Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Workplace Standards 803 KAR 2:244 Emergency.
• Department of Workplace Standards 803 KAR 2:244 Emergency.
• Robin Maples, OSH standards specialist for the Department of Workplace Standards.
• Jason Hernandez, general counsel for the Department of Workplace Standards Legal Division.
• Chuck Stribbling, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Workplace Standards.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee met in August with a quorum present and approved the prior meeting minutes without objection. The committee then reviewed several regulations, generally adopting staff-suggested amendments without objection, and heard brief explanations from agency representatives on each item. The Board of Pharmacy regulations would clarify what registered and certified pharmacy technicians may do under supervision and what certified technicians may not do, while updating registration applications. The Board of Cosmetology package included changes to executive director authority, licensure and reciprocity rules, school requirements, training hours, instructor ratios, sanitation and disease-related rules, complaint procedures, and permit terms; members asked about straight razor language and the increase in student-to-instructor ratios, and the board explained that cosmetologists are not permitted to use straight razors and that the higher ratio was intended to give schools flexibility, especially for part-time students and schools with wait lists. The Occupational Therapy emergency compact regulation added four compact rules adopted in April 2025, and Senator West raised a technical question about certification requirements under House Bill 6; the agency said it had been instructed to file the regulation as submitted. The Department for Fish and Wildlife Resources presented a package covering wildlife management area rules, a northern pintail bag limit increase, reportable disease reporting, and a repeal tied to boat registration fees. After a brief explanation of the new wildlife disease reporting rule, the agency requested and received a deferral of 301 KAR 2:031 to avoid a gap while replacement language is finalized. The Economic Development Finance Authority explained an emergency regulation for the Kentucky Entertainment Incentive Program, saying it was needed because the program had become oversubscribed and because administration was shifting to a new film office and council; members also asked about certification issues under House Bill 6, and the agency said it had filed the regulation as directed. The Department of Workplace Standards emergency PPE regulation was also discussed, with members asking about HB 6 certification language, and the agency gave the same response. The Department of Insurance regulation would create a $10,000 registration fee and a $1,000 annual licensing fee for pharmacy benefit manager licenses, with an agency amendment exempting PBMs that solely serve workers’ compensation plans. Members asked how many PBMs would be affected and why workers’ compensation PBMs were carved out; the agency said there were 70 registered PBMs total, four solely workers’ comp, and that workers’ comp rates are set by statute and could not absorb the fee. Finally, the Public Service Commission’s pole attachment regulation was summarized as a broadband-expansion measure that speeds application review, increases the number of poles allowed in a single application, and shortens dispute timelines; the commission explained it grew out of earlier legislative direction and subsequent emergency amendments, and the committee adopted the staff amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• incarcerated persons having events than it was really about staff safety and security and overall a better workplace
• I think that... ...and security and overall a better workplace.
• leadership, including impacts to public safety, incidents involving escapes, deaths in custody, the workplace
• leadership, including impacts to public safety, incidents involving escapes, deaths in custody, the workplace

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules first handled several routine items, including governor’s appointments not required to appear, references to bills, and floor acknowledgments. The committee approved the appointments of Heather Lynn Gonzalez and Allison Salton-Sall to the Court Reporters Board, and then moved on to appointments required to appear from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). Kathleen Ratliff and Joseph Tuggle, both proposed associate directors in CDCR’s Division of Adult Institutions, testified about their backgrounds and emphasized staff safety, rehabilitation, trauma-informed practices, and the California model. Senators focused heavily on the rollout of the California model, the August 2024 use-of-force incident at Central California Women’s Facility, sexual abuse prevention, retaliation concerns, and prison visitation. Both nominees said the department had improved communication and training, had disciplined or removed staff in response to misconduct, and was working to strengthen PREA reporting, investigations, and family visiting consistency. Public testimony was strongly supportive, and the committee voted 4-0 to send both nominations to the Senate floor. The committee then heard from Jason Johnson, nominated as CDCR Undersecretary of Operations. Johnson framed his work around rehabilitation, public safety, and culture change, and addressed concerns raised in late opposition letters and a lawsuit alleging retaliation, hostile work environment, discrimination, and whistleblower issues. He said he could not discuss pending litigation in detail, but described his leadership as focused on accountability, professional standards, and improving relationships with staff and community partners. Senators questioned him about parole supervision, risk assessment, contraband interdiction, and the Prison Rape Elimination Act response; Johnson said adult parole uses risk-based supervision and GPS for registered sex offenders, operations is working with correctional safety and law enforcement on contraband and drone interdiction, and CDCR continues to expand reporting channels and training. The committee also discussed the importance of rehabilitation and reentry programs, with Johnson saying most people return to the community and that CDCR must prepare them for successful reintegration.

