Transcript Highlights:

• At the far right of the graphic, you'll see the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, or
• California is behind the times and allows the continued use of some of the most highly hazardous... .
• So the mill fee also makes no distinction between pesticide products that are particularly hazardous
• We need to ban ones that are hazardous to health and fragile ecosystems.
• We need to ban ones that are hazardous to the health and fragile ecosystems.

Summary: The joint Assembly and Senate hearing examined whether California’s pesticide program is meeting its public-protection goals, with opening remarks from committee chairs emphasizing the state’s large pesticide use, the need to transition toward sustainable pest management, and ongoing oversight including a state audit of DPR and county agricultural commissioner enforcement. The hearing also referenced recent concerns in Ladera Ranch about childhood cancer cases and the need for transparent investigation and community access to information. Panel one focused on human health and the regulatory framework. Dr. Anna Maria Mora described long-running CHAMACOS research showing widespread pesticide exposure in farmworker families, links to neurodevelopmental, respiratory, liver, and cardiometabolic harms, and greater impacts on children facing social adversity. She urged biomonitoring, better linkage of exposure data to health outcomes, regulation of chemical classes and mixtures, stronger buffers around homes and schools, and more community-based research. Professor Tim Malloy explained California’s two-tier system of DPR registration and county permitting, said the state’s program is strong but falls short on cumulative exposure analysis and alternatives assessment, and argued that DPR and counties need better tools, training, and funding to implement legally required protections. Committee members asked about biomonitoring, class-based regulation, and how to make pesticide data more usable for the public. Panel two brought testimony from environmental justice and farmworker advocates, who argued that California remains behind other jurisdictions by allowing highly hazardous pesticides, including 1,3-dichloropropene and paraquat, and by relying on a funding structure tied to pesticide sales. Witnesses said DPR often moves too slowly on reevaluations, rarely assesses combined exposures, and does not adequately account for health, environmental, and social costs or conflicts of interest involving pest control advisors. They also described inconsistent county-level implementation, weak outreach, and confusion over whether DPR or county agricultural commissioners are responsible for enforcement, and urged faster phaseouts, tiered fees, stronger local protections, and clearer accountability. Panel three represented regulated entities and agricultural stakeholders, who supported the goals of safer pest management but stressed that California’s registration process must be more predictable, transparent, and timely. They said AB 2113’s staffing and timeline reforms were important, but backlog and delays still hinder access to newer, lower-risk products and can hurt both consumer and agricultural uses. Agricultural witnesses also emphasized the need to invest more in pest prevention, invasive species detection, extension support, farmer training, and practical incentives for sustainable pest management. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, with members pressing witnesses on timelines, implementation, funding, and the division of responsibility between DPR and county agencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we had issues with, I believe, 15 of the 24 letter investigations we reviewed, in that the hazards
• These are hazards that are not likely to cause a serious injury or fatality.
• However, if it is indeed an imminent hazard or a serious hazard, our team will be rolling out on those
• Who are actually being forced to work in hazardous conditions that are concerning to them?
• And most importantly, they don't have to abate the hazard while they're engaged in that appeal.

