Transcript Highlights:

• I need a motion. No. Moved by Hogan, seconded by S. I need a motion.
• What you described would not be, you know, any changes to a proposal need to be, need to occur through
• So I may need Ms.
• Yeah, and that kind of answers my question of, do we need this? Why do we need this?
• for study.

Summary: The task force first approved the March 25, 2026 minutes as amended, including a correction removing language that suggested the auditor’s office would contract with a security vendor. Members then moved to a bill draft on concessions (LC 27.0161.00000), which would raise the competitive solicitation threshold from $25,000 to $50,000, allow requests for proposals in addition to bids, clarify that proceeds go to the entity’s operating fund or general fund, and make other technical updates. OMB explained the draft and answered questions about scope, fragmentation, vendor restrictions, school districts, and whether concession proceeds could be directed to nonprofits; OMB said the draft could be refined further, including clarifying covered entities and contract length. No vote was taken on the draft during the discussion. OMB also reported on other survey items. It said a proposal to broadly allow agencies to create pre-qualified architect/engineering/land surveying vendor pools would not move forward, because the existing authority is working well for the agencies that already have it. On legal notices, OMB said it has been working with the North Dakota Newspaper Association on modernization, including an ADA-compliant online notice system and possible statutory updates to reflect changing technology and notice definitions. On click-through agreements for routine IT purchases, OMB and the Attorney General’s office said policy clarification—not statutory change—was enough, and the $20,000 threshold was intended to distinguish low-dollar adhesive contracts from purchases where terms can be negotiated. The committee also heard that OMB and the Center for Distance Education had resolved questions about alternate procurements and food/beverage expenditures through existing policy, so no statutory changes were needed there. North Dakota University System representatives gave a brief update on ongoing collaboration with OMB on statutory efficiency ideas, including concessions and surplus property. Finally, the task force discussed a draft on requirements for new or expanded spending programs, which would require agencies to identify purpose, expected benefits, alternatives, success measures, and full implementation costs, and would require reporting on outcomes over time. Members debated whether OMB or Legislative Council should collect and report the information, how to use the new program evaluators, whether real-time dashboards should be used, and how to choose which programs to evaluate; staff from Legislative Council said they would work with OMB and the auditor’s office to revise the draft and process.

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you focus on what the child's needs are and addressing those needs, you don't have to teach to
• We talked about teaching to the standards, not to an assessment, but we made the assessments clear.
• Summative assessment.
• It was the least reported that it met needs and the most reported that it did not meet their needs.
• They are meant to be targeted to the needs of students based on the district's needs assessments.

Summary: The committee first approved the March 9 and 10 minutes, then heard a presentation from the Arkansas Excellence in Teaching Fellowship Program featuring three third-grade teachers from Poyen, Drew Central, and Cabot, along with Department of Education Secretary Jacob Oliva. The teachers described the fellowship as a year-long collaboration among 23 merit-pay recipients from across the state, focused on sharing classroom strategies, data use, and professional support. Members asked about teacher experience, how the fellowship information is shared locally, the role of merit pay, and how teachers are addressing third-grade reading and retention concerns under the ATLAS assessment system. The teachers emphasized early intervention, relationships with students, small-group instruction, progress monitoring, and communication with families; they also described community supports such as churches, food backpacks, and local donations. Several members raised broader questions about poverty, trauma, social services, DHS involvement, and whether similar professional learning should be expanded to more teachers. Secretary Oliva said the fellowship is a small subset of a larger merit-pay program, that participation was voluntary, and that the state is working to improve literacy supports, clarity, and alignment across grades. He also said ATLAS results are now available to schools and families much faster than in the past, often within 24 to 72 hours, and that the state is using the data to identify at-risk students earlier and support intervention before retention decisions are made. The committee then moved to the adequacy/resource allocation presentation from the Bureau of Legislative Research. Staff explained that the report is part of the statutory adequacy review and focuses on state funding sources beyond foundation aid, including categorical and supplemental funds. They noted that districts and charters spent more than $7 billion in the 2025 school year, with roughly 49% from foundation funding and 51% from other sources over the last three years. The presentation outlined the four categorical funds—Alternative Learning Environment, English Learners, Enhanced Student Achievement, and Professional Development—describing their restricted uses, student-based funding formulas, and the ability of districts to transfer some money among categoricals while keeping it within allowable purposes. Staff said categorical funds account for about 4% of total spending, or less than $300 million, and reviewed superintendent feedback on whether those funds met district needs, with responses varying by category and district.