Transcript Highlights:

• incarcerated persons having events than it was really about staff safety and security and overall a better workplace
• I think that... ...and security and overall a better workplace.
• leadership, including impacts to public safety, incidents involving escapes, deaths in custody, workplace
• leadership, including impacts to public safety, incidents evolving escapes, desks, and custody, the workplace

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• students gain relevant hands-on experiences that build technical knowledge, as well as essential workplace
• > technical knowledge as along with technical knowledge as along with essential<00:17:47.039><c> workplace
• </c><00:17:47.520><c> skills</c><00:17:48.320><c> such</c><00:17:48.559><c> as</c> essential workplace
• skills such as essential workplace skills such as communication,<00:17:49.679><c> collaboration,</c>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Other areas we know in the workplace, and we've all seen bills that come through on different workplace
• Areas we know in the workplace, and we've all seen bills that come through on different workplace and

Summary: The Select Committee on Native American Affairs held a historic hearing at Table Mountain Rancheria focused on tribal education, culture, resilience, leadership, and trust. The opening prayer and remarks emphasized the significance of holding the first committee hearing on tribal land. Members said the hearing was intended both to hear testimony about ongoing problems in schools and to identify next steps for legislation and policy, especially as the session neared its end. The committee also referenced recent efforts supporting Native students’ right to wear regalia at graduation and broader concerns about representation in education and state institutions. The first panel centered on Native students’ experiences in public schools. Bella Garcia described a two-year fight with Clovis Unified over wearing tribal regalia at graduation, including a restrictive approval form and administrators who she said denied Native identity and made her feel invisible. Morningstar Ghali connected those experiences to the legacy of boarding schools, racial profiling, suspensions, and the “boarding school to prison pipeline,” and called for culturally responsive education, Native educators, counselors, Native studies, and restorative justice. Janet K. Bill, from the Attorney General’s Office of Native American Affairs, described her own path from tribal Head Start to Stanford, law school, tribal council, and state service, and said education, justice, and sovereignty are linked. Members asked about restorative justice, representation, and how to build pipelines into leadership and education roles. The second panel focused on solutions. Chairwoman Michelle Heredia Cordova urged a reimagined education system that is more personalized, experiential, culturally grounded, and balanced with land-based learning, while also recruiting Native teachers and creating stronger tribal partnerships. Chairman Leo Sisku said schools should educate educators, stop tokenizing Native students, and create accountability and consequences for discriminatory behavior; he also supported stronger tribal-school partnerships and more positive outreach. Chairman Fred Bean emphasized consistent engagement from tribal leaders at every level of schooling, stronger transitions from elementary to college, and programs that prepare Native youth for leadership, trades, and higher education. Chairman Shaineto of Tule River argued that schools and administrators should face consequences for violating Native students’ rights, and that Native people should not have to keep educating institutions about basic cultural respect. Committee members responded by discussing possible statewide solutions, including regional tribal boards, better enforcement of existing laws, stronger pipelines into teaching and leadership, and improved representation on boards and in state agencies. Several members raised the need to implement existing laws, fill vacant Native appointments, and consider broader protections for Native regalia and cultural expression. No formal vote was taken in the transcript, but the hearing concluded with a clear call for continued collaboration, accountability, and legislation driven by Native voices.

Transcript Highlights:

• system as a partner in that, I believe that's a play that we can start to make is to get them into a workplace
• It aims to strengthen employer engagement to identify critical skills for the workplace and expand opportunities
• for work-based learning such as skills for the workplace and expand opportunities for work-based learning
• as well as improving efficiency and reducing redundancy in regional coordination. skills for the workplace

