Transcript Highlights:

• , a real criminal offense, but something that put under their feet to let them realize that you can't
• I notice this is only on the third offense.
• If he's on a third offense, he didn't be getting a break.
• You shouldn't have to wait to get to the third offense.
• of a nonviolent offense.

Committee: House Corrections and Public Institutions

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2417 relates to changing the Washington Code of Military Justice for victims of an offense
• Both establish offenses and the legal procedure for service members.
• Offenses in the Washington Code of Military Justice contain those specific to military service and offenses
• over serious offenses such as rape, murder, and assault.
• The WCMJ provides no statutory protections for victims of offenses under our state code.

Summary: The committee first met in executive session on several technology and economic development bills. Staff briefed proposed substitutes and amendments for House Bill 2157 on high-risk AI, House Bill 2225 on AI companion chatbots, House Bill 2351 on emergency responder protections, and House Bill 2186 on federal fund acquisition for economic development. Members discussed the competing approaches in the two proposed substitutes for HB 2225, including enforcement, disclosures, minor protections, and crisis-response requirements. The committee then voted to adopt the proposed substitute for HB 2225 and report it out with a due pass recommendation, with a 7-3 vote and three excused. It also passed HB 2186 out of committee with a unanimous due pass recommendation after discussion about reducing fiscal impact. The committee then held a public hearing on House Bill 2397, which would require timely reimbursement within 60 days for state agencies and local jurisdictions mobilized under the Washington State Fire Services mobilization plan. Fire officials and fire finance staff testified in support, describing reimbursement delays of six to ten months that strain local budgets and can discourage participation in wildfire deployments. Testifiers said the bill would improve cash flow and staffing stability, while also noting the need for technical clarification on when the 60-day clock starts and possible staffing needs at the State Patrol. No one testified in opposition. The final public hearing was on House Bill 2417, which would add victim-rights protections to the Washington Code of Military Justice, aligning state military justice procedures with the federal Uniform Code of Military Justice. The prime sponsor and military legal experts testified that the bill closes a gap so victims serving in the Washington National Guard receive the same notice, participation, and fairness protections regardless of whether they are in state or federal status. Veterans’ advocates also supported the bill, saying it would improve trust, reporting, and accountability. The bill was scheduled for future executive action, and the meeting adjourned after the hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill also increases criminal penalties for violations. Mr. Chairman, that's the bill.
• While participants can face criminal liability, excuse me, restitution, the offense is not a felony,
• While participants can face criminal liability, excuse me, restitution, the offense is not a felony,
• Furthermore, the bill criminalizes opinions and views in the same definition.
• The bill now says board-certified criminal defense lawyer, and this changes it to a private criminal

Bills: S0086 , S0642 , S0712 , S0758 , S0896 , S1224 , S1300 , S1370 , S1712

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Summary: The committee met with a quorum present and took up a series of bills, beginning with SB 1300 on education and workforce development for current and former inmates. Senator Claudio explained that the bill is intended to expand collaboration between the Department of Transportation and the Department of Corrections to provide training opportunities tied to Florida’s need for CDL drivers. The bill was reported favorably without debate. Members then considered SB 896 on campus safety, as amended by strike-all and late-filed amendment. The bill would require postsecondary institutions to adopt active assailant response plans, conduct security risk assessments, improve threat reporting and information sharing, and allow voluntary participation in the guardian program; the late-filed amendment removed a prohibition on guardians wearing uniforms. After questions about the firearm-discharge provision near campuses and testimony both for and against, the committee reported the bill favorably. The committee also reported favorably SB 86 on commercial motor vehicles operated by unauthorized aliens, SB 642 on foreign and alien bail bond insurers, and confirmed appointees listed on tabs 10 through 19. The committee next heard SB 712 on pyramid promotional schemes, which would create a new prohibition and increase penalties while preserving legitimate direct sales plans. Members raised concerns about whether participants in such schemes might themselves be victims, and the sponsor said prosecutorial discretion would distinguish victims from primary wrongdoers; the bill was reported favorably. SB 1224 on rental housing application fraud was also amended and reported favorably after testimony from apartment and realtor groups in support. In the latter part of the meeting, Chair Martin presented SB 1370 to expand habitual traffic offender status to repeated unlicensed driving, and SB 1712 to create a statewide FDLE counterintelligence and counterterrorism unit. SB 1370 was reported favorably unanimously. SB 1712 drew extensive questioning and public opposition over concerns about broad language, surveillance, and possible impacts on speech and protest, but the sponsor said the unit would focus on protecting the state from adversary intelligence threats and operate within constitutional limits; it was reported favorably. Finally, SB 758 on the Justice Administrative Commission was amended to adjust commission membership and reported favorably unanimously. The committee then recorded additional votes for members and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's true when it comes to criminal justice generally, but it's certainly true here too.
• The involvement of the people in that facility had no criminal background.
• We should want to protect New Mexicans from violent Criminals.
• Because these are not all criminals. And the large percent is not criminal.
• So again, in this particular case, this child had a lengthy criminal history, a lengthy violent criminal

