Transcript Highlights:

• We gained agreement between the two chambers and really, with unanimous votes in both the House and the
• conversations, and this happens a lot with every governor, that in the House there needs to be 50 votes
• You know, I think of 2021 and 2022, and we operated remotely.
• I think of 2012 when a surprise, Operated remotely.

Summary: House and Senate Democratic leaders held a post-sine-die press availability to describe a difficult 2025 session and the major budget and policy outcomes. They said the state faced a $16 billion operating shortfall and an $8 billion transportation gap, along with inflation, slowing revenue, federal uncertainty, and a new governor. Despite that, they said the chambers reached balanced operating and transportation budgets while trying to avoid harming vulnerable residents or overburdening working families. The leaders highlighted several priorities they said were advanced: increased school funding, including about $1.4 billion more for special education; housing measures such as rent stabilization, parking minimum reforms, lot-splitting, and middle-housing enforcement; and public safety funding, including a $100 million one-time law-enforcement appropriation requested by Governor Ferguson. They also discussed a community reinvestment approach and said local governments would have more flexibility to fund community safety. They acknowledged that balancing the budget required painful cuts and tradeoffs, including delays to child support pass-through payments and TANF benefits, reduced support for higher education and student aid, higher child-care copays and fewer child-care slots, closure of one prison and four reentry centers, and reductions in managed care payments. They also said the tax package included modest business tax increases, including a surcharge on some large businesses and sales tax changes for certain services, and that a wealth tax remained alive for future sessions even though it was not part of this year’s budget. Much of the discussion focused on the new governor’s role and whether there was tension over his review of the budget and bills. Leaders said communication with the governor and his staff had improved over the session, that they expected him to carefully review the legislation, and that they were not reading anything into his absence from the press conference. They repeatedly emphasized bipartisan and bicameral collaboration, and several speakers described the session as one of the most challenging they had experienced, citing the budget gap, federal uncertainty, and recent personal losses in the Legislature.

Transcript Highlights:

• Vice Chair Scott, to call up our remote panel and our panel on deck next.
• Our nurses can't work remotely, right? Because our firefighters can't work remotely.
• Our nurses can't work remotely. So we have a lot of people that can't work remotely.
• Our nurses can't work remotely. So we have a lot of people that can't work remotely.
• Scott will be joining us remotely. Thank you.

Summary: The Labor and Workplace Standards Committee held public hearings on three bills. HB 2524 would create a State Security Guards Industry Standards Board within L&I to set minimum standards for security guard pay, leave, benefits, and training, funded in part by a $25 transfer from security licensing fees. The bill’s sponsor and labor supporters said it would professionalize the industry, improve safety, and address high turnover and inadequate training. Security workers described unsafe conditions, retaliation, and being expected to handle crises without enough support. Opponents from business and security companies argued the bill duplicates existing licensing and training rules, would raise costs, and gives too much authority to an unelected board; L&I said it had administrative concerns about timing and fee handling. The hearing on HB 2524 was then closed. HB 2513 would change plumbing license suspension rules by keeping the current three-infractions-in-three-years standard for residential work, while creating a five-infractions-in-five-years standard for non-residential plumbing violations. The sponsor and supporters from mechanical contractors and labor said repeat violators undermine safety and fair competition, and that the bill gives L&I a stronger enforcement tool against bad actors in commercial work. Several plumbing contractor groups opposed the bill as written, focusing on a new subsection they said was vague and could create an undefined corrective process or overly broad discretion for L&I; they asked that the subsection be removed or the bill be delayed for more stakeholder work. L&I requested an effective date of January 1, 2027 to allow time for rulemaking. HB 2611 would reduce the standard workweek from 40 hours to 32 hours starting January 1, 2028, and would also change paid sick leave accrual from one hour per 40 hours worked to one hour per 32 hours worked. The sponsor and labor supporters said a shorter workweek would improve work-life balance, reduce burnout and turnover, and could increase productivity, citing examples from San Juan County and other places. Business, hospitality, grocery, construction, agriculture, and janitorial representatives opposed the bill, saying it would raise labor costs, reduce hours and flexibility, complicate scheduling, and hurt industries with thin margins or seasonal demands. The committee heard no votes or final action on HB 2611 before closing the hearing and ending business for the day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Before we go to remote testimony for K-12, I see we've been joined by Commissioner Dave Upthegrove.
• Before we go to remote testimony for K-12, I see we've been joined by Commissioner Dave Upto-Grove.
• Local effort assistance has been a powerful reason to vote yes, but that is in question now as well.
• Okay, I think everyone else for higher ed is remote. So we'll turn to Zoom. So we'll turn to Zoom.
• Next we will go to remote testimony, beginning with Lance Morehouse.

