over by an administrative law judge, who makes evidentiary rulings but is not entitled to vote
• Oh, are you— is she remote? I'm sorry about that.
• Remotely, we have Amy McCollum. Amy, are you with us? Yes. Hello. Please go ahead.
• In the meanwhile, we'll have other remote testimony. Let's see here. Again, only two minutes.
• I hope I can count on your vote and support as well. Thank you. Wow, thank you so much.

Summary: The House Committee on Community Safety held public hearings on House Bill 2220, which would change Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) certification hearings for peace and corrections officers. The bill would raise the standard of proof for suspension or revocation from a preponderance of the evidence to clear and convincing evidence, expand the hearing panel from five to six members by adding another law enforcement representative, and require biennial reporting by law enforcement agencies and the CJTC on officer certification, training completion, and decertifications. Sponsor Rep. Mari Leavitt and supporters argued the bill would improve fairness, transparency, training compliance, and recruitment/retention, while CJTC staff said they support objective hearings but opposed the burden-of-proof change and parts of the definitions, especially probation. Opponents, including police accountability advocates and several CJTC commissioners, argued the current system is working, there is no demonstrated problem, and the bill would weaken civilian oversight and make decertification harder. No vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee then heard House Bill 2362, which would lower Washington’s per se blood alcohol concentration threshold for impaired driving from 0.08 to 0.05, require a public information campaign, and direct an evaluation of the policy’s impacts by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy. Rep. Brandy Donaghy said the bill is intended to reduce traffic deaths and improve public safety. Supporters, including several prosecutors and victims’ family members, said lower BAC limits can deter impaired driving and save lives, and argued the change would educate the public and reduce crashes. Opponents from the hospitality, brewing, and wine industries said the bill would not address the main causes of fatal crashes, would burden businesses and responsible consumers, and pointed to Utah’s experience as evidence the policy may not reduce fatalities. Prosecutors also raised concerns about the toxicology lab backlog, though some said the bill could eventually reduce cases and improve safety. The hearing on HB 2362 ended with public testimony; no committee action or vote was taken in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Just having a look to see, we do not have our remote testifier online yet.
• Is 13 members present, all voting in the affirmative?
• 15 now, wow. 15 members present voting in the affirmative.
• House Bill 1269 by your vote is voted out of committee. Members present voting in the affirmative.
• House Bill 1269 by your vote is voted out of committee with a due pass recommendation.

Bills: HB2229 , HB2274 , HB2294 , HB1269 , HB1078

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Business

Keywords: professional engineers, registration act, licensing, engineering practice, state regulations, email regulation, commercial communications, consumer protection, data privacy, electronic mail, consumer access, real property, food security, medicine access, restriction, pawnbroker, fees, interest rates, financial regulation, pet insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• We did that, and many people on this dais voted on that. Thank you for that.
• I'd like to next welcome remotely Senator Liz Miranda, who is here to testify on pieces of legislation
• I'd like to next welcome remotely. Senator Thank you. Thank you. I'd like to next welcome remotely.
• Joining us remotely, we'd like to take out of turn Senator Becca Rausch, who is here to testify both
• If Arminda is with us remotely, Shondale Davis. Hello, I'm in person. Sean Dall Davis. Oh, please.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills. Representative David Linsky supported HB 3383, which would designate the song “Roadrunner” as the official rock song of Massachusetts, describing its Boston roots and cultural significance. Representative Sean Garberle supported HB 3335 on public access to historical records, arguing that records from state institutions should be released after 75 years and that families and researchers should be able to identify people buried in unmarked graves at former state institutions. Representative Rodney Elliott and Lowell officials supported HB 4138, authorizing easements for a Lowell sewer separation project; they said the project is needed for Clean Water Act compliance, will reduce combined sewer overflows into the Merrimack River, and must proceed quickly to meet SRF and consent-decree timelines. Committee members asked about Article 97, the location and scope of the easement, environmental justice impacts, and minority/small business participation in construction. The committee also heard extensive testimony on Senate 2183 and its House companion, which would elevate the Massachusetts National Guard to a cabinet-level position reporting directly to the Governor. Senators Mike Moore and John Velis, along with the National Guard Association’s Matthew McKenna, argued the change would reduce bureaucracy, improve communication and readiness, and reflect the Guard’s broad domestic and military missions. Velis cited the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home tragedy as an example of a breakdown in communication, while committee members said they wanted more information, including input from the Governor’s office and Guard leadership, before acting. The committee noted the distinction between state-controlled and federalized Guard missions and said it would continue reviewing the issue. Senator Liz Miranda and a large panel of survivors, advocates, and Northeastern law students testified in support of S. 2174 and S. 2177, which would create an office and task force on unsolved homicides, allow families to petition for case review after three years, require written responses, and establish a tip line, database, and dedicated funding. Witnesses described long-standing lack of communication, low clearance rates, and the disproportionate impact on Black and Brown communities. Senator Becca Rausch also testified on S. 2210, extending public records law to the governor and Legislature, and S. 2207, creating stronger information-governance and records-retention standards; she said both would improve transparency and reduce waste. The transcript does not reflect any votes taken during the hearing, though chairs repeatedly indicated support for moving some bills favorably and said the committee would continue reviewing the National Guard proposal.

