Transcript Highlights:

• the police are now involved in that case the police are now involved in that case and<00:56:52.000
• subversion, both hot and cold wars. subversion, both hot and cold wars.
• This case has been going on for years.
• special ed cases in the majority of them they are being produced, but in our tougher cases is where
• special ed cases in the majority of them they are being produced, but in our tougher cases is where

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In some cases, it takes several years of practice for health care providers, along with the maturity
• our family nurse practitioners to be well-trained to evaluate and treat these individuals in many cases
• So we are looking at the Yazzie Martinez case right now, and with respect to that case, what has to happen
• , and we even have... the cost per case was $286, with a payment error rate of 4.5%.
• We got the budget submitted on September 2nd in this case, so we're already knee-deep in budgets, and

Transcript Highlights:

• We've got cold storage, we've got metal fabrication, and obviously logistics.
• I'm not in those two cases.
• an average case.
• From 2024 to present, our number of days for an average case is 129.
• Down just in case, because what we are finding ways to make that happen.

Transcript Highlights:

• Furthermore, they were harmful and deadly in some cases.
• There's a case called Hines v.
• In some cases, some being detained without being guilty or being charged with an offense.
• This Austin case is not an isolated incident. I want to stress that.
• The attorney fees are mandatory if a farmer or rancher wins the case.

Bills: SB66, SB243, SB250, SB317, SB393, SB397, SB456, SB628, SB629, SB636, SB715, SB731, SB801, SB865, SB1012, SB1013, SB1015, SB1032, SB1141, SB1181, SB1224, SB1241, SB1242, SB1250, SB1266, SB1285, SB1376, SB1442, SB1449, SB1502, SB1524, SB1528, SB1551, SB1585, SB1640, SB1708, SB1844, SB1854, SB1863, SB1959, SB1965, SB2035, SB2082, SB2119, SB2138, SB2199, SB2200, SB2201, SB2245, SB2269, SB2284, SB2310, SB2357, SB2419, SB2422, SB2480, SB2514, SB2523, SB2529, SB2533, SB2541, SB2550, SB2568, SB2595, SB2605, SB2608, SB2615, SB2717, SB2721, SB2753, SB2778, SB2841, SB2846, SB2891, SB2925, SB2929, SB2933, SB3016, SB3029, SB3039, SB3044, SJR3, SJR18, SB5, SB326, SB494, SB530, SB767, SB769, SB783, SB914, SB963, SB1035, SB1197, SB1271, SB1415, SB1437, SB1619, SB1637, SB1786, SB1806, SB2312, SB29, SB1238, SB1967, SB1, SB260, SB1637, SJR36, SJR50, SJR63, SJR59, SCR12, SCR39, SCR48, SCR19, SB2023, SB62, SB666, SB847, SB284, SB854, SB1073, SB810, SB1505, SB583, SB1502, SB507, SB1434, SB1376, SB1585, SB1772, SB2016, SB1163, SB1122, SB731, SB397, SB508, SB1436, SB287, SB261, SB1882, SB393, SB1791, SB209, SB2429, SB1999, SB511, SB2309, SB510, SB1085, SB1975, SB2717, SB1262, SB1524, SB636, SB2056, SB884, SB517, SB1200, SB1845, SB1863, SB2681, SB2200, SB2199, SB2458, SB2201, SB801, SB2533, SB3014, SB3013, SB758, SB1013, SB2797, SB2119, SB2076, SB2876, SB2284, SB2929, SB2595, SB715, SB1640, SB2514, SB2753, SB1241, SB2538, SB1449, SB2529, SB2846, SB986, SB1181, SB1359, SB2550, SB2245, SB410, SB1234, SB456, SB1012, SB2926, SB2138, SB1242, SB2615, SB2310, SB1224, SB2972, SB2841, SB3016, SB1856, SB2035, SB1528, SB1141, SB1266, SB1373, SB2269, SB2480, SB672, SB2891, SB2422, SB1854, SB317, SB2539, SB2532, SB2925, SB1250, SB2082, SB2203, SB2357, SB2721, SB243, SB1285, SB2568, SB1959, SB1442, SB1454, SB2520, SB2541, SB1708, SB1237, SB1844, SB1586, SB1551, SB3039, SB2819, SB66, SB629, SB1015, SB2342, SB2903, SB2933, SB1965, SB2477, SB3029, SB2605, SB2419, SB1957, SB375, SB250, SB777, SB628, SB2523, SB2367, SB2703, SB2608, SB2778, SB3044, SB2965, SB2521, SB865, SB1032, SB2165, SB2501, SB2675, SB2452, SB2835, HB1109, HB1392, HB22, HB2525, HB3093, SB872, SB1212, SB1278, SB1588, SB1602, SB1704, SB1723, SB1833, SB1858, SB1946, SB2009, SB2177, SB2460, SB2785, SB2373, SB1660, SB614, SB867, SB1608, SB1525, SB905, SB640, SB2487, SB1698, SB383, SB705, SB748, SB1113, SB1117, SB1802, SB2340, SB2586, SB2680, SB2690, SB2994, SB2747, SB1950, SB913, SB1071, SB1086, SB1087, SB1483, SB1444, SB1553, SB1556, SB1703, SB2133, SB2297, SB2298, SB2622, SB2955, SB3059, SB2782, SB2781, SB2637, SB2633, SB2337, SB2334, SB1861, SB2043, SB1367, SB946, SB945, SB2857, SB128, SB571, SB1263, SB3058, SB612, SB2221, SB2587, SB2044, SB2363, SB2713, HB517, HB912, HB1130, HB142, HB1689, HB2018

