Transcript Highlights:

• I'm here on behalf of the Florida Justice Association, but I'm also a practicing attorney.
• Of healing and previously sustained a black eye two months earlier.
• The practical effect will be to negate what we did in 2023.
• There are neutral policies on their face, but in practice, we heard about selective enforcement.
• That may sound narrow, but in practice, it is anything but.

Summary: The subcommittee took up a long agenda of civil justice measures and claims bills. HB 1407, on commencement of civil actions under the Florida Civil Rights Act, was presented as a fix to conflicting appellate decisions about whether an EEOC no-probable-cause notice can start the clock for filing suit; the bill would allow an EEOC determination to suffice and permit filing within 18 months of the complaint. It passed 16-0. HB 1337, an estates bill reducing court involvement in decedent asset distribution by expanding personal representative authority over safe deposit boxes and increasing small-estate thresholds, also passed unanimously, 17-0. The committee then considered PCS for HB 1553, which would change what medical expense evidence juries may see in personal injury and wrongful death cases, with supporters saying it would clarify the law and let both sides present evidence, and opponents arguing it would roll back 2023 tort reforms and reintroduce inflated medical bills. After extensive testimony from business, insurance, trucking, and plaintiff-side interests, the PCS passed 13-4. HB 1423, dealing with negligent security in multifamily residential properties, would remove a presumption against liability when two or more specified crimes were reported in the prior 24 months; an amendment clarified that the crimes must have been reported to the owner or principal operator. Supporters said it would help crime victims and restore balance, while opponents warned it would undermine incentives for property owners to maintain security. The amended bill passed 14-4. Several claims bills also advanced unanimously: HB 6527 for Patricia Armini and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, HB 6531 for the estate of McKenzie Navarra and the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, HB 6507 for L.E. and the Department of Children and Families, and HB 6521 for Jose Carrera and Miami-Dade County. Each was described as providing compensation for serious injuries or death after prior government negligence, and each was reported favorably without opposition votes. Finally, the committee heard HB 1471, a controversial bill on systems of law and terrorist organizations. The sponsor said it would bar enforcement of foreign or religious law over the U.S. and Florida Constitutions, create a state process for designating domestic terrorist organizations, and prevent state funds from supporting terrorism. Members raised extensive concerns about vague definitions, First Amendment and due process issues, and the lack of a predesignation hearing; public testimony was overwhelmingly opposed, with supporters arguing the bill was needed for public safety. The transcript ends during public testimony on HB 1471, before any vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need a sustainable program for injured workers.
• And we are interested in a sustainable fund.
• We urge you to continue sustainable funding to continue CWOP. Thank you. Thank you.
• Our labor practices.
• Issue number one: unfair labor practices, AB 288, a budget change proposal.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The existing model is not sustainable.
• </c> initiatives build towards a sustainable initiatives build towards a sustainable model<00:21:01.360
• </c><00:21:35.240><c> you'll</c><00:21:35.480><c> hear</c> model is not sustainable you'll hear model
• We're not a primary care specialty practice group.
• Practice Group we primary care specialty Practice Group we funnel<01:34:30.320><c> that</c><01:34:30.800

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• mother languages through education, cultural practice, and public life.
• ; HB 461, social middle practice; HB 4601...
• HB 4053, high schools elected; HB 455, appropriation veterans; HB 4050, social middle practice; HB 461
• , social middle practice; HB 4601, clean election statewide; HB 462, appropriation Arizona; HB 463, law
• on 461 social middle practice on 4601 4053 high schools elected 455 appropriation veterans 40 50 50

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• practice stays distinct from the business side, and...
• A holding company is an investment, and the holding company bought that dental practice.
• They do... have a license with a fee that would be self-sustaining.
• Thank you. ...every nurse practicing in our state is safe and competent.
• Based on current data, it appears 67 actively licensed midwives are practicing.

