Transcript Highlights:

• caseworker aid services for the Bureau for Social Services.
• Guaranteed issue rights for Medicare supplemental or supplement policies. The bill defines terms.
• to supplement Medicare.
• aid programs appropriation within the Division of Highways.
• aid programs appropriation within the Division of Highways.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate considered and passed a series of House bills on third reading, with several title amendments and a few effective-date motions adopted. Early in the session, members passed HB 4452 removing acreage limits on land owned by church or religious trustees, HB 4577 creating reciprocal driver’s license recognition agreements with Ireland and Japan, HB 4588 authorizing West Virginia participation in a federal tax credit scholarship program, and HB 4592 requiring higher education institutions to create coordinated campus safety maps. HB 4602 was amended to align with a prior Senate child welfare pilot program, and members discussed its projected cost and implementation timeline before passing it. HB 4603 created a pre-adjudicatory alternative disposition process in abuse and neglect cases, and HB 4606 narrowed bail rules by requiring consideration of residency and community ties while prohibiting personal recognizance bonds for violent felony offenses after an adopted amendment. The Senate also passed HB 4710 changing the party-registration deadline for candidates from 60 to 180 days before an election, with debate over its impact on independents, and made it effective January 1, 2027. HB 4712, known as Bailey’s Law, increased penalties for DUI causing death and related conduct, with emotional testimony from members about the victim and similar tragedies. HB 4765 established a pay raise for teachers, school personnel, and state police and added a market-pay enhancement system based on county cost-of-living differences; an amendment to the amendment capped county differentials and guaranteed at least a 1% increase in every county. HB 4865 created an optional program for high school and homeschool students to serve as election official trainees, and HB 4869 established narrow guaranteed-issue rights for Medicare supplement policies. Later bills included HB 4995, which strengthened video/audio recording rules in special education classrooms and was passed, then reconsidered and passed again; HB 4996 creating a new crime for making threats of violence against schools or children; HB 5048 guaranteeing virtual instruction for foster children in temporary placement; HB 5065 adding recordkeeping and geolocation requirements for hotel marketplace facilitators to ensure proper hotel tax remittance; and HB 5074 reallocating medical cannabis fund revenues to child protection, homeless services, research, law enforcement, and other purposes. The Senate also passed HB 5101, the Joanna Phillips Domestic Violence Prevention Act, which increased penalties for domestic violence offenses and adjusted bail provisions, after amending it to conform with the earlier bail bill. Additional measures passed included HB 5166 requiring notice before political committees are fined for filing violations and allowing limited extensions, HB 5168 directing $12 million in lottery funds to EMS first responders and county EMS support, HB 5182 authorizing certain state treasurer security personnel to carry concealed firearms, HB 5212 streamlining higher-education financial aid rules, HB 5214 allowing court-ordered drug testing of parents before reunification in abuse and neglect cases, HB 5353 regulating virtual currency kiosks with licensing, disclosures, and transaction limits, and HB 5366 exempting J-LAP records from FOIA to protect confidentiality for lawyers and judges seeking assistance. Most bills passed with strong bipartisan support, though HB 5074 and HB 5353 drew some dissenting votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Local funds are not always available to supplement that, and the $50,000... ...this is what they would
• Local funds are not always available to supplement that, and the $50,000 mark, while generous and while
• to speed up the deployment of funds and completion of projects, and we've been increasing our supplemental

Bills: HB513 , HB581 , HB596 , HB660 , HB719 , HB766 , HB802 , HB940 , HB950 , HB1028 , HB1183 , HB1201 , SB233 , SB300 , SB303 , SB315 , SB324 , SB411

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: name image likeness, NIL, student-athlete, college athletics, high school athletics, intercollegiate athletics, interscholastic athletics, athlete compensation, athlete endorsements, sports marketing, athlete agent, marketing representative, sports attorney, publicity rights, right of publicity, Louisiana high school sports, NCAA, school policy, athletic association, athletic conference

Transcript Highlights:

• There's three changes on the supplemental that's there. There are no deductions. I'll say that.