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on the Senate operating budget proposal, beginning with a staff briefing from James Kettle. He described the budget as built on relatively flat revenue after multiple forecast updates, with substantial mandatory cost growth, especially in Health Care Authority, DSHS, and DCYF. He highlighted major policy-level additions and savings, including large tort liability costs, continued support for long-term services, reductions tied to child care and K-12 items, several assumed revenue bills, and major transfers from reserves and other accounts. Kettle also noted the four-year outlook remained positive overall, with about $1 billion ending fund balance in the final year and roughly $3 billion in total reserves. A committee member asked about a diagram showing the loss of federal funds, and staff said they would follow up. Public testimony then focused first on K-12 education, where school leaders, teachers, OSPI, PTA, and rural district representatives largely opposed the proposed cuts to local effort assistance, transition to kindergarten, bus depreciation, and related school funding items. Many argued the reductions would disproportionately harm rural and property-poor districts and weaken early learning access, while several students and educators spoke in favor of career and technical education and IT Academy funding. The committee also heard support for wildfire prevention funding from the Commissioner of Public Lands, who thanked the Senate for restoring those dollars but raised concerns about recreation program reductions. Higher education testimony was mixed but generally supportive of the Senate proposal compared with the governor’s budget. Community and technical college leaders warned that the budget still shifts compensation costs to tuition and reduces Running Start funding, while university representatives from Western, Eastern, Central, WSU, and UW thanked the committee for avoiding deeper cuts. Private vocational college students and administrators urged extension of Washington College Grant eligibility for students already enrolled, and others asked to preserve IT Academy and related certification funding. In early learning, child care and advocacy groups praised the decision not to cap Working Connections Child Care but warned that child care and transition to kindergarten still bear a disproportionate share of cuts; they also requested continued support for Dolly Parton Imagination Library and Pierce County early childhood programs, including Family Connects. The hearing continued with testimony on employee compensation, mental health, and human services. State employee and retiree groups supported the budget’s COLA and wildfire funding but objected to cuts in retiree health benefits. Behavioral health and public safety advocates supported mentoring, Trueblood-related funding, crisis stabilization, and the Recovery Navigator Program, while others opposed reductions to those programs and to community-based recovery services. In human services, witnesses thanked the committee for funding victim services, child welfare supports, health homes, adult day care, community health centers, energy assistance, and disability services, while urging the committee to avoid further reductions to skilled nursing, case management, and recovery navigation. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Many times these rangers are in remote areas.
• On behalf of Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, I ask for your aye vote.
• Not voting. Krell. Petrie-Norris. Hadwick, not voting. Krell, Petrie-Norris, Rodriguez, aye.
• I urge and I vote. Thank you all very. people have spoken I urge and I vote.
• Vote change on item number six, SB 590 by Senator Durazo. Hadwick not voting.

Committee: House Insurance

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee met to hear several insurance-related bills, beginning with SB 8 by Senator Ashby, which would extend workers’ compensation and disability protections to Sacramento County park rangers. Ashby and Sacramento County’s chief ranger argued the rangers perform law-enforcement-like duties, face violent encounters, and should receive the same protections as comparable officers. The bill was later approved on the floor with members noting it had been narrowed from a prior version. The committee also heard SB 429 by Senator Cortese, proposing the nation’s first public wildfire catastrophe model. Supporters from the Department of Insurance and United Policyholders said a public model would improve transparency, help evaluate private catastrophe models, and support wildfire mitigation and fairer insurance regulation. The committee advanced the bill to the Committee on Emergency Management. SB 495 by Senator Allen, as amended, would require insurers to provide a larger inventory-free contents payment after a total loss in a declared emergency, extend proof-of-loss deadlines, and require insurers to share catastrophe modeling data with the department. After testimony from the Department of Insurance, consumer advocates, and insurers who withdrew opposition, the bill passed unanimously to Judiciary. The committee also approved SB 525 by Senator Jones, which would require the Fair Plan to offer certain coverage options for manufactured and mobile home owners, with supporters emphasizing the difficulty lower-income residents face in finding coverage and the need for replacement-cost protection. SB 590 by Senator Durazo, backed by a large coalition including AARP, labor, civil rights, caregiving, and LGBTQ organizations, would expand paid family leave to cover chosen and extended family caregivers. The committee heard no opposition to SB 590 and sent it to Appropriations. The consent calendar, including SB 230 and SB 854, was also approved.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we have one person remote. We have a remote panel. Would you call them, please, Senator Nobles?
• We are ready to vote on the bills that were just briefed. Senate Bill 5992 is before us.
• No vote on the amendment D1.
• We're going to try to get additional information, but for now I'm asking for a no vote.
• We're going to try to get additional information, but for now I'm asking for a no vote.

