Transcript Highlights:

• And when you get into the fall of the year, it is a real important time for habitat.
• And CalTrout has been on the front lines to preserve the waterways of this state for healthy habitat.
• And Cal Trout has been on the front lines to preserve the waterways of this state for healthy habitat
• And we need to look for opportunities to reconnect that habitat when they present themselves, places
• , so a range of habitats, drivers and stresses on the system and human interactions with the system to

Committee: House Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture

Summary: The Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture held its annual State of the Fishery forum, focusing on salmon, Dungeness crab, kelp, ocean conditions, and related aquaculture and committee reports. Opening remarks from committee leadership emphasized climate impacts, reduced federal NOAA support, state investments through Proposition 4, coastal resilience funding, and the importance of fisheries to rural economies and tribal communities. Secretary of Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot described a decade of drought and climate stress, highlighted progress such as Klamath River dam removal, wetland restoration, and the state’s salmon strategy, and warned that federal funding uncertainty and staffing cuts could undermine restoration and fishery recovery efforts. Senator Cortese raised concerns about illegal cannabis cultivation damaging riparian habitat and water flows, and both Crowfoot and Fish and Wildlife Director Bonham said enforcement against illicit grows remains a major environmental priority but is constrained by resources. Director Bonham provided a broad update on California fisheries, reporting encouraging signs for salmon after several difficult years, including improved ocean conditions, stronger returns in some runs, and successful short recreational openings in 2025. He also noted major challenges, including reduced federal hatchery production at Nimbus, ongoing uncertainty around winter-run and spring-run recovery, and the need for continued habitat restoration, monitoring, and hatchery investment. On Dungeness crab, Bonham said the fishery remained valuable but constrained by whale entanglement risk, warming ocean conditions, and domoic acid concerns; he described new marked-line distribution, ropeless and alternative gear trials, and ongoing aerial and vessel monitoring. He also said the department’s unified cannabis enforcement task force had served numerous warrants and seized large amounts of illegal cannabis, but more funding is needed for sustained operations. In the salmon panel, Yurok Tribe fisheries director McCovey said the Klamath still faces low run sizes, climate-driven warming, wildfire impacts, and federal uncertainty, but he pointed to dam removal, restoration work, and AB 263’s river-flow protections as major advances. PCFFA president Bradshaw stressed that the three consecutive salmon closures have devastated coastal communities and argued for major reinvestment in aging Central Valley hatchery infrastructure and better broodstock management at Fall Creek. CalTrout’s Schneider said salmon remain at risk statewide, but cited Prop 4, habitat reconnection, floodplain restoration, improved water management, and monitoring as the main tools for recovery. In the crab panel, CDFW’s Schumann reported that the 2024–25 season produced record prices per pound and about $55 million in value despite delays and trap reductions, but he warned that three confirmed whale entanglements and elevated whale presence could force a conservative opener for 2025–26. PCFFA’s Domrash supported marked line, alternative gear, and a new gear-recovery network, while also criticizing the current ramp system as a response to a problem not fully grounded in science.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of those include the Humanities Center, which receives grants for their own programming.
• And so we talk about science-based, doing the best for habitat and, obviously, for wildlife.
• And so we talk about science-based, doing the best for habitat and, obviously, for wildlife.
• And so we talk about science-based, doing the best for habitat and, obviously, for wildlife.
• He added that it is also a real problem for habitat, and that communities and SWCDs need to be more proactive

Committee: House Legacy Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• and the agriculture that depends on them, as well as for the entire state and for habitat and species
• and the agriculture that depends on them, as well as for the entire state and for habitat and species
• They can't get degradation kids for these land, these mountain lions that haunt and terrorize the humans
• They can't get depredation kills for these land, these mountain lions that haunt and terrorize the humans
• It also maintains protection for environmentally sensitive habitat areas, bluff setbacks, and state tidelands

Committee: Senate Natural Resources and Water

Transcript Highlights:

• We are prioritizing salmon habitat in the busy Wild Creek for threatened Chinook and steelhead, prioritizing
• As you know, my name is Ryan Donahue, and I'm the Chief Advocacy Officer for Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King
• I serve as the CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Washington State. I am Michelle Preston.
• I serve as the CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Washington State, representing 25 Habitat affiliates.
• Beyond managing critical habitat for endangered species like the Chinook salmon and spotted owl, the

