Transcript Highlights:

• Are you ready for the Coventry. Are you ready for the question? question? question?
• Are you ready for the question?
• We have three projects ready to go.
• Are you ready for the question? Are you ready for the question?
• Are you ready for the heard the motion. Are you ready for the question?

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><02:16:00.280><c> through</c><02:16:00.480><c> 12,</c><02:16:01.320><c> sitting</c> from kindergarten
• through 12, sitting from kindergarten through 12, sitting there,<02:16:02.000><c> looking</c><02:16:
• I have been homeschooled from pre-kindergarten through 12th, achieving A grades throughout almost every
• I have been home<02:35:33.160><c> schooled</c><02:35:33.880><c> from</c><02:35:34.360><c> pre-kindergarten
• </c> home schooled from pre-kindergarten home schooled from pre-kindergarten through<02:35:35.560><c>

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> as amended because it's simply not ready as amended because it's simply not ready for<01:01:41.440
• The next bill is HB 671, establishing a kindergarten literacy readiness program.
• </c> is HB 671, establishing a kindergarten is HB 671, establishing a kindergarten literacy<01:44:46.239
• ><c> readiness</c><01:44:46.719><c> program.
• And I'll literacy readiness program.

Summary: The Finance Committee met on October 30 to act on a series of House bills that had been moved during the budget process and, in many cases, were already addressed in the state budget. The chair explained that bills covered by the budget would generally be reported inexpedient to legislate, while some others would be placed on the consent calendar or handled separately. Early votes were largely unanimous, including House Bill 54, which would allow alternate treatment centers to operate for profit; the committee voted 25-0 ought to pass and sent it to the consent calendar. The committee then recommended inexpedient to legislate on House Bill 97, a wastewater and infrastructure appropriation bill, because the funding had been replaced in House Bill 2 with $2.5 million in each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Representative Rum opposed the ITL motion, arguing the projects would otherwise burden local property taxpayers and that the funding was important for housing and municipal infrastructure, but the motion passed 14-11. House Bill 111, dealing with the right-to-know ombudsman, was also reported ITL 14-11 on the grounds that the budget already made significant reforms and separate action could create conflicting statutory language. House Bill 164, creating funding for a local government records manager position in the Secretary of State’s office, received a unanimous amendment appropriating $150,000 for fiscal year 2027 and then passed 25-0 ought to pass as amended, moving to the regular calendar. House Bill 197, the Property Tax Relief Act, drew extended debate over whether restoring a state contribution to retirement system costs would reduce local property taxes; supporters framed it as tax relief for municipalities and school districts, while opponents said the effect would be minimal or offset by other retirement-system changes. The committee ultimately voted 14-11 ITL, with a minority report requested. House Bill 215, requiring landfill permit applicants to submit a report on potential harms and benefits, was amended and then passed 25-0 ought to pass as amended. House Bill 216, which would remove a workers’ compensation-related service-credit limit for certain disability retirement cases, was voted ITL 25-0 after the sponsor said the fiscal impact was too uncertain. Finally, House Bill 219, which would redirect renewable portfolio standard funds and was amended to delay its effective date to July 1, 2027, advanced after debate over electricity costs and renewable energy policy; the committee adopted the amendment unanimously and then voted on the bill as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• other literacy instructors working with the grade levels most foundational to teaching reading: kindergarten
• other literacy instructors working with the grade levels most foundational to teaching reading: kindergarten
• Kindergarten through third grade first, and then followed by grades four and five if money is available
• They're getting ready to start school. It is imperative for learning.

Committee: House Primary and Secondary Education

Transcript Highlights:

• to transact present the house is ready to transact present the house is ready to transact business the
• to pass that's going to getting ready to pass that's going to getting ready to pass that's going to
• I am ready sir speak so if you're ready I am ready sir speak so if you're ready I am ready sir okay
• for question sir okay you I'm I'm ready for question sir okay you I'm I'm ready for question sir okay
• and somebody some teacher kindergarten and somebody some teacher kindergarten and somebody some teacher

Bills: HB 9 , HB 22 , HB 908 , HB 1392

Transcript Highlights:

• And you may begin when you are ready. Great. Thank you.
• If you have a student who sits in more of a learning environment or is ready to be off their campus and
• You may start when you are ready. Thank you, Danny.
• And while you're coming up, we have a remote panel, so please be ready: Bethany Ari, Chris Wells, and
• So please be ready: Bethany Ari, Chris Wells, and Damien Doyle.