Keywords: disability, supported decision-making, legal assistance, confidentiality, access to justice, autonomy, civil rights, advocacy, migrant labor housing, migrant housing, farmworker housing, migrant agricultural worker, agricultural labor, farm labor contractor, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, TDHCA, civil penalty, housing code enforcement, sanitation, occupancy standards

Transcript Highlights:

• higher GG um in any case higher GG um in any case and<00:05:42.720> the<00:05:43.680>
• In that case, we have eight minutes left.
• Okay, any— data that in many cases we find is not data that in many cases we find is not totally<04:41
• <04:44:16.840> anyone case anyone case anyone else<04:44:20.240> all<04:44:20.400> right
• <04:44:21.480> motion else all right in that case the motion else all right in that case the

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing opened on House Bill 192, which concerns the Joint Committee on Employee Classification process for state employee positions. Representative Peter Schmidt explained that the bill is a procedural step to send already-reviewed classifications to Korn Ferry and then into statute and the budget. Department of Corrections staff and Commissioner Helen Hanks testified that one Deputy Director of Medical Services position had been omitted from the bill by mistake even though it had already gone through the JCEC process, and they asked for an amendment to add it. Hanks clarified that the position is an existing classified job being converted to unclassified status, not a new position. The committee discussed how the amendment would work and the quorum requirements for the JCEC, then closed the hearing on HB 192 after no further testimony. The committee then heard House Bill 435, sponsored by Representative Don McFarland, which would clarify professional engineering licensure law. McFarland said the bill is intended to make clear that work in IT security, electronics, digital systems, computing, and software is not the practice of engineering requiring a professional engineer license, while preserving licensure requirements for fields such as civil, structural, and building-related engineering. He said he had consulted with the American Council of Engineering Companies and that the bill is meant to remove ambiguity and legal risk, not deregulate engineering. Several members with engineering backgrounds spoke in support, describing the distinction between licensed PE work and other technical fields, and one member noted that software development and regulated software work typically do not require a PE license. The committee voted ought to pass on HB 435 by a roll call of 16-0 and placed it on consent. Finally, the committee opened House Bill 210, which would create a commission to study the New Hampshire state flag. Representative Tom Corman argued that the current flag is a generic “state seal on a blue bedsheet” and does not meet common vexillological design principles such as simplicity, meaningful symbolism, limited colors, and distinctiveness. He said the proposed commission would include legislative members plus representatives of the New Hampshire Historical Society and the New England Vexillological Association, and would review the flag’s history and recommend whether to redesign it and how to do so. He also indicated he intended to add language to avoid costs, but the bill discussion was not completed in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:06:45.560> run by state law and in some cases run by state law and in some cases run programs
• Much of it was sort of neglected and in some cases very poorly managed.
• Much of it was sort of neglected and in some cases very poorly managed.
• Much of it was sort of neglected and in some cases very poorly managed.
• 80% of area median income in some cases 80% of area median income in some cases it's<00:22:40.240