Transcript Highlights:

• We perform a functional assessment, we get them settled in, we talk to them about what they need, what
• I don't need it.
• They've been assessed at a very high risk, high need.
• We need to be mindful of what our families and children need.
• We need you, we need you. Don't change your mind.

Transcript Highlights:

• I need a motion. No.
• I need a motion. No. Moved by Hogan, seconded by S. I need a motion.
• So I may need Ms.
• Yeah, and that kind of answers my question of, do we need this? Why do we need this?
• They were a shell study.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I need a motion. No. Moved by Hogan, seconded by S. I need a motion.
• office don't need to specifically. clarification that OMB and the Attorney General's office don't need
• So I may need Ms.
• Yeah, and that kind of answers my question of, do we need this? Why do we need this?
• They were a shell study.

Summary: The task force approved the March 25, 2026 minutes as amended, striking language about contracting with a security vendor. Members then reviewed a draft bill on concessions procurement (LC 27.0161), which would raise the competitive solicitation threshold from $25,000 to $50,000, allow requests for proposals in addition to bids, update language for vending and merchandising machines, and clarify where concession proceeds are deposited. OMB explained the bill and said it was open to further changes, including language to address artificial fragmentation, clarify which government entities are covered, and possibly set contract-length limits. Members raised questions about whether the bill would apply to school districts, park districts, airports, and other political subdivisions, and about whether concession agreements could direct proceeds to nonprofits or other secondary recipients; OMB said the statute is intended to require proceeds to go to the government entity’s operating fund or general fund. OMB also reported on other survey suggestions. It said a proposed general authority for agencies to create pre-qualified architect/engineering vendor pools would not move forward, because the existing authority is best limited to high-volume agencies. On legal notices, OMB said it had made progress with the North Dakota Newspaper Association on modernizing online notices, improving ADA compliance, and discussing rate and definition changes. On click-through agreements, OMB and the Attorney General’s office concluded no statutory change was needed after revising internal guidance; the $20,000 threshold was described as a practical cutoff for adhesive, nonnegotiable software terms. OMB also said issues raised by the Center for Distance Education on alternate procurements and food/beverage expenditures had been resolved through policy clarification. The University System gave a brief update on its collaboration with OMB and said it was continuing to review concessions, surplus property, and capital project statutes with all institutions involved. The task force then discussed a draft bill on requirements for new or expanded spending, intended to require agencies to identify program purpose, needs, alternatives, success measures, and budget details, and to report on outcomes over time. Members and staff debated whether OMB or Legislative Council should collect and report the information, how much should be real-time versus periodic, and whether the bill should include full implementation costs for pilot programs. Legislative Council staff said the new program evaluation division is still being built out, that staffing remains limited, and that the office plans to continue working with OMB and the executive branch to refine the proposal before the next meeting. No final action was taken on the draft bills beyond directing further work and follow-up for the next meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• everything that they feel they they need everything that they feel they they need to<00:00:58.480
• Both MNA studies and other academic studies show that nurses are leaving or plan to leave the bedside
• Both M&A studies and other<00:03:48.400> academic<00:03:48.959> studies<00:03:49.599
• Several times a day, we assess patient volumes and staffing to ensure the needed resources are planned
• actually need to be safe at the bedside. actually need to be safe at the bedside.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now we need to find solutions that work for all of us.
• And also having sustainable revenue for that system is a national need.
• But I think we need to be clear what we're really talking about.
• It first began with a feasibility study.
• UDOT was given the task to study RUC more earnestly, which we did.