Bills: SB6277 , SB5992 , SB6078 , SB6089 , SB5918 , SB5861 , SB6118 , SB6065 , SB6052

Committee: Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education

Keywords: military families, military children, school enrollment, residency requirements, public schools, school districts, educational stability, student mobility, interstate compact, military relocation, active duty, military orders, special education, IEP, Section 504, records transfer, conditional enrollment, Washington schools, RCW 28A.225.215, military installation

Transcript Highlights:

• It looks like the next three are all remote, so just making sure they're queued up.
• I am Lisa Yohollum, CEO of HealthPoint, testifying remotely.
• I am Lisa Yohollum, CEO of HealthPoint, testifying remotely.
• And as we move to the next panel, I think we've got five remote testifiers.
• Tyler, if you want to come in, and Mitch Denning remotely.

Summary: The committee first heard a briefing on the proposed Senate capital budget, Substitute Senate Bill 6003, which would spend about $723 million total using debt-limit bonds, Climate Commitment Act funds, and other cash resources. Staff described major investments in housing and homelessness, human services, local infrastructure, flood response, water conservation and clean energy, K-12 school modernization and seismic work, and higher education projects. Members then took public testimony from a wide range of advocates and project sponsors, most of whom urged the Senate to preserve or increase funding for specific projects in the final budget, including affordable housing, permanent supportive housing, child care facilities, food banks, behavioral health and substance use treatment centers, tribal courthouse relocation, school modernization, community colleges, university projects, floodplain restoration, community forests, and local civic or cultural facilities. Several witnesses also asked the Senate to match or approach House funding levels on items such as the Housing Trust Fund, permanent supportive housing, the Community Forest Program, Floodplains by Design, and CCA-supported clean energy and water projects. The chair noted that amendments to the capital budget were due the next day at noon. The committee then received a briefing on Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2251, which would restructure Climate Commitment Act accounts by repealing three existing accounts and replacing them with two new accounts: a CCA operating account and a CCA capital account. Staff explained that the bill would preserve most existing uses while changing revenue distribution formulas, capping Ecology administrative costs, expanding allowable uses for EV-related costs, housing, and carbon capture/sequestration, and changing reporting and tribal consultation provisions. The bill also shifts some reporting from annual to biannual and modifies the thresholds for tribal-supported and overburdened-community investments. The fiscal note was described as relatively small, with the main impact being the revised revenue allocation structure. Public testimony on the CCA bill was mixed. Supporters, including the League of Women Voters, said the restructuring better aligns spending with the intent of the CCA and could improve investments for tribes and overburdened communities. Critics, including the Washington Policy Center, argued the bill still lacks strong requirements to ensure CCA spending is effective and objected to reducing the frequency of the state’s climate-spending report. No votes were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to hear a yes vote.
• Vote no on this bill.
• Vote for freedom. Vote no on this bill. That's ridiculous.
• We ask for a yes vote.
• vote? vote? Yes,<01:50:36.760><c> ma'am.

Transcript Highlights:

• There being four votes in favor and six votes opposed, the amendment is not adopted.
• in favor and six &gt;&gt; There being four votes in favor and six votes<00:58:10.160><c> opposed,</c
• There being four votes in favor and six votes opposed, the A7 amendment is not adopted.
• So, we'll remote testifier as well.
• </c><02:46:54.399><c> tour,</c> guess, or were offered a remote tour, guess, or were offered a remote

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• On the remote sign-in, we had two in support and five opposed.
• On the remote sign-in, there were four in support and four opposed.
• They're the entire voting public of the county, meaning everyone who's registered to vote in Strafford
• They're the entire voting public of the county, meaning everyone who's registered to vote in Strafford
• </c><02:20:42.240><c> in</c><02:20:42.359><c> straford</c> to vote in straford to vote in straford County

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Transcript Highlights:

• vote no.
• Vice Chairman McDonald voted yes. Representative Guthrie voted yes. Representative Dolan voted yes.
• Representative Walker voted yes. Representative Stavis voted yes. Representative Gilman voted yes.
• Representative Magor voted yes. Representative Frock voted yes. Representative Colby voted yes.
• Representative Jama voted yes. Representative Gerard voted yes. Representative Grund voted yes.