Bills: HB2295

Committee: House Capital Budget

Keywords: Washington capital budget, supplemental capital budget, capital appropriations, state building construction account, taxable building construction account, climate commitment account, natural climate solutions, housing trust fund, affordable housing, supportive housing, homelessness, manufactured home communities, mobile home parks, school construction, school modernization, school seismic safety, healthy schools, school electrification, SCAP, behavioral health facilities

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Holden Weissman from Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco.
• But just to build off of that, in terms of, as Senator Durazo said, and what our Habitat for Humanity
• Like Habitat for Humanity is, it's a known program that works that is serving a community that needs
• I'm Chris Morgenthau with Habitat for Humanity.
• I'm Chris Morgenthau with Habitat for Humanity.

Committee: Senate Housing

Transcript Highlights:

• Would it still have to go for review? No, well, when you say go for review.
• our state to be investing in and potentially protecting valuable habitat for those recreational opportunities
• , as well as for really needed habitat protection and conservation work.
• our state to be investing in and potentially protecting valuable habitat for those recreational opportunities
• , as well as for really needed habitat protection and conservation work.

Committee: Senate Senate Federalism Committee of Reference

Summary: The Federalism Committee considered only Senate Bill 1281, which would require legislative and gubernatorial approval before private Arizona real property could be acquired by the federal government, and would impose notice, reporting, and penalty provisions tied to such transactions. The bill also required state employees to notify the Legislature about certain federal land-trust notices involving Indian tribe settlements, while stating that tribal rights to Indian lands and reservation lands are not limited. The sponsor explained a seven-page amendment that added exemptions for certain federal purchases, congressionally approved land exchanges, and reclamation-related acquisitions, and expanded State Land Department cataloging and notice duties for covered federal designations. Public testimony was uniformly opposed. Speakers from the hunting/outdoors community, Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon chapter, and the Arizona Wildlife Federation argued the bill would hinder conservation projects, public access, and land exchanges that protect habitat or open recreation access, while also creating unnecessary bureaucracy and raising constitutional and private-property concerns. They cited examples of past federal land purchases that expanded access to large areas at relatively low property-tax cost, and said the bill would make it harder to protect sensitive lands and resources. Committee members questioned whether the governor was meaningfully involved, how the amendment affected land exchanges and federal law enforcement-related property purchases, and whether tribal acquisitions would be affected. After debate, the committee adopted the amendment and then approved SB 1281 as amended on a 4-3 vote, sending it out with a do pass recommendation. Some members explained their no votes by citing public lands access, conservation concerns, and constitutional objections, while supporters argued the bill was needed to preserve state authority over land transfers.

Transcript Highlights:

• protections for humans to widen the interface between those species and human activity.
• </c><00:41:10.760><c> for</c><00:41:10.920><c> a</c> Um it provides critical habitat for a Um it provides
• </c> Um it also provides protections from for Um it also provides protections from for humans<00:41:17.120
• for either humans or are not positive for either humans or grizzly<00:41:48.480><c> bears.
• Chairman, this PR, um, again, eligible practices, we can spend the money for habitat.

Committee: Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• What we found is that it was for state, local, and tribal partners for drought-killed seedlings for reforestation
• <c> seedlings</c><00:29:00.399><c> for</c> killed seedlings for killed seedlings for reforestation<00
• This program reimburses residents up to $400 for creating new pollinator habitat in their yards.
• Last year, we awarded 12 organizations and governments $3.4 million in grants for the Habitat Enhancement
• <c> landscape</c> for the habitat enhancement landscape for the habitat enhancement landscape program

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you so much for your presentation and for your work in community.
• Thank you so much for your presentation and for your work in community.
• and habitat, voluntary biodiversity habitat, and then water quality markets.
• You know, or that potential for what we would currently be seeing for prices for some of that lower,
• This is a huge priority in our committee and a huge priority for the... For you and for the public.