Summary: The hearing focused on a state audit of Cal/OSHA titled “The Division of Occupational Safety and Health: Process Deficiencies and Staffing Shortages Limit Its Ability to Protect Workers.” Committee leaders and the audit team described serious workplace tragedies, argued that California’s worker protections are not being adequately enforced, and said the audit was prompted by concerns that Cal/OSHA was too often relying on letters instead of inspections, delaying investigations, and closing cases without enough documentation. Members repeatedly emphasized that the issue was not just staffing, but also outdated policies, weak oversight, and inconsistent enforcement. State Auditor Grant Parks said the audit found a 32% vacancy rate in 2023-24, heavy reliance on hard-copy files, outdated or unclear policies, and inconsistent decision-making in complaints, accidents, citations, and fine reductions. He said Cal/OSHA conducted on-site inspections in only about 20% of complaints, used letter investigations more than 80% of the time, often lacked evidence that hazards were corrected, and sometimes failed to inspect serious injury cases on time. The audit also found weak documentation for fine calculations and settlement reductions, with some penalties reduced substantially without clear explanations. Parks said the agency had accepted the findings and would provide progress updates later in the year. Committee members pressed the auditor on vacancy rates, the use of letter investigations, the low rate of criminal referrals, and whether fines were being reduced too often. Cal/OSHA and DIR officials responded that the vacancy rate had fallen to 12% partly because 66 vacant positions were eliminated in a statewide budget reduction and partly because of hiring; they said 126 people had been hired in the first half of the year. They also said they had hired a policy writer, were updating several policies, were planning periodic internal audits, and were developing a new data management system expected to go live in late 2026 or early 2027. On fines, officials said Title 8 sets base penalties and allows adjustments based on factors like employer size, history, and good faith, with appeals and informal conferences also affecting final amounts. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• It increases the maximum balance of the hazardous...
• Bill 417 by Representative Zeringue increases the maximum balance of the hazardous waste site cleanup
• So the hazardous waste site cleanup fund is intended to clean up sites on our remediation prioritization
• We have had the funds available in the hazardous waste cleanup fund.
• We get money from a hazardous waste tax that we receive from the Department of Revenue and also from

Bills: HB27 , HB290 , HB308 , HB311 , HB382 , HB417 , HB575 , HB755 , HB980

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: HB 290, Act 426, sunset law, Department of the Treasury, Louisiana Treasury, re-creation, reauthorization, statutory entities, termination date, sunset review, Title 49, fiscal administration, state finance, agency continuation, legislative authority, insurance premiums, Municipal Fire and Police, dedicated fund, assessments, Louisiana legislation

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you can give them plenty of staff, but they're not going to be able to manage the flood of projects
• to be able to but they're not going to be able to manage<00:46:32.640><c> the</c><00:46:32.880><c> flood
• </c><00:46:34.160><c> And</c><00:46:34.319><c> I</c><00:46:34.560><c> say</c> manage the flood of projects
• And I say manage the flood of projects.
• Thank you. hazardous substances, fire and hazardous substances, fire and explosion,<01:22:53.679><c>

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You talked about hazard. What we know from facts is hazard always stays high in capacity.
• You don't have the issues in hazard as you do some areas of the state of hiring staff.
• Um, you talked about<01:07:03.119><c> hazard.
• What we know from from about hazard.
• </c> &gt;&gt; first of all, thank you for the Hazard &gt;&gt; first of all, thank you for the Hazard

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call- 00:00:00 Approve Minutes from November 13, 2025- 00:00:55 RiverLink Tolling Operations for Louisville Bridges-Quarterhill Testimony- 00:01:48 Staff Report on Veterans’ Centers- 00:26:45 Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs Response to Staff Report- 0:58:53 Adjournment- 1:18:00, 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from the November 13, 2025 meeting and then heard testimony from Quarter Hill, the tolling subcontractor for RiverLink on the Indiana-Kentucky bridge system. Quarter Hill described its role in back-office support and call center operations for the Lincoln, Kennedy, and Lewis and Clark bridges, and said the contract began in 2021 with go-live in September 2023. The company reported that revenue has increased since it took over, customer service response times have improved, and it has been operating at a loss because the contract was based on outdated transaction estimates and did not account for higher-than-expected volume and added support costs. Members questioned Quarter Hill about the role of consultants, the low reported collection rate, and why the company was leaving the contract. Quarter Hill said a single large consulting engineering firm had been hired to help shape the RFP and contract, but argued that consultants and overly detailed requirements can create disputes and hinder efficient service. On collection rates, the company said the reported 85% rate reflects the absence of registration holds and other enforcement tools, and that the remaining unpaid tolls are the hardest to collect. The company also said it had lost significant money on the contract and had reached a change order and termination agreement, while emphasizing that the system itself was functioning well. The committee then received a staff report on Kentucky veterans centers. Staff said quality of care is generally high and staffing has improved, but reported occupancy figures are misleading because they are based on certified beds rather than functional capacity after conversions to single-occupancy rooms and capital projects. The report said actual occupancy is closer to 85% than the commonly reported 56%, and that increasing occupancy would not necessarily increase revenue because the state’s cost of care exceeds reimbursement and private-pay revenue. Recommendations included adopting functional occupancy reporting, continuing the move to single-occupancy rooms, reviewing modernization needs at Thompson Hood, including Eastern Kentucky in planning, and referring the Radcliffe HVAC procurement and installation to the Auditor of Public Accounts and Attorney General for review.