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee first took up three highway naming resolutions on its consent calendar: ACR 109, SCR 78, and SCR 90. The committee approved the consent calendar with 11 aye votes and no no votes, then adjourned the bill-hearing portion. Members also recognized committee science fellow AJ Mendeola for his service, noting his contributions to bill analysis and staff support. The committee then held an informational hearing on alternatives to the gas tax, focused on the projected decline in fuel-tax revenue and the need for a more sustainable transportation funding model. The chair and invited experts described how inflation, improved fuel efficiency, and growth in electric and other alternative-fuel vehicles are eroding gas-tax revenues. Presenters from the National Conference of State Legislatures and the University of California discussed state options such as higher or indexed gas taxes, EV registration fees, road usage charges, delivery fees, public EV charging fees, transportation network company fees, and managed lanes, emphasizing tradeoffs among revenue adequacy, fairness, administrative cost, and public acceptance. Committee members raised concerns that mileage-based fees or EV fees could function as new taxes on commuters and lower-income drivers, especially if the gas tax is not repealed. Presenters responded that road usage charges are generally intended as replacements for the gas tax, not additions, and argued that mileage-based systems better preserve the user-pays principle while being less tied to vehicle fuel efficiency. They also noted that flat EV registration fees are easy to administer but can be less equitable because they are not linked to actual road use. Officials from Hawaii, Utah, and Oregon described their state programs and policy choices. Hawaii said its new road usage charge began July 1, 2025, for EVs, offers a choice between a per-mile charge and a flat annual fee through 2028, and will transition to mandatory EV participation before expanding to all light-duty vehicles by 2033. Utah described its voluntary EV road usage charge program, quarterly reporting, privacy protections, and legislative scenarios for removing the cap or making participation mandatory. Oregon outlined its constitutional cost-responsibility framework and broader transportation funding challenges, including reliance on user fees and limited use of general-fund support.

Transcript Highlights:

• maintenance needs.
• So, for example, if they need a waiting area, where if they need a courtroom or if they need cashier
• that will suit those needs.
• there, but they might need less space back in the other.
• But there would be an initial additional space that would be needed there, but they might need less space

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• three things: you need heat, you need water, and then you need permeability for the subsurface because
• three things: you need heat, you need water, and then you need permeability for the subsurface because
• three things: you need heat, you need water, and then you need permeability for the subsurface because
• um so do you have any reports as needed um so do you have any reports studies<00:15:52.959> to
• need heat you need need three things you need heat you need water<00:16:58.920> and<00:16:59.040

