Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Smallwood-Cuevas? Smallwood-Cuevas here. Senator Strickland here. Senator Cortese?
• And as the Senator mentioned, we lack the data to understand whether these investments are truly helping
• And as the Senator mentioned, we lack the data to understand whether these investments are truly helping
• Senator Strickland, no. Senator Cortese, aye. Senator Durazo, aye. Senator Laird.
• Senator Cortese, Senator Durazo, aye. Senator Laird.

Committee: Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Senator Arrington: HERE. >> SENATOR ÁVILA.
• SENATOR BRODEUR. >> Senator Brodeur: HERE. >> Senator DiCeglie: HERE >> Senator Harrell: HERE. >> Senator
• Polsky: HERE. >> SENATOR SMITH. >> Senator Smith: HERE. >> A QUORUM IS PRESENT MADAM CHAIR. >> Chair
• WE WILL START WITH YOU SENATOR POLSKY. >> Senator Polsky: GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
• THAT'S THE FUNDING. >> Chair Rodriguez: SENATOR HARRELL YOUR RECOGNIZED. >> Senator Harrell: I HAVE A

Transcript Highlights:

• That is Senate Bill 5899. I'd like to open the hearing on Senate Bill 5899. Jacob, good morning.
• Senator Riccelli.
• And I want to thank you, Senator Holy and Senator Cleveland, for bringing this bill.
• And I want to thank you, Senator Holy and Senator Cleveland, for bringing this bill.
• We support Senate Bill 6138.

Bills: SB6138 , SB5899 , SB6072 , SB6094

Committee: Senate Health & Long-Term Care

Keywords: dental procedures, sedation, patient safety, multiprovider system, healthcare regulation, chiropractic, animal care, veterinary medicine, license endorsement, nonhuman animals, veterinarian-client-patient relationship, VCPR, veterinary telehealth, telemedicine, teletriage, teleadvice, animal health, licensed veterinarian, Washington veterinary board, prescription drugs

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Senator.
• Stern, Senator Stearns, who was here earlier, and Senator Becker.
• You know, these are personal data points, but you're a personal data point, you're a personal data point
• data point.
• Thank you, Senator. Senator Stern. Thank you. I'll indulge since I don't... Senator Stern.

Committee: Senate Insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• them their data.
• We have a wide range of services and data available, supported by a team of data analysts and data scientists
• We have siloed data.
• There's data that the Department of Health has, data that the Health Care Authority has, and data that
• Data.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• other data for Bow.
• So, when we go in, we'll we can run a data query on our database to Can run a data query on our database
• But we do provide a data platform to school districts where they can input that data.
• >> Yeah, I asked for that data.
• since we have over 10,000 students, aggregate that data by... ...aggregate that data by grade level

