Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:14:28.480><c> Um</c> uh to to address that. Um uh to to address that.
• But we we really would address that.
• ><c> others,</c><00:29:33.279><c> but</c> want to address some of the others, but want to address some
• </c><01:47:29.920><c> your</c> you're I think that addresses your you're I think that addresses your
• And so the email that you mentioned, he referred to, I think, in his comments. When was the email?

Summary: The Juvenile Justice Oversight Council met on February 6, 2026, took roll, approved a motion to convene, and heard agency updates from materials in the packet. The council then took up Senate Bill 125 out of order because Senator Carol was present. The bill was presented as a collaborative effort focused on creating a secure, state-run high-acuity mental health facility for justice-involved youth who need specialized psychiatric care and cannot be appropriately served in detention or by private hospitals. Speakers said the facility would fill a gap in services, improve safety and treatment outcomes, and be designed with trauma-informed, medically equipped spaces rather than a jail-like setting. The presenters also outlined other parts of the bill, including a placement process in which DJJ and CHFS would evaluate youth and provide recommendations before the judge makes the final decision, with certain hospital-declination provisions to be delayed until the new facility is operating. They described payment incentives for hospitals treating high-acuity youth, confidentiality and escape-related disclosure provisions, and contracts with a public teaching university for clinical services. The proposed facility was described as a 24-bed center at Central State, with staffing to include mental health professionals and juvenile detention staff receiving enhanced training. Dr. Clark Lester said staffing needs would vary by youth and could include one-to-one supervision for some patients. The bill also addressed female juvenile detention capacity. Speakers said the number of detained girls has risen sharply since 2024, peaking at 51 in 2025, and that current facilities cannot meet the separation requirements for boys and girls or high- and low-level youth. The proposal would build two female detention centers, with possible locations discussed in central Kentucky and western Kentucky, and a third or fourth center could be added if population data show the need. Members asked about hospital placement authority, staffing, and average length of stay for girls; the presenters said the current court-order process would remain until the new facility is built and that they would provide additional data later. No vote was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, could we ask the state treasurer maybe to come in sometime to address some of the questions
• We could, or we could send an email to that organization as well. Yes, represent Elmy.
• Yes, I think the email would be a better route. I emailed... not sure if he'll take the answer.
• </c><01:26:10.719><c> to</c> We could or we could send an email to We could or we could send an email
• </c><01:26:19.280><c> I</c><01:26:19.600><c> emailed</c> Representative Elmy said the email would be

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on SB 63, a bill described by Senator Tim Lang and other supporters as a technical correction to the rooms and meals tax distribution formula. Lang said the bill would clarify that the Division of Travel and Tourism’s 3.15% promotional allocation is taken from gross rooms-and-meals revenue before the 30% municipal reimbursement fund is calculated, which he argued restores the intended 2009/2021 structure and avoids an unintended loss to tourism marketing. Committee members raised questions about whether the bill actually changes section one or instead addresses DRA’s interpretation, and whether the measure could be affected by the budget process or HB 2. Jessica Keeler of Ski New Hampshire testified in strong support, saying the bill would preserve the promotional budget formula that had been in place since 2009 and that the 2019 revision effectively reduced the promotional allocation by placing the municipal share first. She said tourism promotion has helped increase visitation, revenues, and jobs, and warned that without a fix, the joint promotional program and other tourism efforts could be cut in future budgets. She also said the bill would not change the current year’s tourism budget but would matter for future cycles. Mike Summers of the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association also supported SB 63, calling it a correction to the 2021 changes and arguing that state tourism marketing is essential because small businesses cannot reach distant markets on their own. He said the industry has benefited from state promotion, especially after COVID, but is now facing softer occupancy rates, lower Canadian visitation, and financial strain from debt and operating costs. Summers said the industry cannot make up for major tourism budget cuts on its own and urged maintaining or increasing travel and tourism funding. No vote or final action was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> shifting is um has to be addressed shifting is um has to be addressed somewhat<00:26:18.600><c>
• Whatever, but her email address comes back and just says it's not valid, so I don't know what's going
• </c><01:08:40.359><c> address</c><01:08:40.679><c> comes</c> whatever uh but her email address comes
• whatever uh but her email address comes back<01:08:41.319><c> and</c><01:08:41.520><c> just</c><01:08
• </c><01:09:00.480><c> you</c> from OS you can't do it via email you from OS you can't do it via email