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 1343, State Voting Rights Act. Judiciary and Elections. SB 1344, permanent early voting list.
• SB 1262, voting centers, early voting security. SB 1267, candidate petition circulators.
• SCR 1014, foreign contributions, early voting tabulation.
• Vote aye. Opposed, vote no. We have it so ordered. We are adjourned.
• Vote aye. I. Opposed vote. No. We have to do have it so ordered. We are adjourned. Aye. Oppos vote?

Transcript Highlights:

• It would still have to go under the terminology of remote and hybrid?
• In whole, if you were to work totally away from home, you would be working remotely.
• Possibly, if they offer remote and hybrid classes.
• Well, the term that we're using is remote for not being on campus at all.
• Well, the term that we're using is remote for not being on campus at all.

Summary: The House Education Committee held public hearings on three bills. House Bill 2142 would replace statutory references to “alternative learning experience” with “remote and hybrid learning.” Committee staff and the prime sponsor said the change is intended to reduce stigma and more accurately describe programs that may be online, hybrid, or site-based. Several members raised concerns that the terminology could unintentionally affect fully in-person programs; the sponsor and a retired principal testified that the bill is meant as a name change and would not materially alter current programs. The bill drew 52 pro, 4 con, and 0 other sign-ins. House Bill 2369 would create a Washington Local Food for Schools program in OSPI to help schools procure and distribute Washington-grown foods through existing USDA food distribution systems. The sponsor and supporters said the bill would reduce logistical barriers for farmers and districts, support local agriculture, and improve the quality and appeal of school meals. Testimony came from school nutrition advocates, farmers, a school superintendent, students, and OSPI, with broad support and discussion of how the program would work through catalogs, ordering windows, and existing warehouses. The bill drew 455 pro, 64 con, and 1 other sign-in. House Bill 2432 would allow school districts and ESDs to sell or grant surplus technology hardware, such as laptops and tablets, directly to public school students and recent graduates at depreciated value, with priority for students with greater need. The sponsor said the goal is to help students transition to work, college, and other postsecondary opportunities. Committee members asked about whether the bill should address assistive devices and whether devices could be reserved for future graduating classes; staff noted existing law already covers transfer of assistive devices for students with disabilities. Testimony from district technology and finance staff supported the bill as a practical way to extend the life of devices and benefit students. The bill drew 57 pro, 5 con, and 0 other sign-ins. At the end of the meeting, the chair announced amendment deadlines for several bills scheduled for executive session later in the week and then adjourned the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't know that they are, so thank you for voting on the A1.
• I don't know that they are, so thank you for voting on the A1.
• I don't know that they are, so thank you for voting on the A1.
• I don't know that they are, so thank you for voting on the A1.
• I don't know that they are, so thank you for voting on the A1.

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• Um as we saw during COVID, people can work remotely and efficiently and effectively.
• And no, we did not have the vote to like stop a contract.
• And no, we did not have the vote to like stop a contract.
• And no, we did not have the vote to like stop a contract.
• And no, we did not have the vote to like stop a contract.

Bills: HF2431 , HF2438 , HF2783 , HF1943

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I guess what additional are we doing if people are working remote from home, but have access to our
• So, I guess what additional are we doing if people are working remote from home, but have access to our
• It helps alleviate the issue of a remote workforce that's no longer sitting in your network.
• David Carter: What additional are we doing if people are working remote from home, but have access to
• It helps alleviate the issue of a remote workforce that's no longer sitting in your network.