Summary: The committee began with a work session on dual credit, hearing first from the Council of Presidents and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, then from the Education Research and Data Center. The dual credit overview described Washington’s six dual credit programs, high participation rates, transferability, and recent efforts to improve transparency, pathways, and equity. Testimony emphasized both benefits and challenges, including access, funding, advising, and the need for clearer statewide coordination. ERDC outlined its annual report, dashboard, research briefs, and future work on school-level factors and possible causal effects of dual credit participation. No votes were taken during the work session. The committee then held public hearings on several bills. SB 6227 would direct WSAC to work with public higher education institutions to create formal data collection protocols for parenting students and convene a work group to recommend how to identify and support them. Senator Wilson and multiple student and advocacy witnesses supported the bill, citing the lack of consistent statewide data and the barriers parenting students face; WSAC testified that its research found significant food, housing, and child care insecurity among these students. SB 6235 would prohibit public colleges with athletics programs from entering certain private equity or sovereign wealth fund agreements involving athletics revenues or control. Senator Holy said the bill was intended to prevent loss of institutional control, while UW and WSU testified in opposition, warning it could limit flexibility and create competitive disadvantages. The committee also heard SB 6217, which would expand Washington College Grant eligibility to students in eligible non-degree credential programs beginning in 2027-28. Supporters from the community and technical college system, a community college president, and workforce representatives said the bill would help students access short-term training for family-wage jobs and address workforce shortages, especially in construction trades. Finally, SB 6209 would restore Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship eligibility for certain private four-year and career/vocational schools if they meet a gainful-employment standard. DigiPen, Evergreen Beauty College, Seattle Film Institute, and related students and administrators testified in support, arguing the bill would preserve access for low-income and nontraditional students in career-focused programs; some witnesses on the bill’s earlier panel also urged that certificate and two-year programs be included. The hearings were managed with shortened testimony times because of the large number of sign-ins, and no final committee action or votes were recorded in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are you ready for the question? Senators, are you ready for the question? Yes. Okay.
• Are you ready for the Seeing none. Are you ready for the question?
• Are you ready for the question? 633. Are you ready for the question?
• &gt;&gt; wasn't ready for that one. &gt;&gt; wasn't ready for that one.
• </c> Are you ready for the question? Are you ready for the question?

Transcript Highlights:

• You had a big graduation this week, graduated from kindergarten, so we had a big ceremony, so he's all
• going to make a motion in a moment that we adjourned, but with the caveat that Liam Murphy, recent kindergarten

Summary: The Special Commission on the future of credit card payments and their impacts on small businesses heard extensive testimony from credit unions, retailers, payment industry groups, and a credit card issuer. Much of the discussion focused on proposed state laws that would limit interchange fees on the tax and tip portions of transactions, especially Illinois’s Interchange Fee Prohibition Act and similar efforts in other states. Witnesses opposing the proposals argued that interchange helps fund fraud protection, cybersecurity, rewards, and access to credit, and warned that state-by-state rules would create a patchwork that could harm state-chartered banks and credit unions, raise compliance costs, and reduce consumer access to credit. Supporters of reform argued that swipe fees are a significant burden on merchants, especially small businesses, and that current pricing is opaque and often bundled with other processor charges. Several witnesses emphasized that the current payment system provides major benefits to merchants and consumers, including security, convenience, faster settlement, online commerce, and broader access to credit. One witness from Capital One said the industry’s losses from fraud and default are substantial and that interchange helps offset those risks; he also noted that merchants already have some tools, such as surcharging where allowed and negotiating clearer processor contracts. Retail representatives and the National Retail Federation countered that small businesses are under pressure from many costs and that interchange and related fees remain a real pain point, with some urging the commission to consider reforms that would return more money to businesses without disrupting the system. There was also discussion of the recent Visa/Mastercard antitrust settlement, with industry witnesses describing it as a significant merchant win that includes temporary rate reductions, more surcharge flexibility, and the ability to decline certain card tiers. No votes were taken. The meeting concluded after all scheduled testimony was heard, with the commission chair saying the session had been productive and that the committee would continue gathering testimony and written comments before making recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• You had a big graduation this week, graduated from kindergarten, so we had a big ceremony, so he's all
• going to make a motion in a moment that we adjourn, but with the caveat that Liam Murphy, recent kindergarten