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees first heard Senate Bill 151 relating to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and geothermal development on Hawaiian homelands. DHHL and Ulupono Initiative testified in strong support, saying the measure would help advance clean energy goals, create economic opportunities, and support DHHL’s mission. Fine Electric also supported the bill. Several members of the public testified in opposition, raising concerns about consultation with beneficiaries, water impacts, land issues, and the scale of the proposed spending. In response to questions, DHHL staff explained slimhole drilling, the permitting distinctions between water exploration and geothermal exploration, and said prior studies and geophysical testing had been done. The chair then recommended passage with amendments, including SMA technical amendments, a directive to establish a permitted interaction group to study geothermal options, removal of the appropriation language, and a new effective date. The committees adopted the recommendation and passed SB 151 with amendments, with one senator voting no and several excused. The joint committees then took up Senate Bill 371 on property damage to critical infrastructure facilities. The Department of the Attorney General supported the bill with amendments, recommending broader critical infrastructure language to cover systems such as transportation, gas, power, water, and oil, and suggesting additional changes to improve prosecution. Utility and other supporters also testified in favor. The chairs proposed adopting the AG’s amendments except one, and further expanding the bill to make manslaughter explicit when a death results from disruption of critical infrastructure, and to add water as a covered infrastructure category. The committees adopted the amended recommendation and passed SB 371 with amendments. Finally, the Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs committee heard Senate Bill 585 on special purpose revenue bonds for Bana Pacific. The Attorney General noted a possible issue with the company’s entity status and the bill title, but Bana Pacific stated it was in the process of converting from an LLC to a corporation and was satisfied with the title. The State Energy Office supported the concept, and Bana Pacific described the project as an integrated biogas and green hydrogen facility that would support energy security, create jobs, and reduce emissions. The committee then moved on to Senate Bill 964 on waste-to-energy, where the State Energy Office offered supportive comments but many testifiers opposed the measure, arguing incineration is costly, polluting, and inferior to recycling. Written testimony showed more opposition than support, and public testimony focused on environmental and cost concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we need to have...
• We could have wildfire bonds, wildfire bonds, second home assessments, tax assessments.
• So I think, you know, it's great that the 254 study says we need wildfire mitigation.
• So I think, you know, it's great that the 254 study says, we need wildfire mitigation.
• Survivors know what they need.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The committee held the first of several informational hearings on the SB 254 Natural Catastrophe Resiliency Study, focused on wildfire risk, utility liability, and how to finance catastrophic losses. Chair Allen opened by describing California’s recent utility-ignited wildfires, the creation of the wildfire fund under AB 1054, and SB 254’s extension of that fund and requirement for a study. The California Earthquake Authority, as wildfire fund administrator, presented the report’s process and findings, emphasizing that the study was intended to be neutral and broad, based on extensive stakeholder outreach, and that the status quo is not working well for survivors, communities, ratepayers, insurers, or utilities. CEA’s report organized recommendations into three policy pathways: continued mitigation investment, more equitable allocation of catastrophe burdens, and expanded state roles in catastrophe financing. For utilities, the report discussed options such as setting a binding risk-tolerance standard, preserving safety certificate accountability, tying executive compensation more directly to safety, creating confidential reporting with safe-harbor protections, reforming utility liability including possible changes to inverse condemnation, limiting damages, reducing insurance subrogation, and creating a fast-pay facility for survivors. The financing analysis compared a more durable wildfire fund, risk transfer/reinsurance, liability reforms, and state-backed mechanisms such as a state insurer, a state backstop, and broader funding for community wildfire mitigation. The CPUC said wildfire mitigation oversight has improved, but wildfire-related costs are driving electricity bills higher and creating an affordability crisis. The Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety highlighted its wildfire mitigation plan review and field inspections, and recommended stronger safety reporting and more safety-weighted executive compensation. In member discussion, senators and assemblymembers focused on the cost of the status quo, whether the burden should be shared by ratepayers, utilities, the state, or other parties, and whether California should consider broader disaster-financing approaches. Several members raised concerns about inverse condemnation, the pace of survivor compensation, local land-use responsibility, and the need for a more comprehensive statewide solution rather than piecemeal bills. No votes or formal actions were taken; the hearing was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• > and<00:17:43.120> we<00:17:43.240> need<00:17:43.360> to to study the reasons
• why and we need to to study the reasons why and we need to be<00:17:43.600> able<00:17:43.799
• to study the application process and determine what may need to be improved in it.
• We would need time to procure the services for the study and then conduct the analysis and issue a report
• So I really need you guys. I need the support.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• needed to be done and presented to this legislature to confirm the essential need and viability of this
• needed to be done and presented to this legislature to confirm the essential need and viability of this
• needed to be done and presented to this legislature to confirm the essential need and viability of this
• Needed to be done and presented to this legislature to confirm the essential need and viability of this
• valuable experience in critical need valuable experience in critical need areas<01:32:51.920>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ever ever heard that you guys needed ever ever heard that you guys needed more<00:50:52.400>
• Do you need more staff?
• We need to hire more people.
• >> We need to hire more people. >> We need to hire more people.
• We need to be prepared for FY27. segregated rate and handling fee study, segregated rate and handling

