Transcript Highlights:

• District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, as well as an example of a progress report submitted

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING

Transcript Highlights:

• I am the executive director at Eastern Oklahoma Development District, and we are the Council of Government

Summary: The Public Safety committee met and first considered HB 2993, as amended by a PCS, which would create 11 Council of Government-based positions to help rural law enforcement pursue grants and equipment funding. Members questioned the estimated $1.1 million annual cost, whether the program would mainly benefit rural areas rather than metro counties, and how the money would be administered through Oklahoma Homeland Security. The bill author explained that each COG would receive one funded position and that the money would stay within each COG. The committee voted 7-2 to report the bill favorably. The committee then heard HB 3850, which would require inmates to obtain a high school equivalency diploma as a condition of parole and would place the diploma in the inmate’s release file to improve employability and reduce recidivism. Questions focused on whether the requirement applied to all inmates, how it would affect release eligibility, and whether existing DOC programs already provide similar training. The author said the bill would build on current law and could help reduce waiting lists for equivalency programs. The committee voted 8-1 to pass the bill. Next, HB 3595, with a PCS, would create a revolving fund in the Department of Public Safety to award counties grants for traffic-control public safety equipment, especially for events where vehicles could be used to harm crowds. Members discussed the bill’s dependence on future appropriations and its status as a vehicle for the idea while budget issues are resolved. The committee voted 7-2 to report it out. The committee also unanimously passed HB 3763, requiring two hours of domestic violence training as part of continuing education for law enforcement, and HB 3760, a tax credit for donations to qualified law enforcement foundations, with the author noting a planned amendment to include COGs and certain other nonprofits. The chair announced one more meeting the following week and then adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Steve Tanner, and I represent District 13, which is about half of Nampa, the eastern half of Nampa

Committee: House Judiciary, Rules and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• We will also hear from our Paiute relatives, Eastern Paiute people, and all of our...
• Paiute relatives, Eastern Paiute people, and also Southern California intertribal bird singers.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a game-changing piece of pipe for eastern North Dakota, for central North Dakota.
• It's a game-changing piece of pipe for eastern North Dakota, for central North Dakota, and for the opportunities

Summary: The Budget Section Leadership Division met with a quorum present and approved the March 18 minutes. The committee first heard an update from the Petroleum Council on oil and gas activity, which described North Dakota production as holding steady around 1.1 to 1.2 million barrels per day despite lower prices and market volatility. The presentation emphasized that efficiency gains, longer laterals, and improved completion technology are allowing operators to sustain output while activity shifts north in the Bakken. Members asked about gas taxation, natural gas liquids, flaring, and enhanced oil recovery; the witness said gas is taxed by volume, most liquids are handled through oil lines or gas processing, and the state’s EOR pilot projects and new gas infrastructure are intended to help hold production flat and expand future recovery. The committee then received a presentation from the Tax Department on the federal “big beautiful bill” and its effect on North Dakota income tax collections. The department explained that most of the federal changes were extensions of existing Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provisions, but several items — including the larger standard deduction, senior deduction, tip and overtime exclusions, auto loan interest deduction, and business expensing changes — affect state collections. Revised estimates showed a smaller-than-expected impact on individual income tax, with the department suggesting a net cash effect in the range of roughly $30 million to $35 million when business and individual effects are combined, plus a possible one-time distortion from large oil-field transactions in fiscal year 2025. Members asked which provisions apply to standard versus itemized returns, and the department clarified that most of the individual provisions apply broadly, while the SALT-related item is itemizer-specific. OMB then reported on major capital projects and facility funding. Updates included Capitol grounds improvements such as 18th-floor renovations, wayfinding, augmented reality displays for the Rough Rider Hall of Fame, tree management and lighting studies, and restroom and parking reconfiguration in the tower. OMB also described security upgrades at the governor’s residence, where human remains were discovered on site and are being handled with historical and legal review. The state hospital project in Jamestown remains on schedule for substantial completion in winter 2027 and opening in spring 2028, with costs currently estimated a little over $292 million and a line of credit expected to be drawn in April 2027. The North Central State Office Building in Minot is under construction, with a $5.6 million line of credit already accessed. OMB also reported on the State Facility Maintenance Fund, noting about $1.1 million spent so far on projects such as the Liberty Memorial Building roof and foundation work, Capitol window replacement, boiler replacement, and kitchen remodeling. Finally, Legislative Council staff reviewed the interim compliance report on legislative intent and state trust funds. The report highlighted the status of multiple lines of credit, including those for the state hospital and Minot office building, and noted that the executive budget will likely need to include repayment planning for about $350 million of expected outstanding balances. Other updates included the Bank of North Dakota profit transfer schedule, litigation pool spending, the new Office of Guardianship and Conservatorship, the Missouri River Correctional Center planning effort, HHS items such as FMAP and child care assistance, Job Service’s unemployment insurance modernization project, and DPI school aid turnback estimates. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• scallops, just a brief overview of the fishery and management system: the fishery is conducted on the eastern
• Gallup, just a brief overview of the fishery and management system, the fishery is conducted on the eastern