Summary: The committee took up House Bill 2308, which would prohibit a dental insurer or its holding company from owning interests in dental practices regulated by the Arizona Board of Dental Examiners. The sponsor and Arizona Dental Association argued the bill is meant to prevent vertical integration and insurer control over provider care, while Delta Dental opposed it, saying the measure would block nonprofit insurers from investing in clinics for indigent care and create divestment burdens. After discussion of possible exemptions and market-share caps, the committee passed HB 2308 on a 7-0 vote. The committee then considered House Bill 4001, as amended, which creates a licensing and enforcement framework for alternative nicotine products beginning in 2028, increases penalties for sales to minors, restricts youth-oriented marketing, and licenses manufacturers and distributors. Supporters, including the sponsor, Border Security Alliance, Arizona Petroleum Marketers Association, and Vapor Technology Association, said the bill would improve supply-chain transparency and help curb illegal products and youth vaping. Opponents, including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, argued it should instead use a full tobacco retail licensing model and that the bill’s enforcement structure lacks sufficient resources. The committee adopted the amendment and passed the bill 6-1. House Bill 2873, as amended, was also approved unanimously. The strike-everything amendment allows a person or organization that filed a city or town referendum petition to withdraw it before ballot qualification, applies the rule retroactively to withdrawals filed on or after January 1, 2026, and bars tallying or canvassing votes for referenda with a withdrawal notice. The sponsor described it as a common-sense governance fix, and the committee gave it a 7-0 do-pass recommendation. The committee next heard House Bill 2408, which revises Arizona Board of Nursing complaint procedures, confidentiality, investigation timelines, expungement authority, and related disciplinary processes. Nursing board officials opposed parts of the bill, warning that changes to nursing education oversight and tighter deadlines could weaken patient safety and increase costs and liability, while the Arizona Nurses Association and several nurses supported the bill as a way to prioritize serious complaints, improve timeliness, and allow expungement in appropriate cases. After adopting the amendment, the committee passed HB 2408 on a 5-2 vote. The committee also passed House Bill 2342, which limits HOA restrictions on backyard shade structures, and House Bill 2323, which extends Arizona’s motor vehicle lemon law protections to lessees, both by unanimous votes. Finally, the committee began hearing House Bill 4010 on creating a Board of Genetic Counselors, with the sponsor and supporters describing it as a licensure and patient-safety measure; the transcript ends during testimony on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• North Fork Kings GSA has developed a groundwater sustainability plan.
• North Fork Kings GSA has developed a groundwater sustainability plan for the 2027–28 water year that
• To implement the GSA's sustainability plan efficiently and avoid being tied up in lengthy litigation,
• This bill will help us meet our sustainability goals, and we appreciate the straightforward analysis
• Otherwise, you end up in court, and it is the most practical way.

Committee: Senate Natural Resources and Water

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Las soldaderas were brave women who supported, fought, and sustained these battles.
• We must reject these cuts and say yes to sustainable food infrastructure by connecting farms, schools
• AB 519 would close this loophole that allows this dishonest practice.
• These stakeholders have invested significantly in sustainable practices.
• AB 16 is a simple and practical common sense measure to clarify that county election officials have the

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Fundamental to sustaining democratic participation.
• And then you said something about best practices in civic education?
• And then you said something about best practices in, like, civic education?
• Schools and then you said something about best practices in, like, civic education.
• That’s what I meant by best practices in, you know, bringing those forward as...

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Diana Sutnis with the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development.
• First up, we have the Office of State Planning and Sustainable Development. &gt;&gt; Okay.
• Diana Snes from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development.
• Um, you have to practice. You have to do.
• </c> Um, you have to you have to practice. Um, you have to you have to practice.