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The informational briefing focused on the Office of the Auditor’s recent audit of Hawaii’s deposit beverage container program and the Department of Health’s response. State Auditor Les Condo reviewed the program’s structure, noting it was created to increase recycling and reduce litter, but said prior audits have repeatedly found weak internal controls, reliance on self-reported data, and an “honor system” approach. He cited examples of underreporting and overpayment risks, including a Whole Foods settlement and secret-shopper testing at a redemption center where the program reimbursed more than what was actually paid to consumers. Condo said the special fund continues to grow, increasing by more than $12 million between FY24 and FY25, and that the 2024 audit found no meaningful progress in implementing earlier recommendations. He also noted that many prior recommendations were later codified in law, including risk-based audits and internal control requirements, and said the office will audit the program again in about a year. Senator Fevella said the briefing was needed because he has seen little progress over the years and emphasized the program’s goals of reducing litter and promoting recycling. He noted that Hawaii has lost a glass recycler, underscoring broader challenges in the system. Department of Health Deputy Director Kathleen Hoe said the department is committed to addressing longstanding problems and said the director’s office meets with the program twice a month. Program staff outlined steps being taken to respond to the audit, including revising accounting and inspection/enforcement manuals, retaining third-party services, and implementing risk-based audits of distributors and redemption centers. They said internal control process documents from distributors were due June 30, with about 200 received and roughly 100 still outstanding, and that enforcement letters are being sent. The department also described plans for electronic reporting to reduce manual entry and improve accuracy, as well as a broader legislative proposal for a tiered audit system. Under that proposal, larger distributors would remain subject to the current every-other-year audit requirement, middle-tier distributors would be audited every five years, and smaller distributors would be exempt. Officials said the governor had temporarily waived enforcement of the 2025 independent audit requirement because of cost concerns for smaller distributors, while the department reviews submitted audits and considers a longer-term fix. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the informational briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• only 27% of the need for low-income households.
• I hear a theme of collaboration need and interest from the first panel.
• We recognize the critical need of housing across the state.
• We spent several years in that assessment, and we published all the results.
• We need to build more housing, and we need to collaborate, and we need to bring all the stakeholders

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Regulatory Authority held its first hearing to examine how California’s regulatory framework affects housing production, affordability, and timelines. Chair Pacheco and Assemblymember Haney framed the discussion around the state’s housing shortage and the need to reduce costs while maintaining environmental, safety, and community protections. The first panel featured housing experts and industry representatives who argued that state regulations, code complexity, utility constraints, and agency review processes add substantial cost and delay to development. Bill Fulton described overlapping state and local land-use authorities and the tension among housing, coastal protection, climate, and wildfire goals. CBIA’s Chris Ochoa and California Apartment Association representative Bob Raymer said building codes, energy mandates, and agency processes have materially increased per-home costs, and they urged more centralized affordability analysis and greater scrutiny of regulatory impacts. The Bay Area Council’s Louis Marante called for a statewide cost target for housing and stronger timelines and accountability for state agency reviews. The second panel brought in state agencies to explain their roles. HCD said its housing element enforcement, streamlining laws, and technical assistance have helped increase production, shorten entitlement timelines, and improve compliance by local governments. CARB said SB 375 is a planning law that does not directly regulate land use, and argued that regional housing assumptions in sustainable communities strategies are not being fully implemented on the ground. The Coastal Commission said it works with local governments to balance coastal protection, sea-level-rise risk, and housing, and noted recent guidance and pilot efforts to streamline housing approvals in the coastal zone. The Energy Commission said its building energy standards are designed to be cost-effective and save consumers money over time, though they can add some design and documentation complexity. Fish and Wildlife and DTSC both emphasized early engagement and collaboration to reduce delays while protecting natural resources and public health; DTSC said it is refining vapor intrusion guidance and using brownfield grants to support redevelopment. The State Water Resources Control Board said it uses general orders and basin planning to provide predictable permitting while balancing water quality, water rights, and housing needs, and noted billions in grants and loans for water infrastructure and site remediation that can support housing affordability. In response to questions from Assemblymember Haney, several agencies described ongoing coordination across departments, including regular meetings among HCD, CARB, the Coastal Commission, and transportation agencies, as well as broader interagency efforts to reduce redundancies and identify pinch points in project delivery. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the hearing; the main outcome was informational testimony and discussion of possible future reforms to improve coordination, predictability, and affordability in state regulatory processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we need more.
• The Hattiesburg study and the VA study are very strong studies.
• Texas studies?
• They need a GI. They need a gastroenterologist.
• The study is one data point. This just says that we need to look at more hospitals.