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance heard an overview of the governor’s new Career Education Master Plan and related budget items. Labor Secretary Knox described the plan as an effort to reduce fragmentation across K-12, community colleges, workforce boards, and other systems by improving statewide and regional coordination, data sharing, skills-based hiring, career pathways, and wraparound supports such as child care, housing, food, and transportation. Members asked how success would be measured, how the plan would serve disconnected youth and adults, and whether the proposed data integration would rely on Cradle to Career; the secretary said it would. The Department of Finance said it was available to answer questions on the education side. The committee then reviewed existing CTE funding and oversight. The LAO, CDE, and Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office described the major ongoing programs, including CTIG, Perkins, K-12 Strong Workforce, and Community College Strong Workforce, and noted that many programs overlap in purpose and administration. Members repeatedly raised concerns about duplication, annual applications and reporting burdens, lack of clear outcome metrics, and whether funding incentives should be better aligned to regional collaboration. CDE and the Chancellor’s Office said they support alignment and dual enrollment, and Finance and CDE said LCFF/local match dollars are part of the funding structure. The committee also discussed child care as a barrier to participation and the need for better tracking of enrollment, completion, and job outcomes. On the consolidated application proposal, Finance proposed a study directing CDE to examine whether three long-standing CTE grant programs—Specialized Secondary Programs, CTIG, and California Partnership Academies—could be streamlined into a single application and reporting process. The LAO supported reducing administrative burden but noted that the largest programs, CTIG and K-12 Strong Workforce, were excluded from the proposal even though districts most often cite them as burdensome. CDE said it did not oppose the study but warned that statutory differences may limit consolidation. Members said the proposal should better address regional coordination, multi-year funding stability, and outcome measures rather than only simplifying paperwork. Finally, the committee heard a proposal for a $5 million ongoing California Education Interagency Council. GovOps said the council would provide a neutral venue for statewide coordination across education and workforce systems. The LAO opposed the proposal, arguing that existing bodies already provide coordination, the proposal does not change agency incentives, and the council would lack authority to implement decisions. Members expressed mixed views, with some supporting a coordinating body and others questioning whether it would differ from past efforts. No votes were taken during the portions summarized here, and the committee indicated it would hold some items open for further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Ongoing expansions have contributed to increasing worker dissatisfaction due to changes in the workplace
• 29:13.360><c> the</c> dissatisfaction due to changes in the dissatisfaction due to changes in the workplace
• 14.640><c> we</c><00:29:14.799><c> have</c><00:29:14.960><c> fewer</c><00:29:15.360><c> local</c> workplace
• Yet, we have fewer local workplace.
• rights under the nursing their workplace rights under the nursing home<01:20:40.800><c> workforce</c

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Can you speak to if you've seen an increase in workplace violence complaints from nurses and how that
• would certainly rely with my colleagues and consult with my colleagues on the connection between workplace
• </c><00:46:21.480><c> violence</c> increase in workplace violence increase in workplace violence complaints
• 48.280><c> between</c> colleagues on the connection between colleagues on the connection between workplace
• violence and um complaints workplace violence and um complaints that<00:46:52.040><c> may</c><00:46:

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Recruitment and retention: so this is $765,000 base trunk highway funds to make MnDOT a workplace of
• to make 765,000 base trunk Highway funds to make mindat<00:54:27.440><c> a</c><00:54:27.559><c> workplace
• <c> of</c><00:54:28.559><c> choice</c><00:54:29.559><c> and</c><00:54:29.720><c> it</c> mindat a workplace
• of choice and it mindat a workplace of choice and it would<00:54:30.040><c> fund</c><00:54:30.480><c
• </c> the state of Minnesota being a workplace the state of Minnesota being a workplace of<01:09:38.719

Bills: HF5

Keywords: tax modification, transportation funding, electric vehicle tax, Social Security subtraction, retail delivery fee, motor vehicle registration, state budget, transportation policy, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Valley wanting to go to Heritage lost half of this scholarship money because of the WEA account being raided
• And as a matter of fact, even in the governor's proposed budget, he proposed literally raiding this exact
• And oftentimes you want to save for a rainy day, not in our state because we're going to raid the rainy
• And then we raided the account that the capital gains income tax was supposed to fund in the governor's

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, SB5816, SB5919, SB5831, SB6244, SB6044, SB5109, SB5877, SB6258

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, state regulation, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives, best practices, community protection, voluntary measures, mortgage modification

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm trying to find a polite way to say let's not raid the energy fund, but I don't think the work of
• </c><00:42:25.160><c> say</c><00:42:25.359><c> let's</c><00:42:25.599><c> not</c><00:42:26.040><c> raid
• </c><00:42:26.359><c> the</c><00:42:26.520><c> r</c> a polite way to say let's not raid the r a polite
• way to say let's not raid the r the the the energy<00:42:28.119><c> fund</c><00:42:28.440><c> but</c