Committee: Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees heard and then took action on several measures. Senate Bill 3048, relating to the State Building Code Council and the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, received support from OPSD and the Chamber of Commerce, with OPSD requesting amendments tied to software licensing and a public permitting dashboard. The committees ultimately recommended passing the bill with amendments, including an effective date, and later adopted that recommendation by vote. Senate Bill 3083, relating to protective orders, drew support from the U.S. Defense State Liaison Office, the Military and Community Relations Office, and a member of the public, while the Judiciary asked that the bill be deferred or amended because a prior notification process had lapsed and a new mandate could be difficult to implement. The committees nevertheless recommended passage with amendments and an effective date, noting implementation concerns in the report, and that recommendation was adopted. The committees also considered Senate Bill 3010, which would allow law enforcement, animal control officers, and firefighters to enter unattended vehicles to rescue animals in distress. The Animal Legal Defense Fund supported the measure as a common-sense good Samaritan protection, and the Hawaii Association for Justice recommended a small amendment. The bill was recommended for passage with amendments and later adopted. Senate Bill 3187, relating to off-site construction and SPEED Task Force recommendations, received OPSD testimony in support with comments; the committees recommended passing it with amendments, deleting the dollar amount and adding an effective date, and adopted that recommendation. In a later joint hearing with the Committee on Education, Senate Bill 2138, which would expand the Hawaii National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program to graduate study, received support from the University of Hawaii, the Department of Defense, the Hawaii Army National Guard, and the U.S. Defense State Liaison Office. Members asked whether the current law limited assistance to undergraduate degrees and whether the program would require new funding; witnesses said the bill would simply expand authority and could be implemented within the current budget. Senate Bill 2614, authorizing high school diplomas for certain veterans whose schooling was interrupted by military service or wartime practices, also drew support from DOE and the U.S. Defense State Liaison Office, with DOE explaining it had previously issued diplomas under an earlier version of the law and would verify eligibility through an application process. Senate Bill 2687, requiring a 100th Infantry Battalion history curriculum plan and pilot program, drew mixed testimony: DOE said the topic is already covered in existing social studies standards and the bill was unnecessary, while supporters argued the history is not being consistently taught and should be mandated. The transcript cuts off before final action on the education bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• A sustainable funding solution is necessary to prevent Bay Area transit systems from having to implement
• A sustainable funding solution is necessary to prevent Bay Area transit systems from having to implement
• It allows voters to approve a sustainable funding source, but it doesn't do so blindly.
• of SB 63, which would give Bay Area voters the ability to decide whether to raise local funds to sustain
• I serve as a principal in the advocacy services practice for Ryan LLC here in Sacramento.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation heard several bills focused on transit funding, veterans’ tax relief, clean energy incentives, housing development costs, and tax conformity. SB 63 would authorize a Bay Area regional sales tax measure for transit agencies facing fiscal shortfalls; supporters said it was needed to avoid major service cuts, while the California Taxpayers Association opposed it on Proposition 13/218 concerns. SB 56 would exclude veterans’ disability compensation from income calculations for the disabled veterans’ property tax exemption, and SB 296 would expand property tax relief for 100% disabled veterans and certain surviving spouses; both drew broad veterans’ support. SB 86 would extend and expand the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority sales and use tax exemption program, including fusion energy, and SB 302 would conform state tax law to federal clean energy credit monetization provisions; both were backed by industry, labor, and clean energy advocates. SB 328 would cap Department of Toxic Substances Control fees on contaminated-soil remediation for infill and master-planned housing projects, with housing groups arguing the current fee structure can make projects infeasible. SB 711 would update California’s tax conformity date to January 1, 2025 to reduce complexity and inconsistencies with federal law, and was supported by tax professionals and business groups. Several bills were held or sent to suspense, while others advanced with amendments. After quorum was established, SB 63 passed the committee 4-2 and SB 86, SB 302, SB 328, and SB 711 were referred to suspense, with SB 86 and SB 302 later approved out of suspense with amendments. SB 56 was held in committee, SB 296 was made a two-year bill, and SB 284 and SB 723 were held. The committee also approved a number of additional suspense-file bills, including SB 293, SB 359, SB 419, SB 587, SB 603, SB 663, SB 710, and SB 785, while SB 591 was approved with amendments and SB 353 was made a two-year bill. The hearing concluded with the committee adjournment after final roll calls and bill actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> associations with cultural practices associations with cultural practices once<00:02:17.360><c>
• </c> your customary and traditional practices your customary and traditional practices okay<00:13:49.279
• Tanya, the Chamber of Sustainable Commerce, in support.
• Um, Tanya, the Chamber of Sustainable Commerce, in support.
• </c> andian uh chamber of sustainable andian uh chamber of sustainable Commerce<00:24:25.000><c> in</