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight

Summary: The joint hearing focused on the Massachusetts sea scallop fishery, especially the economic importance of the industry, federal scallop management, and two policy questions: reopening the Northern Edge area on Georges Bank and allowing permit stacking/permit consolidation. Chairing senators emphasized their interest in hearing both sides, their frustration with federal bureaucracy, and their view that the issue should be guided by science while protecting the long-term resource and local communities. Dr. Kate O’Keefe of the New England Fishery Management Council and Kevin Stokesbury of UMass Dartmouth described the Magnuson-Stevens framework, annual catch limits, rotational area management, and the role of industry-funded surveys and the research set-aside program. They said scallops remain the most lucrative council-managed commercial fishery on the East Coast, but recent changes include more small scallops, lower biomass in some areas, higher natural mortality, and shifting abundance toward Georges Bank. On the Northern Edge, they explained that the council previously considered opening the area through a framework/joint action with habitat management, but discontinued the action in 2024 because of conflicting objectives involving scallop yield, habitat protection, and other species. They said the issue could be revisited through future council priority-setting. Representatives of the Sustainable Scalloping Fund argued that the fishery needs modernization to remain economically viable. They supported reopening the Northern Edge and strongly backed permit stacking, saying it would allow two permits on one vessel while keeping ownership caps in place, reducing costs, improving safety, and helping family-owned fleets avoid financial distress and outside investment. Port of New Bedford representative John Regan stressed the port’s central role in the state economy, the need to protect working waterfront infrastructure, and the importance of any permit changes preserving local ownership and participation. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, and members asked that the witnesses keep the committee informed as the council and federal agencies consider next steps.

Transcript Highlights:

• At this time, I want to invite up Patricia Muldoon, President of the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Eastern
• I am Patty Muldoon, President of the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Eastern Massachusetts, and I am here