Summary: The 2025 Artificial Intelligence Task Force met for its first meeting of the year and heard updates on federal AI policy, state implementation of Senate Bill 4, and the business community’s perspective on AI regulation. Co-chairs noted that federal legislation could affect the task force’s work later in the year, but said Kentucky still has significant issues to study, including energy, land use, education, social media, and children’s engagement with AI. The task force had quorum and no votes were taken. Kate Shanks of the Kentucky Chamber said the business community supports continued discussion but favors a federal approach over a patchwork of state laws. She described the Trump administration’s new AI executive order as emphasizing innovation over regulation, noted the pending federal AI action plan, and discussed congressional action including the Take It Down Act and industry-specific changes to existing laws. She warned that state-by-state AI rules could increase costs and burden businesses, and said the Chamber would prefer incremental, flexible policy that avoids conflict with existing law and limits private rights of action. Members asked about uniform model legislation, education uses of AI, and civil liability; Shanks said a model approach could help avoid fragmentation and that liability should generally be handled through consumer-protection-style enforcement rather than broad litigation. The Commonwealth Office of Technology then reported on implementation of SB 4, saying it has worked with industry, agencies, other states, and vendors to build an AI policy framework now in final review. Officials said an AI Governance Committee has been established and will meet in July, and a draft RFP is being prepared to meet the bill’s tracking and documentation requirements. They said no major implementation challenges have been identified so far, but the impact of pending federal rules remains uncertain. Members also discussed the need to educate students and teachers about AI, with one member emphasizing that schools should teach both how to use AI and how to think critically about information online.

Transcript Highlights:

• There will be a vote by electronic roll call. Attendance.
• There will be a vote by electronic roll call. Thank you.
• SB 1343, State Voting Rights Act. Judiciary and Elections. SB 1344, permanent early voting list.
• SB 1262, voting centers, early voting security. SB 1267, candidate petition circulators.
• All those in favor, vote aye. Aye. Opposed, vote no. We do have it, so ordered. We are adjourned.

Summary: The Arizona Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, attendance, and approval of the journal. The chamber then recognized several guest groups and proclamations, including Alzheimer’s Association advocates, Arizona Society of CPAs members, the Arizona Airports Association, and students from Onyose Day Academy. A proclamation was read declaring January 26, 2006, as Arizona Aviation Day, highlighting the economic and public-safety importance of Arizona’s aviation sector and its airports. The bulk of the meeting consisted of points of personal privilege and floor statements, many focused on condemning recent deaths and injuries involving federal immigration enforcement actions in Arizona and other states. Senators called for investigations, transparency, due process, and an end to what they described as excessive force and warrantless enforcement. One senator also read a resolution supporting human rights and the people of Iran, condemning state violence and supporting secular protections and international accountability. The chamber also handled routine business, including gubernatorial nominations, which were referred to the appropriate committees, and the introduction and first reading of numerous bills and resolutions covering topics such as taxes, education, immigration, elections, health care, water, labor, housing, firearms, and appropriations. After committee announcements, the Senate adopted a motion to adjourn and recessed/adjourned until Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at 1:15 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• I urge you to vote con to SB 5650.
• I need to remind us all that the vote is the vet. We the people do the vetting by our vote.
• I ask you to vote this bill down. Thank you. We will go next to a remote testifier, Eric Moll.
• We'll now go to remote testimony. Thank you. Thank you. We'll now go to remote testimony.
• We urge a yes vote on 6035.

Bills: SB6294 , SB6211 , SB5650 , SB6033 , SB6297 , SB6343 , SB6067 , SB6082 , SB6323 , SB6324 , SB5862 , SB5923 , SB6151

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: local government finance, Washington state, RCW, real estate excise tax, REET, sales and use tax, property tax levy, county tax, city tax, affordable housing, housing services, behavioral health, mental health, developmental disabilities, children and families services, youth services, utility tax, low-income utility assistance, veterans assistance, homelessness

Transcript Highlights:

• By voting to pass SB 280, you are voting to appropriate funding for a costly special election in a state
• Jeff Gonzalez not voting. Thank you. Thank you.
• But we have more votes.
• And with that, SB 415 is out with Republicans not voting, with Mr. Tangapa voting no. Thank you.
• I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• A vote for is to move the bill to the floor. A vote no is to stay here in committee.
• There's now available remote-operated spike deployments that can be placed on the side, and the officer
• There are remote systems that can shoot a GPS tracker onto the back of a vehicle, and then they can use
• Not remotely accurate. Thank you. Right. And I appreciate that.
• And had Officer Candice had a remotely operated spike system, he would have been able to move away from