Summary: The Education Freedom Account Oversight Committee met on March 27 and approved the agenda, adding a request for clarification on how the Children’s Scholarship Fund separates applications for the EFA program and the education tax credit program. The committee also approved minutes from December 30, 2025, and March 27, 2026, with a request that the March minutes include a link to the live stream. Members discussed the status of pending Legislative Budget Assistant audit reports on EFA and special education, noting the reports were still not released and would likely come later in the summer after review by the Department of Education and the Children’s Scholarship Fund. A major topic was the EFA program’s administrative fee, which statute allows up to 10% of deposits. Children’s Scholarship Fund representatives said current administrative costs were under 8%, that staffing had been reduced through the ScholarVia platform, and that any unused amount is reconciled and returned to students at year’s end. Members asked for historical administrative-cost data and a written explanation of how the withholding and reconciliation process works. The committee also reviewed the distinction between the EFA and education tax credit funding streams and was told the two programs use separate applications and separate funds, though both use the same platform. The committee spent substantial time on assessment and accountability. Department of Education staff explained that EFA students may satisfy annual assessment requirements through a portfolio, a norm-referenced test, or the statewide assessment; only about 10 EFA students took the statewide assessment, while most used portfolios or standardized tests such as the California Achievement Test and NWEA. Staff described how statewide assessment data are kept separate by student identifier and can be aggregated for EFA reporting, and members asked for breakdowns by grade, test type, and school district. The department also discussed linking assessments through Lexiles and Quantiles and said it could provide a list of commonly used formative assessments in New Hampshire districts. The committee additionally discussed a possible PSAT addition to the state contract and the costs of the statewide assessment program. Another major issue was special education eligibility and services within the EFA program. Members questioned the rule allowing a medical certification of disability from a licensed professional anywhere in the United States as an alternative to an IEP-based determination. Department staff said the current system allows either pathway, that about 1,000 EFA students are identified as special education students, and that the program does not track growth or service alignment on an individual basis. Members expressed concern that the medical-certification route may be too broad and asked for data on the disability categories used. The committee also discussed career and technical education access for EFA students, noting that Senate Bill 491 would provide guidance and that House Bill 1817 would address access and funding issues, but that current law still allows EFA funds to be used to pay CTE costs. The meeting ended with a request for future agenda items and a decision to leave the next meeting date open until fall, pending further information from the LBA audit process.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Hickey. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• And you can see data here from...
• At the Data Bank, it was clear that everybody loved to receive the data.
• Senator Hickey has, and then other folks, because I think when... we're talking about data, I just want
• Thank you, Senator Duhigg. Madam Chair, I will follow Senator Pope's lead.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Senator Mark Johnson, Senate Republican Caucus Leader.
• </c> one is Senate file uh 1219 and Senate one is Senate file uh 1219 and Senate file<00:13:40.399><c
• My bill, which is Senate File 730, makes our Data Practices Act statute clear that the Attorney General
• and input from Senator Bahr and Senator Drazkowski and Senator Lang and even Senator Maye Quade.
• Senator Bahr and Senator Drazkowski and Senator Lang and even Senator Maye Quade.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Berman? Senator Calatayud? Yes. Senator Davis? Yes. Senator Gaetz? Yes. Senator Leek? Yes.
• Senator Osgood? Yes. Senator Passidomo? Senator Leek? Here. Senator Osgood? Here.
• Senator Passidomo? Senator Trumbull? Vice Chair Harrell? Here. Chair Burton? Here.
• Senator Osgood, anybody? It can be a comment as well, Senator Osgood.
• Senator Oscar, anybody? It can be a comment as well, Senator Oscar.

Committee: Senate Health Policy

Summary: The Senate Health Policy Committee met to discuss maternal and infant health, beginning with a presentation from New Jersey’s Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority (MiHA). Pamela Taylor described New Jersey’s statewide effort to reduce maternal mortality and racial disparities through the Nurture New Jersey campaign, a strategic plan with more than 80 recommendations, universal home visiting, Medicaid-covered doula care, hospital report cards, limits on non-medically indicated early elective C-sections, and a new maternal and infant health innovation center. Senators asked about doula certification, funding, home visiting, and how New Jersey coordinates across agencies; Taylor said the authority uses quarterly stakeholder meetings, annual summits, and a tracker for recommendations, and that community input helped shape its programs. Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Deputy Secretary Brian Meyer then outlined Florida Medicaid’s maternal coverage and managed care structure. He reviewed eligibility and services for pregnant women, labor and delivery, postpartum coverage, newborn coverage, and family planning, noting 12 months of postpartum coverage, expanded benefits in managed care plans, and new contracts launching February 1 with more maternal-health-focused benefits, quality measures, and a new quality withhold incentive structure. Senators questioned doula certification and duplication with Healthy Start, provider access and network adequacy, kick payments, quality reporting, and whether Florida should consider broader eligibility standards; Meyer said many details are still plan-driven, that quality metrics are public, and that the agency is working on maternal-health work groups and incentives. Department of Health Division Director Shea Holloway followed with an overview of Florida’s maternal and child health programs and data. She cited Florida CHARTS data showing pregnancy-related deaths, severe maternal morbidity, and infant mortality trends, and described the Title V block grant, the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative, the electronic prenatal risk screen, Healthy Babies, BH Impact for perinatal mental health, Healthy Start, WIC, family planning, telehealth maternity care, and the Pregnancy Care Network. Senators asked about delays in mortality review reporting, preterm birth, substance use disorder in pregnancy, WIC participation, cesarean rates, and the impact of the abortion ban; Holloway said the department is continuing to monitor outcomes, expand screening and telehealth, and use data and hospital partnerships to improve care. The committee then adjourned without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Senator Adam Gómez. I am the Senate Chair for Cannabis Policy.
• And will the bills that you referenced by the reps O'Connor, Senator, Senator Bonn and O'Connor, will
• Senator? Yes. Any questions?
• And finally, Senate Bill 97 is relative to data collection on marijuana use with adults and children.
• You know, Senator Fernandes is my senator.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy

Summary: The Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy held a hearing on a broad set of cannabis and hemp bills, with the chairs opening by emphasizing unfinished work on equity, public health, safety, and market stability. The committee heard testimony on House Bill 146, which would create more efficient cannabis testing standards by increasing batch sizes, reducing or eliminating some environmental testing, standardizing lab reporting, and requiring annual scientific review and public data reporting. Industry witnesses, including a representative of the Massachusetts Cannabis Coalition, cultivators, and a testing lab owner, said current testing rules are overly burdensome, costly, and inconsistent, and argued the bill would lower compliance costs while preserving consumer safety. A testing lab witness also said some operators switch labs to obtain higher THC results or pass contaminated batches, and urged greater transparency and better sampling protocols. A major portion of the hearing focused on intoxicating hemp and related bills that would bring hemp-derived intoxicating products under a stronger regulatory framework. Legislators and industry witnesses described products sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores as often untested, not age-gated, and sometimes mislabeled or far above the federal hemp THC threshold. Testimony from attorneys and cannabis business leaders said states can regulate these products more strictly under the Farm Bill’s non-preemption language, and pointed to New Jersey and other states as possible models. Some witnesses and committee members stressed that any new rules should avoid harming non-intoxicating CBD businesses or lawful hemp farmers, while others argued that the products are effectively cannabis and should be regulated like cannabis for licensing, testing, age limits, and taxation. The committee also heard extensive public-health testimony in support of bills S. 95, S. 96, S. 97 and their House counterparts H. 191, H. 192, and H. 193. Parents, advocates, and public health professionals urged stronger warning labels, THC potency caps, and improved data collection on cannabis-related harms, citing cannabis-induced psychosis, addiction, anxiety, and youth exposure to high-potency products. Several witnesses said Massachusetts has not done enough to track health outcomes or warn consumers, and referenced other jurisdictions such as Connecticut, Vermont, Colorado, Canada, and Quebec as examples of stronger limits or warnings. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Senator.
• Thank you so much, Senator. That measure is out. Thank you so much, Senator.
• We will now look forward to hearing from Senator Laird and Senator Richardson. Thank you.
• not getting the data, not having current data available to complete some of the study.
• Thank you so much, Senator.