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• or actual address based on that.
• phone or email or or actual<00:09:23.040><c> address</c><00:09:23.920><c> based</c><00:09:24.240><c>
• It is actual address based on that.
• So, we just wanted to address it.
• </c><00:31:52.320><c> in</c> know, I don't think it's addressed in know, I don't think it's addressed

Bills: SB2024 , SB896 , SB2613 , SB494 , SB2391 , SB2125 , SB2614 , SB2615 , SB3262 , SB3325 , SB3118

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• And so as a result, I appreciate the author trying to address an issue that needs to be addressed, and
• Is that the only thing we can address at this level?
• I am sure it can be addressed.
• Is this something that we created just to address this problem in Oklahoma for now?
• I’m very happy to talk with all of you about it and address your questions further.

Bills: SB1936 , SB1612 , SB1543 , SB1260 , SB1988 , SB1859 , SB2041 , SB1257

Committee: Senate Public Safety

Summary: The Public Safety Committee took up several criminal justice and public safety measures. Senate Bill 1936, as amended, increased penalties for impersonating law enforcement from a misdemeanor to a felony and expanded seizure provisions; amendments added federal law enforcement agents and state troopers to the covered officers, and the bill passed unanimously. Senate Bill 1612, requested by Tulsa police, would require limited reporting and sharing of certain injury-related information and hospital video/photo evidence with law enforcement to aid violent-crime investigations; members raised HIPAA, scope, and criminalization concerns, but the bill passed 5-2. Senate Bill 1543 would aggregate multiple DUI offenses within one year into a single felony case; after questions about sentencing, municipal charges, and deterrence, it passed 6-2. Senate Bill 1260 would require child sex traffickers and human traffickers to serve 100% of their sentences without parole or earned credits, and it passed 6-2. The committee also considered Senate Bill 1988, which would increase wire-transfer fees on funds sent outside the United States and restore an income-tax credit for Oklahoma filers; members questioned whether it functioned as a tax, its impact on lower-income senders and service members, and its connection to drug trafficking. The bill failed on a 4-4 vote. Senate Bill 1859, creating an OSBI cybercrime and fraud unit with an estimated $3 million fiscal impact, passed unanimously after testimony that cyber and cryptocurrency fraud are growing and often harm elderly victims. Senate Bill 2041 would make a third possession offense for methamphetamine, fentanyl, or cocaine a felony, with supporters saying it would push offenders toward drug court and opponents warning it would increase incarceration; it passed 6-2. Finally, Senate Bill 1257 would classify THC as a Schedule I drug to align with federal law and close trafficking loopholes, and it passed unanimously. Senate Bill 1584 was laid over at the author’s request.

Transcript Highlights:

• We support amendments to address those concerns.
• Yeah, if you want to share that by email to the committee, we can do that.
• If you would like, please feel free to email us any material. Thank you.
• And if you would like, please feel free to email us any material. Thank you. Thank you.
• So this isn't the first time that we addressed or tried to address something like this.