Transcript Highlights:

• and non-hazardous plans.
• </c> both the has and non-hazardous both the has and non-hazardous plans.<00:25:43.440><c> Uh</c><00:
• ><c> from</c> hazardous hick rate from hazardous hick rate from 1%<00:29:58.000><c> today</c><00:29:58.720
• </c><00:30:05.240><c> CS</c> And that's again for the hazardous CS And that's again for the hazardous
• Um, the non-hazardous hick rate members.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:01 Attendance Roll Call: 00:01:26 Approval of Minutes: 00:02:27 Investment, Cash Flow, and Legislative Update: Bo Cracraft – Judicial Form Retirement System: 00:03:12 Ryan Barrow – Kentucky Public Pensions Authority: 00:21:52 Beau Barnes – Teachers’ Retirement System: 00:34:31 Adjournment: 01:07:25, 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and prayer, followed by a roll call confirming a quorum and approval of the prior minutes. A special guest, Dave Eager, was welcomed before the committee moved to presentations from retirement system officials. Bo Craycraft, executive director of the Judicial Form Retirement System, gave a quarterly update on investment performance, asset allocation, and cash flow. He said the plans had held up well amid market volatility, with fiscal year-to-date returns above benchmark and long-term returns remaining strong. He explained that the plans are targeted to a 70% equity/30% fixed-income allocation, that some cash is being held for cash-flow management, and that negative cash flow is expected because of funding and contribution levels. He also said Senate Bill 183, dealing with proxy voting and economic analysis for certain votes, was not expected to materially affect the plans because of their small number of holdings and Bear Trust’s long-term investment approach. Ryan Barrow and Erin Surrod then presented for the Kentucky Pension Authority. They reported positive quarterly performance across the retirement and insurance funds, though results varied by period and remained tied to broader market conditions. They said recent asset-allocation changes had been completed and the funds were now within target ranges. On cash flow, they noted some plans remained negative or near zero, with one plan benefiting from a large appropriation. In the legislative update, they described House Bill 30 as codifying an exclusion from pension-spiking calculations for across-the-board raises, and Senate Bill 10 as increasing retiree health insurance subsidies and changing employee health insurance contribution rules for certain CERS members beginning in 2026. They also said Senate Bill 183 would likely have limited impact, though the agency would review voting policies and incorporate any required economic-analysis procedures.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><02:23:21.840><c> may</c> those who are not extra-hazardous may those who are not extra-hazardous
• So, our EMR ratings are hazardous.
• Extra hazardous. Extra wanted? Extra hazardous.
• , extra hazardous dirt workers.
• chemicals, extra hazardous hazardous chemicals, extra hazardous dirt<03:43:51.600><c> workers.

Committee: Joint Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It also lets homeowners know that there's lead hazards in their home.
• It also lets homeowners know that there's lead hazards in their home.
• Follow-up: were you notified that you had a lead hazard in your home when you purchased it?
• Follow-up: were you notified that you had a lead hazard in your home when you purchased it?
• Follow-up: were you notified that you had a lead hazard in your home when you purchased it?