Committee: House Health

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard several Senate bills focused on health care access, privacy, and public health data. SB 81 by Senator Arreguín would require health care facilities to create nonpublic areas and restrict immigration enforcement access without a judicial warrant, while also protecting immigration-related information in medical records; the bill drew broad support from health, labor, immigrant-rights, and hospital groups, with no opposition testimony. Committee members discussed implementation and enforcement, and the bill was moved out on a do pass to Privacy and Consumer Protection vote, with one no vote recorded from Sanchez. SB 250 by Senator Ochoa Bogh would add skilled nursing facilities to DHCS’s managed care provider directory so Medi-Cal beneficiaries can more easily identify covered facilities. Supporters said the change would help seniors, people with disabilities, and families navigating urgent discharge decisions, and there was no opposition. The committee voted the bill out to Appropriations. SB 717 by Senator Richardson would codify the relationship between the California Cancer Registry and its three regional registries to protect federal SEER funding and preserve cancer surveillance data; supporters emphasized the importance of accurate cancer tracking and the risk of losing more than $15 million annually in federal funds. The bill passed out to Appropriations. SB 504 by Senator Laird would allow health care providers to disclose personally identifying information about previously reported HIV infections to state or local health officials when needed for disease control or care coordination. The author described the measure as a modernization of public health reporting that balances privacy with effective response, and the bill had support from the California Medical Association and Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. It was moved out as amended to Privacy and Consumer Protection. The committee also approved a consent calendar earlier in the hearing, including SB 329, SB 520, and SB 862, and several votes were held open briefly before being completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair and Senator, I don't know the data on that for all 50 states. I think we took a sample here.
• Chair, Senator, thank you. Yes, that data actually came from when I attended the summit.
• Senator Thornton.
• Thank you, Senator.
• Our data was tied in—well, I should say the medical board's data was. It was tied in with our data.

Committee: House Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Elson: Aye. Senator Gallum: Aye. Senator Sears: Aye. Senator Schrope: Aye.
• Senator Gallum: Aye. Senator Sears: Aye. Senator Schrook: Aye. Senator Reid: Aye.
• Senator Schrope: Senator Senator Ration: Senator Farncroote: Aye. Senator Payne: Aye.
• Senator Alston. Senator Gallant? Senator Sears? Senator Trove. Aye. Senator Senator Sintervation.
• Senator Alston. Senator Gallant? Senator Sears? Senator Trove. Aye. Senator Senator Sintervation.

Committee: Senate Senate Public Safety Committee of Reference

Summary: The Committee on Public Safety met to hear several presentations and bills. First, the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry presented on its K-9 program, describing staffing, specialized detection and trailing teams, and the need to replace retired dogs and modernize an aging, high-mileage vehicle fleet used to transport canines. The committee also heard a presentation from Biometrica on a privacy-focused facial recognition and sensor system designed to identify missing persons and known offenders using law-enforcement-only data; the presenters emphasized that the system does not store video or audio and is intended to balance public safety with privacy. The committee then considered HB 2134, which would prohibit Arizona governmental entities and critical infrastructure providers from contracting for critical infrastructure equipment or software from Chinese companies or the PRC. Supporters, including the sponsor and a national security witness, argued the bill would protect communications and other critical systems from foreign adversary access; concerns were raised about costs and implementation, but the bill was amended to be prospective and to rely on self-certification and risk-based audits. The committee passed HB 2134 with a due pass recommendation by a 4-3 vote. HB 2404, which would shift most inter-facility transport of behavioral health patients from peace officers to authorized transporters, drew support from law enforcement and police association witnesses who said officers are not the right personnel for these transports; it passed unanimously, 7-0. HB 2402, dealing with ambulance certificate-of-necessity rules for small or underserved areas, was presented as a compromise measure after work with ambulance stakeholders and firefighters. The bill and a 15-page amendment would require the Department of Health Services to issue certificates in certain small-population areas, streamline applications, add reporting requirements, and address GPS coverage issues; it passed as amended, 7-0. HB 2673, which originally proposed mental health screening and treatment requirements for jail and prison inmates, was narrowed by amendment to create only a study committee on inmate mental health services; family members testified about tragic failures in the system, and the bill passed as amended, 6-0 with one not voting. HB 2253, protecting public employees from retaliation or obstruction when testifying in law enforcement disciplinary appeals, passed 5-0 with two not voting. HB 2270, expanding county protections over seals, logos, and sheriff’s posse naming rights, passed 6-0 with one not voting. Finally, HB 2941, which would treat certain unsafe motorcycle lane-splitting or passing behavior as reckless driving while preserving legal lane filtering, drew both support and concern about overbreadth; after testimony from the sponsor and members of the public, it passed 5-1 with one not voting, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Pretrial data collection. National data may differ from data in your state.
• Senator Braunberger. Aye. Senator Cassenada. Aye. Senator Cory. Aye. Senator Dever. Aye.
• Senator Myrtle and Representative Koppelman, I could get the data, but it's not in this report.
• Chairwoman, Mirdall, and Senator Kostena, I don't have that specific data pull, but I think it's something
• Unless Senator Dever... Unless Senator Dever...