Summary: The Senate Local Government and State Parks Committee heard several bills focused on local government finance, land use, and public safety. SB 5903 would deem a cemetery district commissioner elected if only one qualified candidate files, with sponsor Senator Cortez saying it would save ballot-printing costs and local resources; there was no testimony in opposition. SB 6037 would create or modify a voter-approved option for cities and towns to form a single-city fire protection district, adjust levy and notice rules, allow administrative service contracts with the city, and clarify commissioner elections; Senator Cortez and multiple city and fire officials said it would give communities more flexible, locally controlled funding tools for fire service, while committee members asked about how it would work and the fiscal impact. SB 5983 would exempt certain current-use land transferred to a government entity for right-of-way from rollback taxes when the transfer is tied to development conditions and stays within a 20% acreage limit; Senator Leas described it as helping a family farm avoid an unfair tax bill, and there was no testimony on the bill. The committee also heard SB 5995, which would remove the 2031 sunset on the prohibition against using port funds to buy fully automated marine container cargo handling equipment. The sponsor and labor witnesses argued the bill protects jobs, keeps public dollars from underwriting automation, and still allows zero-emission, human-operated equipment; port and labor representatives testified in strong support, while the sign-in sheet showed substantial public interest both for and against. SB 6016 would change how urban growth area swaps treat critical aquifer recharge areas, making the rules for annual and periodic updates more consistent and allowing swaps if they do not increase net CARA acreage within the UGA; the sponsor, Commerce, housing, business, and development interests said it was a technical fix that supports housing and consistency, while one witness warned it could weaken groundwater protections and create litigation risk. Finally, the committee heard SB 6066, which would let counties, cities, towns, or WSDOT designate “accident risk zones” on roads with repeated crashes, require a public hearing and engineering review, double certain traffic penalties in the zone, and dedicate half the extra revenue to safety improvements before dissolving the zone. Supporters from cities, counties, and Pasco said it could help address dangerous intersections and fund fixes, though several witnesses raised liability and implementation concerns and asked for further stakeholder work. No votes were taken in the transcript; the chair closed each hearing after testimony and sign-in counts were noted.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you'd like, I could send an email to your office as well.
• Thank you very much. definitional tweak for us to address there.
• And we've got to work together to address that.
• The second would be on addressing veteran... ...work together to address that.
• The second would be on addressing veteran homelessness.

Summary: The Joint Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs met to hear updates from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the Washington Military Department, the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Commerce on federal and state impacts affecting veterans, military families, and military installations. JBLM’s garrison commander said the base remains focused on housing, child care, and spouse employment, but is facing workforce reductions tied to federal personnel actions, especially in air traffic control, 911 dispatch, and firefighting. He also said JBLM is preparing for increased mutual-aid needs during fire season, and that the Army Transformation Initiative could change unit composition at JBLM over time without a major overall population shift. He confirmed that the Lewis Army Museum is on a closure list, but said the building will remain in use for training and that the base is exploring partnerships to keep museum functions operating, possibly with volunteers or local partners. The Washington Military Department reported about 400 Guard members deployed on federal missions and described ongoing state missions in cybersecurity and firefighting. The department said the Army National Guard’s 81st Stryker Brigade will transition to a mobile combat team, with associated changes in equipment, manning, and end strength. It also warned that continuing resolutions are delaying funding, limiting new military construction starts, and increasing costs. The Washington Department of Veterans Affairs outlined a $3.2 million reduction from the governor’s budget and related cuts affecting internships, vacant positions, outreach travel, claims support contracts, counseling and wellness, veterans’ innovation assistance, and the military transition and readiness council staff position. WDVA said it is ending or scaling back several programs, including in-house nursing assistant training, the veteran farm at Ordean, Vet Corps due to AmeriCorps funding changes, and the tobacco cessation program, while noting that the legislature funded about $23.7 million in capital projects for veteran homes, cemeteries, and transitional housing. The Department of Commerce presented on the Defense Community Compatibility Account, which funds projects that reduce conflicts between military installations and nearby communities. The program currently has 10 projects across five legislative districts, including school and child care improvements, water wells, land acquisition, and a joint firefighting training center in Everett. The presenter said the main challenge is that DCCA projects often need non-state funding secured before they can compete, which can make it hard to leverage federal Defense Community Infrastructure Program dollars; he recommended more flexible state timing to help projects qualify for federal funding. In closing discussion, members raised possible future agenda items including child care near bases, veteran homelessness, suicide prevention, Navy Day, military family housing, and a possible Department of Licensing issue involving guard and reserve designations on driver’s licenses. No formal votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after members were invited to suggest topics for the October and December committee meetings.