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee opened its 2026 session with committee housekeeping, member introductions, and a reminder that schedules are set a week in advance and amendments must be submitted by the prior day’s deadlines. Chair Reeves emphasized solution-oriented, collaborative, and respectful participation, then outlined that the committee would focus on three interim reports relevant to its work this session: municipal water efficiency, ecosystem services, and food policy. The first presentation, from the William D. Ruckelshaus Center and WSU, reviewed Washington’s municipal water efficiency statute and regulation. Presenters said interviewees largely agreed on the need for better data collection, more technical assistance for smaller systems, and more state funding for both agency staffing and water system infrastructure. Most opposed shifting oversight of the conservation program from the Department of Health to Ecology, and the report recommended keeping oversight at DOH while improving collaboration across agencies and tribes. The presenters also urged broader statewide water planning, more consistent reporting using the AWWA water audit method instead of leakage percentage, re-evaluating the 500-connection threshold, and addressing outdoor water use, rebates, reuse, and public education. Members asked about creating a new office for water oversight, but the presenters said that idea was generally viewed as too costly and impractical under current budget conditions. DNR then presented its 2025 ecosystem services work group report. The department described ecosystem services markets it studied, including regulatory and voluntary forest carbon, avoided wildfire emissions, and water leasing, with lower potential identified for blue carbon, biodiversity, and water quality markets. DNR said about 15,000 acres of state forest land may have carbon-market potential, but emphasized that the analysis was broad and not project-specific, so the report recommends pilots, continued market monitoring, use of third-party developers, and clarification of authority through House Bill 2170. Committee members asked about economic feasibility, timber tradeoffs, and how success would be defined, and DNR said those questions would be better addressed in future, more detailed project-level work. The final presentation covered the Food Policy Forum’s 2025 report to the legislature. Speakers described broad consensus recommendations on food security, local foods in schools, farm-to-food-bank programs, a state farm bill, commercial access, and food system infrastructure. They highlighted pressures on agriculture from development, flooding, drought, water shortages, and the need to preserve farmland and support farmers, food banks, and local procurement systems. The committee chair thanked the presenters and noted that several related bills and policy proposals would be heard later in session. No votes were taken; the meeting concluded after the presentations and brief member questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• This expansion creates more opportunities for the Delta Conservancy to continue its habitat conservation
• For these reasons, we respectfully ask for your no vote. Thank you.
• MBSA is not supplanting, but supporting efforts for wildfire recovery, water and habitat restoration,
• Rico Mastro Donato, I'm the legislative director for the Trust for Public Land.
• And I say human beings intentionally because, in fact, one of the criteria in the law for a significant

Committee: House Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• And that I understood that designation of a certain amount to be budgeted was for the human resources
• ... ...adjustment for the department operational budget versus human resources salaries be designated
• For DTSC. Where's my question for DTS? Welcome back.
• threat to human life, property, and the drinking water for the whole state.
• Thank you so much for your time. Thank you so much for your time. Thank you for being the founder.

Summary: The subcommittee met to discuss budget issues related to vacant positions across several natural resources and environmental departments, with no votes taken and all items held open for a future hearing. The Legislative Analyst’s Office and the Department of Finance explained the administration’s proposal to eliminate about 6,000 vacant positions statewide, including roughly 293 positions in the departments before the committee, as a way to capture salary savings and reduce flexible funding tied up in vacancies. The LAO recommended retaining special-funded positions, while noting that eliminating General Fund positions would reduce savings. Finance argued that vacancy levels have remained steady statewide, that departments need flexibility to manage operations and hard-to-fill jobs, and that some vacant positions can be reclassified to higher-priority work. Members raised concerns that many of the proposed eliminations would affect core public-safety, permitting, and environmental-protection functions. The Department of Fish and Wildlife said the cuts would affect permitting, environmental protection, and law enforcement, while State Parks said its proposed ranger reductions were chosen from historically vacant, hard-to-fill positions and would still leave many vacancies to fill through the academy. The Coastal Commission said its positions supported sea-level rise planning under SB 272. The Department of Pesticide Regulation and DTSC said the reductions would affect multiple program areas, though Finance said the special funds involved were not in structural deficit and the cuts could help avoid future fee increases. The State Water Resources Control Board said its proposed reductions were spread across programs, with public-health functions protected as much as possible. The committee then heard an overview from the State Water Resources Control Board on its responsibilities for water quality, water rights, drinking water, and funding for water infrastructure. Chair Joaquin Esquivel described ongoing work on the Bay-Delta Plan update, the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes voluntary agreements, and the need to actively administer water rights. Members also discussed the board’s response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Sackett decision, which narrowed federal Clean Water Act jurisdiction. The board requested $2.6 million and 12 permanent positions to address resulting permitting and enforcement gaps; the LAO said the request met its high bar for new proposals and was supported by the board’s data and reporting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, yeah, Kristen City from Habitat for Humanity of Minnesota. Welcome. Hello everyone.
• And some of the things I wanted to talk about here is Habitat for Humanity historically, we serve low
• </c><01:25:30.159><c> for</c><01:25:30.320><c> Humanity</c> about here is uh Habitat for Humanity about
• Um, Habitat for Humanity has been a tremendous partner for the department, ranging from helping to be
• Um, Habitat for Humanity has been a tremendous partner for the department, ranging from helping to be

