Transcript Highlights:

• It's a good system in our current law by which the people can act as the check.
• Speaker, this good bipartisan bill uses an exemption to the Public Records Act to shore up our plan to
• This allows our farms to stay as farms and our forests to stay as forests.
• This one in particular fixes the Manufacturing or Housing Landlord Tenant Act.
• And so while it seems like a good fix, it will really help our renters to make sure that they know when

Bills: HB1160 , HB1289 , HB1339 , HB1798 , HB1002 , HB1065 , HB1155 , HB1916 , HB2264 , HB1078 , HB1687 , HB1701 , HB1717 , HB1795 , HB1859 , HB2088 , HB2091 , HB2107 , HB2109 , HB2110 , HB2113 , HB2124 , HB2125 , HB2133 , HB2134 , HB2140 , HB2151 , HB2152 , HB2155 , HB2165 , HB2185 , HB2191 , HB2205 , HB2211 , HB2219 , HB2228 , HB2229 , HB2230 , HB2235 , HB2238 , HB2242 , HB2245 , HB2249 , HB2253 , HB2254 , HB2269 , HB2272 , HB2283 , HB2304 , HB2317 , HB2340 , HB2343 , HB2385 , HB2406 , HB2417 , HB2426 , HB2445 , HB2452 , HB2472 , HB2492 , HB2501 , HB2531 , HB2574 , HB2606 , HB2664

Keywords: design review, local government, land use, zoning, project permits, housing density, middle housing, affordable housing, parking minimums, single-family zoning, infill development, growth management, comprehensive plan, permit streamlining, objective development regulations, architectural review, administrative review, transit-oriented development, accessory dwelling units, ADU

Summary: The House considered and passed a series of bills on topics including public employee bargaining communication, condominium and middle-housing development, building code changes for scissor stairs, substance use disorder monitoring for nursing assistants, pet insurance continuity, liquor licensing flexibility, voter registration challenges, concealed pistol license records exemptions, social housing public development authorities, services for people with developmental disabilities, rent increase notices, and unlawful detainer notices. Members repeatedly described the housing bills as efforts to increase supply, improve affordability, and fix prior statutory problems, while the health-related bills were framed as improving patient comfort, provider flexibility, or workforce consistency. Several measures were advanced without amendment, while others were substituted with committee recommendations before final passage. The most debated item was Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1916 on voter registration challenges. Supporters said it would curb mass or frivolous challenges, protect voters, and give election officials clearer standards and more accountability. Opponents argued it would make legitimate voter challenges harder, reduce citizen oversight of voter rolls, and weaken election integrity. Multiple amendments were offered to reduce penalties from felony to gross misdemeanor, allow electronic challenges, remove county-residency limits, and strike sections of the bill; most were rejected, though one amendment removing the same-county requirement was adopted. The bill ultimately passed after a divided vote. Other notable debate included House Bill 2152, which would allow terminally ill patients in hospitals and similar facilities to use medical cannabis; supporters emphasized dignity and comfort at end of life, while one opponent worried about added burdens on rural hospitals. House Bill 2235, concerning Public Records Act exemptions tied to concealed pistol license records and a permit-to-purchase framework, passed with strong support. House Bill 1687 on social housing public development authorities passed after an amendment restored city council involvement in housing cooperation decisions, while House Bill 2249, relating to Washington Technical employees and civil service treatment, passed with a larger number of nays. The House then placed additional bills on second reading and adjourned until the next legislative day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Firefighters are at the back of our communities, access to our great state.
• Firefighters are at the back of our communities, access to our great state.
• Today I'm here to present AB 1536, the Save Our Shores Act, on behalf of Assembly Member Addis.
• Today I'm here to present AB 1536, the Save Our Shores Act, on behalf of Assembly Member Addis.
• protect our coastal economies.