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority officials, led by Executive Director Rob Dapice, briefed legislators on the agency’s structure and funding. They explained that the authority is created by state law but is not a state agency, its debt is not state debt, and it is governed by a board appointed by the governor and approved by the Executive Council. The discussion focused on the Affordable Housing Fund and the lead paint hazard remediation fund, including how state appropriations and federal resources are combined to finance affordable rental housing and lead abatement work. Dapice said the Affordable Housing Fund is used as gap financing for multifamily affordable housing projects, typically alongside federal tax credits and tax-exempt bonds, and that state dollars leverage roughly 2:1 to 10:1 in additional federal and private investment, averaging about 4:1. He said the fund has received historic appropriations in recent budgets, including $30 million over the last two biennial budgets and an annual $5 million set-aside from the real estate transfer tax. He also said the fund is usually structured as 0% interest, deferred loans rather than grants, with repayments returning to the fund if projects generate cash flow. Members asked about rents, oversight, staffing, revenues, and whether the programs had added positions. Dapice said affordability restrictions generally last 30 to 99 years, rents are tied to income limits and capped so tenants pay no more than 30% of income, and compliance staff inspect properties regularly to verify income eligibility and rent limits. He said the organization has about 130 to 135 employees, down from about 145, with no new positions added because of the appropriations. He estimated total revenues at roughly $300 million, with administrative budget around $22 million, much of it pass-through grant money. On lead paint remediation, he said the state first appropriated $6 million in 2019, plus $1 million in ARPA funds, and that the program has cleared more than 500 units. He said the federal grant program is not annual or predictable, with a recent award of about $7.75 million, and that the maximum federal grant per unit is $177,000, typically paired with up to $100,000 in state loan support. He also noted that the program can address homes before a child is poisoned if lead hazards are identified, but that cases involving an already exposed child are a higher priority. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• crumbling cement and bricks, and a lack of reliable temperature control during the heat waves and cold
• crumbling cement and bricks, and a lack of reliable temperature control during the heat waves and cold
• result of that is that it means more of that burden is being shifted onto Lynn, correct, and in some cases
• Our districts operate with just a handful of IT personnel, which in most cases represents, on average

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education opened a hybrid public hearing on a large slate of bills related to school buildings, school finance, technology, data privacy, safety, and related education issues. Chairs Jason Lewis and Ken Gordon outlined procedures for the hearing, including two-minute testimony limits and the plan to group similar bills together. Several bills drew no testimony and were closed without further discussion, while others drew extensive testimony from legislators, school officials, parents, advocates, and educators. A major theme was school safety and student well-being. Lori Al-Hadeth testified in support of bills on alert systems in public schools, describing the loss of her daughter in the Parkland shooting and urging adoption of Alyssa’s Law-style panic alert technology. Representative Gallagher and disability advocates also supported a bill authorizing, but not requiring, airway clearance devices in schools, arguing they could save lives in choking emergencies and provide an option for people who cannot use the Heimlich maneuver. Another bill on reducing cafeteria waste drew support from a legislator and a Lexington sustainability official, who said installing dishwashers during construction would reduce waste and long-term costs. Much of the hearing focused on Chapter 70 school funding and the inflation cap. Senator Pavel Payano, Senator Sal DiDomenico, Representative Senna, and multiple local officials and school committee members from Bridgewater, Chelsea, Groton-Dunstable, and other districts argued that the 4.5% cap on inflation adjustments has left schools underfunded during years of high inflation, forcing layoffs, larger class sizes, and cuts to programs and student supports. They urged bills to eliminate the cap, restore lost funding, increase the Commonwealth’s share of the foundation budget, or create commissions to study reforms. Testimony also highlighted the impact on special education, English learners, and low-income students, with Chelsea witnesses saying the cap has cost their district about $7 million annually. School construction and MSBA reform were the other major topic. AIA Massachusetts, Boston Public Schools, Lynn officials, and AFT Massachusetts described aging facilities, overcrowding, deferred maintenance, and the difficulty of financing new schools under current reimbursement rules. Boston officials said the district has many pre-World War II buildings and has only built a handful of new schools in decades, while Lynn leaders said reimbursement rates have fallen well below the statutory 80% because of caps and ineligible costs. Witnesses urged modernization of the MSBA program, higher reimbursement rates, and more resources for school construction. The committee also heard support for a bill to study the adequacy and equity of the school building program, and chairs indicated some bills would be closed after no one signed up to testify.