Transcript Highlights:

• Thompson, for that context and for that history.
• Thank you for calling this work session and for the opportunity to speak.
• Thank you for calling this work session and for the opportunity to speak.
• unstable slopes have reduced sediment delivery, improved stream function, and improved habitat for salmon
• With that, friends, thank you so much for joining us for this work session.

Summary: The committee held a work session on the history, implementation, and current challenges of Washington’s Forest and Fish law and related Habitat Conservation Plan. Testimony from tribal representatives Jim Peters and David Herrera, former Rep. Jim Buck, and mediator Tim Thompson described the original timber, fish, and wildlife negotiations as a broad, collaborative effort intended to balance salmon and habitat protection with a viable timber industry. DNR’s Sabur Jawad outlined the program’s statutory framework, the roles of DNR, Ecology, Fish and Wildlife, tribes, local governments, landowners, and the Forest Practices Board, and explained that changes to aquatic-resource rules can come through adaptive management, legislative direction, or court orders. He also described the permitting and enforcement system, the programmatic HCP, road maintenance and abandonment work, and the adaptive management process, including the long-running NP stream-buffer studies and resulting rulemaking timeline. Agency and stakeholder testimony emphasized accomplishments such as decades of HCP coverage, annual compliance monitoring, road and fish-barrier improvements, small forest landowner assistance programs, and the completion of numerous adaptive management studies. DNR’s Katie Allen said the program has strong successes but also faces resource-intensive implementation, rising costs, and watershed-wide pressures beyond forestry, and she pointed to a State Auditor review that produced 13 recommendations now being addressed through an action plan and a structured decision-making model. Washington Farm Forestry Association executive director Elaine O’Neill said small forest landowners supported the agreement expecting assistance and flexibility, but argued the balance has shifted toward more protection and less practical consideration of rural vitality and property rights. Washington Forest Protection Association executive director Jason Spadero said the agreement has produced measurable environmental gains and regulatory predictability, but criticized the recent NP rule and urged continued science-based, economically balanced management. In the final discussion, tribal representatives said the collaborative, consensus-based process still works in some areas, but that the principals need to be re-engaged more directly and periodically to restore accountability and trust. They said the adaptive management process and funding remain important, but expressed concern that consensus has broken down in some recent rulemaking and that side negotiations or outside pressure can undermine the original agreement. Members asked how to restore the collaborative model; Peters suggested renewed commitment from the principal parties and more regular high-level meetings, while Herrera echoed the need to implement the auditor’s recommendations. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• projects, and habitat conservation and restoration programs. ...million for K-12 capital construction
• projects, $69.5 million for capital improvements in human services facilities, as well as the $400 million
• This project's focused in the upper, Michelle, and Busy Wild, which is critical habitat for these endangered
• For the record, Ryan Donahue with Habitat for Humanity, Seattle, King, and Kittitas County.
• I am the CEO of Evergreen Habitat for Humanity in Vancouver.

Summary: The Capital Budget Committee held a hearing on Proposed Substitute House Bill 2295, the supplemental capital budget. Staff said the proposal totals nearly $911 million, including about $400 million in bonds and $511 million from other state and federal sources, with much of the increase over the governor’s proposal coming from Climate Commitment Act (CCA) funding. Major spending areas include housing and homelessness, K-12 construction, human services facilities, and CCA-funded clean energy, decarbonization, and habitat restoration projects. The chair said the committee would not take amendments at the hearing and planned to vote out the budget on Thursday, with a technical fix striker expected. Testimony was largely supportive of the House proposal, with many witnesses asking the committee to preserve or increase specific items in final negotiations. Housing advocates urged support for the Housing Trust Fund, manufactured housing preservation, and projects such as Alliance Place, Cloverdale Cottages, Cherry Street Village, Somos, and the Thrive Center. Education and public facility witnesses backed investments in school seismic safety, small district modernization, Healthy Kids Healthy Schools, community college and university maintenance, and projects at Cascadia College, WSU, CWU, and UW. Health and human services testimony supported behavioral health, Tubman Center, HealthPoint, pregnant parenting treatment, and the Yakima Behavioral Health Hub. Natural resources, climate, and infrastructure witnesses praised funding for Flood Plains by Design, community forests, trust land transfer, salmon recovery, the Skokomish land purchase, and the Lower Columbia River dredging project. Several local governments and organizations requested additional support or Senate-level funding for specific projects, while Climate Solutions cautioned against using CCA dollars to backfill existing obligations. The committee heard no votes during the hearing, and the chair closed by saying the budget would be executed on Thursday.