Committee: House Emergency Management

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• values and our goals to protect the environment and our natural resources.
• water and our coast.
• So our focus, from our agency, ... control board.
• So our focus, from our agency, Essentially sit in that quasi-adjudicatory capacity.
• We've tightened our belt.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection, and Energy opened its first hearing with remarks from the chair and members emphasizing climate change, resiliency, clean energy, natural resources, and the need to make careful budget choices in a constrained fiscal environment. The Legislative Analyst’s Office presented an overview of the natural resources and environmental protection budget, warning that although current revenues are strong, the state faces significant out-year deficits and should apply a high bar to new ongoing spending, use special funds and fees carefully, and focus on critical health and safety needs. The LAO said the Governor’s Proposition 4 spending plan was generally reasonable and consistent with bond requirements, but urged legislative oversight and reporting, especially where bond funds interact with General Fund proposals. Secretary Wade Crowfoot then described the Natural Resources Agency’s recent accomplishments and priorities, including wildfire resilience, water reliability, coastal protection, outdoor access, biodiversity, tribal partnerships, and streamlining project delivery. He highlighted major investments in climate and resilience, the role of Proposition 4 in continuing those efforts, and the need to modernize water infrastructure, including Delta conveyance and other regional conveyance projects. Members asked about Delta conveyance, invasive species, permitting delays, and the impact of federal staffing cuts; Crowfoot said the administration is pushing projects forward, supports a beneficiary-pays approach for conveyance, and is filling gaps left by federal reductions where necessary. The committee then heard from the Department of Parks and Recreation. Director Armando Quintero reviewed the state park system, outdoor access programs, tribal agreements, wildfire and forest resilience work, and deferred maintenance funded by the climate bond. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposed ongoing General Fund transfer for the California State Parks Library Pass program, saying it did not meet the high bar for new spending, while several members strongly supported the program as a low-cost, high-value access tool. Members also pressed Parks on reservation system problems and no-show vacancies; staff said new rules and enforcement will take effect July 1 and that vacancies are being opened up sooner. The department also presented low-cost accommodation projects, which the LAO supported. Finally, the Department of Fish and Wildlife introduced its new director, Megan Hurdle, who outlined the department’s mission, staffing, service-based budgeting, and Proposition 4 proposals for salmon tagging, hatchery improvements, and public access lands. She emphasized the department’s role in biodiversity conservation, permitting streamlining, law enforcement, and human-wildlife conflict outreach, and said the agency is working to close a service gap identified in its budgeting analysis. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our Navajo leadership Our Navajo men gave him a Navajo name, Nacreyej, and he so proudly answered to
• Down by the river, but at the same time, we also need to clean up our forests.
• revenue and to our job space.
• Speaker and gentlemen, do you think that any of our other, or any of our 18 department secretaries, don't
• And technical personnel to New Mexico because of the status of our education system and our lack of good

Transcript Highlights:

• I also want to add a word about our communication and our relationship with our partners.
• Our issues are different, our politics may be different, but we're here to protect our constituents.
• Our revenues.
• our political courage, whether we can actually prioritize our budget and get our expenditure growth to
• institutions, our state prison system, as a result of our actions.

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so I um our um research um our Um, so I um our um research um our researcher<00:03:09.360><c> went
• In our world, she was our champion, our fiercest ally, our defender, our five-star general, and most
• </c><00:59:11.440><c> our</c><00:59:11.680><c> forests,</c> agricultural systems, our forests, agricultural
• systems, our forests, petlands,<00:59:12.880><c> grasslands.
• our kids and our they're going to be our kids and our grandkids.<01:34:56.880><c> And</c><01:34:57.120

Bills: HF3556

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Keywords: community solar, energy, solar power, renewable energy, Melissa Hortman, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• After including approved Act Act 833 expenditures paid from the fire department account, $6,304 should
• About our March meeting.
• We have to use our own vehicles. Yes, ma'am, but I mean... We have to use our own vehicles.
• When we run our monthly report, all that money goes into our general fund report.
• our amount.

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't want to see our country or our state revert into a third world country where people have to worry
• So, our milk specialist out of Texas comes up and reviews our program.
• So, our dairy program is The regulatory authority that we have to operate our program in the state is
• Or did we come up here to put our finger in our mouth and test the wind see which way it's blowing on
• The value increase would be that we brought our forester on last year.

Bills: SB2122 , SB330 , SB2071 , SB2169 , SB2069 , SB2095 , SB2157

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Wildlife

Keywords: poultry, agriculture, out-of-state processing, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, regulation, food safety, elk population, wildlife management, Oklahoma State University, veterinary medicine, ecosystem health, habitat assessment, milk, dairy, dairy farm, milk products, Grade A milk, pasteurization, raw milk, milk inspection

Transcript Highlights:

• It sustains our farms, our economy, our families. And importantly, our future.
• It's not for our cities. It's not for our schools our industries or our landowners.
• Citizens of our county because our our county water is going to that.
• Texas forest lands are part of the water solution. They safeguard our rivers and aquifers.
• to protect our critical infrastructure. our property, our food supply chain, our electrical supply.