Committee: House Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• bill attempts to further criminalize.
• Currently in California, we have to charge criminal threats.
• SB 759 will not increase incarceration for those with minor offenses.
• third-time offenders with new criminal conduct.
• We are witnessing the criminalization of people seeking or providing... ...start.

Committee: House Public Safety

Summary: The committee heard several public safety bills, beginning with SB 701 by Senator Wahab, which would create a state-law tool to address a serious criminal offense that supporters said local prosecutors currently cannot punish effectively. Support came from the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, the California Police Chiefs Association, League of California Cities, and the California State Sheriffs’ Association. The ACLU and others opposed the bill as unnecessary duplication of existing law, though some opponents said they may move to neutral after amendments. Because quorum was not yet established, the bill was held open without a vote at that time. The committee then heard SB 834 by Senator Dodd, a technical cleanup bill on automatic record clearance. The author and sponsor said it would fix implementation problems in existing record-clearing laws by preventing outdated “pending” charges from blocking relief, requiring local court records to match DOJ updates, and creating a way for people to obtain written proof of relief. Support was broad and no opposition was registered. The chair recommended an aye vote, and the bill was held open until later action. Senator Rubio presented SB 248, requiring DOJ to send new gun purchasers educational materials during the waiting period about safe storage, suicide prevention, domestic violence resources, and gun violence restraining orders. Supporters said the bill is a common-sense education measure; one opponent argued the information is already provided at gun stores and in manuals. After quorum was established, the committee voted the bill out on a due-pass motion to Appropriations, with one member not voting and the measure placed on call. The committee also took up SB 19, another Senator Rubio bill, to create a new crime for credible threats against schools and places of worship even when no specific individual is named. Supporters, including law enforcement and Jewish community organizations, said current law leaves a dangerous gap and that the bill would help address swatting, bomb threats, and generalized threats. Opponents, including the ACLU and youth justice advocates, warned it would expand the school-to-prison pipeline and criminalize students. After extensive debate, the committee approved the bill on a due-pass motion to Appropriations, with the measure also held on call. Later, SB 759 by Senator Archuleta, which would require court hearings after repeated post-release supervision violations or new offenses, passed on a due-pass vote despite opposition from public defenders and justice advocates who said it would reduce discretion and increase incarceration. Finally, SB 6 by Senator Ashby, which would schedule xylazine as a controlled substance, passed after supporters argued it would curb diversion and save lives, while opponents said criminalization would not reduce overdose deaths and would hinder research; the committee chair and several members emphasized the need for tools to address the drug supply while also expanding treatment.