Bills: SB143 , SB144 , SB145 , SB152 , SB153 , SB154 , SB162 , SB226 , SB146 , SB143 , SB144 , SB145 , SB152 , SB153 , SB154 , SB162 , SB226 , SB146

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund

Keywords: SB143, solid waste, garbage collection, trash fees, refuse collection, municipal fees, county fees, fee exemption, veterans benefits, veteran household, disabled veteran, VA benefits, Social Security exemption, low-income households, poverty level, county commission, municipal governing body, Alabama solid waste law, certificate of exception, public health

Transcript Highlights:

• Standing in support of this supplemental budget, our task in this supplemental budget is to make adjustments
• Standing in support of this supplemental budget, our task in this supplemental budget is to make adjustments
• We have the highest housing number ever in a supplemental.
• We have the highest housing number ever in a supplemental.
• Not a biennial budget, but yes, this is a supplemental budget.

Bills: SB6061 , SB6234 , SB6170 , SB6176 , SB6182 , SB6335 , SB5647 , SB6047 , HB2367 , HB2606 , SB5998 , SB6005 , SB6003 , SB6129 , SB6225 , SB6228 , SB6231

Keywords: tourism, self-supported assessment, funding, statewide promotion, economic development, sewage, grinder pumps, residential buildings, regulation, construction, contracting rules, state highway construction, procurement limits, state regulations, infrastructure funding, vehicle registration, enforcement, renewal, transportation, state law

Summary: The Senate met on February 23, 2026, opened with the usual roll call, pledge, prayer, and approval of the previous journal. Members then adopted Senate Resolution 8698 recognizing piano teachers, with several senators sharing personal remarks about their own teachers and the role of music education in families and communities. Guests from the Washington State Music Teachers Association and the National Guild of Piano Teachers were recognized in the gallery. The chamber then moved into budget debate, considering a series of amendments to the operating budget. Several proposals focused on housing costs, local planning, utility rates, and state spending restraint. Amendment 0772, which would have created a housing-related task force and increased funding, was rejected after debate over housing affordability and regulatory costs. Amendment 0785, restoring growth management planning funding for local governments, was also rejected. Amendment 0791, directing the Department of Commerce to study the effects of climate and clean energy laws on utility costs, and Amendment 0769, related to grid capacity and clean energy investments, were both adopted. Other amendments drew sharper partisan debate. Amendment 0798, which would have reduced the Supreme Court from nine justices to five and redirected savings to public defense, failed. Amendments 0794 and 0795, seeking funding for ballot measure costs tied to initiatives, also failed. Amendment 0799, intended to redirect Pacific Tower lease savings to developmental disability services, was rejected after discussion of the building’s current public uses. Amendment 0773, capping state spending growth and tying it to median wage growth, failed on a roll call vote, while Amendment 0777, addressing concurrent use of paid family and medical leave and sick leave by state employees, also failed after extended debate. Later, Amendment 0776 on tort liability reporting was adopted, as were Amendment 0758 creating a DSHS work group on community-based services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and Amendment 0786 was introduced to reduce cash and food assistance work-related funding, with debate beginning before the transcript ends.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, you could apply for a grant to maybe handle D.D. transportation or supplemental books or to pay
• We're here today with a supplemental operating budget for the state of Washington.
• We're here today with a supplemental operating budget for the state of Washington.
• Standing in support of this supplemental budget, our task in this supplemental budget is to make adjustments
• I stand in strong support of this supplemental transportation budget.

Bills: SB6061 , SB6234 , SB6170 , SB6176 , SB6182 , SB6335 , SB5647 , SB6047 , HB2367 , HB2606 , SB5998 , SB6005 , SB6003 , SB6129 , SB6225 , SB6228 , SB6231

Keywords: tourism, self-supported assessment, funding, statewide promotion, economic development, sewage, grinder pumps, residential buildings, regulation, construction, contracting rules, state highway construction, procurement limits, state regulations, infrastructure funding, vehicle registration, enforcement, renewal, transportation, state law