Committee: Joint Judiciary Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Senator Missy Irvin, representing Senate District 24.
• Diversions, you know, data is only good as the input. We're always working on our data.
• I serve on a data subcommittee, I think two different data subcommittees.
• Now, the FINS data is accurate.
• you an idea of offense-level data.

Summary: The committee first approved the December 10 minutes and then approved Representative Bentley’s appointment to the Child Maltreatment Oversight Committee. Members then received the Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review annual report, which covered unexpected child deaths in 2023. Reviewers said 170 non-natural deaths were identified, but 22 could not be reviewed because of criminal investigations, prosecutions, or missing records. Of the 148 reviewed deaths, 69 were accidents, 14 suicides, 18 homicides, and 47 were undetermined causes, including sudden unexpected infant death. Members asked how the report’s recommendations could be used, and presenters said the report is intended as a prevention tool for agencies, nonprofits, and others; they also noted that child abuse prevention grant applications are being shaped by the report’s recommendations and offered to share the RFP with the committee. A question about suicide and homicide data by age was answered by pointing members to the age breakdown in the report, with most of those deaths concentrated among 15- to 17-year-olds. The committee then took up HCR 1010 and a broader discussion of juvenile justice reform. Representative Shepard said the resolution was meant to confront data on juvenile incarceration and the cost of the system, while Senator Irvin, Judge Troy Braswell, Judge Kathy Hess, and AOC Juvenile Division Director Burke Steen described years of reform efforts built around validated risk assessments, diversion, and community-based services. They said Arkansas adopted tools such as SAVRY, the MAYSI, and substance-abuse screening to individualize juvenile court responses, and they emphasized that the goal is to keep children at home and in their communities when safe to do so. Members discussed the need for more mental health and substance-abuse services, better school collaboration, and the role of school safety dashboards and FINS/truancy cases in identifying problems earlier. Judges and staff said the reforms have reduced delinquency filings, DYS commitments, and revocations, while increasing diversions, though they noted data gaps in some counties and the need for better reporting. They also stressed that some serious offenses still require detention or commitment, and that judges must balance public safety with rehabilitation. Representative Barnes and others asked whether the numbers might be worse without judicial discretion and community programs, and the presenters agreed that individualized decision-making and graduated sanctions matter. Representative Inatt asked about tracking youth with disabilities, and the presenters said that specific diagnoses are not currently tracked but that national court data efforts may soon add behavioral-health data points. The committee then heard from DYS Director Michael Crump, who provided detailed data on DYS commitments, secure and community-based placements, detention-center use, demographics, offense levels, average length of stay, education outcomes, recidivism, dual DCFS/DYS custody, costs, and interagency coordination. He said commitments fell sharply during COVID, have since risen and then begun to decline, and that the system is working to reduce detention use, improve education and treatment, and expand community-based providers statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're joined remotely right now by Leader Cynthia Creem, Senator Liz Miranda, and Senator Peter Durant
• , and we're likely to be joined by Senator Gómez and Senator Kennedy, Robin Kennedy, shortly.
• Senator Gómez and Senator Kennedy, Robyn Kennedy, shortly.
• And yes, we do track data. You quoted some of our data, and I appreciate that.
• Thank you, Senator.