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and every Californian deserves to know that the fire suppression systems protecting their homes, workplaces
• every Californian deserves to note that the fire suppression systems protecting their homes and workplaces
• communities, California deserves to note that the fire suppression systems, protecting their homes and workplaces

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy regular-order hearing on August 5, 2026, with 325 bills on the agenda and a large number of Senate bills moved on consent or by roll call. Early action included two consent motions for numerous Senate bills, followed by individual presentations on measures covering health, housing, energy, labor, insurance, public safety, and environmental issues. The committee also later approved a large suspense calendar and took public comment on bills not heard earlier in the day. Among the bills discussed, SB 999 would delay the publication date of the Health Minimum Essential Coverage Individual Mandate Report; SB 869 would require added-sugar warning icons for high-sugar beverages at large chain restaurants; SB 931 would reauthorize the Diablo Canyon Essential Mitigation Fund; SB 952 would give the Department of Water Resources more flexibility to meet clean energy procurement goals for the State Water Project; and SB 1288 would create a framework for notifying and verifying beneficiaries of nonprobate assets. Other measures included SB 1371 on labor disputes and solid waste service, SB 1014 on housing development estimates, SB 1283 on EV charging station permitting, SB 1209 and SB 1244 on insurance enforcement and broker compensation disclosure, SB 1359 on gas utility infrastructure and ratepayer protections, SB 677 and SB 908 on housing streamlining and window replacement rules, SB 1323 on procedures for patients in immigration custody, SB 938 on law enforcement hiring standards for former federal immigration officers, SB 1272 on code enforcement timelines for unsuspecting homeowners, SB 1117 on ADU impact fees, SB 1196 on utility hookup timelines for small energy projects, SB 1299 on fire sprinkler fitter training and certification, and AB 2597 on state claims settlements. Testimony was generally supportive from bill authors, sponsors, and allied groups such as Health Access California, the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, the California Restaurant Association on SB 869 unless amended, the California Teachers Association, YIMBY and housing advocates, the Casita Coalition, labor groups, and various local government representatives. Opposition or concerns came from restaurant industry representatives on SB 869, SIFMA and banking groups on SB 1288, insurance broker groups on SB 1244, PG&E and county representatives on SB 1359, code enforcement and county organizations on SB 1272, special districts and fire-related local agencies on SB 1117, and some public safety or fiscal concerns on other bills. Several authors noted ongoing negotiations and accepted committee amendments on their measures. Votes were taken throughout the hearing, with many bills passing on A or B roll calls, some with members not voting or voting no. The committee also approved the suspense calendar and later lifted the call on SB 1359 after adding an aye vote. Public comment at the end included opposition to a wildfire mitigation bill not heard earlier, with concerns about CEQA exemptions and herbicide use.

Transcript Highlights:

• referred the House bill requiring health care employers to develop and implement programs to prevent workplace
• contrary, the House bill requiring health care employers to develop and implement programs to prevent workplace
• The House bill requiring health care employers to develop and implement programs to prevent workplace

Summary: The Senate took up several local and special bills for final passage, including measures on culverts and dams in Town Line Brook and Lindenbrook, alcohol license conversions and additions in Milford, Salem, and Bridgewater, and special legislation allowing William Pilarie to take a firefighter civil service exam in Arlington despite the age limit. All five bills were passed to be enacted. The Senate also concurred in House amendments to bills on alcohol licenses in Bolton and conservation restrictions in Hanson, and adopted a resolution commending the National Safety Council and recognizing June as National Safety Month. The chamber then considered Ways and Means reports and orders for House bills on improving Massachusetts home care and requiring health care employers to prevent workplace violence. Both bills were amended with new Senate text and ordered to second reading on July 16, 2026, with the new text pending and further amendment procedures specified. The Senate also advanced several House bills passed to be engrossed, including land transfers in Norton, transportation bond terms, and Watertown property tax classifications, each being ordered to a third reading. The main debate centered on Senate No. 30, a bill to protect children from addictive social media feeds, which was taken up with a Ways and Means substitute draft, Senate No. 3164. Senators supporting the bill argued it targets addictive design features such as algorithmic feeds, autoplay, infinite scroll, and overnight notifications while preserving access to social media, privacy, and First Amendment rights; opponents and some supporters raised concerns about parental authority and the role of the state. The Senate adopted a series of amendments, including changes to the definition of user, stronger limits on minors’ nighttime notifications, parental consent and privacy protections for location sharing and age verification, exemptions for nonprofits and open-source platforms, age-signal clarifications, dark-pattern restrictions, and data-security/reporting provisions, while rejecting several other amendments. The debate remained ongoing at the end of the transcript, with additional amendments and discussion still pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• carriers to deliver prescription medications to or pick them up from a long-term care facility, workplace
• carriers to deliver prescription medications to or pick them up from a long-term care facility, workplace
• mask, face covering, or vaccination as a condition of entry or employment, except for longstanding workplace