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That goal was to protect our waters, to restore our habitat, to support our parks and trails, and to
• He's also designating the primary purposes for our two national forests for being clear-cut by logging
• , Indigenous, rural communities, and our LGBTQ+ family that our lived experiences, our culture, and our
• Our lands, our environment, our resources, our habitats.
• Representative O'Driscoll: Thank you, Madam Speaker, and you can catch our act downtown later this evening

Transcript Highlights:

• our responsibility, our legislative do our responsibility, our legislative responsibility,<00:19:22.240
• public</c> both our our coffers, our public both our our coffers, our public coffers,<00:42:48.079><
• Biomass is a solution to help us keep our forest more clear and clean so we don't have to worry about
• and</c> help us keep our forest more clear and help us keep our forest more clear and clean<01:33:17.760
• </c><03:11:24.000><c> our</c> all of your work managing our our all of your work managing our our democratic

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Please support these measures, protect our forests, trails, and our shared investments.
• </c> of invasives deep into our forests. of invasives deep into our forests.
• our</c><01:30:36.920><c> shared</c> our forests, trails, and our shared our forests, trails, and our
• For decades, our system has reflected our reality: vast forests, long distances, and a strong culture
• Vast forests, long our reality.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Please come on up while I try to find our place. Well, I try to find our place. Go ahead.
• of the Growth Management Act.
• of the Growth Management Act.
• Management Act.
• to addressing our gridlock and our system resilience.

Bills: SB5633 , SB6279 , SB6291 , SB6274 , SB6309 , SB5903 , SB6016 , SB5820 , SB6132 , SB6189

Committee: Senate Local Government

Keywords: land subdivision, zoning, property development, local government authority, real estate, infrastructure, wildfire, wildland urban interface, WUI, building code, fire-resistant construction, defensible space, hazard map, risk map, state building code council, department of natural resources, fire marshal, regional fire defense board, roofing standards, exterior walls

Transcript Highlights:

• fixing of some of the plumbing or the generator that we just replaced, is looking at our EHR, getting
• fixing of some of the plumbing or the generator that we just replaced, is looking at our EHR, getting
• That's our forest resource management program.
• That's our uh forest requests this year.
• That's our uh forest resource<05:23:35.920><c> management</c><05:23:36.400><c> program.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It is our livelihood.
• state and our country.
• Land loss is one of our biggest issues in our county.
• I would say that's quickly becoming a huge crisis in our ability to supply food for our nation and our
• We've talked about how great our state parks, our state forests, and our wildlife management areas are

Committee: Senate Rules

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Summary: The Rules Committee heard and voted on a series of bills, beginning with SB 54 on toxicology screenings in autopsies of violent offenders, which requires medical examiners to screen for psychotropic and intoxicating substances, consult treating providers when possible, and report findings to state agencies; it passed favorably. The committee also approved SB 176 on public postsecondary campus safety policies, requiring colleges and universities to publish clearer reporting and response procedures for threats to students, faculty, and staff. Both bills were reported favorably without major opposition. The largest portion of the meeting was devoted to CS/CS/CS/SB 290, the Florida Farm Bill. The bill covers a wide range of agriculture-related issues, including fair association rules, preemption of local restrictions on gas- and diesel-powered farm equipment, surplus of certain state-owned lands for agricultural use, a food and animal veterinary loan repayment program, permanent Farmers Feeding Florida funding, forest service training expansion, signal-jamming device penalties, CDL English proficiency enforcement, no-solicitation protections, food safety inspector protections, biosolids regulation, and contractor payment enforcement. Members adopted several amendments, including changes to contractor payment language, expanded veterinary loan eligibility, citrus foundation consolidation, technical corrections, removal of outdated fair references, a nonprofit definition fix, and a late amendment deleting the bill’s disparagement clause after extensive testimony and debate about free speech and agricultural speech protections. A separate late amendment delayed biosolids compliance deadlines. The bill drew strong support from farmers, agritourism groups, food donation advocates, and some utility and wastewater interests, while conservation groups and biosolids operators raised concerns about land surplus provisions and biosolids restrictions. The committee ultimately reported the bill favorably as amended. The committee then approved SB 834 on nonprofit religious organizations, which repeals a restriction on health care sharing ministries partnering with licensed insurance agents, while an amendment added written disclaimer requirements; it passed favorably. SB 936 on temporary door locking devices also passed, directing the Building Commission to incorporate standards into the Florida Building Code. SB 50 on veterans’ courts was approved, allowing judges in all circuits to use veterans’ courts for cases involving service-related issues such as PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and substance abuse. Finally, SB 1004 on the sale of dogs and cats passed after amendments removed an appropriation and kept the bill’s disclosure, financing, and consumer protection provisions, and SB 178 on athletics in public K-12 schools passed with discussion about coaches providing basic support to student-athletes and possible parental-consent language. The committee also began hearing SB 198 on virtual currency kiosks, which would regulate crypto kiosks with registration, fraud warnings, transaction limits, receipts, and refund protections; an amendment to that bill was adopted, but the transcript cuts off before the final vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's in our brain. It's in our liver. It's in our reproductive organs. It's in us right now.
• It's in our brain. It's in our liver. It's in our reproductive organs. It's in us right now.
• Ours just asked me to brief.
• For our health, for our lands, and for our waters, and to meet Washingtonians' expectations, please support
• On behalf of the American Forest and Paper, so. households and our goal is very simple to recycle more