Transcript Highlights:

• goes into the system as a violation because that's a criminal offense. expanded use of lethality assessments
• goes into the system as a violation because that's a criminal offense. >> Okay, thank you, Mr.
• goes into the system as a violation because that's a criminal offense. >> Okay, thank you, Mr.
• goes into the system as a violation because that's a criminal offense. >> Okay, thank you, Mr.
• </c> violation because that's a criminal violation because that's a criminal offense. offense. offense

Summary: The subcommittee on Family Court reviewed several previously distributed reports, including a comparison of family court structures in other states and a report on improving New Hampshire family court pre-trial and mediation practices. The main new topic was a report on the intersection of domestic violence and family courts in New Hampshire, with members discussing how domestic violence cases in superior or district court can overlap with custody matters in family court and how courts may not be aware of related proceedings in other venues. Members discussed RSA 490-D:2 and related statutes, noting that family courts have original jurisdiction over certain abuse, neglect, and domestic violence matters, with concurrent jurisdiction in some protective-order cases. The discussion focused on practical problems such as confidentiality in domestic violence cases, limited access to case information by nonparties, and the need for courts to better communicate about companion cases. Suggestions included a shared or unified database, expanded lethality assessments for law enforcement, and a requirement that criminal courts report domestic violence convictions or protective-order violations to family court so judges are aware of the full case context. The subcommittee also discussed ways to help self-represented litigants, including better education at first appearance, clearer guidance about raising protective orders or criminal charges at hearings, daily docket review by clerks, and a possible “lawyer for the day” program modeled on Massachusetts. One member raised the idea of a family safety docket, while another noted that New Hampshire already has a complex case docket for high-conflict matters and that cases generally stay with one judge when possible. No votes were taken, and the chair said the subcommittee would continue reviewing materials and could return to work next year, with possible bill amendments to follow.

Transcript Highlights:

• criminal history.
• It's a severity level six offense under the guidelines.
• The next offense is theft over $5,000. That's a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
• It is a severity level two offense under the sentencing guidelines. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• Because not all concerning conduct is criminal conduct, right?

Bills: HF3043 , HF2891

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> on</c><04:00:10.239><c> our</c> dangerous, violent criminals on our dangerous, violent criminals
• </c> currently allowed to release criminals currently allowed to release criminals to<04:00:24.640><c
• </c> criminal cases at some point or another. criminal cases at some point or another.
• </c> And what I find particularly offensive And what I find particularly offensive is<04:19:27.199><c
• </c> which repeals common sense criminal which repeals common sense criminal justice<04:31:04.080><c>

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota already has extensive criminal laws addressing violent offenses, illegal firearm possession
• Criminals do not care. Criminals do not care what laws we put in place.
• Criminals do not care.
• Criminals do not care. Criminals do not care what laws we put in place.
• Criminals do not care.

Transcript Highlights:

• This isn't just a criminal issue.
• This isn't just a criminal issue.
• This isn't just a criminal issue.
• This isn't just a criminal issue.
• This isn't just a criminal issue.

Transcript Highlights:

• Examiners Commission authority to appoint the district medical examiners and establishes that the Criminal
• Justice Professionalism Program within FDLE will provide support staff to the Criminal Justice Standards
• It specifies that the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission, and not FDLE, will be responsible
• We're talking about things like murder, sexual battery, and other vile offenses that they are remanded
• a person to an enhanced penalty and requires the court to sentence a person convicted of such an offense

Transcript Highlights:

• Meanwhile, criminals keep getting guns off the street with zero paperwork required.
• This is to fully protect workers and prevent repeat offenses.
• This is to fully protect workers and prevent repeat offenses.
• So I bring that up to say this is not criminalizing someone who's unhoused.
• By raising the minimum term for such offenses, Of public trust and humanity.

