Transcript Highlights:

• Well, we thought we had a solution in the United States, which you may know is the federal depository
• <00:04:05.519><c> is</c><00:04:05.640><c> the</c><00:04:05.879><c> federal</c><00:04:06.400><c> depository
• </c><00:04:07.120><c> at</c> may know is the federal depository at may know is the federal depository

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'm a depository. Okay. A lot of stuff we receive... That's pushed out there on a website.
• So I'm a depository, and a lot of stuff we receive—and really these bank statements, unless we kind of
• I would just be a depository for it, and it'll just basically be a deposit in my office.
• We thought we could kind of absorb the receipt, the depository of it.
• At that same time, we also set up the Law Enforcement Executive Management Institute, which provided

Summary: The committee first considered HB 431, which would require annual training for municipal mayors. After adopting a technical amendment adding municipal retirement systems to the training categories, members heard testimony from the bill author and Louisiana Municipal Association (LMA) officials that the measure would require 16 hours of annual training, count existing ethics/harassment/cybersecurity requirements toward that total, allow online and in-person options, and impose no penalty other than public audit disclosure of compliance. The bill was favorably reported. Members then heard HB 150, authorizing Cameron Parish to create a local insurance program to help residents recover and repopulate after hurricanes without state funding. Testimony emphasized that the program would be locally funded and likely function as a subsidy or premium offset rather than a standalone insurer. The bill was favorably reported. HB 822, dealing with nonprofit entities appointing members to certain economic development district boards, was also favorably reported after discussion of an amendment to set a two-year forfeiture period for noncompliant nonprofits. The committee then took up HB 204, which would require monthly financial reports from certain East Baton Rouge Parish agencies to the Legislative Auditor. After an amendment removing the Council on Aging, testimony from CATS, BREC, and the auditor focused on whether the information was already public, the burden of monthly bank-statement reporting, and whether bank statements would expose sensitive information. Members ultimately agreed to voluntarily defer the bill for further work. The committee also favorably reported HB 136 on Harahan classified police hiring, HB 376 extending provisional appointment timeframes in civil service, HB 377 changing pay-range rules for the State Examiner and Deputy Examiner, HB 450 clarifying veterans’ points in fire and police civil service exams, HB 273 repealing a duplicate local tax statute, HB 1068 on garbage collection contract terms, and HB 864 allowing New Orleans to establish fire limits in certain state-right-of-way areas to address bridge fires. The transcript ends as HB 444 on adding commissioners to the East Baton Rouge Recreation and Park Commission was being introduced.

Transcript Highlights:

• institution amendments, ayes 36, nos 25, excused one; Senate File 85, I61 excused one.
• Senate File 55, special purpose depository institution amendments, ayes 36, nos 25, excused one; Senate
• Senate Enrolled Act Number 54, being Original Senate File 55, Special Purpose Depository Institution
• <02:22:16.319><c> institution</c><02:22:17.040><c> amendments</c><02:22:18.399><c> and</c> depository
• institution amendments and depository institution amendments and act<02:22:18.880><c> relating</c><02

Transcript Highlights:

• Total loans of those institutions.
• And then lastly, I want to talk about our non-depository institutions.
• </c><00:49:54.000><c> This</c><00:49:54.160><c> is</c> our non-depository institutions.
• This is our non-depository institutions.
• </c> institution does with their earnings. institution does with their earnings.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the September 16 minutes, and then received an update from Insurance Commissioner Sharon Clark and staff on the Department of Insurance. Clark reviewed department activity, including growth in premium volume and licensing, consumer complaints and recoveries, and a rise in fraud referrals. She said the department has 66 open fraud cases and described common schemes such as staged auto accidents, inflated repair or cleanup charges, and roofing scams. She also said the department’s investigators often prepare strong cases but face reluctance from local prosecutors, especially in Fayette and Jefferson counties, to pursue them. Clark reported favorable workers’ compensation news, saying rates will decrease 9.7% next year for the 20th straight year. She contrasted that with a difficult property insurance market driven by storms, reinsurance costs, inflation, labor shortages, and litigation, but said Kentucky’s market remains relatively stable, citing the Kentucky Fair Plan’s small number of policies. She then warned of significant 2026 health insurance premium increases on the exchange: 16.1% for Molina, 23% for Anthem, and 37% for WCare, after CareSource withdrew. She said the rates were reviewed by actuaries and found fair, but that the biggest pressure point is the scheduled expiration of enhanced premium tax credits, which she said could leave about 90% of exchange enrollees facing a compounded increase. Members questioned Clark about fraud prosecution, the number of people in commercial versus public coverage, and the impact of expiring subsidies. Clark said the prosecution issue is mainly with Commonwealth attorneys and that rural counties are more cooperative than urban ones. She also said the health market is individually rated and that older enrollees would be hit harder, while the loss of tax credits could push some people out of the marketplace. One member asked about the attorney general’s recent opinion on SB 188, the PBM bill; staff said attorneys were still reviewing it. Clark closed by noting that Kentucky’s fraud and towing/storage legislation has become a model for other states.