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on Juvenile and Emerging Adult Justice

Summary: The Senate Committee on Juvenile and Emerging Adult Justice held an informational hearing focused on diversion programs and services for high-risk youth, with no bills before the committee and no votes taken. The chair and members emphasized that the session was intended to hear from invited testimony and discuss how to strengthen diversion, reduce court involvement, and improve outcomes for youth. The committee heard first from the Office of the Child Advocate and diversion providers, who described the Massachusetts Youth Diversion Program, its statewide expansion to 10 of 11 court counties, and its reported success rate of about 80% completion without reoffending. Testimony highlighted that diversion keeps youth out of court, connects them more quickly to community-based services, and can address needs such as mental health, education, and substance use. Witnesses also pointed to racial and ethnic disparities in arrests versus summonses, regional variation in diversion access, and the need for clearer statutory authority, more funding, and broader use of pre-arrest diversion. Committee members asked about the difference between arrest and summons, who can initiate diversion, why arrest rates have increased relative to summonses, and how diversion might prevent harmful downstream consequences such as detention or immigration enforcement involvement. Witnesses said police, clerk magistrates, district attorneys, and judges can refer youth to diversion, and argued that local policy, training, and legislative changes could expand use. They also discussed the impact of detention on youth, including stigma, lost school time, and the lack of credit for time served in the juvenile system. Testimony from Citizens for Juvenile Justice focused on prevention, school discipline, and the school-to-prison pipeline, arguing for more restorative practices, better data, and legislation to limit suspensions and expulsions, especially for younger students and nonviolent conduct. They also raised concerns about DCF-involved and foster youth, who are disproportionately represented in the juvenile system. The final panel, the Children's League of Massachusetts and transition-age youth providers, shifted to child welfare and young adult supports. They supported reducing court involvement in child requiring assistance cases, expanding family resource centers, and strengthening services for transition-age youth leaving DCF or DYS custody. Providers described housing instability, homelessness, and the need for education, employment, behavioral health, and supportive housing services for young adults ages 18 to 23. Across the hearing, witnesses consistently argued that early intervention, community-based supports, and diversion are more effective than court processing or detention for most youth, and that the legislature can help through funding, statutory clarity, expanded eligibility, and stronger data collection.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate will be in a brief recess. The senator from Middlesex, Senator Brownsberger.
• Brownsberger, minor data security. The senator from Suffolk and Middlesex, Senator Brownsberger.
• Senator Creem regarding Senator Edwards' Amendment No. 3. Senator Creem. Yes.
• The Senate will be in a brief recess. The Senate will be in order. Senator Char.
• Senator Rodrigues. Senator Rodrigues. Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, Representative, the good news is most of the data is already coming in with the attendance data
• Thank you, Senator. Dr.
• People wanted their data faster.
• I'm going to go back to the data and what the data says.
• Data. So, data makes me happy.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Boone? No. Senator Brett? Please. Senator Deut? Senator Deut? Yes. Senator Stewart? Yes.
• Senator Stewart. Senator Counsel. Senator Worth? Yes. Senator Maester. Yes.
• Senator Booth: no. Senator Bratley: no. Senator Deweigh: yes. Senator Sideo Lopez: yes.
• Senator Brayton: yes. Senator DuHigg: no. Senator Siddio Lopez: no. Senator Stewart.
• Senator Townsend. Senator Wirt. Senator Miasis: yes. Senator Chavontes: no.