Bills: SB1888, SB3003, SB2417, SB2459, SB3055, HB1393, HB2884, SB2943

Keywords: grand jury, jury qualifications, jury wheel, small counties, Texas legislation, age verification, obscene devices, online sales, juvenile protection, penalties, antitrust, attorney general, Texas Free Enterprise, business regulations, legal confidentiality, personal identifying information, data brokers, judicial safety, civil rights, data privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• districts' needs. districts' needs.
• I need help. I need support."
• I need help. I saying, "I'm not okay. I need help. I need<00:37:20.359> support."
• We need to do we need to deliver on.
• and<00:53:13.840> it um, but it needs it needs changes and it um, but it needs it needs changes

Bills: HF3493, HF4114

Keywords: safe schools, charter schools, nonpublic schools, Tribal education, funding increase, special education, funding, education finance, appropriations, budget, cross subsidy

Transcript Highlights:

• Refer to the Committee on Indirect Governmental Affairs, HB 1043 by Bojani relating to a study by the
• Growth-based assessment instruction for certain required assessments of public school students and prohibiting
• HB 1118 by bandiva relating to the creation of Texas Commission of Assessment and Accountability for
• HB 1136 by Gamas relating to the study conducted by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles regarding
• for Veterans. 259 to conduct a study concerning the cyber security of small businesses.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• you just can't use it when you need it. you just can't use it when you need it.
• <00:13:58.959> to treatments that these families need to treatments that these families need
• might need to be granted. might need to be granted.
• payments uh and related tax assessments payments uh and related tax assessments and<00:49:30.880
• So the idea it needs to there needs to So the idea it needs to there needs to be<01:08:54.799>

Keywords: Medicaid - Room 216, 4 February, 2026; 2:00 PM, 925, all

Summary: The committee heard presentations on several Medicaid-related topics. First, a pharmacy representative discussed nonopioid pain medications as a way to reduce opioid dependence and overdose risk, emphasizing that options such as acetaminophen, NSAIDs, and topical diclofenac can be useful for pain management. She cautioned that nonopioids can still have risks and said any policy should avoid requiring patients to step through opioids before accessing safer alternatives, while still allowing reasonable step therapy among nonopioid options. The presenter said the goal is to keep patients from being pushed toward opioids by cost or insurance design. The committee also heard emotional testimony from parents of a child with Prader-Willi syndrome, who described the condition as a rare genetic disorder that causes severe, lifelong hyperphagia and requires rigid supervision and ongoing treatment. They argued that alternative funding programs can disrupt access to medically necessary drugs such as human growth hormone, forcing families into costly and uncertain coverage gaps. They asked lawmakers to ensure insurance coverage remains stable for rare disease patients and thanked Senator Blackwell for prior support of rare disease legislation. Next, a Livanova representative urged the committee to support higher Medicaid reimbursement for vagus nerve stimulator surgery for drug-resistant epilepsy. He said inadequate hospital reimbursement has reduced access in Mississippi, causing patients to travel long distances or go without treatment, and argued that better reimbursement would improve outcomes and save money over time. He cited studies showing seizure reductions, lower ER use, and a projected $2.8 million in five-year savings for Medicaid based on 40 patients, and asked that hospitals be reimbursed at 100% of Medicare rates for the procedure codes. Finally, a Medicaid official gave a broad overview of hospital payment structure, including fee-for-service, managed care, MHAP, DSH, UPL, provider taxes, and related funding mechanisms. She explained that hospital payments are interrelated and have shifted over time, with major changes tied to managed care, MHAP/UPL increases, and provider taxes. At the end of the discussion, the committee was running short on time and asked her to skip ahead to the provider tax component; no votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we do need to be...
• That's a decision that needs...
• We need energy, we need data, and how we can best protect North Dakota.
• We need energy, we need data, and how we can best protect North Dakota.
• The other thing I think these counties need to do, or these local communities need to do, is consider