Transcript Highlights:

• especially<00:44:29.160> for<00:44:29.319> out<00:44:29.559> of Our recent case
• I'd take some volunteers after that to share their definition and probably do a little cold calling on
• calling on some of our uh little cold calling on some of our uh committee's<00:59:00.079> more
• Instead, people are winding up with nothing, or in one case we learned about from the Office of Higher
• > learned<01:03:50.240> about<01:03:50.440> from<01:03:50.559> the one case

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Hinson continued: I'm glad to see that and wondering, though, we do have cases that were
• In case you had this roof put on, it looks a little different.
• We were the first northern and cold-weather state in the country to pass a program.
• But that’s not always the case. >> Chair, they had a chair and Mr.
• But that's not always the case. >> Chair of the school, they had a chair and Mr.

Bills: HF4881, HF4867, HF4422, HF4223

Keywords: healthcare, insurance, regulation, financial institutions, prescription drug affordability, consumer protection, restitution account, financial compensation, attorney general, distributions, property insurance, homeowners insurance, fire and allied lines, hail insurance, appraisal clause, loss adjustment, alternative dispute resolution, insurance claims, claim valuation, actual cash value

Transcript Highlights:

• It was just moving it from one agency to another agency in this case.
• So I'll show you a little bit about that, and then we have some legal cases that have been decided in
• And so we're consistently looking at, that's probably the most consistent case.
• If it gets really cold, we have that type of dip.
• Natural gas, in this case, is handled at the federal level by FERC.

Summary: The committee met as the Regulatory Division budget section and first reviewed the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency’s budget and program update. Legislative Council outlined the agency’s base budget and historical funding, and Housing Finance staff reported on homeownership lending, housing incentive fund (HIF) awards, and homeless grant spending. Agency officials said the five new FTEs approved last session are mostly filled, with one homeless program manager still open. They described strong demand for HIF, noting that September 2025 multifamily requests exceeded $73 million while only $25 million was available, and that single-family and homeless programs are also heavily subscribed. Members discussed the agency’s local loan servicing workload, interest-rate benefits, down payment assistance, and the need to coordinate housing discussions with Commerce and site-preparation efforts. The agency asked that HIF, single-family, and homeless funding be maintained or increased, and committee members emphasized accountability and statewide access for homeless prevention and rapid rehousing funds. The Department of Mineral Resources then presented its budget and agency initiatives. Staff reported that the department is on track financially, that most of the five new reclamation-related FTEs are hired, and that litigation costs tied to oil and gas matters are expected to continue appearing late in the biennium. The director reviewed ongoing modernization and organizational efforts, including the North Star IT project, succession planning, training, and rulemaking for oil and gas and critical minerals. Members asked about longer laterals, spacing, and production trends; the department said operators are increasingly drilling three-, four-, and even an initial five-mile lateral, which is helping keep North Dakota oil production relatively flat even as rig counts ease. The director also discussed oil price volatility tied to Middle East conflict, hedging practices among producers, gas capture remaining around 95%, and the likelihood that current production levels will stay near flat unless prices or geopolitical conditions change significantly. An update on the enhanced oil recovery grant program followed. The Industrial Commission’s grant administrator said the full $25 million appropriation was allocated in the fall to six projects, and because the oil and gas research fund also had carryover and biennial tax revenue, total awards reached about $45.1 million. The projects are expected to run two to four years, with meaningful results not likely until mid-2026 or later. Members questioned whether the public would have access to the research findings and how accountability would be maintained; staff said the grants are reimbursement-based, require regular status reports, and will culminate in public final reports. The committee also heard from the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, which updated members on natural gas transmission projects, especially WBI Energy’s proposed Bakken East pipeline. The authority said the project has advanced through a nonbinding and then binding open season, with WBI now securing survey permissions and moving through regulatory and landowner processes, while other related gas transmission projects near Minot and Epping are also in development.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so it to me uh I've seen where this could apply in many cases over the years and I think it makes
• And I think that they put that language in the bill to just protect against the worst-case scenario.
• And I think that they put that language in the bill to just protect against the worst-case scenario.
• I would say that it's a bunch of hubbub because I think in most cases private property owners should
• think in in most cases, private property owners<01:34:57.760> should<01:34:58.000> be<