Bills: HB99 , HB49 , HB164 , SB30 , SB43 , SB50 , SB136

Committee: Senate House Judiciary

Summary: Senate Judiciary began by announcing that Senate Bill 136 would be rolled over because the sponsor was unavailable. The chair then addressed criticism from the floor over how a prior bill had been handled, defending the committee’s practice of using committee substitutes and amendments without waiting for a new version from council, and emphasizing his authority to set hard stops and limit debate when he believes discussion is repetitive or dilatory. Several members responded, with some supporting the chair’s approach and others arguing that contentious bills deserve more time and fuller committee vetting. The committee then heard Senate Bill 30, which would repeal New Mexico’s requirement that induced abortions be reported to the state registrar. The sponsors argued the reporting law is outdated, unnecessary for public health, and potentially dangerous because provider information can be disclosed under broader vital statistics statutes; supporters from the ACLU, League of Women Voters, Bold Futures, and NOW echoed privacy and safety concerns. Opponents argued the reporting requirement provides transparency and public health data. After debate, the committee approved SB 30 on a roll call vote. Next, the committee heard Senate Bill 43, a bipartisan measure to modernize the Adult Parole Board statute after a prior veto. The bill would update parole factors for life-sentenced inmates, authorize per diem and closed hearings, and prevent parole hearings from being scheduled on victims’ birth or death dates. It received support from corrections officials and victims’ advocates, and the committee passed it without objection. The final major item was Senate Bill 50, which would remove several statutory in-service training mandates for law enforcement and give the Standards and Training Council more flexibility to set curriculum. Supporters said the current requirements are outdated and too rigid; opponents warned the bill could weaken recurring training in domestic violence, sexual assault, crisis intervention, and other high-risk areas. A motion to table failed, and the committee ultimately passed SB 50 on a roll call vote, despite divided member views.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Gaynor, Senator Gainer, Senator Hasegawa, I'm here. Senator Lovelett? Here.
• Senator Solomon. Present. Representative Scott. Senator Short. Thank you.
• Representative Scott, Senator Short, Senator Wagner. Wagner is present.
• Thank you, Senator Wagner.
• on Senator Gaynor and Senator Lovelett?

Summary: JLARC met on April 8, 2026, with Senator Keith Wagner chairing in person and Rep. Pallett joining remotely. The committee approved the January 7 minutes and honored Marilyn Richter, who is retiring in June after more than 12 years of service to JLARC and the Citizens Commission. Staff then gave a legislative recap and work plan update, noting that the legislature adopted six bills or provisos implementing recommendations from recent JLARC reports, and that JLARC received seven new study assignments, including reviews of state oversight mechanisms for fraud, waste, and abuse and State Patrol toxicology lab delays. The committee approved the updated 2025-27 work plan, including the new assignments and the required 2027 lodging tax review. The committee also heard about a new anonymous post-meeting member survey tied to JLARC performance measures, then considered the final report on ignition interlock device compliance and monitoring. Staff reported that 59% of drivers with ignition interlock requirements had not installed a device as of June 2025, with installation rates rising by income, and found problems in the Department of Licensing’s financial assistance program and in coordination between DOL and the State Patrol. The report recommended clearer goals and responsibilities for DOL, a formal interagency agreement, and a coordinated plan to raise installation rates; both agencies concurred. Members discussed whether noncompliance reflected continued driving or people stopping driving, and agency representatives said some drivers do stop driving while others take the risk. The committee approved the final report. JLARC then reviewed the drug take-back fee setting and expenditures report. Staff said the Department of Health’s oversight costs had outpaced fee revenue because the statutory fee cap is tied to program operator spending, and recommended public reporting of oversight costs and a legislative change to allow full cost recovery. Members debated transparency, the risk of overpricing the program, and whether Ecology might be a better home for the program; the committee adopted a comment urging transparency and a future review of best practices before fee-structure changes, then approved the final report with that comment. Finally, staff presented the scope and objectives for the Clean Buildings Performance Standard study, focused on large state-owned and K-12 buildings due to comply by June 2026. Members asked about fines, funding, workforce constraints, and how costs and energy savings would be measured; staff said the study would examine compliance costs, savings, funding sources, and variation by building characteristics. The meeting adjourned after administrative announcements about upcoming JLARC meetings and the survey reminder.