Committee: House Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a motion to allocate general funds to compensate the minority caucus for hazard duty pay this
• We navigated a global pandemic, a flood of federal transformational...
• We navigated a global pandemic, a flood of federal transformational dollars to billion dollar deficits

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Because California has been disaster-prone, vulnerable to wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and how we
• Because California has been disaster prone, vulnerable to wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and how we
• that led to the ban in the first place, which is the problem that nuclear waste remains extremely hazardous

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• quality assurance mechanisms that protect Florida's consumers from security vulnerabilities and safety hazards
• At the age of 16, her phone flooded with messages from her friends and from acquaintances, alerting her
• term story, as it pertains to the height entitlement, only includes habitable space above the base flood

Summary: The committee considered a long agenda of bills, with most measures reported favorably after brief sponsor presentations, amendments, and roll calls. Early bills included SB 658 on lien waivers/releases, SB 736 on Brownfields redevelopment, SB 1002 on utility service restrictions, SB 1132 on right-to-repair for certain equipment, and SB 1378 on restitution for leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage. Each was amended or discussed as needed and then approved by the committee. The committee also advanced SB 768 on foreign control interests in health care licensing, SB 772 on school diabetes management and access to glucagon, SB 1400 on removal of altered sexual depictions posted without consent, SB 1696 on prearranged transportation services, and SB 1374 on school district reporting requirements for educator arrests and misconduct. Several bills drew notable public testimony and debate. SB 1132 prompted strong support from the sponsor and agriculture interests, but opposition from equipment dealers, technology groups, and wireless industry representatives who argued the market already provides repair options and that the bill could harm dealer networks and security. SB 1730, the Live Local/affordable housing bill, received extensive discussion about parking reductions, height and density preemption, attorney’s fees, local government authority, and impacts on Monroe County and other areas; the committee adopted an amendment and reported the bill favorably despite concerns from some members and advocates about parking, due process, and local control. SB 606 on public lodging and food service establishments also generated significant debate, with opponents warning it could displace long-term guests and vulnerable families, while the sponsor said it clarifies transient occupancy and removes ambiguity in the removal process; the bill passed after the committee rejected a related amendment. Other measures advanced with less controversy. SB 576 updated service-of-process rules, and SB 1164 authorized email delivery of landlord-tenant notices if the parties agree in writing, though tenant advocates urged clearer safeguards and the sponsor said he was not yet committed to the House version. SB 940 prohibited the resale of restaurant reservations without consent and was supported by restaurant interests. SB 1690, allowing infant safety devices or “baby boxes” as a legal surrender option, drew emotional support from several witnesses who said it would provide anonymous, life-saving alternatives for mothers in crisis; the committee continued discussion into the latter part of the meeting. Throughout, the committee adopted several amendments, heard both support and opposition from industry, advocacy, and local-government witnesses, and reported the discussed bills favorably by recorded vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• quality assurance mechanisms that protect Florida's consumers from security vulnerabilities and safety hazards
• At the age of 16, her phone flooded with messages from her friends and acquaintances, alerting her that
• term story, as it pertains to the height entitlement, only includes habitable space above the base flood