Transcript Highlights:

• We want to look back and call or email our old professors.
• We want to look back and call or email our old professors.
• You can just email us your final comments. You all gave an amazing presentation.
• You can just email us your final comments. You all gave an amazing presentation.
• But email anything extra. Committee, hold your questions. You can email them, but thank you both.

Committee: Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development

Summary: The committee held a work session on the state of Washington’s community and technical college system, beginning with an update from State Board executive director Nate Humphrey and Tacoma Community College president Ivan Harrell. They described the system’s open-access mission, affordability, enrollment growth over 12 consecutive quarters, credential production, guided pathways work, tribal partnerships, dual enrollment, corrections education, and a new program-search tool. They also highlighted major challenges, especially student basic-needs insecurity, rising emergency aid requests, and federal disruptions affecting TANF, BFET, SNAP-related supports, adult basic education, Perkins funding, and several federal grants. Members asked about SNAP and BFET participation, declining high school graduates, the value of higher education, and how colleges are responding to student needs and workforce demands. AFT Washington and the Washington Association of Higher Education then testified in support of stronger state investment in community and technical colleges, emphasizing the importance of classified staff, professional staff, and contingent faculty to student success. They argued that low wages, unstable employment, and lack of funding for staffing and compensation directly harm advising, retention, and classroom continuity, and urged lawmakers to protect existing funding and avoid further cuts. The committee also heard from the Workforce Board on federal H.R. 1’s new Workforce Pell program and the updated Career Bridge website. The presentation explained that Workforce Pell would support short-term, job-aligned training programs with high completion and employment thresholds, and that Washington is well positioned to implement it through its existing training-provider evaluation system. Members asked about implementation gaps, how the new Pell differs from traditional Pell, and whether eligibility is determined at the program rather than student level. Washington Student Achievement Council staff presented the new Washington Completes FAFSA campaign created by executive order. They described an advisory board, a prior pilot that used microgrants and outreach to boost FAFSA completion, and this year’s goal of 46,000 FAFSA/WASFA completions, with a focus on free-and-reduced-price-lunch students and underrepresented groups. They also demonstrated a public dashboard with subgroup data and a school leaderboard, and said they would provide legislators with outreach materials. Committee members asked about rural and homeschool outreach, Pierce County representation, and whether pilot schools overlapped with other grant programs. The meeting concluded with student leaders from the Washington Student Association, UW Tacoma, and Evergreen State College sharing personal testimony on affordability, basic needs, homelessness supports, Native student scholarships, the Shelton Promise program, and the importance of campus belonging and student support services.

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation will address that. If passed, the legislation would do three things.
• This legislation will address that. If passed, the legislation would do three things.
• This bill's lead contractor liability provision addresses those concerns.
• This bill would address that.
• Thank you. ...via email to the committee. And then finally, Madeline Miller.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development