Transcript Highlights:

• Vote no, Thank you. That's our time. Vote no, please. please. please.
• Mueller votes yes. Perez-Vega. Mueller. Mueller votes yes. Perez-Vega.
• Mueller votes yes. votes yes. Mueller. Mueller votes yes.
• She's remote. Oh, she's remote. Okay. Just do here. Got it.
• She's remote. Oh, she's remote. Okay. Just do here. Got it.

Bills: HF3493 , HF4114

Committee: House Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• know who you votes who voted yes, you know who you find?
• I voted for the bill before I voted against the bill.
• I voted for the bill before I voted against the bill.
• before I voted I voted for the bill before I voted against<00:17:26.040><c> the</c><00:17:26.120><c>
• Rush to a vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Just having a look to see, we do not have our remote testifier online yet.
• Is 13 members present, all voting in the affirmative?
• Fifteen members present voting in the affirmative.
• House Bill 1269, by your vote, is voted out of committee.
• House Bill 1269, by your vote, is voted out of committee with a due pass recommendation, unless any member

Summary: The Consumer Protection and Business Committee held public hearings on three bills. House Bill 2229 would update the professional engineers registration act by removing the U.S. citizenship requirement for board members, increasing pro tem board positions, giving the board more discretion over experience and continuing education requirements, removing some registration exclusions, and making various technical updates. The bill sponsor and the board described it as a cleanup and modernization measure, and a board representative said one naming change in the draft was unintended and would be corrected. No public testimony was taken before the hearing was suspended and later closed. House Bill 2274 would revise the Washington Commercial Electronic Mail Act after a Washington Supreme Court decision led to a wave of lawsuits over email subject lines. The bill would require a sender to have a “reliable basis” to know an email is held by a Washington resident, narrow when a subject line is actionable, require recipients to show they reviewed and relied on the email to recover damages, and repeal the act’s per se Consumer Protection Act violation while keeping statutory damages. Retailers, small business owners, hospitality groups, and e-commerce representatives supported the bill, saying the current interpretation is producing costly, technical lawsuits over ordinary promotional language and creating settlement pressure even without consumer harm. Consumer advocates opposed the bill, arguing it would weaken protections against deceptive subject lines and that the current law already targets false or misleading claims. The committee took no final action on the bill. House Bill 2294 would prohibit future negative use restrictions on real property that block grocery stores or pharmacies, with exceptions for existing restrictions, relocations, and certain retail centers. The sponsor said the measure is intended to improve food and pharmacy access, especially after grocery closures such as the one in Lake City, and noted similar local ordinances already exist. Food industry and grocery association witnesses generally supported the bill as a way to reduce barriers to food access and help independent grocers, while also asking for clearer guardrails to avoid unintended effects on legitimate business arrangements. The sponsor said she was open to working on enforcement and other details. The committee then moved to executive session and passed House Bill 1269, which would adjust pawn broker loan terms, interest, document preparation fees, storage fees, and allow online payment for renewals. Members described it as a modest increase after 11 years without changes, and the bill was reported out of committee with a due pass recommendation by voice vote, with 15 members voting in the affirmative.

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair, I may explain my vote? Sure. Senator Bravo? No. Madam Chair, I'm explaining my vote.
• My vote... Right here.
• I vote aye. Madam Chair, I'd like to explain my vote.
• I vote aye. Madam Chair, I'd like to explain my vote.
• Madam Chair, explain my vote.