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard several water, land, and natural resources measures. SB 5 would narrow the definition of historic property to properties eligible for the Hawaii Register of Historic Places or with important Native Hawaiian or ethnic cultural value. The State Historic Preservation Division said the bill would tighten the definition and could reduce or streamline reviews, while one testifier warned it could add another layer of review and delay. Support and opposition were both noted. SB 19 would appropriate funds to DLNR’s Division of Aquatic Resources to establish positions, and it drew strong support from DLNR and multiple ocean and reef advocates. SB 145, concerning declarations of water shortage and emergency, was supported by the Commission on Water Resource Management and the Board of Water Supply, which said rulemaking would improve transparency and public input. The chair also noted broader public concern about water use and pricing, especially on Maui. SB 44 would prohibit commercial sale of parrotfish caught by spearing and ban spearing them at night; DLNR supported the measure, while several fishers and gathering-rights advocates opposed it, arguing it would restrict traditional gathering and that resource management should focus on fish populations rather than methods. The committee noted 26 communications in support and opposition combined. SB 427 would bar the state from leasing or extending public land leases to parties in arrears, out of compliance with environmental obligations, or convicted of a crime, and would require gubernatorial certification for certain federal leases. DLNR said existing law and BLNR procedures already address compliance and cure periods, while supporters argued the bill would help ensure accountability for contaminated or poorly managed lands. The committee also began SB 457, dealing with submerged land reclamation and leasing of submerged/tidal lands; DLNR again said current statutes and BLNR protocols were already adequate, describing existing review and enforcement practices for shoreline structures and easements. No votes were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• registration, specifying the scope of practice, and establishing prohibited practices.
• interior design unless registered and lists prohibited practices.
• But is this consistent with practices in other states as well?
• We will still be practicing as we are practicing today.” “...with our groups.
• We will still be practicing as we are practicing today.

Bills: HB2721 , HB2616

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Business

Keywords: commercial interior designer, interior design licensure, registered interior designer, NCIDQ, Washington State Board for Architects, professional regulation, title protection, firm registration, seal and signature, continuing education, building code, nonstructural interior design, space planning, interior architecture, design profession, public safety, occupational licensing, architects, engineering scope, permit review

Transcript Highlights:

• All of this is essential for our long-term sustainability for our state's health care system. to respond
• I believe in that because I think that that's a sole ability to sustain our delivery system for providers
• The implementation of science-based public health practice works best when it's practical, collaborative
• We all must operate in a way that earns and sustains public trust.
• The proposed substitute expands the practice of pharmacy to include limited diagnosing and prescribing

Summary: The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee held confirmation hearings for Ryan Moran to lead the Health Care Authority and Dennis Worsham to serve as Secretary of Health. Moran emphasized his personal background, experience in Maryland Medicaid, and priorities of protecting coverage amid federal changes, addressing health disparities, strengthening tribal partnerships, and improving agency operations. Worsham described his long public health career in Washington, his statewide listening tour, and his focus on collaboration, science-based decision-making, accountability, workforce support, and rebuilding public trust. Senators raised questions about behavioral health, social determinants of health, communication, misinformation, and the impact of federal policy changes; both nominees said Washington should continue leading on coverage, prevention, and public health resilience. In executive session, the committee advanced several bills. It passed SB 5899, allowing qualified chiropractors to perform chiropractic diagnosis and adjustments on animals; SB 6292, creating a joint legislative-executive committee on health care financing with a substitute; SB 6182, establishing an abortion savings program, after rejecting several Christian-sponsored amendments and adopting a Bateman amendment limiting eligible organizations to DOH-contracted abortion providers or funds; SB 5947, creating the Washington Health Care Board; SJR 8206, proposing a constitutional right to affordable health care; and SB 5933, on overdose mapping information sharing, with a substitute. The committee also recommended confirmation of both gubernatorial appointments. In a second group of bills, the committee passed SB 5823 on patient advocates with a substitute requiring at least one person physically present daily in acute care settings and expanding exemptions for certain hospitals; SB 6210 on the health plan certification process with a substitute; SB 5921 on psilocybin; SB 6226 protecting audiologists’ clinical autonomy with a substitute; and SB 5924 expanding pharmacists’ prescriptive authority with a substitute. Members discussed access, affordability, rural workforce shortages, and patient safety, and the committee adjourned after completing its agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• You give local officials a practical tool to promote the new housing options our communities desperately
• However, because it is not defined in Massachusetts general law, its practice and approval criteria vary
• This bill codifies the best practices in site plan review and longstanding, as mentioned, current case
• Our mission is to support sustainable Policies that expand housing opportunities across the Commonwealth
• Chapter 40R has long been Supply in a way that is sustainable and equitable.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Housing