Summary: The Assembly Public Safety Committee met to consider several bills, with six measures approved on consent, including bills on background checks, female offender prison facilities, a juvenile justice hunger survey, protective orders and firearms, a youth offender camp pilot, and peace officer behavioral health training. AB 710 and AB 848 were pulled by the authors. The committee also took up AB 458, AB 394, AB 1094, AB 1092, and AB 1036, with extensive testimony on each. AB 458, by Assembly Member Stephanie, would require state agencies purchasing firearms, ammunition, or accessories to vet vendors for compliance with firearms laws and procurement standards. Supporters, including Brady and the California Police Chiefs Association, said taxpayer funds should not go to dealers with serious violations; opponents argued the bill added burdens and vague standards. The committee approved the bill as amended and sent it to Appropriations. AB 394, by Assembly Member Wilson, would expand protections for transit workers and riders by broadening enhanced battery penalties, clarifying who may seek temporary restraining orders in the transit context, and making those orders system-wide. Transit agencies, labor groups, and law enforcement supported the bill, while public defender and civil liberties groups raised concerns about vagueness, duration, and impacts on access to transit. The committee passed AB 394 to Judiciary as amended. AB 1094, by Assembly Member Baines, would raise the minimum parole eligibility term for child torture convictions involving a child under 14 in the perpetrator’s care or custody from seven years to 20 years. Prosecutors, sheriffs, and police groups supported the bill, citing the severity of the abuse and the need to protect child victims; opponents argued the parole system already screens for risk and that harsher sentences do not improve public safety. The committee approved the bill as amended to Appropriations. AB 1092, by Assembly Member Castillo, would extend concealed carry weapon license renewals from two years to four years; supporters said it would reduce costs and administrative burdens, while the chair and others opposed it as unnecessary. The committee ultimately voted the bill down. AB 1036, by Assembly Member Schultz, would expand post-conviction discovery access for people convicted of felonies with sentences of one year or more, including Brady materials and jury selection notes. Innocence organizations and defense groups supported it, while district attorneys opposed the broader discovery obligations; the committee passed it to Appropriations as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Elevating certain offenses from gross misdemeanors to felonies is a necessary step to hold offenders
• </c> tolerated elevating certain offenses tolerated elevating certain offenses from<00:04:54.360><c>
• In many instances, we do not have evidence to meet the criminal threshold.
• </c> referred 24 cases uh for uh criminal referred 24 cases uh for uh criminal prosecution<00:08:43.560
• </c> have evidence to meet the criminal have evidence to meet the criminal threshold<00:08:55.920><c>

Summary: The committee took up House File 327, which would increase penalties for introducing contraband into correctional facilities, especially drugs and other dangerous items sent through the mail or brought in by outside actors. Representative Ingan described the bill as a response to a sharp rise in violations and staff exposures in DOC facilities, arguing that stronger felony penalties are needed to deter people from sending in illicit substances. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the committee omnibus because it has a fiscal note. The committee adopted the DE1 author’s amendment after Representative Ingan explained it was intended to clarify language that could otherwise create a catch-22 for people arrested or booked into jail who already have contraband on them. Members then raised concerns about the breadth of the bill, including overlap with an existing DOC statute and the possibility that the language could sweep in incarcerated people in situations involving prescription medication or minor exchanges. House nonpartisan staff and members suggested the DOC provisions should be reconciled with existing law before moving forward, and some suggested narrowing the bill to focus more specifically on jails. Sheriff Brad Wise of the Minnesota Sheriffs Association testified in support, saying contraband in jails threatens staff, inmates, visitors, and administrators and that current penalties are not enough to deter smuggling. Commissioner Paul Schell of Corrections also testified, noting that DOC already has a separate statute with a higher felony penalty for certain contraband, described the department’s mail-scanning contractor process, and said it has reduced suspected drug incidents by about two-thirds. An A2 amendment tied to medication intake practices was offered by Representative Curran but then withdrawn after discussion, with members agreeing the issue of medication access in facilities should be handled separately.

Transcript Highlights:

• Legislature's second session the submission of House Bill 60, a bill revising the definition of criminal
• offense for the purpose of the Victims of Crime Act to include certain crimes against a peace officer
• Of House Bill 60, a bill revising the definition of criminal offense for the purpose of the Victims of
• as dangerous or violent felony offenses for the purposes of denying bail, providing that the provisions
• as dangerous or violent felony offenses for the purposes of adhering to deny bail, providing that the

Transcript Highlights:

• But I do what I don't want to do is duplicate existing criminal offenses, um creating more confusion
• So, I just have some hesitation about the duplication of statutes and criminal offenses that we're getting
• </c><00:33:13.800><c> offenses,</c> is duplicate existing criminal offenses, is duplicate existing criminal
• </c> duplication of statutes and criminal duplication of statutes and criminal offenses<00:33:48.040>
• </c> offenses that we're getting into today. offenses that we're getting into today.