Bills: HB2020 , HB2032 , HB2033 , HB2249 , HB2313 , HB2318 , HB2378 , HCR2003

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Senate Education Committee of Reference

Keywords: interference, disruption, educational institutions, public order, conduct rules, statewide assessment, student testing, academic standards, third grade reading, reading retention, promotion and retention, school accountability, assessment window, testing window, test scores, school report cards, nontest data, graduation rates, dropout rates, education data privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> of this vote for this urgency. Why? of this vote for this urgency. Why?
• This should be an easy green vote for anyone who's remotely serious about ending Minnesota's fraud epidemic
• A no vote is a vote for the status quo. It's a vote for complacency.
• Vote<00:28:14.159><c> green.</c> Vote green. Vote green.
• PE votes yes. >> I.

Summary: The House debated a motion to suspend the rules so House File 3843 could be recalled from committee and given second and third readings for final passage. The bill, carried by Representative Baker and supported by Representative Niska, would create a subcommittee of the governor’s workforce development board to vet nonprofit and other applicants for workforce development dollars, with the legislature retaining final authority. Supporters argued the proposal would add an extra layer of scrutiny, reduce fraud risk, and help prevent problems like those highlighted in recent reporting and past nonprofit funding scandals. Supporters repeatedly tied the bill to concerns about fraud in state grantmaking, citing the Feeding Our Future scandal and other nonprofit cases as examples of why more oversight is needed. Representative Baker said the committee process can be overwhelmed by many direct-appropriation requests at the end of session, and that a board-based vetting process would help identify red flags. Representative Enen and Representative Schultz also backed the motion, saying the bill would improve accountability and protect taxpayer dollars. Representative Pinto opposed the urgency motion, saying he supports moving toward more competitive grants but not adding another layer of bureaucracy without a fiscal note or fuller committee process. He argued the bill would not do what supporters claimed and that the legislature already makes funding decisions. After debate, the House took a roll call vote on the motion to suspend the rules. The motion failed by one vote, 67 yeas to 66 nays.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> you recall, I think we have to vote you recall, I think we have to vote first.<00:21:54.760><c>
• </c> if people are comfortable, we can vote if people are comfortable, we can vote on<00:35:11.520><c
• </c> we have two testifiers that are remote. we have two testifiers that are remote.
• Um, we can just vote on that. Right.
• Um we can just vote on that. Dibble. Um we can just vote on that.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• And our final testifier, a remote testifier, Ian Cope. Ian, please. Can you hear me? Yes.
• Constantine, Victoria Wassmer, and Charles Presdruid, and while they're coming, we'll get the first remote
• It would also push the burden for repayment onto future generations that had no opportunity to vote on
• And I think we have to vote. Senator Harris. Thank you, Chair.
• We will now go to our remote testifiers.

Bills: SB5750 , SB6148

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: electric vehicles, charging fees, state facilities, sustainability, infrastructure, regional transit authority, RTA, transit bonds, general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, bond maturity, debt limit, 25-year cap, regional mobility grant program, public transit financing, transportation funding, Washington RCW, bond issuance, municipal finance, infrastructure finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, vote yes.
• So, please vote green. mind. So, please vote green.
• </c> to do that is to vote green. to do that is to vote green.
• All members must vote. The clerk will call the names of the members participating remotely.
• Rarick votes no. The clerk will close the roll. participating remotely.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> uh that before we vote? uh that before we vote?
• for voting.
• for voting.
• for voting.
• for voting.

Committee: House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• Vote no.
• I would encourage you to vote no. I vote no on this amendment. Further discussion on the amendment?
• So I urge the body to vote green. The clerk will take the roll. Remotely, Hussein... Thank you.
• You should be okay to vote for it. I encourage you to vote green on this bill.
• Please vote no, members.

Transcript Highlights:

• Remote? Yes. Uh, please state your name, and you may begin.
• And just last month, our newest board member became sick before a crucial decision and vote.
• </c> was able to watch the meeting remotely was able to watch the meeting remotely she<01:45:55.560><
• </c> before a crucial decision and vote before a crucial decision and vote determined<01:46:08.520><c
• </c> practical Solution by allowing remote practical Solution by allowing remote participation<01:46:

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• Please vote green. Speaker. Please vote green.
• Please<00:14:34.320><c> vote</c><00:14:34.520><c> green.</c> Please vote green. Please vote green.
• The chief clerk will call the names of the member voting remotely. Herr votes aye.
• </c> the member voting remotely. the member voting remotely. Herr. Aye. Aye. Aye.
• Herr<00:35:25.960><c> votes</c><00:35:26.520><c> aye.</c> Herr votes aye. Herr votes aye.