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing held a hybrid hearing on zoning, Chapter 40B, and related housing bills. Much of the testimony focused on the “Yes in My Backyard” bill (H. 1572/S. 962), which would expand by-right development of missing middle housing, reduce barriers such as minimum lot sizes and parking mandates, and support duplexes, triplexes, and other small-scale housing. Supporters included housing advocates, developers, local officials, and municipal leaders from places like Cambridge, Salem, and Braintree, who argued that state action is needed because local zoning often blocks needed housing and that the bill would help create more affordable, neighborhood-compatible homes. Several witnesses also backed a companion “Yes in God’s Backyard” bill (H. 2347), which would allow faith-based institutions to build housing on their property by right, with testimony emphasizing the potential for new units, added municipal tax revenue, and partnerships between religious organizations and housing developers. The committee also heard testimony on Senate Bill 1021 to modernize Chapter 40R incentives. Senator Pavel Payano and others said the program’s payments have not kept pace with inflation since 2004 and should be increased to better encourage smart-growth zoning near transit and town centers. Another major topic was H. 2298 on site plan review, which would codify and standardize the process in state law. Rep. Kristin Kassner and witnesses from MAPC and NAIOP said current site plan review practices vary widely across the state, creating confusion, delays, and litigation, while a uniform framework would give municipalities clearer tools to review by-right projects without undermining local oversight. The hearing also included testimony on Chapter 40B reform, including S. 1005 and H. 1537. One witness supported further review of 40B and stronger regional planning, while another backed a proposal to allow certain pre-2010 40B condominium owners to sell at market value under a framework that would recapture some of the subsidy benefits. Committee members asked several questions about local zoning changes, housing goals by county, and how the proposed bills would affect communities. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chairs indicated that written testimony would be welcomed for technical details and additional comments.

Transcript Highlights:

• These assessments must include information about emissions from the facility, including, if practicable
• These assessments must include information about emissions from the facility including if practicable
• One makes sustainable air fuel; another one, the other two make electric battery materials.
• One makes sustainable air fuel; the other two make electric battery materials.
• It just came out on the Build Sustainable High Impact Infrastructure Together report that shows outside

Summary: The committee heard several bills and took testimony on each. SB 6013 would update ski lift terminology in State Parks law to include aerial tramways, tows, and conveyors; the sponsor and Washington State Parks said it is a simple technical update and a companion to a House bill previously passed by the committee. SB 6291 would extend from two to four years the time a non-certified on-site wastewater inspector may work under supervision before becoming certified; the sponsor and local public health witnesses said the change would help retain staff because the certification exam is difficult, offered only twice a year, and often results in turnover if the deadline is missed. The committee also heard ESB 6246, which would change policy for emissions-intensive, trade-exposed facilities under the Climate Commitment Act. The bill would require Ecology to produce a new report on post-2034 allowance reductions and leakage risk, and would require EITEs to submit periodic assessments of technically and economically feasible emissions-reduction options, reviewed by a licensed engineer. Supporters said the bill is a necessary first step to plan for decarbonization while keeping industry in Washington; environmental groups urged stronger third-party verification and clearer reporting, while industry groups supported the general framework but asked for changes on leakage analysis, confidentiality, and penalties. Ecology supported the overall direction but raised concerns about implementation language and resource needs. Finally, SSB 5982 would expand Clean Energy Transformation Act coverage to include port districts that distribute electricity and certain large self-generating or affected market customers, while preserving some exemptions for pre-existing cogeneration and certain PUDs. Supporters said the bill closes loopholes so all new generation is subject to clean electricity standards, especially as ports and data centers explore behind-the-meter or fossil generation. Opponents from industrial and business groups argued the bill could sweep in facilities that were not intended to be covered and could create additional costs during a period of tight power supply. Ecology and Commerce testified that the bill would clarify CETA but noted possible effects on no-cost allowance allocations under the Climate Commitment Act. No votes or final actions were taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• New Mexico does not have to be complicit in these practices, nor should any government entity in New
• The Immigrant Safety Act will ensure that New Mexico's complicity in these harmful practices ends.
• It does not entail a review of prior safety practices or prior performance by the detention operator.
• alternatives, such as addressing health care needs and finance... ...communities through sustainable
• How do we expect Kirtland and others to sustain if the federal government does indeed not want to do

Committee: House House Consumer & Public Affairs

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Youth-centered programs are crucial to sustaining social and personal development in young people.
• Senate Bill 5992 helps move that work from pilot to long-term stability and sustainability, and we hope
• Senate Bill 5992 helps move that work from pilot to long-term stability, sustainability, and we hope
• It isn't sustainable and inequitable across the state.
• I want to assure the committee that should this occur, it is... ...our practice as nurses to not only