Summary: The Senate convened with roll call, prayer, and approval of the previous day’s journal, then moved to a resolution honoring piano teachers. Senate Resolution 8698 was adopted after remarks from Senator Conway and others describing the role of piano teachers in music education, family life, and community service. Members of the Washington State Music Teachers Association and the National Guild of Piano Teachers were recognized in the gallery. The chamber then took up the operating budget and considered a long series of amendments. Several amendments focused on housing costs and local planning, utility and energy policy, ballot measure costs, state spending growth, tort liability, and paid family and medical leave. Some amendments were adopted, including a study of utility cost impacts from climate laws, a grid-related funding amendment, a tort liability oversight/reporting amendment, and a workgroup on services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Others were rejected, including proposals to create a housing task force, cap state spending growth, fund ballot initiative costs, restore local planning grants, and change paid family and medical leave usage rules. Debate on the budget amendments was often partisan and detailed, with supporters arguing for fiscal restraint, cost transparency, and relief for taxpayers and local governments, while opponents emphasized existing work, program solvency, and the need to preserve services. The Senate also heard amendments on zero-based budgeting, federal education tax credit opt-in language, reproductive health funding, food assistance work requirements, and support for the Pediatric Interim Care Center; some were defeated and some were adopted. Roll-call votes were taken on certain amendments, and the transcript ends during consideration of Amendment 0787, which would restore funding for the Pediatric Interim Care Center.

Transcript Highlights:

• State Moorhead, Minnesota Duluth, St.
• State Moorhead, Minnesota Duluth, St.
• We give out about $2 million total in athletic aid at Minot State.
• big ones, I know you've heard some of those, but I'll go into the academic side: student financial aid
• That's probably one of those out of state—probably from Montana, Minnesota, or South Dakota.

Committee: Joint Higher Education Institutions Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have foundation, categorical, supplemental, and additional funds.
• Then we have the state foundation aid.
• So that takes us to our supplemental fund category.
• So that takes us to our supplemental fund category, and there are eight of these.
• So there is quite a bit of expenditures that do go towards instructional aid.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• director of Minnesota Milk.
• Um, I serve as president of Minnesota Milk and also I operate Sky Vidyer out of Hutchinson, Minnesota
• It Vidyer out of Hutchinson, Minnesota.
• Minnesota, it creates a ripple effect Minnesota, it creates a ripple effect through<00:03:37.200><c>
• The ba the value of the beef Minnesota.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• They're not our supplemental salary.
• </c><00:02:14.160><c> taxpayers,</c> for the trust of Minnesota taxpayers, for the trust of Minnesota
• They're not our<00:02:41.440><c> supplemental</c><00:02:42.040><c> salary.
• They're not a our supplemental salary.
• for the from the Minnesota state climate action<00:06:40.200><c> framework.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• construction work zones in Minnesota construction work zones in Minnesota.
• Minnesota. Minnesota.
• </c><00:35:19.840><c> Two</c> Minnesota FFA and Minnesota 4-H. Two Minnesota FFA and Minnesota 4-H.
• I'm currently serving as the Minnesota State Sentinel, and I'm from Willmar, Minnesota.
• of Agricultural Educators, Minnesota Farmers Union, and Minnesota Farm Bureau.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Visual aids are not allowed during testimony. Members and staff rely on the electronic billbook.
• operating budget. ...of the governor's proposed 2026 supplemental operating budget from the Office of
• But I am Katie... ...and proposed 2026 supplemental operating budget. I am Katie Chapman.
• My name is Sarah Robbins, and I am the director of the Office of Civil Legal Aid.
• part of our state's civil legal aid safety net system for low-income Washingtonians.