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Health

Summary: The committee hearing covered a wide range of public health bills, with much of the testimony focused on two major themes: expanding access to care and stabilizing health-related workforces and services. On House 2364, an act relative to medical health and fitness facilities, representatives from Dedham Health and Athletic Club argued for a pilot program recognizing supervised exercise as medicine, saying it could improve outcomes for chronic disease, fall prevention, and mental health while reducing costs. On House/Senate bills concerning community health workers (H. 359/S. 251), multiple witnesses from MACHW, Health Care for All, MHA, Cambridge Health Alliance, Mass General Brigham, Boston Children’s Hospital, Asian Women for Health, and the City of Somerville described CHWs as essential for navigation, trust-building, language access, and addressing social needs, and urged reimbursement by MassHealth, the GIC, and private insurers, along with workforce development measures. One pediatric neurologist also told the committee that losing grant-funded CHW support led to more avoidable ER visits and threatened clinic operations. The committee also heard extensive testimony on hospital closures and essential services. Witnesses including Dr. Alan Sager, MNA President Katie Murphy, nurses from Brockton Hospital and Providence Behavioral Health, and local officials and legislators from Norwood described the loss of hospitals and service lines, especially maternity, pediatric, and behavioral health care, and argued current closure processes are too weak to protect communities. They supported bills such as H. 2460/S. 1503 and H. 2534/S. 1574, which would require earlier notice, community input, stronger state oversight, possible receivership, and limits on reopening or expanding after closures. Testimony emphasized the impact of Steward’s bankruptcy, the closures of Carney and Neshoba Valley, and the need to preserve access to essential services in underserved areas. Several end-of-life and professional regulation bills were also discussed. On H. 2436, Representative Omar Gomez and funeral industry witnesses supported eliminating Office of the Chief Medical Examiner fees for the removal of a child’s body in cases involving children five and under, describing the bill as a small but important relief for grieving families. On H. 2444 and related Senate bills, cemetery and consumer advocates supported legalizing alkaline hydrolysis and natural organic reduction as environmentally friendly after-death options, while cemetery representatives opposed H. 2360, which would allow funeral establishments to operate crematories, arguing cemeteries should retain that role. The committee also heard support for H. 2382, which would exempt dentists and oral surgeons from a new office-based surgical center framework, and for H. 2461, which would create hospital efficiency standards; employers and retailers backed that bill as a way to address rising health care costs. Finally, the committee heard testimony on autism services and hospital governance. On S. 1414, behavior analysts and school representatives said Massachusetts already licenses assistant-level ABA providers but MassHealth does not reimburse them, causing long waitlists and limiting school and family access; an actuary testified that a three-tier ABA reimbursement model could reduce MassHealth costs by up to 6% per child served. Senator Lovely also testified in support of S. 1572, which would require at least one registered nurse on each acute care hospital governing board, arguing nurses’ frontline perspective would improve quality and retention. No votes were taken in the hearing excerpt, but many witnesses urged favorable reports on their respective bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• capture CO2 from compressor stations on a natural gas pipeline that already exists cutting across eastern
• best suited to subsurface carbon sequestration or geologic carbon sequestration in our state are in eastern

Committee: House Environment & Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• Members of the committee, Adam Schnellting, for the record, representing Eastern St.
• Members of the committee, Adam Schnellting, for the record, representing Eastern St.

Committee: House Children and Families

Transcript Highlights:

• Members of the committee, Adam Schnellting, for the record, representing Eastern St. Charles.
• Members of the committee, Adam Schnellting, for the record, representing Eastern St.

Committee: House Children and Families

Summary: The Committee on Children and Families heard public testimony on Senate Bill 1002, which would move St. Charles County school board elections and related levy/bond questions from April to the November general election, extend terms to four years, and allow candidates to voluntarily list party affiliation. The sponsor argued the bill would increase voter participation, broaden community input, and potentially save money, while several supporters said April turnout is too low and that November elections would better reflect the county’s voters. Supporters also said the change could help candidates campaign more effectively and bring more attention to school issues. Opponents, including school board members, parents, and the Missouri NEA and Missouri School Boards Association, argued the bill would politicize school board races, crowd out local issues on November ballots, and reduce the value of staggered terms and institutional continuity. Several witnesses objected to carving out only St. Charles County rather than making any change statewide, and some warned that limiting levy and bond elections could delay urgent district needs. One witness also said the bill would burden regular parents and community members who run for school board, while others emphasized that school boards should remain focused on governance, budgeting, and student needs rather than partisan labels. After testimony, the committee voted on Senate substitute for Senate Bill 1002 and advanced it by a vote of 10 aye, 5 no, and 1 present. The committee then took up Senate substitute for Senate Bill 1135, described as the Henderson, Bentley, and Mason’s law, and voted it do pass by 16 aye and 9 no. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Jessica grew up on a highly diversified farm in eastern Muskogee County.
• I was raised in Muskogee County, so I’m an eastern Oklahoma child.