Transcript Highlights:

• But what this humanities will be responsible for is vetting all these projects, these important projects
• But what this humanities will be responsible for is vetting all these projects, these important projects
• But what this humanities will be responsible for is vetting all these projects, these important projects
• But what this humanities will be responsible for is vetting all these projects, these important projects
• What this humanities will be responsible for is vetting all these projects, these important projects

Transcript Highlights:

• , the agriculture that depends on them, but for the entire state and for many of our habitat and species
• They can't get degradation kids for these mountain lions that haunt and terrorize the humans that they
• They can't get degradation kids for these mountain lions that haunt and terrorize the humans that they
• For these reasons, we respectfully ask for your support for Senate Bill 894. Thank you.
• It also maintains protection for environmentally sensitive habitat areas, bluff setbacks, and state tidelands

Summary: The committee first heard SB 872, which would direct $300 million annually for 20 years to repair subsidence damage in the State Water Project and to fund Delta levee repairs. The author and supporters said the bill is needed to protect water deliveries for 27 million Californians, prevent major infrastructure and flood risks, and address long-term threats to California’s water supply. Support came from a broad coalition of water agencies, local governments, environmental groups, and business interests; there was no opposition testimony. Members discussed the scale of the funding, the beneficiary-pays issue, and whether the bill should more clearly address risk and identify likely project areas. The committee adopted amendments, and SB 872 passed 5-0 to Appropriations and was placed on call. The committee then took up SB 1305, a study bill on the feasibility of reintroducing the California grizzly bear. The author, tribal sponsors, and conservation supporters framed the bill as a science-based roadmap that would examine habitat, impacts, and implementation, while recognizing the grizzly’s cultural significance to tribes and its ecological role. Opponents, including sheriffs, cattle groups, county representatives, and a former Fish and Wildlife law enforcement official, argued that California lacks the staffing, funding, and public-safety capacity to manage another apex predator and that the state is already struggling with wolves and mountain lions. Members raised questions about the scope of the feasibility study, local control, and whether the bill should address conflict risk earlier in the process. The author agreed to work on additional amendments, and the bill passed 4-1 to Appropriations and remained on call. SB 1079, creating a Cal Fire Fire Innovation Unit to speed the testing and deployment of wildfire technologies, was heard next. The author and supporters said California has strong wildfire innovation but lacks a formal pipeline to move promising tools from pilot projects into statewide use. Supporters included Megafire Action, Fireworks, the Orange County Fire Authority, and the California Association of Realtors, which sought amendments related to nonprofit administration of grants. There was no opposition testimony. The bill passed 5-0 to Emergency Management and was placed on call. The committee also heard SB 997, which would give the North Fork Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency lien authority to collect fines and fees tied to its groundwater sustainability plan. Supporters said the change would allow more efficient enforcement and avoid lengthy civil litigation; no opposition appeared. Members asked whether the authority should be extended more broadly to other statutory GSAs, and the author said discussions were ongoing. SB 997 passed 2-0 to Judiciary and was placed on call. The committee later caught up on votes for the earlier bills and then moved to SB 894, a wildfire resilience loan program modeled on Go Green to help homeowners finance home-hardening measures; it passed 5-0 to Emergency Management and was placed on call. Finally, SB 1229 was introduced by Senator Allen to strengthen coastal protections for rebuilding after disasters, beginning with the Palisades fire context, but the transcript cuts off before that bill’s full hearing concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am with Tacoma Pierce County Habitat for Humanity.
• I'm here on behalf of Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King and Kitsap Counties.
• Again, I'm with Habitat for Humanity, and we do exclusively homeownership.
• However, when we look at the model of, for example, Habitat for Humanity, when you're selling the homes
• , we are selling the improvements on the home, and the land is still owned by Habitat for Humanity, for