Summary: The hearing focused on several labor-related bills, especially proposals to give legislative employees the right to organize and collectively bargain, close a prevailing wage loophole for off-site prefabrication work, and strengthen enforcement against wage theft. Committee chairs opened the hearing by explaining the hybrid format and asking witnesses to keep testimony brief. Multiple legislators testified in support of the legislative staff union bill, saying staff deserve the same bargaining rights as other public employees and that unionization would improve pay, benefits, retention, and workplace dignity. Witnesses also discussed how the bill would likely be structured, with separate House and Senate bargaining arrangements or locals, and emphasized that it would only create the option to unionize, not require it. A second major topic was the prevailing wage bill addressing off-site fabrication and prefabrication in construction. Union leaders, contractors, and workers described how more work is being shifted from job sites into shops, especially in sheet metal, HVAC, electrical, and pipefitting work, and argued that the law should treat that work the same as on-site construction when it is part of a public project. They said the current loophole lets some contractors underbid by paying lower wages off-site, while responsible contractors already pay prevailing wages in their shops. Supporters argued the bill would protect workers, preserve apprenticeship and training standards, improve safety and quality, and make enforcement easier through certified payroll and clearer definitions. The committee also heard testimony on wage theft legislation. Representative Dan Donahue, the Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division, AFL-CIO representatives, and carpenters’ union witnesses described wage theft, misclassification, labor brokers, and tax fraud as widespread problems that hurt workers, honest contractors, and public revenues. They supported giving the Attorney General stronger enforcement tools, adding contractor accountability up the subcontracting chain, and protecting workers from retaliation and from delays that can cause claims to expire. A separate witness supported a bill to extend the statute of limitations for Wage Act cases while AG investigations are pending, and another supported changes to help hospital workers enforce timely payment rights. No votes were taken during the hearing; witnesses repeatedly asked for favorable reports on the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• in the financial services industry; enforcing existing consumer protection laws; receiving and addressing
• in the financial services industry; enforcing existing consumer protection laws; receiving and addressing
• them uh and with that uh I will address them uh and with that uh I will turn<00:03:56.760><c> it</c>
• </c><00:35:04.640><c> uh</c> strategies uh for uh addressing uh strategies uh for uh addressing uh developments
• </c> thank you for the opportunity to address thank you for the opportunity to address the<00:59:07.839

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• Remember that birthday as you check your email.
• It was also sent out to your email last.
• It was also sent out to your email last It was also sent out to your email last It<00:58:21.600><c> The
• Line 96 addresses the agricultural water quality projects.
• <01:18:37.800><c> necessary</c><01:18:38.400><c> riverbank</c> addresses necessary riverbank addresses

Transcript Highlights:

• And just one specific issue to flag: I shared this with Senator Boldon via email yesterday when we were
• stating that they would be taking email stating that they would be taking additional<00:31:42.720><c
• </c><00:31:55.080><c> back</c> next week and a half of emailing back next week and a half of emailing
• And<00:35:04.560><c> so</c><00:35:04.680><c> by</c><00:35:04.840><c> addressing</c><00:35:05.360><c>
• this</c><00:35:05.680><c> problem,</c><00:35:06.440><c> we</c> And so by addressing this problem, we

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that measure is supposed to address the transparency issue.
• I think that measure is supposed to address the transparency issue.
• I've addressed that as well.
• Spam, which I thought would be spam email, which I thought would destroy email a while ago, is now a
• Spam, which I thought would be spam email, which I thought would destroy email a while ago, is now a

Summary: The committee held its first meeting on artificial intelligence and data centers, established a quorum, and heard introductory remarks from Majority Leader Hogue and the chair about the committee’s charge. Members said the goal was to build a factual foundation on AI, hear from experts and stakeholders, and develop practical North Dakota-focused recommendations rather than simply produce a large volume of bills. Legislative Council also reviewed interim committee rules and procedures before the informational presentations began. Staff and NCSL presenters then gave overviews of AI concepts and the state and federal policy landscape. The background memo and presentations covered AI categories and terms, state laws in areas such as consumer protection, algorithmic discrimination, deepfakes, chatbots, children’s safety, health, education, and government use, as well as data center siting and economic impacts. NCSL described a growing number of AI bills introduced and enacted across the states, with comprehensive laws in places like Utah, Colorado, Texas, California, and Illinois, and noted recurring issues around transparency, privacy, liability, and protections for minors. A major focus of the discussion was federal preemption and the tension between state regulation and national AI policy. NCSL said a recent White House executive order and related federal framework seek a light-touch, innovation-friendly national standard, with possible challenges to state laws and possible funding conditions tied to compliance, though no broad federal preemption has yet been enacted. Members asked about Commerce Clause concerns, industry pushback, oversight models, and whether AI policy is bipartisan; presenters said the issue cuts across party lines, with broad agreement on child safety and deepfake restrictions but more disagreement on broader regulatory approaches. No votes or formal actions were taken at the meeting, and the committee recessed briefly for technical issues during the second presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a form of care that’s really prevalent in lower-income communities, and we think addressing the
• I think that the EEC and all of us are looking to your leadership to address that issue.
• I'm here today in strong support of House 541, Senate 373, which addresses the role that exclusionary
• You can email it to me.
• You can email it. Okay, yes, I will. Thank you. Thank you.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Education