Bills: HB3270 , HB3145 , HB3056

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Wildlife

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy presentation from Texas A&M professor Chris Seaberry on chronic wasting disease (CWD) genetics in deer and elk. He argued that susceptibility to CWD is polygenic, that genomic prediction can identify more resistant animals with high accuracy, and that selecting for resistant breeding values plus the PRNP codon 96 S allele could reduce disease prevalence. He said his work has been used in USDA/APHIS programs, that some facilities have been cleaned up using these methods, and that concerns about inbreeding, increased shedding, or harm to hunting quality are overstated. Committee members questioned the science, the risk of releasing potentially infected animals, the financial incentives for breeders, and whether wildlife agencies were resisting the program for philosophical or institutional reasons. The witness and senators also discussed the Department of Wildlife’s role, the Attorney General’s opinion, and whether the state should act more quickly or wait for more data. The committee then took up House Bill 3270, which would shift rulemaking authority for the deer-release/CWD program from the Department of Wildlife to the Department of Agriculture after members said Wildlife had failed to promulgate rules for two years. The Department of Wildlife testified that it believed it had complied by collecting native deer samples and that it had been operating under a different understanding until the Attorney General’s March 5 opinion clarified the original law. After debate over agency inaction, the adequacy of the science, and the impact on deer breeders and hunters, the committee voted 3-9 against the bill, and HB 3270 failed. The committee also confirmed Jessica Wilcox to an executive nomination by a 12-0 vote. It then advanced House Bill 3145, which clarifies tagging rules for commercial hunts by making $10 tags apply only to male native wildlife and $0 tags apply to female, feral swine, and exotic wildlife; the bill passed 12-0. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 3056, which would allow unpasteurized cow, goat, and sheep milk to be sold at feed stores and farmers markets with labeling; members questioned gallon limits and whether the bill included adequate warning language, but no final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill contains $240,000 ongoing for four additional psychiatry residents at Eastern Idaho Medical
• family medicine residents in Napa, and $180,000 ongoing for three new child psychiatry residents in eastern

Transcript Highlights:

• aware that the other donkey dairies that are commercially operational are in Brazil, Italy, and in Eastern
• Brazil, Italy, and in Eastern Europe, all of whom receive significant government subsidies because of

Bills: HB1427 , SB1403 , SB1448 , SB1489 , SB1546 , SB1557 , SB1614 , SB1377 , SB1990 , SB1439 , SB1630 , SB1632 , SB1696 , SB1796 , SB1824 , SB1362 , SB1849 , SB2066 , SB2071 , SB2104 , SB933 , SB1633 , SB1224 , SB1246 , SB1280 , SB1303 , SB1346

Summary: The Senate took up a long series of bills, mostly on third reading, with several unanimous or near-unanimous votes and a few more contested measures. Early action included House Bill 1427, which was substituted to add the bank privilege tax section to an existing clean-burning motor vehicle fuel tax credit without changing the cap or creating a fiscal impact; it advanced 45-0. Senate Bill 1403, an IEC recommendation affecting Quality Jobs incentives by requiring rebate claims within one year and eliminating the statewide wage threshold, passed 32-15. Senate Bill 1448, narrowing exclusions under the Consumer Protection Act to improve enforcement, passed 47-0. Senate Bill 1489, codifying IDEA-related procedures in state law and adding principal training and parent participation provisions, was amended on the floor, debated at length about implementation and special education services, and then passed 47-0 as an emergency measure. Senate Bill 1546 renamed and expanded the teacher scholarship program to Next Ed, increasing scholarship amounts while keeping the service commitment, and passed 37-10 as an emergency measure. Senate Bill 1557 transferred behavior analyst licensure duties from DHS to the State Board of Psychologists and passed 47-0. Senate Bill 1614 closed a loophole allowing adjunct teachers to teach early elementary reading and math and passed 46-0 as an emergency measure. Senate Bill 1377, requiring DHS to provide foster children with duffel bags and essentials, passed 46-0 as an emergency measure. Senate Bill 1990 strengthened the incentive evaluation report by requiring analysis of whether incentives actually changed business behavior, and passed 47-0. Senate Bill 1439, with amendments, barred certain climate-change-related lawsuits against fossil fuel entities operating within the law, and passed 40-7. Senate Bill 1630 allowed limited virtual instruction days during statewide testing and passed 47-0 as an emergency measure. Senate Bill 1632 moved career readiness assessment authority to the State Department of Education and clarified college-credit translation, passing 46-0 as an emergency measure. Senate Bill 1696, a local recruitment grant program to attract new residents to Oklahoma, failed 17-30, with notice of possible reconsideration. Senate Bill 1796 shortened the time for informal foster care arrangements from seven days to 72 hours and added guardrails, passing 46-0. Senate Bill 1824 updated the corporation and LLC statutes and passed 46-0. Senate Bill 1362 standardized in-person early voting hours across election types and passed 36-9. Senate Bill 1849 allowed the Podiatric Medical Examiners Board to approve certain medical marijuana continuing education for credit and passed 44-0. Senate Bill 2066 relaxed recording margin requirements for documents filed in multiple counties and passed 45-0 as an emergency measure. The final major item, Senate Bill 2071, a Department of Agriculture request bill updating milk regulation to cover all hooved mammals and align with federal authority, drew extensive debate over an amendment to remove the fee increase and over concerns that the bill would harm a small donkey dairy’s ability to advertise; the fee amendment was laid over, a motion to suspend the rules for an untimely amendment failed, and the bill itself was then advanced for further consideration after lengthy questioning.