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 5992, which would create a non-appropriated Youth Development Fund account to support grants for positive youth development programs serving ages 5 to 24. Staff explained that OSPI would administer grants to nonprofits, tribes, and local parks and recreation entities, with school districts and ESDs eligible mainly as partners; annual reporting would be required. The sponsor and many testifiers, including students, youth-serving nonprofits, tribal representatives, and agency partners, described after-school, mentoring, arts, sports, outdoor, and wraparound programs as important for mental health, belonging, safety, civic engagement, and prevention, especially for vulnerable and rural youth. The committee then moved to executive session and adopted a substitute and passed SB 5992 to the Rules Committee. The committee also took executive action on Senate Bill 5952, which would standardize the process for excusing high school students from physical education, and on Senate Bill 5961, which would transfer the Imagination Library of Washington from DCYF to OSPI. In both cases, the committee adopted proposed substitutes that narrowed or adjusted the bills, then voted them out of committee: SB 5952 was sent to Rules, and SB 5961 was sent to Ways and Means. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5969 on allowing an IEP transition plan to satisfy high school and beyond plan requirements; after discussion, a substitute was adopted that instead directs OSPI to reduce duplication in the statewide IEP system, and the bill was passed to Ways and Means. Later, the committee heard Senate Bill 5918, which would increase materials, supplies, and operating costs (MSOC) funding by $100 per student or $100,000 per district, whichever is greater, starting in the 2026-27 school year. Testimony from educators, administrators, school board members, PTA, and OSPI emphasized that districts are using local levy dollars to cover basic operating costs such as utilities, insurance, curriculum, and maintenance, leaving less for enrichment and forcing cuts or deferred purchases. One opponent argued against additional taxes and questioned the return on school spending. The sponsor framed the bill as necessary to meet the state’s paramount duty to fund basic education. The transcript then shifted to Senate Bill 5951 on school access to albuterol, which would allow schools to keep stock albuterol under a statewide standing order and let trained staff administer it under certain conditions; students, nurses, and advocates testified that stock albuterol could reduce absences and improve safety for students with asthma. Finally, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 6042 on school mapping, which would require school safety plans to include accurate, interoperable digital maps for first responders; the sponsor and emergency response witnesses said standardized maps are critical for coordinated, timely response in school emergencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Preston Peck, and I'm a senior sustainability analyst with the City of Tacoma's Environmental
• I believe that there's a more practical path forward.
• I'm here on behalf of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers and the Cookware Sustainability
• We now have a more practical law that still protects consumers from lead in cookware. Dr.
• Steve Burns, I'm with the Cookware Sustainability Alliance, which is a grouping...

Bills: SB5965 , SB6030 , SB5975 , SB5941

Committee: Senate Environment, Energy & Technology

Keywords: environment, retail bags, sustainability, pollution, customer impact, plastic bags, retail, waste reduction, cookware safety, lead regulation, consumer protection, interstate trade, health standards, SB 5941, Washington State Energy Code, State Building Code Council, renewable energy, solar panels, school district exemption, public school construction

Transcript Highlights:

• Ulu Pono Initiative in support. desk office of planning and sustainable desk office of planning and sustainable
• </c> Office of Planning and Sustainable Office of Planning and Sustainable Development<00:19:32.480><
• of Planning Sustainable Office of Planning Sustainable Development<01:23:27.040><c> in</c><01:23:27.280
• So um so then our customer practice.
• ><01:57:03.280><c> the</c> customer practice is certainly the customer practice is certainly the blackout

Bills: SB2190 , SB2338 , SB2424 , SB2356 , SB2981 , SB3028 , SB3187 , SB2378 , SB2398 , SB2192 , SB2155 , SB3219 , SB3218

Committee: House Housing

Keywords: affordable housing, employment contracts, salary caps, housing finance, public housing authority, executive compensation, parking minimums, off-street parking, transit-oriented development, TOD, housing supply, smart growth, redevelopment, adaptive reuse, micro units, rail transit, public transit stations, county zoning, land use, urban planning