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held its sixth public hearing and took testimony on a large slate of bills, with the chair moving H. 542/S. 341 on family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) child care to the top of the agenda so young constituents would not have to wait. Witnesses from labor, community organizations, and FFN providers strongly supported the bill, saying FFN care fills critical gaps for families working nonstandard hours, especially in low-income, immigrant, and BIPOC communities. Testimony emphasized that FFN providers are currently underpaid, often receive only about $24 per child per day, and should be guaranteed at least the state minimum wage. Witnesses also backed changes to the voucher system to allow families to combine formal and FFN care more flexibly, and they supported creating an FFN advisory council. Committee members asked about the difference between FFN and center-based care, registration requirements, fingerprinting/background checks, EEC’s ongoing study group, and the fiscal impact; witnesses said the current annual cost is about $1.8 million and could rise to about $6 million if all current FFN providers were paid minimum wage, still under 1% of the EEC budget. The committee then closed testimony on that bill. The committee next heard testimony on several preschool and universal pre-K bills, including H. 707 on public preschool facilities, H. 687/S. 339 on universal pre-K and mixed delivery, and related bills such as H. 606, H. 523, H. 618, H. 522, H. 510, and H. 615, many of which were later closed without additional witnesses. A Lowell school official testified that space and facilities funding are major barriers to expanding preschool and that the city has hundreds of children on voucher waitlists. Other witnesses and organizations, including the Early Care and Education Consortium and AFT Massachusetts, supported mixed-delivery universal pre-K and warned that public-school expansion should not undermine community-based providers, whose preschool tuition helps subsidize infant and toddler care. Several witnesses also urged stronger standards for preschool teachers, better staffing ratios, and more integrated special education and support services. The committee accepted written testimony on some bills and closed testimony on the others when no one else came forward. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 541/S. 373, which would ban school exclusion in pre-K through third grade. Advocates from Massachusetts Advocates for Children, Mass Appleseed, Citizens for Juvenile Justice, AFT Massachusetts, and the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee argued that suspensions and expulsions at young ages harm learning, worsen inequities, and contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline. They cited data showing disproportionate impacts on Black and Latinx students, students with disabilities, and low-income children, and described personal stories of children whose behavior improved when schools kept them in class and addressed underlying needs. Committee members asked for updated data on the number of students and districts affected, and witnesses said they would provide more detailed written information. After testimony on this and a few other bills, including S. 372, S. 357, and H. 275/S. 133, the committee closed testimony and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• a number of presenters today, and so I guess unless there's something else, Jeff, that we need to address
• We can also follow up by email so you have that in written form.
• I can follow up with an email after this with those specific numbers.
• I can follow up with an email after this with those specific numbers.
• Moving from right to left, we see folks who have no water rights, which we address through technical

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative Committee on Water Supply During Drought