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• After this Fortune case came out, there were at least four cases that were pending that I know had to
• Not the case at all.
• /c><00:45:16.559> all buried with cases not the case at all buried with cases not the case at
• > meet<00:45:31.400> the of those good cases you do meet the of those good cases you do
• I am litigating a case right now. It is a DNA case.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So in that case and others across the state, particularly in the southeast where we've got this much
• So in that case and others across the state, particularly in the southeast where we've got this much
• So in that case and others across the state, particularly in the southeast where we've got this much
• So in that case and others across the state, particularly in the southeast where we've got this much
• In that case and others across the state, particularly in the southeast where we've got this much more

Bills: HF647, HF2824, HF1249, HF623, HF820

Keywords: water appropriation, aquifer management, potable water, water conservation, environmental policy, fishing regulation, angling, sustainability, biodiversity, game fish, Carley State Park, Minnesota state parks, state lands, park boundary expansion, Wabasha County, Department of Natural Resources, DNR, public lands, land acquisition, park addition

Transcript Highlights:

• I said that it was cold in here, so she brought me a blanket.
• In those cases, implementing what particular infrastructure is needed may take time.
• Substance use counseling and case management are also provided.
• In those cases, the reality is that MCO's insurance companies profit from delaying payments.
• We use them in our crisis team, in our residential treatment, and in case management.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the Iron Range Range catches a cold.
• We have is a unique case for our miners.
• I apologize for my cold.
• the court case that harm while the court case continues.<02:40:24.240> Uh<02:40:24.560> sections
• Um, considered a benefit in many cases.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I did not want the record to be cold of comments from me.

Summary: The Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs met to consider several bills and the confirmation of Taylor Hatch as Secretary of the Department of Children and Families. SB 1310, relating to reporting of student mental health outcomes, was temporarily postponed. The committee then took up SB 1354 on behavioral health managing entities, adopted a delete-all amendment, and heard support for the bill’s focus on transparency, accountability, audits, referral patterns, and a DCF report due by December 1. Members discussed the capacity of the current reporting system and the need for coordination with school districts. The committee voted the bill favorably. The committee next considered SB 1620 on mental health and substance abuse disorders, which implements selected recommendations from the 2025 Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders. The bill, as amended, includes reforms on dignity and patient-centered care, crisis response, individualized treatment plans, use of the DLA-20 assessment tool, data analysis by the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, and creation of a research center. Amendments removed a direct medication-provision requirement in favor of a review and report on discharge procedures, medication adherence, and long-acting injectables, and clarified licensure priorities for short-term residential treatment programs. Testimony and debate emphasized the need for action, better data, and efficient use of public funds. The committee reported the bill favorably. Finally, the committee heard from Taylor Hatch, the Governor’s appointee to lead DCF. Hatch described her background in state government and her priorities for DCF, including coordination, transparency, prevention, permanency, and responsiveness to vulnerable Floridians. Several members spoke in support, citing her experience at APD and familiarity with the agency’s work. The committee voted unanimously to recommend her confirmation, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• buy You have to show an ID to buy cold buy You have to show an ID to buy cold medicine<01:04:24.000
• In most cases, it register to vote.
• When he loses a case, it's judiciary.
• <03:45:59.040> by aided and abed in a lot of cases by aided and abed in a lot of cases by
• been sued in federal court in a case been sued in federal court in a case alleging<03:47:51.439>

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, April 10, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• deferred maintenance and underinvestment have led to decay in bridges and roads that can't measure up to cold
• But I think there's a strong case for thinking about the certainty and the multi-year approach that we've