Summary: The Special Commission on the future of credit card payments and their impacts on small businesses heard testimony from credit union, retail, banking, and payments industry representatives. Much of the discussion focused on proposals to exclude sales tax and tips from interchange fees, the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act and related litigation, and whether similar state action in Massachusetts would help small businesses or instead create a patchwork that burdens state-chartered institutions. Witnesses from defense and community credit unions argued interchange helps fund fraud prevention, cybersecurity, member services, and low-fee products, while retail and NRF representatives said merchants are paying significant swipe fees and that state laws like Illinois’s are aimed at reducing costs that are not being passed on to consumers. Several witnesses emphasized that the current payment system provides security, fraud protection, rewards, and access to credit, and that many of the costs merchants complain about are actually bundled processor or acquirer fees rather than interchange itself. Others countered that small businesses are struggling with rising overall costs and that Massachusetts should consider reforms such as allowing surcharging, improving transparency in merchant contracts, and studying collection costs. There was also discussion of the recent Visa/Mastercard antitrust settlement, with industry witnesses describing it as meaningful relief for merchants and opponents saying it is temporary and incomplete. No formal votes were taken on legislation. The commission accepted oral testimony, noted that written testimony would be accepted through July 31, and concluded the meeting by unanimously voting to adjourn. The chair and members said they would continue gathering testimony and work toward recommendations, with the chair stressing the need to find a fair middle ground that supports both small businesses and the broader payments ecosystem.

Transcript Highlights:

• actually have dyslexia, that they might have something else, or simply that they're coming in in kindergarten
• actually have dyslexia, that they might have something else, or simply that they're coming in in kindergarten

Summary: The joint education committee continued its adequacy study with a detailed Bureau of Legislative Research presentation on resource allocation, covering how Arkansas school districts and charters spend foundation and other funds on matrix and non-matrix items. Staff explained the methodology for mapping expenditures, the district and school categories used in the analysis, and key findings showing that districts spend more per student from all fund sources than the foundation amount alone. The presentation highlighted that classroom teachers account for the largest share of matrix spending, while operations and maintenance, student support staff, nurses, and other lines also drew significant attention. Members asked for additional breakdowns by district type, size, rural/urban status, and trend data, and several questions focused on how waivers affect funding and spending, especially for library media specialists and other positions. The committee then discussed non-matrix spending, including instructional aids, non-technology-related facilities, school safety, mental health services, dyslexia support, food service, gifted and talented, career and technical education, and other items not explicitly defined in the matrix. Staff reported that non-matrix spending exceeded $2 billion in 2025, with most of it coming from other fund sources, and that the top superintendent-identified unmet needs over recent surveys were mental health services, school safety, and dyslexia support. Members raised concerns about dyslexia identification and funding, possible over-identification, and whether some support costs are being coded in ways that obscure the true spending picture. There was also discussion of facilities funding, the building fund, and the Department of Education’s partnership program for school construction and maintenance, with staff agreeing to provide more information and potentially bring department officials back for a future meeting. Throughout the meeting, members repeatedly requested more granular data and clarifications, including waiver counts and funding impacts, trend lines for superintendent-reported needs, district-by-district spending spreadsheets, and definitions for certain matrix and accounting terms such as salary enhancement, LEA indebtedness, and other employee health insurance. The chair noted that the committee would continue the adequacy process over the coming months and use the worksheet in the binder to develop recommendations for the next biennium. No votes were taken during this portion of the meeting; instead, the committee received the report, asked for follow-up data, and agreed to continue the discussion at future meetings.

Transcript Highlights:

• role standards, evidence submitted by programs, and input from community constituents and pre-kindergarten
• prepared to meet the needs of the modern classroom, and this requires that programs engage with pre-kindergarten

Bills: SB6278

Committee: House Education

Keywords: teacher preparation, principal preparation, educator preparation, alternative route certification, teacher certification, principal certification, Washington Professional Educator Standards Board, PESB, field placement, student teacher, residency, mentoring, school district partnerships, K-12 education, preK-12, high-need schools, Title I, special education, English language learner, rural schools

Transcript Highlights:

• role standards, evidence submitted by programs, and input from community constituents and pre-kindergarten
• prepared to meet the needs of the modern classroom, and this requires that programs engage with pre-kindergarten