Summary: The Joint Legislative Committee on Water Supply During Drought received a detailed presentation from Deputy State Climatologist Karen Bumbacco on the conditions that led to Washington’s 2025 drought. She described below-normal snowpack, especially in the Cascades, a very dry January, warm and dry spring and summer conditions, and the compounding effect of three consecutive years of poor snowpack and precipitation. She also outlined the outlook for winter, noting a weak La Niña and a likely wetter-than-normal winter, while cautioning that one wet year would not erase large basin deficits such as in the Upper Yakima. Members asked about the basis for long-range climate projections, microclimates, and hydropower impacts, and Bumbacco explained the difference between weather forecasts and climate modeling and emphasized that statewide averages can mask local variation. Department of Ecology staff Rea Burns and Caroline Melor then reviewed the state’s drought declaration process and response. They explained Washington’s statutory drought threshold of less than 75% of normal water supply plus hardship, and said the state extended the Yakima drought declaration in April and expanded it in June to 19 additional watersheds. They described the role of federal data sources such as NRCS snowpack readings, USGS gauges, NOAA, and the Bureau of Reclamation, and raised concerns about staffing and funding instability affecting those systems. They also summarized drought response tools, including expedited water transfers and emergency grants, and noted that 2023 statutory changes created a $3 million drought emergency response account, though the one-transfer-per-fiscal-year rule could complicate future back-to-back droughts. Committee members asked about the amount of drought funding used, whether any balance remained, and whether drought insurance exists for municipalities; Ecology said the account still has funds available and that they were not aware of municipal drought insurance. Ecology also described severe impacts in the Yakima Basin, where low reservoir storage, three years of drought, and the adjudicated water-right system led to unprecedented curtailment orders in October. Staff said nearly all senior surface-water rights in the basin were turned off, a first for the basin, and that the action was necessary to protect the most senior rights. They credited the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan and prior planning investments with reducing impacts, but said more resilience work is needed. In committee discussion afterward, members raised broader questions about whether the drought fund should be increased, whether reservoirs or other storage projects should be expanded, and whether drought insurance or other long-term tools could help local governments and irrigators. The meeting ended with general agreement that drought is becoming a recurring condition in Washington and that more planning and water conservation will be needed going forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• Fisher to address this committee. I send her haste.
• Miss Fisher, you are welcome to address the committee.
• The issue that's being addressed is corrections to death certificates.
• The second thing it does is it just adds the option for email notification instead of regular mail for
• So we're addressing that issue as well. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Bills: HB1979 , HB1225 , HB3931 , HB4454 , HB3849 , HB1746 , HB3720 , HB4275 , HB4300 , HB3586 , HB2268 , HB3755 , HB4117 , HB4294 , HB3650 , HB4298

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: early childhood education, task force, governance structure, healthcare access, stakeholder engagement, quality services, vital records, birth certificate, birth registration, biological sex, sex designation, male, female, nonbinary, gender identity, X marker, transgender, vital statistics, State Department of Health, State Commissioner of Health

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> be addressed somewhere. be addressed somewhere.
• </c> important to us as a school to address important to us as a school to address the<00:50:22.720><
• </c><00:52:18.200><c> We</c> email saying there was bullying. We email saying there was bullying.
• How would that address the Seabrook problem?
• She often will check her email at the end of the day only to discover an email outlining concerns about

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• And so what I found interesting, if you wanted to check your email on the 10th, I emailed everyone before
• on the 10th, I to check your email on the 10th, I emailed<00:49:09.040><c> everyone</c><00:49:09.520
• And one of them was uh burning email.
• </c> address our primary uh issue with this. address our primary uh issue with this.
• </c> So the clerk's amendment would address So the clerk's amendment would address that.<02:26:44.319

Bills: HB0068 , HB0062 , HB0127 , HB0109

Committee: House Revenue

Transcript Highlights:

• the review, the exchange may adopt market factor certification criteria for the next plan year to address
• We understand and appreciate the bill's objective to address Of perspectives from amongst our members
• One is to address bare counties, as was noted.
• But unfortunately, we do not believe that this bill will address the problems that exist.
• He said the bill addresses both issues.

Bills: HB2564 , HB2599 , HB1809 , HB2242 , HB2261 , HB2384 , HB2505

Committee: House Health Care & Wellness

Keywords: healthcare, insurance, certification, state regulation, health plan, therapy, psychotherapy, mental health, regulation, professional standards, behavioral health, mental health crisis, crisis response, co-response, co-responder, first responder, EMS, emergency medical services, paramedic, EMT

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill addresses the challenge in two fiscally, hopefully fiscally prudent ways.
• Addressing the affordable housing crisis is a top priority for counties.
• issues like the bill before you seeks to address.
• issues like the bill before you seeks to address.
• They sent that by email and sent that by phone.

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.