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Transportation held its first hearing of the session on H. 53, Governor Healey’s Chapter 90 proposal to increase state funding for municipal roads, bridges, sidewalks, and culverts. Committee chairs outlined the hybrid hearing process and invited testimony from municipal officials, labor groups, regional planning organizations, contractors, and administration officials. Across the hearing, speakers consistently supported the bill, emphasizing long-deferred maintenance, inflation in construction costs, climate-related flooding, and the need for more predictable, multi-year funding so cities and towns can plan projects and take advantage of the construction season. The administration described H. 53 as part of a broader $8 billion transportation package, proposing to raise annual Chapter 90 funding from $200 million to $300 million for five years, with the additional $100 million distributed by road mileage to better support rural and small communities. They also highlighted $200 million for culverts and small bridges, plus other transportation investments, and said the five-year authorization would provide certainty for municipal capital planning. Municipal witnesses from places including Carlisle, Beverly, Granby, Hatfield, Newton, Nahant, Gardner, Beckett, and Yarmouth described local road and culvert backlogs, rising asphalt costs, and the difficulty of maintaining infrastructure on limited local budgets. Labor and industry witnesses from the AFL-CIO and MAPA said the bill would support good-paying jobs and provide stability for contractors and producers. The MBTA Advisory Board and regional planning representatives also backed the proposal, noting the connection between local roads and the broader transportation system. Committee members asked questions about the road-mile formula, culvert needs, asphalt costs, and the rationale for a five-year authorization. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the committee adjourned after testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• During the Holocaust, homosexuals were forced to wear the pink triangle, or in cases of queer women,
• We also want to make sure people can wear their mask when they're sick, so they won't spread their colds

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think in this case it's best to process it in real time and get your question answered, so...
• In this case, it's best to process it in real time and get your question answered.
• The speaker noted that there is no reserve vessel in case something happens.
• This is just a real quick look at case studies, just to show you some examples.
• There's going to be cold-weather concrete work.

Summary: The committee received a detailed staff presentation on Washington State Ferries’ capital needs, current fleet status, and long-range funding outlook. Staff described the current service pattern, ridership recovery since the pandemic, the aging fleet, and the state’s plan to add three new hybrid-electric Olympic-class vessels under the 2025 budget, with delivery expected around 2030-2032. Members also heard that the fleet is operating with no reserve vessel, that preservation time is below the desired level, and that terminal electrification and vessel conversion plans face timing, cost, and procurement risks. Questions focused on ridership trends, biofuel supply, design-risk allocation in vessel contracts, sequencing of terminal electrification with new vessel delivery, and the cost and feasibility of restoring international Sidney service, which would require a SOLAS-certified vessel. Staff then outlined ferry capital funding, saying recent spending and programmed needs are far above regular ferry-specific revenues and that the system relies on a mix of dedicated accounts, transportation package money, federal grants, and transfers. They said the near-term budget is balanced through 2027-29, but the longer-term capital outlook shows a shortfall of roughly $250 million to $300 million per biennium, with broader unmet needs much higher. The presentation estimated costs for future vessels, life extensions, terminal electrification, and additional Jumbo Mark II conversions, and noted that the current enacted plan does not fully fund fleet replacement, full electrification, or life extension of older vessels. Members asked for follow-up information on terminal seismic/environmental issues, contract options for additional vessels, and the timing and cost of alternative vessel designs. The committee then shifted to WSDOT maintenance and preservation. Pascoe Focktich described maintenance operations, including winter response, guardrail repair, facilities, equipment, and the effects of underfunding and inflation. He said most of the maintenance budget is fixed cost and labor, that material prices have risen sharply, and that many facilities are in poor condition with asbestos issues and deferred upkeep. He also noted growing guardrail damage, increasing pavement claims, and the burden of maintaining aging bridges and facilities. Members asked about prior planning for these needs, the role of asbestos, and whether more proactive sequencing could help budget decisions. Troy Suing then presented the highway preservation program, saying WSDOT is in the early stages of critical failure and has stretched preservation dollars as far as possible. He explained the distinction between pavement, bridge, and other highway asset preservation, said the department is largely reactive, and estimated that delaying work can make it three to five times more expensive later. He said about 40% of roadways are currently due or overdue for preservation, bridge conditions are nearing the federal poor-bridge threshold, and the department’s 10-year preservation need is about $8 billion. Members asked about the cost of deferring work, whether the department could do more if funded, how priorities are set, and whether other states face similar problems. Finally, Evan Grimm and Mike Fay briefed the committee on bridge strikes by overheight vehicles. They described recent incidents on I-90 near Cle Elum and SR 410 near White River, the damage and closures caused, and possible countermeasures such as public outreach, improved trip-planning tools, and a pilot warning system with sensors and flashing beacons. Fay explained the state’s financial recovery process for third-party damage, saying WSDOT recovers roughly $20 million per biennium and about 78% to 80% of billed damages, with money going to the motor vehicle fund. Members asked about prevention, insurance recovery, and whether the state uses claim data to inform future design or safety changes.