Summary: The House Housing Committee heard testimony on a series of housing-related Senate bills. SB 2190 SD2 on inclusionary zoning drew support from HHFDC, Hawaii YIMBY, Grassroot Institute, Housing Hawaii’s Future, and Hako Seed Center, with opposition from OHA and Aloha Independent Living Hawaii. SB 2338 SD1, dealing with housing agency personnel authority, received comments from the Attorney General cautioning that the bill should be clarified to avoid conflicts with civil service and collective bargaining laws and recommending removal of a provision limiting employment contracts; HHFDC said its comments addressed those concerns and supported the measure. SB 2424 SD1, concerning HHFDC, received broad support from housing, business, and community groups, with one opposition. Testimony focused on changing the definition of “qualified resident” so people who already own an HHFDC-assisted unit could later purchase another if their housing needs change; HHFDC said the current rule forces people to sell before buying again and that the bill would help people move up the housing ladder and encourage more housing development. SB 2356 on parking also drew broad support from state agencies, housing advocates, business groups, and local officials, with Unite Here Local 5 in opposition. SB 2981 on land use had strong support from many organizations and 67 individuals, with Unite Here Local 5 opposing. SB 3028 SD2 on property conveyance generated the most detailed policy debate. Supporters, including Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Children’s Action Network, Indivisible Hawaii, and others, backed restructuring the conveyance tax into a marginal rate system and urged changes to revenue allocations, including dedicated funding for homeless services, DHHL, and the rental housing revolving fund. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii supported the marginal-rate concept but opposed dedicated special-fund allocations and criticized the bill’s blank sections. Committee members questioned the historical purpose of the conveyance tax, and the Tax Foundation explained it was originally a modest tax tied to property-value tracking when the state still ran the property tax system. The committee also heard SB 3187 SD2 on off-site construction, SB 2378 SD2 on housing permitting, and SB 2398 SD2 on residential housing utilities. OPSD supported SB 3187 but said it preferred the House version and wanted clarification that off-site certification should apply to factories in Hawaii, not out of state, to avoid outsourcing labor; it also suggested starting with a small scope. SB 2378 SD2 drew support from engineering, housing, and labor groups, with testimony that the House version included needed fixes to make the program insurable. On SB 2398 SD2, the Board of Water Supply opposed the bill, saying it could require disclosure of sensitive infrastructure information beyond ordinary water-availability assessments and raise critical-infrastructure and cybersecurity concerns; developers and housing groups supported the measure. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• registration, specifying the scope of practice, and establishing prohibited practices.
• interior design unless registered and lists prohibited practices.
• But is this consistent with practices in other states as well?
• We will still be practicing as we are practicing... ...with our groups.
• We will still be practicing as we are practicing today.

Summary: The Consumer Protection & Business Committee held public hearings on two bills. House Bill 2616, described as an agriculturally resilient markets act, would create a broad package of agriculture-related policies and appropriations, including a strategy to expand state purchasing of Washington-grown food, temporary packaging and emissions exemptions for certain agricultural uses, changes to labor notice rules for agricultural and dairy layoffs, several grant and study programs, a transfer of cannabis production/processing/testing oversight to the Department of Agriculture, and an appropriation for the tree fruit leadership program. Representative Christine Reeves said the bill was intended as a state-level “farm bill” to address farm losses, food security, and regulatory burdens, and she emphasized stakeholder input and the need to support family farms and farmworker well-being. Testimony on HB 2616 was overwhelmingly supportive, with growers, commodity groups, dairy and potato representatives, and other agricultural stakeholders arguing that Washington farms face low margins, high regulatory and labor costs, refrigeration and processing challenges, and competition from foreign producers. Several speakers said the bill’s exemptions, grants, and studies would help keep farms viable and preserve local food production. Committee members asked about stakeholder outreach, the role of Washington State University and commodity commissions, the impact of federal versus state policy, and possible ways to reduce compliance burdens. The hearing ended without a vote, and the chair noted the bill was after cutoff and would not move this year, but that stakeholder meetings would continue over the summer. The committee then heard House Bill 2721, which would create a registration system for commercial interior designers, expand and rename the Board of Architects, set education, examination, and experience requirements, define the scope of practice, require seals and technical submission attestations, and establish penalties and a fee account. Supporters from interior design organizations said the bill would recognize a profession already performing code- and safety-related work in commercial spaces, align Washington with other states and national model law standards, and remove barriers to ownership and advancement, especially for women. Testifiers also said the bill would clarify responsibility for life safety, accessibility, and non-structural interior construction in schools, health care, and public buildings. The committee heard only supportive testimony, but members raised questions about how the profession compares with architecture, the impact of delaying the bill until 2027, and demographic diversity in the field. The chair closed the hearing noting the bill would not advance this session and that further interim work would be needed.