Transcript Highlights:

• I reside in eastern Washington, in a small community of Albion.
• I'm a paramedic out here in eastern Washington as well. I've got 20 years of EMS experience.

Bills: HB2340 , HB2155 , HB2531

Committee: Senate Health & Long-Term Care

Keywords: HB 2340, nursing assistants, nurse aide, substance use disorder monitoring program, monitoring program, credentialing, licensure, disciplinary records, enforcement action, public disclosure, privacy, third-party website, stipend program, financial assistance, treatment costs, drug testing, peer support, recovery, rehabilitation, board-approved program

Transcript Highlights:

• Mexico Community College, and also $15 million for a new agricultural science and arts building at Eastern
• And then also 15 million for a new agricultural science and arts building at Eastern New Mexico University

Bills: HB2 , SB152

Committee: Senate House Appropriations & Finance

Summary: The committee heard a series of capital, bond, environmental, economic development, juvenile justice, and health care bills. Senate Bill 240, the capital outlay package, was presented as a $1.3 billion statewide appropriation, including discretionary capital projects and agency projects; after questions about CYFD projects and House/Senate capital allocations, the committee voted do pass on the committee substitute. House Bill 248, the general obligation bond package totaling about $392.5 million for senior centers, libraries, higher education, and tribal projects, also received a do pass after questions about project vetting, bond timing, and school bus funding. House Bill 80, which increases the share of oil and gas conservation tax revenue going to the Oil and Gas Reclamation Fund to speed orphan well plugging and site cleanup, drew strong support from business, environmental, and industry groups; members discussed funding balances, procurement bottlenecks, and the distinction between abandoned and orphan wells before voting do pass. House Bill 184, making technical fixes to the Conservation Legacy Permanent Fund and related distribution rules, passed with little debate. The committee also heard Senate Bill 172, which expands the TRIGGER program allowing companies to access national laboratory expertise; supporters from the labs, the governor’s office, universities, and business groups cited job creation, follow-on investment, and commercialization gains, while one senator raised concerns about the long extension of the program. The bill passed do pass. House Bill 95, creating a judge for the First and Second Judicial Districts, was described as matching a previously heard Senate bill and passed do pass. Senate Bill 165, a major juvenile justice bill, generated the most extensive debate: the sponsor said it updates the juvenile code, raises the age for certain serious offenses, extends services for youth sentenced as adults, and expands community corrections; law enforcement supported it, while the Public Defender, youth advocates, the ACLU, and a Bernalillo County commissioner opposed it, arguing it expands adult sentencing and relies too heavily on incarceration. Despite those objections, the committee voted do pass. Finally, House Bill 4, which increases the Health Care Affordability Fund distribution to support premium assistance and related coverage programs, was amended so that a portion of the premium surtax would go to the Behavioral Health Program Fund and any unexpended balance would revert to the affordability fund. Supporters from BeWell, health advocacy groups, the insurance office, and homeless services said the bill would protect coverage gains and help offset federal changes; members asked about the amendment’s effect on the behavioral health fund and the bill’s flexibility if revenues decline. The amendment was adopted, and discussion on the bill continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the worthy matron of an Order of Eastern Star chapter and assistant daughter ruler of the Elks.
• I'm the worthy matron of an Order of Eastern Star chapter and assistant daughter ruler of the Elks.