Committee: Senate Rules

Summary: The Rules Committee took up a large agenda of bills, with many measures reported favorably after brief explanations, amendments, and testimony. Early bills included CS/SB 658 on lien waivers and releases, which was amended to preserve enforceability despite form differences and then passed; CS/CS/SB 736 on brownfields redevelopment, which drew support from business and redevelopment interests and passed; and CS/SB 1002 on utility service restrictions, which was amended to bar certain building or fire code provisions affecting fuel-source choices and then passed despite opposition from environmental advocates. The committee also advanced CS/CS/SB 1132 on right-to-repair for certain equipment, where manufacturers, dealer representatives, and industry groups warned the bill could undermine dealer networks and existing repair programs, while supporters argued it would improve consumer access and help farmers and equipment owners. The bill still passed. Other measures reported favorably included CS/SB 1378 on restitution for leaving the scene of property-damage crashes, CS/CS/SB 768 on foreign-country controlling interests in health care licensing, CS/SB 772 on school access to glucagon for diabetes emergencies, CS/SB 1400 on removal of nonconsensual altered sexual depictions, and CS/SB 1696 on transportation network company impersonation and transit funding. A major portion of the meeting focused on affordable housing. CS/SB 1730, a follow-up to the Live Local Act, made several changes to zoning, height, density, parking, moratorium, and enforcement provisions, with members raising concerns about parking reductions, attorney’s fees, local control, and impacts in the Keys and other sensitive areas. Supporters said the bill closes loopholes and improves workforce housing implementation, while some witnesses urged additional exemptions for areas of critical state concern. The bill was reported favorably after amendment. Later, the committee considered several bills from Senator Leak, including CS/SB 576 on service of process, CS/SB 606 on public lodging and food service establishments, and CS/SB 1164 on electronic delivery of landlord-tenant notices. CS/SB 606 drew substantial debate over whether hotels and extended-stay properties should be able to remove nonpaying guests without treating them like residential tenants; the sponsor said the bill clarifies transient occupancy and removes mandatory arrest provisions, and it passed. CS/SB 1164, which allows email notice delivery by agreement, passed despite concerns from tenant advocates that the bill should include clearer consent and safeguards. The committee also approved CS/SB 1374 on school district reporting of educator arrests and misconduct, CS/SB 940 on third-party restaurant reservation sales, and began hearing CS/SB 1690 on surrendered infants, which would authorize infant safety devices or “baby boxes” as a legal surrender option, with supportive testimony from proponents describing crisis situations and the need for anonymous surrender options.

Transcript Highlights:

• 17.479><c> dynamics,</c><03:33:18.479><c> natural</c> ...energy resources, wave dynamics, natural hazard
• and local leaders who have been working tirelessly to address the fallout from last week's major flooding
• </c> fallout from last week's major flooding fallout from last week's major flooding in<07:25:59.040>
• businesses, and even bridges, flooding businesses, and even the<07:26:12.320><c> local</c><07:26:12.878
• This flooding only underscores how rose.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, May 19, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Hazardous waste facilities, Representative VanderWaal. Good afternoon, Representative.
• Representative John VanderWaal from District 22, and I have before you RS 33323, which deals with hazardous
• So in the past, there was a hazardous waste facility siting act that was created in 1985, and it included
• So DEQ spent some of this summer, this spring and summer, consolidating the Hazardous Waste Facility
• Siting Act into our Hazardous Waste Management Act.

Summary: The House Environment, Energy, and Technology Committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes from February 4, and then considered two request-to-introduce measures. First, Representative VanderWaal presented RS 33323, which would consolidate the old hazardous waste facility siting process into the Hazardous Waste Management Act and shift siting/public notice responsibilities to DEQ if the process is needed again. The committee had no questions and voted to introduce the RS. Next, Representative Hostetler presented RS 33167C1, a memorial urging Congress to prohibit unauthorized geoengineering over Idaho, especially solar geoengineering such as solar radiation modification and stratospheric aerosol injection. He argued the issue raises environmental and sovereignty concerns and cited federal research documents and media reports; he also emphasized that the memorial is not intended to affect cloud seeding for agriculture. Members asked several questions about that distinction, and Hostetler reiterated that cloud seeding is separate and already addressed in other legislation. After discussion, the committee voted to introduce RS 33167C1 as well. No other substantive actions were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the two introductions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving on, RS 3332323, hazardous waste facilities, Representative Van der Woude.
• Representative John VanderWoude from District 22, and I have before you RS 333323, which deals with hazardous
• So in the past, there was a hazardous waste facility siting act that was created in 1985, and it included
• So DEQ spent some of this summer, this spring and summer, consolidating the Hazardous Waste Facility
• Siting Act into our Hazardous Waste Management Act.