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several waste and recycling bills. House Bill 2212 would require microfiber filters on commercial and industrial washing machines, with Ecology authorized to consider residential machine rules later if cost thresholds are met. Supporters, including the sponsor, students, environmental advocates, and scientists, said washing machines are a major source of microplastics and that filtration is a practical way to reduce pollution before it reaches waterways and human bodies. Opponents, including appliance manufacturers, laundromat operators, business groups, and Ecology staff, raised concerns about technical feasibility, worker safety, cost, and the lack of third-party certification for commercial systems. Ecology said the science is emerging and the proposal would create new agency work and costs. No vote was taken. House Bill 2233 would tighten the state’s carry-out bag laws by banning reusable film plastic bags, raising the paper bag pass-through charge to 20 cents, and extending certain requirements to manufacturers, distributors, and third-party sales platforms, while preserving protections for food assistance cardholders. Supporters argued the current thicker-bag approach has not reduced plastic waste, that plastic bags contribute to litter and microplastics, and that a stronger ban would better protect waterways and wildlife. Opponents from grocery, retail, hospitality, paper, and business groups argued the bill would raise consumer costs, create checkout and food-safety problems, and add operational complexity; some also said the state should wait to see the effects of the recent fee increase. Several local government and environmental witnesses supported the bill. No final action was taken. House Bill 1420 would establish an extended producer responsibility program for textiles and apparel, requiring producers to form a producer responsibility organization to manage collection, reuse, repair, recycling, and related infrastructure. The sponsor described the bill as a response to textile waste, overconsumption, and landfill impacts, and said the proposal had been refined through extensive stakeholder work. Supporters from environmental groups, local governments, Ecology, counties, Goodwill, and circular-economy organizations said textiles are a growing waste stream and that producer responsibility could improve collection, reduce dumping, and support repair and reuse. Opponents from business, retail, hospitality, apparel, and medical-device groups raised concerns about complexity, consumer and compliance costs, governance, supply-chain reporting, and possible unintended coverage of uniforms or medical products. The hearing also included a State Board of Health health impact review noting likely increased awareness and collection but limited evidence on large-scale reuse and recycling outcomes. No vote was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> I guess that's a question to our I guess that's a question to our our<00:05:49.280><c> presenter
• so much of our forests.
• And that's all. our forests. Uh I I believe the pace at our forests.
• </c> crisis in our state and on our planet crisis in our state and on our planet with<01:26:53.280><c
• Most of our bills. &gt;&gt; Yeah. Most of our bills.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that, that, you know, after we actually met with our, with our auditor, and then they, that those
• While citing fixed assets, we were unable to locate three of the four computers on their fixed asset
• When we run our monthly report, all that money goes into our general fund report.
• that's skewing our amount.
• Here's our current balance. Is that acceptable to add to our city council financial statements?