Transcript Highlights:

• On the non-depository side, we regulate money service businesses, which is a growing industry.
• I developed many years ago for this committee. in Texas and nationwide, all kinds of financial institutions
• operated, chartered, licensed, so this is a pie chart of all of the federally insured financial institutions
• We say we believe the same thing for our non-depository entities.

Committee: House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services

Transcript Highlights:

• This program includes standards that mitigate wildfire risk established by the Insurance Institute for
• The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, IBHS, created the wildfire The Insurance Institute
• We are kind of pressed for time, so I’m going to go ahead and institute a 90-second timer.
• We are kind of pressed for time, and so I'm going to go ahead and institute a 90-second timer.
• Brewers Guild and Josh McDonald with the Washington Wine Institute.

Bills: SB6061 , SB5844 , SB6079 , SB6137 , SB5831 , SB6031 , SB6178

Committee: Senate Business, Trade & Economic Development

Keywords: tourism, self-supported assessment, funding, statewide promotion, economic development, storage rental, tenancy agreements, tenant rights, landlord obligations, termination notice, insurance, wildfire prevention, policy nonrenewal, cancellation, risk management, sports wagering, sports betting, sports gambling, bookmaking, gambling regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• The wildfire-prepared standards refer to specific designations published by the Insurance Institute for
• The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, IBHS, created the wildfire...
• The assessment account is in any bank that is a state depository.
• We are kind of pressed for time, so I’m going to go ahead and institute a 90-second timer.
• Brewers Guild and Josh McDonald with the Washington Wine Institute.

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 6137 on sports wagering. Staff explained that the bill would allow wagering on collegiate events involving Washington colleges, but would continue to prohibit bets on the performance of individual college athletes. Tribal representatives from the Jamestown S’Klallam, Puyallup, and Kalispel tribes testified in support, saying the bill would keep wagering within the regulated tribal marketplace, protect integrity, and help smaller tribal casinos participate through a hub-and-spoke model. University of Washington and Washington State University representatives supported the ban on individual prop bets and emphasized student-athlete safety, while WSU also argued the bill would expand exposure to harassment and online abuse. No vote was taken. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6079, which would create the Strengthen Washington Homes wildfire mitigation grant program. Staff said the bill would fund grants for wildfire-hardening homes to IBHS standards, authorize pilot projects, and prohibit insurers from using wildfire risk to disqualify homes that meet the standards. Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuder and Senator Marcus Riccelli supported the bill, arguing that wildfire losses and non-renewals are increasing and that upfront mitigation is cheaper than recovery. Local officials and advocates from Medical Lake, Washington Realtors, and climate and wildfire groups also supported the measure. Insurance industry representatives supported the mitigation goals but objected to the bill’s requirement that insurers provide coverage based on IBHS designation and to using the commissioner’s regulatory account as a funding source, saying underwriting still needs to consider broader risk factors. No action was taken. The committee next held a work session and public hearing on Senate Bill 6061, which would create a tourism self-supported assessment program. State of Washington Tourism, the Washington Wine Commission, the Washington Hospitality Association, the Brewers Guild, the Port of Seattle, and rural economic development representatives said the state’s tourism program is underfunded and that an industry-led assessment could provide a stable, competitive funding source. They said the model would be governed by a ratepayer oversight board, subject to ratification, and could generate significant visitor spending and tax revenue over time. Some testimony raised concerns about the scope of eligible businesses and the bill’s references to other industries, but supporters said friendly amendments would refine those details. The committee then heard Senate Bill 5844 on self-storage rental agreements, which would allow electronic agreements, clarify acceptance by continued occupancy, and create a uniform process for termination or nonrenewal for nonpayment or nonmonetary defaults. Self-storage operators supported the bill as a modernization measure that would improve safety and consistency, and no vote was taken on any of the bills heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are deposits that are used for the operating needs of these institutions.
• The banks also will pass along many of those costs to the financial institutions.
• So if—or excuse me, the financial institutions will pass along...
• It's not sweeping change to the depository makeup of current investments.
• I fully support that goal of supporting in-state institutions.