Transcript Highlights:

• > criminal investigation, nonprofits, criminal investigation, nonprofits, corporations,<00:18:50.160>
• :55.760><c> offenses.
• </c> criminal investigations. criminal investigations.
• </c> Criminal Apprehension. Criminal Apprehension.
• </c> referral now to the Bureau of Criminal referral now to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension,<02:11

Transcript Highlights:

• offenses, such as status offenses.
• Weapons offenses were the most serious charge for 4% of referrals in 2025. I know the color...
• certain types of offenses, there are opportunities to create more.
• In some states, it's gun offenses. In some states, it was carjacking.
• The violent offenses were way down, and then you saw that uptick in 2022.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• So, my question is, the word may, is that common in statute, uh, criminal offense, that they may be sentenced
• </c><00:05:12.720><c> offense</c><00:05:13.440><c> that</c><00:05:13.600><c> they</c> in statute uh criminal
• offense that they in statute uh criminal offense that they may<00:05:14.120><c> be</c><00:05:14.360>
• </c> that's outside of, you know, criminal that's outside of, you know, criminal sexual<00:18:45.280>
• </c> personally or socially offensive personally or socially offensive language<01:16:54.000><c> when

Bills: HF3119

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: teacher compensation, educational staff, unlicensed staff, minimum wage, inflation adjustment, education finance

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> starves if there's no criminal charges. starves if there's no criminal charges.
• </c> criminal defense attorney. criminal defense attorney.
• </c> prosecutors file criminal charges. prosecutors file criminal charges.
• It is a crime or an offense. An offense which is a civil tort.
• </c><02:14:19.119><c> Uh</c> That as a predicate criminal offense.

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:54:09.920><c> and</c> isn't about criminalizing behavior and isn't about criminalizing behavior
• or any offense not pursued within a 10-year period.
• </c> the first offense or any offense not the first offense or any offense not pursue<02:09:14.960><c
• </c><02:09:27.360><c> upgrades</c><02:09:27.679><c> the</c><02:09:27.840><c> offense</c> intoxicant offense
• . upgrades the offense intoxicant offense. upgrades the offense of<02:09:28.239><c> operating</c><02:

Summary: The committee heard SB 2694 SD2, which would authorize the Public Utilities Commission to create automatic adjustment mechanisms for water carriers, including a water carrier inflationary cost index, and to waive certain requirements under the Hawaii Water Carrier Act. Testimony was sharply divided. The Department of Transportation, Young Brothers, and several shipping, harbor, labor, and business-related supporters argued the bill would modernize regulation, reduce the need for large catch-up rate cases, and help keep rates aligned with rising costs. Young Brothers said its current rate-setting process is expensive and delayed, and that annual adjustments with guardrails such as a 5% cap and periodic full reviews would support sustainable operations and the state’s supply chain. Some supporters also said the company’s less-than-container-load service and required inter-island routes create costs that are not fully covered by current rates. Opponents, including the Consumer Advocate, the Maui Chamber of Commerce, Hawaii Food Industry Association, restaurant and chamber groups, and other businesses, argued the bill would lead to higher costs for consumers and businesses and should not move forward. Several testified that shipping costs already significantly affect pricing and that automatic increases would worsen the cost of living. The Consumer Advocate said Young Brothers should focus on cost control and implementing its business plan rather than automatic rate increases. The Maui Chamber and others pointed to a recent PUC decision that imposed a two-year stay on rate increases and said the bill would undermine that protection. Some opponents urged the committee to defer to the PUC’s regulatory authority. The PUC explained that it regulates water carriers as public utilities under existing statute and said it had recently approved a temporary rate increase while imposing a two-year stayout period on further increases, with emergency relief still possible. PUC members said they were still examining whether they have authority to adopt the proposed WICI mechanism by rule and wanted legislative clarity. In response to questions, the PUC said it prefers the current two-year stayout as reflected in its order. Young Brothers also clarified that it serves less-than-container-load cargo, that some routes and services are cross-subsidized because they are not profitable, and that an independent observer is being put in place to monitor implementation of its updated business plan. The transcript ended with the committee still taking questions; no final vote or disposition on the bill was shown.