Committee: House Environment, Energy and Technology

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's an emergency reg that was a result of a change in the federal fee through the TSA for the hazardous
• the</c><00:13:14.720><c> TSA</c><00:13:15.399><c> for</c><00:13:15.680><c> the</c><00:13:15.839><c> hazard
• </c><00:13:16.360><c> hazardous</c> through the TSA for the hazard hazardous through the TSA for the
• hazard hazardous material<00:13:17.279><c> endorsement</c><00:13:18.120><c> threat</c><00:13:18.560><

Keywords: Roll Call 00:32 Approval of Minutes 01:38 HB 20 Discussion 02:08 HB 20 Vote 06:00 HB 188 Discussion 07:07 HB 188 Vote 10:10 Administrative Regs 11:09, 958, all

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met with a quorum, approved the previous meeting’s minutes, and heard two House bills plus several Transportation Cabinet regulations. House Bill 20, sponsored by Rep. Hodson, would restrict the retention and sale of automated license plate reader data, limit storage to 60 days, and prohibit nonconsensual tracking devices such as micro-trackers and subcutaneous trackers. Hodson said the bill was aimed at protecting citizens’ privacy and noted it had passed the House previously; members asked about enforcement and deletion responsibility, and one member suggested criminal penalties might be worth considering in the future. The committee voted to report HB 20 favorably. House Bill 188, sponsored by Rep. Duvall, addressed driveaway plate businesses that transport vehicles for others. Duvall said Kentucky law had created confusion about how many vehicles could be on the road and had driven up insurance costs, hurting a Warren County business; the bill would let such companies purchase the exact number of plates needed, which he said would reduce exposure and premiums. He emphasized the bill would not affect dealer tags or trailer transport and said he was working on a floor amendment to make that clear. The committee reported HB 188 favorably as well. The committee then reviewed five administrative regulations, including Transportation Cabinet rules allowing technology to be used in title examinations, extending an off-road vehicle pilot program to July 2026 and updating the definition of local government, aligning truck weight-mass rules with statute, adopting the MUTCD traffic control manual, and an emergency Kentucky State Police regulation adjusting a TSA-related hazardous materials endorsement fee because the federal change came too quickly for the normal regulatory process. Members asked whether the title rule covered rebuild titles, and staff said it applied to all titles. The committee noted the regulations had been reviewed and then adjourned, with the next meeting tentatively set for the following Tuesday.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you could come forward, present SB 328, and this deals with hazardous waste fees. Welcome.
• These changes to the hazardous waste generator fee have had a significant impact on development and have
• Site preparation for the project resulted in the disposal of hazardous waste, approximately 89 tons in
• Site preparation for the project resulted in the disposal of hazardous waste, approximately 89 tons in
• winter, in the disposal of hazardous waste, approximately 89 tons in winter of 2020 and 2,400 tons in

Summary: The Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee heard three bills after beginning without a quorum and later establishing one. SB 328 would cap DTSC hazardous waste generation and handling fees for infill housing and master development projects and set response timelines for cleanup reviews. Supporters said the current fee structure has made some housing and remediation projects infeasible, while opponents warned that capping fees for one sector could shift costs to other hazardous waste generators. The committee discussed the need for broader DTSC fee reform, and SB 328 was approved on a 7-0 vote and sent to the Committee on Revenue and Taxation. SB 754 would require manufacturers of disposable menstrual products to test for and disclose concentrations of certain contaminants, with DTSC able to verify results and publish them. Supporters framed the bill as a transparency and public health measure, citing recent studies finding toxic metals in tampons and emphasizing consumer right-to-know. Opponents, including manufacturers and hygiene product groups, argued the bill adds duplicative testing, vague requirements, and public disclosure that could be misinterpreted, and urged amendments. The committee members generally supported the goal of transparency, and the bill passed 5-2 with not voting members, moving to Appropriations. SB 466 would provide temporary legal protections for public water systems that are complying with approved chromium-6 compliance plans while they work toward the new drinking water standard. Supporters from Los Banos, Coachella Valley Water District, and other water agencies said the measure would help avoid costly litigation during a lengthy and expensive compliance period, especially for systems dealing with naturally occurring chromium-6. Committee members raised concerns about limiting recourse for harmed individuals and discussed possible alternative language, but the author said the bill would not affect state enforcement authority. SB 466 passed 7-0 and was sent to the Committee on Judiciary. The committee also adopted a consent calendar of additional measures by voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are 150 hazardous chemicals, 16 of which are on the EPA priority pollutant list.
• While many agencies recognize the hazards of surgical smoke, HVAC system.
• I thank you for your attention to this workplace safety hazard and for your support of this bill.
• I thank you for your attention to this workplace safety hazard and for your support of this bill.
• I thank you for your attention to this workplace safety hazard and for your support of this bill.