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES

Summary: The committee began with prayer and approval of the January 8 minutes, then received updates on delinquent private water and sewer reports. Staff reported that for the 2022 reports, 19 of 43 entities had had their turnback reinstated, while 24 remained in escrow; for the 2023 reports, 59 of 64 entities had filed, leaving five outstanding. The committee also filed a report on Adona, where staff said the city had made enough progress toward substantial compliance with municipal accounting laws to discontinue withholding turnback, and the committee adopted that recommendation. The bulk of the meeting focused on municipal accounting noncompliance cases. Gum Springs and Denning were presented with extensive repeat findings involving budgets not adopted by ordinance or resolution, missing or incomplete bank reconciliations, inadequate receipts and disbursement records, payroll issues, and improper handling of Act 833 funds or other city money. Both cities’ mayors and recorders-treasurers testified about efforts to correct records, obtain training, and work with the Municipal League; the committee voted to start the 60-day turnback-withholding clock for both and then filed the reports. Fargo was deferred because no city representative was present. Additional reports included Green Forest, Elaine, Strong, Brooklyn, Mineral Springs, Rondo, Waldo, Columbia County, and several private water and sewer entities. Strong drew significant concern over missing garbage-bag revenue, improper fund transfers, and deficit balances; the committee deferred that report to the March meeting. The committee also heard investigative or referred reports on the Faulkner County Fair Association, Brooklyn payroll direct-deposit fraud, and other entities with questionable disbursements or recordkeeping. In several cases, staff recommended filing the reports after responses were received; in others, the committee deferred action when responses were lacking or representatives were absent. The meeting ended with a motion to defer a Cross County Rural Water matter so the entity could appear at the next meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we know that that's been the case with a lot of our programs because our programs are complex.
• And we know that that's been the case with a lot of our programs because our programs are complex.
• One of our PRA projects came in for grants and scored number one in two of our grant programs.
• grants and our applications.
• But it's a constant push forward to evolve our programs, our processes, our policies, to try to get us

Summary: The Capital Budget Committee heard presentations from the Department of Commerce, the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO), and a consultant on the School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP) study. Commerce officials described their agency’s role in housing, energy, local government, broadband, and other capital programs, and reported on a $5 million pilot under Senate Bill 5200 that used trusted community messengers and technical assistance to help historically excluded organizations prepare for capital funding. They said 18 organizations received direct support and 79 smaller projects were also funded, but emphasized that statutory match rules, reimbursement-based payments, site-control requirements, insurance and audit costs, and extensive contracting rules remain major barriers. Commerce outlined efforts to expand outreach, digital modernization, internal contracting improvements, tribal MOUs, and innovation centers, and members asked about small business support, housing program placement, and outreach to Eastern Washington and communities of color. RCO described its grant programs for recreation, conservation, education, and salmon/orca recovery, and reviewed equity work done before and after a 2021-23 proviso. The agency had already created a small-communities carve-out in youth athletic facilities, piloted stipends for advisory committee members, and reduced match requirements where allowed. Under the proviso, RCO completed an equity review and a planning program that funded 54 projects across 34 counties, with many applicants being new or long-absent grantees. Staff said the review led to changes in scoring criteria, clearer application guidance, more objective data measures, expanded technical assistance, and targeted community engagement. Members asked about application burden, project sizes, outreach, and how the agency is broadening participation and representation on advisory committees. The final presentation summarized a planning study on SCAP, which examined rising construction costs, fragmented grant programs, local funding barriers, and uneven district capacity. The report recommended nine major changes, including stronger planning support, a new minor-modernization category, a mechanism to use unused funds more quickly, an education-specification prototype, a SCAP enhancement program for low-capacity districts, acceptance of non-SCAP funds, phased modernization, streamlined D-form and reimbursement processes, and revisions to the SCAP formula to better account for grade-band differences, enrollment projections, and regional cost factors. Additional recommendations included ongoing monitoring and evaluation, facilities-impact reviews, matching SCAP increases to construction-cost inflation, earlier locking of funding estimates, flexible program spaces, and updated statewide building-condition assessments. No votes were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Incentive Act payments to no more than 100% of the property tax that would be paid on the forest land
• Forest Incentive Act, or SFIA, payments that were included in article 7, section 13.
• in our state.
• He mentioned our excellent researchers, our fiscal staff, our partisan researchers, Sean and Jacob, our
• </c><01:51:39.440><c> our</c> mentioned our excellent researchers, our mentioned our excellent researchers

Bills: HF2730 , HF2257 , HF2768 , HF1932 , HF2437

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: local government debt, municipal bonds, county bonds, capital improvements, public financing, bond issuance, public hearing, notice period, bond guarantee, Minnesota Public Facilities Authority, volume cap, private activity bonds, housing finance, residential rental bonds, LIHTC, low-income housing tax credits, redevelopment, courthouse financing, jail financing, law enforcement center