Bills: S0460 , S0748 , S1180 , S1334

Committee: Senate Ethics and Elections

Summary: The Committee on Ethics and Elections met with a quorum and took up several election-related bills. CS/SB 1180 by Senator Arrington, which creates a recall framework for elected community development district board members and also addresses synthetic turf regulation and CDD eligibility, was presented briefly and then approved unanimously. SB 460 by Senator Polsky, requiring the governor to call special elections within set deadlines after vacancies and allowing judicial relief if deadlines are not met, also passed unanimously after members discussed flexibility for emergencies and the cost of delayed elections. The committee then heard SB 748 by Senator Bracy Davis, which would add constitutional voting-rights restoration language to the sentencing score sheet given to felony defendants. Supporters said it would improve clarity and notice without changing eligibility, and the bill was favorably reported unanimously. The committee also confirmed several appointees, including Jim Milliken and Alicia McShea to the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County, Robert P. Estalas as Director of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, and additional gubernatorial appointees listed on the agenda, all by favorable votes. The longest discussion centered on Senator Grall’s strike-all amendment for SB 1334, an elections bill dealing with citizenship verification, Real ID and SAVE database use, paper-ballot voting, candidate qualification rules, and related election administration changes. Supporters argued it would streamline verification and ensure only citizens vote, while opponents warned it would create burdens, disenfranchise eligible voters, and impose costs and administrative confusion. After extensive public testimony both for and against, the committee adopted an amendment to allow supervisors of elections to observe holidays when not otherwise required to be open, then approved the strike-all as amended by a 6-2 vote, with Senators Polsky and Bernard voting no. The meeting then adjourned after members recorded their votes on earlier items.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm here on behalf of the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inland Pacific Chapter over in eastern
• For our small contractors, particularly over in eastern Washington, what this means is either the requirements

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on a series of housing, education, workforce, and court-related bills. On Substitute Senate Bill 5884, staff described changes to a sales and use tax deferral for redeveloping vacant or underused land into affordable housing, including broader eligible property definitions and lower affordability thresholds in designated areas. Testimony was mixed: builders opposed language they feared could encourage project labor agreements, while Spokane and Kent representatives supported the bill but asked for flexibility on affordability mix requirements. On Senate Bill 6256, which expands a property tax exemption for nonprofit low-income rental housing to include certain co-located community uses during construction and extends the pre-construction exemption period, testimony was strongly supportive from housing nonprofits and local housing partners, with questions focused on clawback provisions. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 6027, which expands allowable uses of local housing and supportive housing sales tax revenue, adjusts a REET exemption timeline, broadens emergency housing definitions, and changes use of the Affordable Housing for All account. County, housing, and nonprofit witnesses said the bill would help preserve housing and services amid federal funding uncertainty, though Snohomish County asked for an amendment to allow rental assistance. Substitute Senate Bill 6018 would revise the Housing Finance Commission’s authority, including direct lending and bond counsel terms; commission staff said it would modernize outdated restrictions and improve financing flexibility. Substitute Senate Bill 6028 would create a revolving loan fund for mixed-income homeownership projects; supporters said it would help smaller infill projects pencil, while staff noted the loans would be subordinate and carry some risk. Later, the committee heard Senate Bill 6275 on the community reinvestment program, which would require periodic plan updates, reporting, and a WSIPP study, while also expressing legislative intent to continue at least $100 million annually in the account. Advocates, workforce groups, legal aid providers, and small business owners testified that the program supports communities harmed by past disinvestment and should be made permanent and more accountable. Substitute Senate Bill 5961 would move the Imagination Library program from DCYF to OSPI; early literacy advocates and local partners supported the transfer as better aligned with school readiness. Substitute Senate Bill 5969 would integrate IEP transition plans with high school and beyond plans, and a prior critic said amendments addressed her concerns. Second Substitute Senate Bill 5292 would shift PFML premium rate-setting to the annual actuarial report and raise the reserve target; labor and industry witnesses supported the change, while a policy group opposed the program’s costs. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5868 to add one superior court judge each in Skagit and Yakima counties. Judges and county officials testified that caseloads, population growth, and backlogs justify the additions, and county leaders said they had already budgeted for their share. Finally, Substitute Senate Bill 5827 would allow service members to use pre-discharge certification to claim veterans’ civil service preference; the sponsor said it would solve a timing problem for transitioning service members. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the transcript, as the meeting consisted of bill briefings and public testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I know that Western New Mexico didn't get the rain that Eastern New Mexico got.
• That Western New Mexico didn't get the rain that Eastern New Mexico got.