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Ecology may need to take further reductions.
• I've been asked to summarize a study.
• So let's start with the utility liability market study.
• insurers to fulfill their risk needs.
• in Washington, is similar to a study that we've been asked to...

Summary: The committee first heard updates on the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) and related funding. Department of Ecology staff explained how MTCA and the hazardous substance tax support cleanup, prevention, stormwater, and local assistance programs, but said forecasted revenues have declined while appropriations and transfers have outpaced incoming funds. Ecology said the operating account will require underspending to stay balanced this biennium and that the problem is ongoing, with further reductions possible if forecasts worsen. Ecology also reviewed the state cleanup program, noting there are more than 14,500 cleanup sites in Washington and that new sites continue to be discovered faster than they are cleaned up. A question from Representative Lee raised the long-term issue of declining fossil-fuel-based revenue, and Ecology agreed that this is a future structural concern even though the current shortfall is driven more by forecasts and transfers than by fuel-use decline. The Pollution Liability Insurance Agency described its underground storage tank and heating oil programs, saying it has modernized from a reinsurance model to a financial assurance model with stronger state oversight and cleanup milestones. Russ Olson said the agency’s dedicated petroleum tax account is in strong financial condition, but emphasized the importance of preserving that funding source. He also discussed the loan and grant program for historic commercial releases and a new heating oil loan/grant program, while noting the agency is working on equity concerns where liens can be disproportionate to property values in smaller communities. Practitioners and advocates then offered differing views on MTCA’s performance: one attorney urged a collaborative review process to make cleanups faster, less expensive, and more certain, while another consultant argued the program is too conservative and process-heavy and should focus more narrowly on actual exposure and realistic cleanup standards. Environmental and community groups countered that MTCA is essential for cleanup, pollution prevention, stormwater control, and public participation, and that it is especially important for environmental justice communities such as the Duwamish Valley. Port and city representatives stressed that MTCA grants and cleanup funding are critical for large redevelopment projects, but said long timelines, permitting delays, and funding uncertainty can slow projects and jeopardize commitments. The committee then shifted to utility wildfire risk. Staff summarized recent legislation, including requirements for utility wildfire mitigation plans, creation of a wildfire mitigation standards work group, authorization for captive insurance by local governments and PUDs, securitization authority for disaster costs, and the existing wildfire response and resilience account. Chelan County PUD and Puget Sound Energy described extensive mitigation efforts such as vegetation management, grid hardening, undergrounding, AI smoke cameras, weather stations, enhanced operating settings, public safety power shutoffs, and community outreach. Both said wildfire risk is rising and insurance costs are increasing, and Chelan PUD asked the Legislature to restore funding to the wildfire response and resilience account. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner said a 2022 utility liability market study found insurance availability is tightening as perceived risk rises, and reported that a 2025 work group recommended restoring community resilience funding, requiring insurers to share wildfire risk scores and mitigation steps with property owners, and creating a grant program based on insurance industry wildfire standards. A PNNL scientist added that wildfire probability is increasing in parts of Washington and that mitigation requires long-term, landscape-scale coordination. The final speaker began describing California’s approach to wildfire risk, but the transcript cuts off before that presentation concluded.