Summary: The committee approved the March 18 and 19 minutes and heard a presentation from the University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix on its new tuition-free, three-year regional medical school branch in Yuma. The presenter said the program is designed to address Arizona’s primary care shortage by training students in a high-need rural area, with 18 months in Phoenix and 18 months in Yuma, and members asked about residency placement, applicant eligibility, and whether students would be required to remain in rural Arizona after training. The program was described as open to applicants from in and out of state, with no post-graduation practice commitment, but with an emphasis on recruiting students already interested in rural care. The committee then heard several health and child welfare bills. HB 2923 would expand judicial review procedures for court-ordered mental health treatment, add timelines and counsel protections, and require clear and convincing evidence to continue treatment; supporters said it updates outdated 1970s law and preserves due process. HB 2434 would change the controlled substances prescription monitoring program by requiring updated patient utilization reports before opioid or benzodiazepine prescribing, tightening reporting rules, and replacing a task force with a compliance workgroup. HB 2035 would broaden kinship foster care to include extended family, strengthen sibling and family placement preferences, require written findings when kin placement is denied, and shift the standard from promoting to presuming kinship placement as in the child’s best interest; DCS said the policy largely matches current practice but raised an implementation concern about a report deadline before preliminary protective hearings. The committee also heard HB 2611, which would expand foster youth rights and safety protections in group homes, including anti-retaliation rules, drug-screening requirements for staff, and new safety rules for DCS and DHS; foster youth and group home staff testified in support, while DCS was neutral and noted possible fiscal and operational impacts. HB 2732 would continue the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy until 2032, and HB 2733 would make various pharmacy regulation changes, including medication delivery flexibility, continuing education timing, change-of-ownership permits, and wholesale distribution permitting. HB 2830, as amended, would require instruction on fetal and prenatal development and initially restricted abortion-provider materials in schools, but the amendment removed that prohibition; testimony split between supporters who framed it as educational and opponents who objected to its implications for reproductive rights. HB 2932, as amended, would require AHCCCS contractors to reimburse noncontracting providers for referred lab services and limit prior authorization and retaliation; health plans opposed it as a threat to managed care tools, while lab providers supported it as fair payment for covered services. Finally, HB 4004 would require DCS to investigate credible abuse or neglect reports even when one parent is considered protective, and to report annually on cases where it declined to intervene. Parents testified that abuse was minimized or left uninvestigated because of the “protective parent” concept, while supporters said the bill would close a dangerous gap. The committee also considered HB 2086, which would bar government and businesses from imposing mask or vaccination requirements, though an amendment removed the business prohibition; supporters framed it as bodily autonomy and opponents argued it would weaken public health protections. The committee voted to give do pass recommendations to HB 2035, HB 2086 as amended, HB 2434, HB 2611 as amended, HB 2732, HB 2733, HB 2830 as amended, HB 2923, HB 2932 as amended, and HB 4004, with recorded no votes on some measures, including opposition from members on HB 2086, HB 2830, HB 2932, and HB 4004.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:10:44.480><c> safe</c><00:10:44.640><c> at</c><00:10:44.880><c> the</c><00:10:45.040><c> workplace
• </c> make everyone feel safe at the workplace make everyone feel safe at the workplace and<00:10:45.600

Bills: HF4141, HF3951

Keywords: housing authority, criminal penalty, assault, public safety, redevelopment, submetered utility service, tenant rights, digital payment, eviction protection, housing policy, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• That duty requires timely communication with employees about their rights, benefits, workplace changes
• consistency will strengthen labor relations, improve communication, and support efficient and stable workplaces
• However, our workplace is suffering from high turnover due to burnout, stress, and financial struggles