Committees: Senate Senate Finance , Senate House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• , Korean Americans using maybe their signatures in their Korean language or in alternative Middle Eastern
• , Korean Americans using maybe their signatures in their Korean language or in alternative Middle Eastern

Bills: HB1295 , HB2007 , HB2262 , HB2636

Committee: House Education

Keywords: reading instruction, structured literacy, early literacy, dyslexia, phonics, phonological awareness, language comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, oral language, orthographic knowledge, multi-tiered system of supports, MTSS, screening assessments, intervention, reading intervention, elementary education, kindergarten, first grade, second grade

Transcript Highlights:

• Associated Builders and Contractors, Inland Pacific Chapter, which represents contractors all across eastern
• Many public projects are completed in eastern Washington today using non-union employers and their workers

Summary: House Finance heard bill briefings and testimony on several tax and property-tax measures. HB 2175 would exempt licensed nonprofit providers of free durable medical equipment from retail sales and use tax on items reasonably necessary to operate and provide care; the sponsor and a nonprofit provider described how the bill would help organizations that refurbish and donate wheelchairs, beds, walkers, and similar equipment, and staff noted a small Department of Revenue fiscal impact. The committee then heard HB 2608, which revises the targeted urban area property tax exemption for nuclear facility projects by requiring labor standards, including submission of a workforce or project labor agreement and related wage/apprenticeship information, and extending project-completion deadlines. Supporters said it would help attract major clean-energy and nuclear supply-chain investment and jobs, while opponents from construction groups, environmental advocates, and some public commenters objected to the PLA requirement, the tax preference for nuclear projects, and the broader policy direction; tribal consultation concerns were also raised. No votes were taken on these bills in the transcript. The committee also heard HB 2227, which expands an existing REET exemption for affordable homeownership sales from self-help housing to other nonprofit affordable homeownership programs, including community land trusts. The sponsor and nonprofit witnesses said the change would lower transaction costs, improve affordability, and support permanently affordable resale models; staff clarified the exemption applies to the initial sale from the nonprofit to an income-qualified buyer, not later resales. HB 2528 would allow cities and counties that fully plan under the Growth Management Act to impose the second local REET without voter approval, aligning opt-in jurisdictions with those required to plan under GMA. Supporters from cities and counties said the revenue would help fund sidewalks, ADA upgrades, water, sewer, and other infrastructure, while opponents argued it would raise home-selling costs and bypass voters. Finally, the committee heard HB 2292, which would subject long-term capital gains from qualified small business stock to the state capital gains tax beginning in 2026. Staff said the bill would affect about 260 taxpayers and raise roughly $1.2 million in FY 2027, while the sponsor and supporters argued the current QSBS exemption mainly benefits very wealthy investors and should be treated like other capital gains; opponents from the tech and startup community said the exemption helps founders attract investment, keep companies in Washington, and create jobs, and warned the bill would send a negative signal to entrepreneurs. The committee also heard HB 2257, a Department of Revenue request bill making technical and administrative changes to the tax code, largely to codify guidance from last year’s sales-tax-on-services law and make other clarifications; DOR said it was intended to provide certainty and had no fiscal impact. School groups testified that the 5814-related service-tax changes have increased costs for districts, especially for staffing and professional learning, and asked for relief or a broader exemption.