Summary: House Finance heard testimony on two affordable housing bills. House Bill 1859 would expand an existing density bonus for housing on religious organization property by lowering the affordability threshold from 100% to at least 50% affordable units, requiring local policies to implement the bonus upon request, and creating a new state and local sales and use tax exemption for qualifying projects with at least 50% affordable units maintained for 10 years. The sponsor and supporters said the bill would help projects on church-owned land pencil out amid high construction and financing costs, while a county association raised concern that the bill would create an unfunded mandate for local planning departments. Several witnesses also asked that homeownership projects be explicitly included, and staff confirmed the exemption would be administered through an exemption certificate. The committee then moved to House Bill 1717, which would authorize cities and counties to create a local sales and use tax remittance program for affordable housing developments. Staff said the remittance would cover 100% of local taxes paid after project completion, with a 50% affordable housing threshold and 40-year affordability requirement, and the sponsor and local government and housing advocates supported it as a flexible tool to reduce development costs. Testifiers generally backed both bills, with some asking for more flexibility on income targeting and clarification on county-city interactions under HB 1717. No votes were taken; both public hearings were closed and the committee adjourned after a separate work session on the Working Families Tax Credit, where advocates urged broader eligibility, higher benefit amounts, and easier access, and a California researcher described data-linking methods used to improve tax credit take-up.

Transcript Highlights:

• But, um, open space provides diversity, you know, for community and for habitat.
• > habitat.
• </c> you know, for community and for habitat. you know, for community and for habitat.
• Many of them are being used for management plans for lakes as well as for rivers.
• </c><00:28:07.600><c> for</c><00:28:07.840><c> them,</c> for municipalities to apply for them, for municipalities

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• Gentlemen, you yield. >> Yes. >> So, in my area, we have a lot of Habitat for Humanity organization projects
• So, as far as affecting Habitat for Humanity, I don't see that it'd have any effect on it either way
• So, as far as affecting<00:31:37.519><c> Habitat</c><00:31:38.080><c> for</c><00:31:38.320><c> Humanity
• ,</c><00:31:38.880><c> I</c><00:31:39.039><c> don't</c> affecting Habitat for Humanity, I don't affecting
• Habitat for Humanity, I don't see<00:31:39.200><c> that</c><00:31:39.440><c> it'd</c><00:31:39.679><

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, we have requests this year for fishery habitat projects. That is a one-time request.
• ’re asking for $3 million to give to you for another habitat project, and you’re asking for $8.2 million
• for habitat projects that deal with endangered species, which is their realm.
• You are seeing a request for fish habitat funding, not just fish habit funding.
• To do consultations for every federal action that would involve sage grouse or their habitats.

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations and questions for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the Office of Species Conservation, and the Office of the Attorney General. Fish and Game’s budget was described as largely dedicated and federal funding with no general fund support, with discussion of ongoing and one-time enhancements for fisheries inflation, habitat projects, Good Neighbor Authority work, depredation claims, chronic wasting disease testing, and communications. Director Jim Fredericks also reviewed the new nonresident tag draw system, access challenges on private lands, and the department’s role in habitat work and species management. Members raised concerns about depredation claim shortfalls, survey and advisory committee processes, predator management, and the overlap between Fish and Game and the Office of Species Conservation on habitat and endangered species work. The Office of Species Conservation presentation focused on its role coordinating state actions for threatened, endangered, and candidate species, mostly through federal and miscellaneous revenue funds. Administrator Mike Edmondson explained that the office often serves as the policy and administrative lead while Fish and Game carries out much of the field work, and he described metrics for sage grouse, salmon and steelhead, and grizzly bear-related efforts. He also said the office has been working with the Department of Energy and Mineral Resources on a possible merger, with some staff reductions under consideration, and answered questions about grizzly bear delisting, wolf litigation, and tribal consultation. Attorney General Raul Labrador then argued that his office has produced significant results without asking for new money, but said the committee’s proposed reductions would force furloughs or position cuts and asked for $980,000 to be restored. He highlighted the ICAC unit’s elimination of a cyber-tip backlog, increased arrests, consumer protection recoveries, and expanded appellate and civil litigation work defending state laws. Members asked about the source of recovered funds, the office’s flexibility to absorb cuts, and whether the state could work on a framework to transfer incarcerated undocumented offenders to federal custody for deportation. The committee ended by noting upcoming budget-setting work and adjourned until the next morning.