Bills: HB245 , HB700 , HB2783 , HB3526 , HB3900 , HB4061 , HB4124 , HB4166 , HB4395 , HB4534 , HB4609 , HB4641 , HB4736 , HB4738 , HB4739 , HB4945 , HB5015 , HJR175 , HB245

Committee: House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services

Keywords: military service, retirement, law enforcement, custodial officer, Employees Retirement System, commercial financing, brokers, registration, disclosures, finance, consumer protection, fees, deferred compensation, automatic participation, county employees, payroll deductions, retirement plans, fiscal transparency, local government, bond issuance

Transcript Highlights:

• validity of notarized documents, resulting in costly litigation for individuals, businesses, and institutions

Bills: HB5621 , HB4904 , HB5067 , HB5076 , HB5081 , HB5354 , HB4862 , HB3847 , HB4088 , HB4157 , HB2966 , HB2287 , HB4203 , HB4803 , HB4737 , HB5093 , HB783 , HB5411 , HB4281

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Keywords: HB 5621, consumer protection, Deceptive Trade Practices Act, DTPA, Business & Commerce Code, attorney general, consumer protection division, district attorney, county attorney, local prosecutor, civil investigative demand, CID, voluntary compliance, financial institution records, bank records, privacy, protective order, in camera review, trade secrets, insurer

Transcript Highlights:

• the currently existing Minnesota Safe Haven laws and having a way that the, think of like a book depository
• or a bank depository, that would be available to be installed in a fire department.
• way that the um think of like a having a way that the um think of like a Book<00:03:27.239><c> Depository
• </c><00:03:27.959><c> or</c><00:03:28.080><c> a</c><00:03:28.200><c> bank</c><00:03:28.519><c> depository
• </c> Book Depository or a bank depository Book Depository or a bank depository that<00:03:30.120><c>

Bills: HF837 , HF1903 , HF499 , HF794

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• The financial institutions involved knew this was a scam.
• of crimes relating to that financial institution.
• institutions in very specific situations.
• I regulate all non-depository financial institutions in the state of Washington. That includes...
• I regulate all non-depository financial institutions in the state of Washington.

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Business

Summary: The committee began with a work session on the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee’s cannabis market study, presented by Susanna Pratt. JLARC found that Washington produced roughly two to three times more cannabis than retailers sold in 2023, and that incomplete, unreliable traceability data limits the Liquor and Cannabis Board’s ability to regulate, verify taxes, and track diversion. The presentation also reviewed canopy estimates, market conditions since legalization, and the social equity program. JLARC recommended that LCB submit a plan by the end of 2025 for obtaining accurate licensee data by the end of 2026; LCB partially concurred and said a 2027 implementation timeline was more realistic. JLARC also recommended the legislature consider broader ways to increase equity beyond new producer licenses, noting that 10 new producer licenses would likely have only a minimal effect on overall production capacity. Members asked about social equity licensing delays and about whether Washington could look to other states’ traceability systems, including Biotrack and Metric, for model practices. The committee then heard a series of presentations on financial fraud and scam prevention. Paul Benda of the American Bankers Association described the scale of fraud losses, the role of telecom spoofing, social media scams, SIM farms, and crypto ATMs, and argued for a shared-responsibility approach involving banks, telecoms, social media companies, and regulators. He noted that Australia’s whole-of-government anti-scam model has reduced losses and said Washington could look to other states for model legislation, including crypto ATM restrictions and telecom accountability measures. Katie Clark of IQ Credit Union described member-to-member fraud, romance scams, and the emotional and financial harm to victims, emphasizing the need for education, information sharing, law enforcement partnerships, and stronger protections around scam-related transfers. She also highlighted the role of high school financial education and the challenges posed by authorized peer-to-peer transfers and crypto ATMs. Kyle Innes of SIFMA focused on investor scams, especially “pig butchering” and other crypto-related relationship scams, and said Washington’s 2009 report-and-hold law for vulnerable adults helped shape similar laws in most other states. He stressed that fraud has become more professionalized and international, and that better coordination among adult protective services, law enforcement, and financial firms is needed. Brian Gerard and Ali Higgs of the Department of Financial Institutions then described pig-butchering scams in more detail, including fake profiles, fake trading platforms, and escalating demands for more money, and said recovery is difficult because funds move quickly through crypto channels. They pointed to DFI’s investment tracker and other consumer education efforts as tools to warn the public and disrupt scams.