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 1347, which would streamline cannabis testing lab accreditation by requiring the Liquor and Cannabis Board to accept Department of Agriculture accreditation as the basis for initial certification under certain conditions and to reduce duplication between agencies. The prime sponsor and several industry witnesses said the bill is intended to clarify authority, improve efficiency, and preserve consumer safety, while LCB said it had no policy objection but wanted implementation concerns addressed. Several witnesses supported the concept but said an amendment was needed to clearly assign accreditation authority to WSDA and avoid overlapping requirements. The committee also heard and later took action on several bills. House Bill 2229 would update the Professional Engineers Registration Act by changing board membership rules, increasing pro tem members, and revising registration and exam provisions; the sponsor and board director said it modernizes qualifications without changing licensure standards. House Bill 2091 would require more complete employee contact information to be shared with exclusive bargaining representatives under the Personnel System Reform Act; union witnesses supported it and a policy witness opposed it as a privacy intrusion. Second Substitute House Bill 1128 would create a Child Care Workforce Standards Board to make recommendations on child care worker standards; supporters said it addresses workforce shortages and retention, while providers and associations argued it duplicates existing work and could lead to unfunded mandates. In executive action, the committee voted do pass on Substitute House Bills 2492, 2107, 2151, 2355, and Gross Substitute House Bill 2471, and sent them to Rules. It also voted do pass on Second Substitute House Bill 2105 and referred it to Ways and Means. Other bills heard included House Bill 1701 on shared liquor license premises, where a small business owner supported more flexible shared-space arrangements and LCB suggested amendments to prevent undue influence; House Bill 2264 on unemployment benefits for employer-initiated layoffs, which was supported as a clarification to protect workers who opt into reduction-in-force programs; Substitute House Bill 2472 on fire sprinkler work enforcement, supported by labor and industry witnesses; and Second Substitute House Bill 2345, which would adjust paid family and medical leave premium allocations to address IRS tax guidance, with broad support from labor, business, and the agency.

Transcript Highlights:

• .and care managers and others play in making sure that direct care workers' needs are met in the workplace
• direct care compensation, including higher wages and benefits, respect and voice on the job in the workplace
• Benefits, respect and voice on the job in the workplace, especially as it relates to client care.

Summary: The committee began with an extended work session on the long-term care workforce. DSHS Assistant Secretary B. Rector described the new Home and Community Living Administration and outlined major workforce pressures: Washington had about 126,000 long-term care workers in 2022, with demand expected to outpace supply as the 85-plus population and dementia prevalence rise sharply. She emphasized that direct care workers are largely women, people of color, and immigrants, and that family caregivers are also a major part of the system. She highlighted recruitment and retention efforts funded through federal Money Follows the Person dollars, including high school training partnerships, a retention toolkit, transportation support, caregiver newsletters, tribal workforce navigators, and a remote caregiving pilot. Committee members asked about career pathways, technology use, and turnover drivers; Rector said wages, benefits, unstable hours, and workplace support are key issues and promised follow-up data. Aidan Swain of the Washington Health Care Association said skilled nursing and assisted living facilities face acute RN vacancies, wage pressures, and Medicaid reimbursement that does not cover costs, and urged modernization of training, better reimbursement, and continued support for facility-based care. Maddie Fouch of SEIU 775, representing about 55,000 caregivers, said low wages, weak benefits, lack of voice, and certification delays are driving turnover and shortages, and argued for higher compensation, better worker protections, and more transparent reimbursement. Catherine Smith of Behavioral Health Solutions described growing behavioral health needs in nursing homes, the role of expanded behavioral supports programs, and credentialing delays that slow hiring. No votes were taken; the panel was informational only. The second agenda item was an overview of the palliative care benefit work group report required by 2024 legislation. Nico Jansen of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner explained that the work group, convened with the Health Care Authority, studied a potential palliative care benefit for fully insured commercial plans and also Medicaid, PEBB, and SEBB. He said palliative care is a philosophy of care focused on symptom management, coordination, and support for serious illness, and is distinct from hospice because it can be provided alongside curative treatment. The actuarial analysis concluded that creating a new benefit would likely increase costs, estimating about a 28-cent per member per month increase overall and roughly $2.6 million to $4.5 million in annual state Medicaid costs if implemented in 2027. Jansen said the consultants did not find sufficient evidence to assume savings from avoided hospitalizations or long-term care, though several work group members disagreed and submitted response letters. Senators asked about other states, Medicare, health homes, and whether more research could clarify cost savings; OIC said some states, including Hawaii, are moving ahead with Medicaid palliative care benefits, Medicare covers some related services but not in the same way, and further evidence may emerge over time. OIC did not take a position on whether the Legislature should create the benefit. The final presentation covered health care price transparency tools in Washington and federally. Evan Klein and HCA Chief Data Officer Vishal Chaudry reviewed federal hospital and health plan transparency rules, the state all-payer claims database, prescription drug price transparency, the Health Care Cost Transparency Board, the Prescription Drug Affordability Board, and other reporting systems. They explained that the APCD contains claims from fully insured commercial plans, Medicaid, and public employee programs, but not self-insured employer data except for limited voluntary submissions. They also described how machine-readable files, consumer price tools, and aggregated dashboards are used, and noted that data limitations, delays, and complexity remain significant. Senators asked about voluntary self-insured participation, the role of AI in making data more usable, and whether transparency can really help consumers given access barriers and medical debt. HCA said AI is increasingly used by private entities to mine large transparency datasets, but state agencies still face limits in data access and analytic capacity. The committee did not take action; the session was informational and ended with a discussion of how transparency data might better inform policy and purchasing decisions in the future.