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee opened with committee guidelines for the 2026 session, including limits on testimony, amendment deadlines, confidentiality expectations, and professionalism rules. Chair Ormsby also reviewed housekeeping for the public hearing, noting the meeting was recorded and live streamed, and that testimony would be limited to one minute because of the large number of sign-ups. The committee then began its work session on Governor Ferguson’s proposed 2026 supplemental operating budget, presented by OFM Director Katie Chapman, who outlined the state’s fiscal pressures: higher caseloads in major programs, a revenue forecast decline of about $390 million, federal policy changes tied to H.R. 1, inflation, and a relatively small ending fund balance. She said the governor’s budget solves about a $2.3 billion shortfall through nearly $800 million in spending reductions, revenue shifts, fund transfers, use of about $1 billion from the Budget Stabilization Account, and some tax preference changes, while also making targeted investments in areas such as child welfare, behavioral health, wildfire response, housing, and IT modernization. Chapman also explained that the proposal does not fully balance over the four-year outlook under the state’s statutory assumptions, but said the governor relied on the budget-balance law’s exception tied to BSA use and low employment growth. A question from Rep. Connors about credit ratings was answered with the view that the impact is difficult to predict and that Washington’s strong pension funding and balanced-budget framework remain positives. The public hearing drew testimony from state officials and many advocates, most of whom opposed specific cuts or fund shifts in the governor’s proposal. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs objected to proposed sweeps from the corporations and charities fund and the library archives account, citing prior cuts, layoffs, cyberattack-related costs, and the need to upgrade aging systems. Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove urged restoration of wildfire prevention funding, saying the proposed amount was still $30 million short of the commitment in House Bill 1168 and that underfunding would increase suppression costs and risk to communities. Many education witnesses opposed reductions to Working Connections Child Care, transition to kindergarten, local effort assistance, Running Start, and higher education across-the-board cuts, arguing they would harm access, equity, and workforce development. Higher education leaders from community colleges, the University of Washington, Western Washington University, and Evergreen State College described staffing cuts, program reductions, and pressure on student services, while K-12 groups and OSPI said the budget would deepen existing funding gaps. A large portion of testimony focused on human services, health, housing, and civil legal aid. Child welfare and youth-serving organizations supported some targeted investments but opposed cuts to child care, child welfare network administration, and youth programs; advocates for foster youth, homeless youth, and mentoring programs asked for continued or increased funding. Health care and long-term care providers warned that proposed Medicaid and rate changes would reduce access for seniors, people with disabilities, and safety-net patients, while Planned Parenthood and abortion access advocates urged full restoration of the Abortion Access Project and related reimbursements. Housing and legal aid witnesses backed the governor’s proposed right-to-counsel funding but asked for more support, and homelessness advocates sought contingency funding for federal housing programs. Crime victim and domestic violence service providers repeatedly said the proposed $12 million was far short of the roughly $21.38 million needed to avoid service cuts and closures. Other testimony addressed the Climate Commitment Account shift for the Working Families Tax Credit, with environmental advocates opposing the diversion of CCA dollars and workforce advocates supporting the governor’s economic security and employment programs. No votes or formal committee action were taken during the hearing portion described in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Here, and we have Milo Mard from Mid Minnesota Legal Aid as well.
• I’m the executive director of Mid Minnesota Legal Aid.
• c><01:23:23.760><c> have</c> Minnesota legal aid where we have Minnesota legal aid where we have offices
• </c><01:24:43.719><c> uh</c> Minnesota legal aid provide um uh Minnesota legal aid provide um uh keeping
• </c> part of Mid-Minnesota legal aid and has part of Mid-Minnesota legal aid and has Statewide<01:25:

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The next fund is the Foundation Aid Stabilization Fund, which is funded from a portion of oil and gas
• Foundation Aid Stabilization Fund. How much of the K-12 budget? Stabilization fund.
• Representative Stemen and committee members, the Foundation Aid Stabilization Fund is one of the accounts
• members of the committee, I'll be presenting the just briefly highlighting the state budget action supplements
• Like, what's Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana? Ballpark. Mr.