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 1157, which would create a Louisiana State Infrastructure Bank to provide another funding mechanism for transportation-related projects, including roads, bridges, rail, ports, airports, and other surface transportation needs. Chairman Borek and DOTD Secretary Glenn LaD said the goal is to leverage state, federal, local, and private dollars, using models from Florida and other states. Members asked about board makeup, staffing, project selection, administrative costs, and how the bank would differ from capital outlay and existing transportation programs. Testimony in support came from business and economic development representatives, including Michael Hecht of Greater New Orleans, Inc., who said infrastructure is critical to major economic projects and that the bank could attract outside capital. The bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee then took up several local and procurement-related bills. House Bill 860, allowing fillable electronic public bid forms, was reported favorably. House Bill 972, naming a portion of Highway 93 in Lafayette Parish the Desert Shield Desert Storm Memorial Highway, and House Bill 965, naming a portion of Highway 163 the Sergeant William Billy Earl Collins Jr. Memorial Highway, were both reported favorably after brief testimony honoring veterans and law enforcement. House Bill 692, authorizing local governments to enter group purchasing agreements, was amended and reported favorably. House Bill 685, allowing use of FAST Act cooperative procurement for public motor vehicles and rolling stock, drew support from transit officials and was reported favorably after a roll call vote, with one member voting no. The committee also advanced House Bill 982, which designates portions of highways in Morehouse Parish in memory of local residents killed in a crash after attending an LSU game; it was reported with amendments. House Bill 506, creating special prestige license plates for local high schools as a fundraiser, was amended and reported favorably. House Bill 839, lowering the contract limit for hospital service districts to use construction management at risk from $2 million to $1 million, was reported by substitute after testimony from hospital leadership and industry representatives. House Bill 1072, revising powers and emergency procurement authority for the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction, was amended and reported favorably after discussion about its relationship to DOTD and emergency repairs. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 887, which revises construction management at risk procedures, including committee makeup, scoring, and financial qualification requirements; it was amended and reported favorably. House Bill 647, creating timelines and an annual application process for waterway projects under a waterway assistance program and fund, was reported by substitute. The last major item discussed was House Bill 873, which would fund pursuit intervention technology and training for law enforcement through a $2 fee on driver’s licenses. The bill was presented alongside emotional testimony from the widow and daughter of Sergeant Grant Candies and from a St. John the Baptist Parish sheriff’s captain, all urging safer equipment and better training for officers. Members expressed strong support, and the discussion continued into funding and grant administration details.

Transcript Highlights:

• Any um, um, schoolboard votes on rejection um, um, schoolboard votes on rejection of<00:08:08.560><c>
• Thanks, Representative Selig. a school needs to be remote for a day um a school needs to be remote for
• </c> if I'm correct, against remote learning. if I'm correct, against remote learning.
• </c><00:55:30.079><c> And</c> the value of remote learning. Okay. And the value of remote learning.
• Also, there are three non-voting members, if I'm understanding, and 12 voting members.

Summary: The committee opened hearings on SB 69, including a germane amendment on school board votes to accept or reject gifts and donations, and a non-germane amendment creating a virtual early childhood readiness family engagement program for preschool children not yet in kindergarten. Prime sponsor Rep. Glenn Cordelli said the literacy program was modeled on earlier HB 671, would be funded through gifts and donations rather than state appropriations, and would include reporting requirements to the governor and legislature. Members questioned changes from the earlier bill, including the move away from center-based language, the lack of a dollar threshold for school board action on donations, anonymous gifts, and whether the amendment preserved enough evaluation data. Testimony on the donation provisions raised concerns about broad language, timing, and public-meeting requirements. Rep. Timothy Han and Becky Wilson of the New Hampshire School Boards Association both noted that school districts already have policies and asked how the bill would work for routine donations, anonymous gifts, and situations that might require non-public discussion under right-to-know law. Wilson cited examples such as field-trip scholarships, backpack drives, and sports uniforms, and said the association was not taking a position but wanted clearer guardrails. Rep. Han said school boards may need to discuss some gifts in non-public session and that the bill should better address those circumstances. On the early literacy amendment, Wilson and others questioned whether the program was sufficiently developed, whether it was appropriate to rely on a primarily online model for very young children, and how it would interact with special education services and IEPs. A representative from Waterford.org, Rob Riley, testified in support, saying the program would be supplementary, adaptive, and family-engagement based, and that Waterford could provide devices and internet access for families who need them. He said the program would work alongside school districts and IEP teams rather than replace existing services. No vote was taken during the hearing; the chair said the committee would later exec the bills and try to get reports in for the calendar.