Transcript Highlights:

• that I really see in common, whether we're talking about medical providers or otherwise, is just workplace
• What do workplace conditions have to do with burnout right now?
• Especially knowing that younger generations of people are looking at workplace conditions, sometimes

Transcript Highlights:

• And from a labor perspective, these factories should not be exempt from our core workplace protections
• So as far as the workplace safety and the fact that you're in a localized situation where they're under
• So as far as the workplace safety and the fact that you're in a localized situation where they're under

Summary: The Senate Housing Committee work session focused first on Civic Commons’ “starter home production plan,” a statewide strategy intended to increase production of homes affordable to households roughly between 60% and 120% of area median income. Presenters said the Covenant Home Ownership program will not succeed without more starter homes, and outlined recommendations including a temporary cross-sector crisis task force, a developer network, new financing tools, public seed funding, and a multi-site demonstration program to test off-site construction and standardized designs. Committee members asked about silos in the current system, the role of off-site and modular construction, target income ranges, and where the plan would be most useful. Civic Commons said the plan is meant to be statewide, community-informed, and respectful of local context, with pre-approved plans and standardized approaches for both single-family and multi-unit housing. The Department of Labor and Industries then gave an update on factory-built housing oversight. Officials said residential factory-built structures are a small but important part of their work and described progress in prioritizing residential plan reviews, which they said has reduced review time from months to about two days. They also reported creating a plans examiner supervisor position, moving forward with rules for third-party plan review and inspection, and beginning analysis of national standards from the Modular Building Institute to see whether they align with state code. Committee members and L&I discussed the value of standardized plans, real-time tracking for applicants, and the role of state inspection in reducing local jurisdictional variation. The Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council testified that it supports efforts to reduce permitting delays and increase housing production, but warned against weakening safety standards or labor protections. The labor representatives said prefabrication and modular construction can help if the workforce is protected, wages and apprenticeship opportunities are preserved, and projects use tools such as community workforce agreements. They also raised concerns about wage theft, misclassification, and unlicensed contractors in residential construction, and suggested stronger front-end contractor education or licensing. Committee members responded that the goal is to expand production without sacrificing safety or good jobs. The committee also heard city perspectives on local housing reforms. Olympia described its affordable housing emergency ordinance, which gives qualifying projects priority in the permitting queue, and said success depends on communication among housing staff, planners, engineers, and developers. Walla Walla, an early adopter of middle housing, reported increased ADUs, duplexes, and smaller-lot development after eliminating single-family zoning and expanding tools such as MFTE and ADU flexibility. Des Moines described adopting middle housing and ADU ordinances in June 2025 after a lengthy public process, while Poulsbo described proactive code changes including duplexes on corner lots, unit lot subdivisions, manufactured home protections, expanded ADU allowances, and pre-approved ADU plans shared with neighboring jurisdictions. No votes were taken during the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm here to present Assembly Bill 414, which addresses air quality issues in the workplace.
• and proactive communication can prevent illness and create a stronger culture of safety in our workplaces
• It's also uncertain what workplace problem the bill is attempting to solve or whether it would have any

Keywords: 909, all