Committee: Joint Government Finance Committee

Summary: The Government Finance Committee met with new leadership and approved the December 11 minutes. The committee first received an update from the Office of Management and Budget on the state general fund and major special funds. OMB reported revenues were tracking very close to forecast, with an estimated ending general fund balance of about $397 million, higher than previously expected. Staff also reviewed balances in the budget stabilization fund, legacy fund, foundation aid stabilization fund, social services fund, and strategic investment and improvements fund, along with oil tax collections and the current revenue picture. Legislative Council staff then summarized the special session budget changes and noted the updated beginning balance increased the projected ending balance for the next biennium. The Tax Department presented taxable sales and purchases data by county and industry, showing overall sales tax activity remained strong, with retail trade the largest sector and several counties posting notable gains. Commissioner Kraschis then reviewed federal tax changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and estimated their impact on North Dakota income tax collections, explaining that the figures were compared to the 2025 baseline and would be incorporated into future forecasts. Members asked about the overtime and tip exclusions, the senior standard deduction, and the primary residence property tax credit application count, which was running ahead of last year at more than 154,000 applications. The committee also heard from the Department of Transportation on fee schedules, with members focusing on driver’s license fees and the fact that current fees cover only about half of program costs, meaning the highway fund subsidizes the remainder. DOT also reported on specialty plate activity, including nearly 3,900 blackout plates issued, and noted increased state fleet usage. The Information Technology Department explained its internal service fund rate-setting process and discussed possible billing simplification, including annual billing and improved invoice detail. OMB also provided data on leased office space in the Bismarck-Mandan area and state workforce counts, and Legislative Council updated the committee on legislative branch space planning. Finally, subcommittee reports noted continued work on fixed-route transit funding and regional jail capacity, including Burleigh-Morton’s new DOCR housing wing and ongoing overcrowding in state correctional facilities. No formal votes beyond the minutes approval were taken, and the meeting adjourned with the next meeting set for June 25.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is a state and local government policy and supplemental appropriations.
• </c> policy and supplemental appropriations. policy and supplemental appropriations.
• </c><00:09:24.680><c> We</c><00:09:24.800><c> then</c> serving rural Minnesota.
• We then serving rural Minnesota.
• </c><00:38:28.520><c> together</c> worked on by Fueling Minnesota together worked on by Fueling Minnesota

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I want aid landscape strong and stable.
• </c> adjustment to um uh negative student aid adjustment to um uh negative student aid index<00:12:29.519
• programs for the state of financial aid programs for the state of Minnesota<00:14:32.000><c> at</c><
• The minimum student aid index is500.
• </c> contribution for the upcoming aid year. contribution for the upcoming aid year.

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And because of that Minnesota.
• </c> around the state of Minnesota. around the state of Minnesota.
• </c><00:20:20.720><c> We</c> Minnesota. And that's for all of us. We Minnesota.
• Minnesota. Minnesota.
• Minnesota. And I will be remiss not to Minnesota.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• particularly Northern Minnesota and particularly Northern Minnesota<00:02:21.760><c> as</c><00:02:21.959
• </c> recreational tax-based replacement Aid recreational tax-based replacement Aid the<00:03:50.239><
• </c> there's a district in northern Minnesota there's a district in northern Minnesota that<00:36:15.800
• </c> this adjustment would enhance state aid this adjustment would enhance state aid to<01:25:52.400>
• increasing Aid on currently approved uh increasing Aid on currently approved uh referendum referendum

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the commissioner of the Minnesota the commissioner of the Minnesota department<00:15:04.320><c>
• </c><00:15:35.360><c> of</c> sort of extrapolate that to Minnesota of sort of extrapolate that to Minnesota
• <00:31:15.039><c> insurance</c><00:31:15.600><c> products</c> supplemental insurance products supplemental
• </c> supplemental insurance 20% over 5 years. supplemental insurance 20% over 5 years.
• ,</c> insurance um products in in Minnesota, insurance um products in in Minnesota, came<00:31:53.200

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a staff attorney with Legal Aid, also representing the Minnesota Disability Law Center.
• :46.760><c> the</c><00:09:46.840><c> Minnesota</c> Aid, also representing the Minnesota Aid, also representing
• </c> Minnesota 2451. Minnesota 2451.
• First, current Minnesota law created student support personnel aid to address shortages and reduce caseloads
• . aid. aid.

Bills: HF3493 , HF4114

Committee: House Education Finance

Keywords: safe schools, charter schools, nonpublic schools, Tribal education, funding increase, special education, funding, education finance, appropriations, budget, cross subsidy, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• department budget, which comes back to the citizens, who may not have sufficient staffing to man the aid
• This bill allows employees at the Department of Corrections to bargain over contributions for supplemental
• A clean energy transformation business means a business that creates a product for sale that will aid
• This bill fixes a structural problem in how we fund civil legal aid.
• My wife and my children are enrolled members of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa in Minnesota.

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