Summary: The House Education Committee heard several bills related to special education records, artificial intelligence in schools, financial aid access, educator preparation, school health, and student mobile device use. Substitute Senate Bill 6268 would require OSPI to keep an online public record of final special education community complaint decisions for 20 years; the sponsor and several parents, attorneys, and open-government advocates said the records help families, schools, and researchers understand past decisions and remedies, while no one testified in opposition. Substitute Senate Bill 5956 would limit school use of automated decision systems, school surveillance technology, biometric data, and facial recognition in student discipline and safety contexts; the sponsor and supporters said it would prevent harmful false positives and discriminatory impacts, while an industry witness warned the bill could unintentionally reduce school safety by limiting emergency facial-recognition uses. Committee discussion focused on the bill’s scope, especially whether it affects classroom grading or only discipline-related decisions, and staff noted the bill does not require teacher training. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 5841, which would add financial-aid application data to the High School and Beyond Plan platform and require students to receive information about the Washington Opportunity Scholarship Program. The sponsor said the bill would make aid status more transparent and easier to track, especially for families facing language or access barriers, and a student advocate testified in support; a committee member raised concerns about privacy for immigrant and DACA students, and the sponsor said the portal would be opt-in and guided by privacy protections. Senate Bill 6278 would codify and update Professional Educator Standards Board review of teacher and principal preparation programs, including program standards, educator role standards, evidence, and input from P-12 partners, while allowing field placement plans to be submitted on a less frequent schedule; PESB staff said the bill largely reflects current practice and adds flexibility. Substitute Senate Bill 5240 would expand who may administer epinephrine in schools and allow use of any available epinephrine when a student with a prescription on file has anaphylaxis; school nurses supported broader access to stock epinephrine but warned against using one student’s medication for another and raised legal and ethical concerns, while the sponsor emphasized faster response in emergencies. Finally, Substitute Senate Bill 5346 would direct OSPI to study and report on school mobile-device restrictions and update digital citizenship resources to include research and best practices on student phone use. Staff said OSPI already has some guidance, but the bill would create formal legislative reports and expand the state’s digital citizenship materials. The committee began taking testimony on that bill as the hearing time ran short, and the chair noted there were ten people signed in to testify.

Transcript Highlights:

• And when you are ready to talk about systemic fixes that we have heard over and over and over that Wisconsinites
• High School: the graduating class this year compared to the student counts in first grade and in kindergarten

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• I missed most of kindergarten because any fever I experienced meant at least two days of hospitalization
• You'll have two minutes when you're ready. Okay, got that complete. Thank you for filling that out.

Committee: House House Regulatory Oversight Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee met for its first hearing of the session, took roll, introduced members and staff, and reviewed committee rules and amendment deadlines. The chair also announced that video recording would not be allowed in the room and set the order and speaking limits for the day’s bills. The committee heard HB 2248, the Arizona Medical Freedom Act, which would bar governmental entities, businesses, schools, and ticket issuers from denying employment, entry, services, or participation based on whether a person has or has not received a medical intervention. Supporters framed it as protecting bodily autonomy, parental rights, and freedom from medical discrimination. Opponents, including physicians, child care and public health advocates, argued the bill was overly broad and could undermine vaccination policies, school and child care illness controls, and protections for immunocompromised people. The bill passed on a 3-2 vote. The committee then heard HB 2086, which would prohibit governmental entities and businesses from requiring vaccination or masks/face coverings, with limited exceptions for workplace safety and infection control. Supporters said it would prevent government coercion and protect individual liberty and business freedom; opponents warned it would interfere with private business decisions and public health measures. After testimony and debate over the scope of the bill and the relevance of Jacobson v. Massachusetts, the committee approved HB 2086 on a 3-2 vote. Finally, the committee considered HB 2688, which would require the Arizona Department of Administration to identify state budget positions vacant for at least 150 days and direct budget units to eliminate those positions each fiscal year, with some exceptions such as Corrections and DPS. The sponsor said the bill was intended to reduce waste and prevent vacant positions from functioning as slush funds, while critics raised concerns about hard-to-fill specialized roles. The committee passed HB 2688 on a 3-2 vote and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I missed most of kindergarten because any fever I experienced meant at least two days of hospitalization
• You'll have two minutes when you're ready. Okay. Got that complete. Thank you for filling that out.

Bills: HB2086 , HB2248 , HB2688

Committees: House Regulatory Oversight , House House Regulatory Oversight Committee of Reference

Keywords: vaccination mandates, mask requirements, public health, government entities, COVID-19, medical freedom, healthcare mandates, employment requirements, government regulation, vacant positions, state budget, government efficiency, employment, full-time equivalent positions

Transcript Highlights:

• TO GET A FILE READY FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT YOU HAVE TO POPULATE THE ID NUMBERS, IS THERE ANY MORE INFORMATION
• THE PERCENTAGE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER THE MONEY COMING INTO IT IN KINDERGARTEN

Transcript Highlights:

• So whenever you're ready, thank you, Alice. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• Then once they get to kindergarten, we have, um, a lot of, uh, records, we have a lot of documentation

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• So the Kindergarten students today will take the third grade MCA. in the 27-28 school year, and so we
• a blanket comment: if there are ever specific requests for data that we may not have, we're always ready

Bills: HF2430 , HF2433

Committee: House Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• RELENTLESS IN KINDERGARTEN, FIRST GRADE.
• FOR LGBTQ+ READY INSPIRIT THE WORKPLACE WHERE HARASSMENT IS TOLERATED IS UNSAFE OR EVERYONE.

Transcript Highlights:

• ensuring that more first-gen, low-income students have a pathway to financial stability and career readiness
• this amount, $8.5 billion is authorized for public school facilities with grades transitional kindergarten