Transcript Highlights:

• The financial institutions involved knew this was a scam.
• of crimes relating to that financial institution.
• institutions in very specific situations.
• I regulate all non-depository financial institutions in the state of Washington. That includes...
• I regulate all non-depository financial institutions in the state of Washington.

Summary: The committee began with a work session on the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee’s cannabis market study, presented by JLARC staff member Susanna Pratt. The report found Washington’s cannabis production in 2023 was likely two to three times higher than retail sales, with production estimated at 292,000 to 443,000 pounds of THC versus 139,000 pounds sold. Pratt explained that canopy data are inconsistent and that the Liquor and Cannabis Board’s traceability system is incomplete and unreliable, limiting data-driven regulation, tax verification, recall tracking, and diversion enforcement. JLARC recommended that LCB submit a plan by the end of 2025 for obtaining accurate licensee data by the end of 2026; LCB partially concurred and said a 2027 timeline may be more realistic. JLARC also concluded that the social equity producer licenses would likely have only a minimal effect on statewide production capacity, and suggested the legislature consider broader ways to increase equity in the industry. Members asked about the slow issuance of social equity licenses and about comparable traceability systems in other states. The committee then heard a series of presentations on fraud and scam prevention. Paul Benda of the American Bankers Association described the scale of fraud losses, the role of telecom spoofing, social media scam ads, SIM farms, and crypto ATMs, and argued for a shared-responsibility approach involving banks, telecoms, and platforms. Katie Clark of IQ Credit Union described member-to-member fraud, romance scams, and the operational and financial impacts on credit unions, and recommended better information sharing, safe harbors for returning scam-related funds, and stronger fraud education. Kyle Innes of SIFMA highlighted investor fraud and Washington’s 2009 report-and-hold law, which he said helped shape similar protections in most states, and emphasized the need for better communication among financial firms, APS, and law enforcement. Brian Gerard and Ali Higgs from the Department of Financial Institutions discussed “pig butchering” and other investment scams, focusing on how scammers build trust through social media, dating apps, fake websites, and crypto schemes before extracting funds. Across the fraud presentations, witnesses repeatedly stressed consumer education, interagency information sharing, and stronger controls on telecom, social media, and crypto ATM activity. Members asked about model laws from other states, the role of financial education in schools, and whether crypto ATMs should be regulated or banned. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 2020, institution and inter disruption. HB 2021, K-3 reading program curriculum acquired.
• HB 2123, bullion depository. HB 2124, per annum alienation. HB 2125, withermotic patient.

Transcript Highlights:

• Deletes Article 3, which was a Department of Commerce provision on non-depository institutions and Article
• </c><00:02:47.240><c> institutions</c> provision on non-depository institutions provision on non-depository
• institutions and<00:02:48.400><c> Article</c><00:02:48.840><c> 4,</c><00:02:49.840><c> um</c><00:02:
• </c> charging to additional institutions charging to additional institutions results<01:52:24.680><c>
• </c><01:53:00.920><c> for</c> our students and our institutions for our students and our institutions

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• This measure requires the Director of Finance to consider, before the selection of a depository for the
• State Treasury, the beneficial effects to the state of using depositories within the state, including
• State Treasury, the beneficial effects to the state of using depositories within the state, including
• for the State Treasury of a depository for the State Treasury The<00:32:29.360><c> Beneficial</c><00
• within the state using depositories within the state including<00:32:34.880><c> but</c><00:32:35.039