Summary: The subcommittee first heard HB 103, which would require hospitals and surgical centers to adopt policies using surgical smoke evacuation systems during procedures. Representative Woodson and several nurses and health care advocates testified that surgical smoke contains harmful chemicals and pathogens, poses respiratory risks to operating room staff and patients, and that the bill is needed to protect nurses and address workforce shortages. Members from both parties voiced support, and the bill was reported favorably by a 17-0 vote. The committee then took up HB 223, as amended, which would allow residents of nursing home or assisted living rooms to use fixed cameras, with guardrails on consent, non-rotatable placement, and prohibitions on posting footage online. The sponsor said the measure is intended to help families monitor loved ones and deter abuse or neglect, while supporters from AARP and some caregivers described cameras as tools for accountability and peace of mind. Facility and industry representatives raised concerns about privacy, dignity, roommate consent, and the potential impact on personal care conversations and resident autonomy. After questions and debate, members discussed how consent would work, who could access recordings, and how the bill would handle roommate changes and misuse of footage. The sponsor said the bill would continue to be refined in later committees. HB 223 was reported favorably as amended by a 16-2 vote, with Representatives Campbell and Franklin voting no. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• changes to the criminal penalty provisions of the Water Pollution Control Act, Clean Air Act, and Hazardous
• Under the Clean Air Act and the Hazardous Waste Management Act, it is also a first-degree violation if
• Under the Clean Air Act and the Hazardous Waste Management Act, it is also a first-degree violation if
• We are concerned that the legislation fails to... ...hazard environments.
• Hazardous Waste is here today in opposition to ESSB 5975, though we are comfortable with the striker

Committee: House Environment & Energy

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• requiring L&I to make a good-faith effort to notify an employer or owner within 10 working days if a hazard
• be required to make a good-faith effort to notify an employer or owner within 10 working days if a hazard
• immediately to the extent that L&I sees something... ...to identify hazards immediately to the extent
• We've identified hazards.
• We've identified hazards. Over the court, you heard that the current law is a pilot.

Summary: The Labor and Workplace Standards Committee held its first meeting of the session and heard four bills. HB 2107 would make permanent and slightly narrow a temporary L&I requirement that, after an on-site safety inspection at a building construction site, the agency make a good-faith effort to notify the owner or employer within 10 working days if an immediately identified hazard could injure a worker. Construction industry groups and L&I supported the bill and said the pilot had worked well, with L&I reporting it had been able to notify owners almost 96% of the time during about 1,400 inspections. HB 2137 would remove the population threshold for binding interest arbitration for correctional employees in city and county jails. Teamsters representatives said the change would give corrections officers in smaller jurisdictions the same bargaining rights as other uniformed personnel and help address safety, staffing, and wage inequities. County representatives opposed the bill, saying it would increase bargaining and compensation costs for many counties, and asked for amendments requiring arbitrators to consider county finances and making awards nonbinding on county legislative authorities. HB 2264 would clarify unemployment insurance eligibility for workers who opt into an employer-initiated layoff or reduction-in-force plan, even if they can rescind their decision, so long as the termination results from the employer’s plan. Supporters said current court rulings create confusing and unfair denials of benefits for workers who leave in good faith during layoffs; NFIB raised questions about severance, retirement, and UI solvency. HB 2243 would allow physical therapists and occupational therapists to serve as attending providers in the workers’ compensation system. Physical therapy and occupational therapy advocates said this would speed care and return workers to work sooner, while retailers, food industry representatives, NFIB, the Washington State Medical Association, and L&I raised concerns about diagnosis, scope of practice, added costs, and the possibility that all PTs and OTs would have to join the provider network. No votes were taken; the committee heard testimony and then adjourned.