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Summary: The committee first heard SB 252 on invasive species, which would broaden the Department of Agriculture’s authority to inspect items moved into or within Hawaii, prohibit the sale of pest-infested merchandise, and allow quarantine, treatment, or destruction of affected materials with clarified penalties. Testifiers from the Hawaii Invasive Species Council, the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, the Farmers Union, and many others strongly supported the bill, emphasizing gaps in current inspection authority and the need to address high-risk non-agricultural commodities such as outdoor furniture and other cargo that can carry pests like red imported fire ants. Members raised concerns about staffing, inspection capacity, commerce impacts, and whether better manifest descriptions or scanners could help target higher-risk shipments. The chairs recommended passage with Department of Agriculture and technical amendments, and the committees adopted the recommendation. The joint CPN/EDT hearing then took up SB 148 on combat sports, which would create a Hawaii Combat Sports Commission and regulate combat sports while prohibiting no-rules contests. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs offered comments on effective dates and later said other jurisdictions generally use a single commission for boxing and MMA. Supporters, including a professional fighter and a longtime advocate, argued the bill would help revive the sport in Hawaii, improve local opportunities, and reduce costs associated with separate commissions; one testifier initially appeared opposed but clarified he was actually in support. Committee members asked about safety, medical coverage, staffing, vacancies, and whether separate commissions could share staff. The committees ultimately recommended passage with amendments, including an Attorney General effective-date amendment, amendments from the Hawaii Association of Professional Nurses to increase health-care coverage at fights, and DCCA’s recommendation to unify boxing and MMA under one commission; the effective date was deferred to July 1, 2050, and the recommendation was adopted. A later joint CPN/Housing agenda began with SB 69 on deposits of public funds, which would require the Director of Finance to consider the benefits of using in-state depositories, including favorable lending terms for affordable housing. The Department of Budget and Finance and the Hawaii Bankers Association offered comments, and no other testimony or questions were noted before the discussion moved on. The next measure introduced was SB 24 on limited profit housing associations, which would create a regulatory framework and a limited profit housing council; the transcript cuts off as testimony on that bill was beginning.

Transcript Highlights:

• state and that we're keeping it where it's generated until such time as we have a more permanent depository
• state and that we're keeping it where it's generated until such time as we have a more permanent depository
• state and that we're keeping it where it's generated until such time as we have a more permanent depository

Bills: HB573 , HB1499 , HB1768 , HB3071 , HB3249 , HB3866 , HB4112

Committee: House Environmental Regulation

Keywords: environmental enforcement, legislative oversight, inspection, concrete plants, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, environmental product declaration, grant program, ready-mixed concrete, manufacturers, sustainability, concrete plant, concrete batch plant, wet batching, dry batching, central mixing, standard permit, TCEQ, environmental regulation, air quality, construction permit

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, we thought we had a solution in the United States, which you may know is the federal depository
• Well, we thought we had a solution in the United States, which you may know is the federal depository
• environmental impacts we might see if nuclear power was expanded here in Minnesota. may know is the federal depository
• at may know is the federal depository at yucka<00:17:19.240><c> Mountain</c><00:17:19.480><c> in</c>

Transcript Highlights:

• It is one of the ways public institutions earn and sustain trust, and we are in a moment where public
• The proposal gives voters clarity, it gives institutions consistency, and it aligns Massachusetts with
• Speaker don't want this to happen, I believe that it does nothing but harm this institution for this
• Speaker don't want this to happen, I believe that it does nothing but harm this institution for this
• And thank you, by the way, for the new bill that you're working on regarding the depository system.

Summary: The hearing opened with committee chairs explaining the Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions’ role under Article 48 and outlining the process for initiative petition 25-14, H5-004, an act to improve access to public records. The first panel consisted of subject-matter experts. William Clark of the National Conference of State Legislatures gave an overview of public records laws across states, noting that all states have some form of open-records law but that exemptions for legislatures vary widely. He discussed common legislative exemptions, legislative privilege, and court cases showing that outcomes often turn on specific constitutional and statutory language. Rebecca Murray, General Counsel for the Secretary of the Commonwealth, described Massachusetts public records trends, saying state agency requests and appeals have risen sharply since the 2017 law update, with 2025 setting a record for appeals. She said the initiative would extend the public records law to the General Court and the Governor’s Office and add exemptions specific to those offices, while also noting resource concerns from the growing volume of requests and appeals.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is one of the ways public institutions earn and sustain trust, and we are in a moment where public
• The proposal gives voters clarity, it gives institutions consistency, and it aligns Massachusetts with
• I believe that it does nothing but harm this institution for this committee to oppose such an easy decision
• And thank you, by the way, for the new bill that you're working on regarding the depository system.
• It was actually my bill that we passed in the Senate to make the Legislature subject to the depository

Bills: H5004

Committee: Joint Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions

Keywords: public records, public records law, transparency, open government, government accountability, legislature, general court, governor's office, executive records, legislative records, constituent communications, policy drafts, deliberative process, freedom of information, FOIA, records access, Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 66, Chapter 4, veterans services records, initiative petition

Transcript Highlights:

• On the institutional investor side, the institutional investors' line of business was not sold to another
• The institutional investors eventually got their money back, but they had to wait five or six or seven
• So at the custodian level, and there could be multiple custodial levels, all the way up to Depository
• So at the custodian level, and there could be multiple custodial levels, all the way up to depository
• “I don’t know if there might be a way to pass this and then come with a trailer where it’s instituted

Committee: House Business