Transcript Highlights:

• And some of state funds to match that.
• </c><00:23:11.440><c> that</c><00:23:11.679><c> we</c> funds from these federal funds that we funds from
• Um, we were able to complete funding.
• We have one concern that we just want to bring to you, just to reiterate the fact that we're concerned
• > that</c> I'm a little concerned that I'm a little concerned that we<01:22:16.000><c> hear</c><01:22

Bills: SF0069, SF0070, SF0016, HB0078, HJ0002, HB0085, HB0086

Keywords: wastewater, stormwater, infrastructure, environmental quality, public data, data collection, funding, study, water development, irrigation, public works, agricultural supply, municipal water, grazing lands, subleasing, non-owned livestock, state lands, rental fees, agricultural policy, land management

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:06.239><c> in</c> program hasn't had change in funding in program hasn't had change in funding
• used funds to do the study.
• </c> entire state with those funds. entire state with those funds.
• </c><00:20:29.919><c> funds.
• fund usage on.

Bills: SF0069, SF0070, SF0016, HB0078, HJ0002, HB0085, HB0086

Keywords: wastewater, stormwater, infrastructure, environmental quality, public data, data collection, funding, study, water development, irrigation, public works, agricultural supply, municipal water, grazing lands, subleasing, non-owned livestock, state lands, rental fees, agricultural policy, land management

Transcript Highlights:

• Our concern is with a new requirement.
• These payments are kept in a transportation vehicle fund and may not be transferred to any other fund
• to another fund for alternative use.
• Senator, in terms of moving funds out of the transportation, it could be moved to any other fund within
• through a separate fund, and those are kind of your operating and some of your capital funds, but they're

Bills: SB5841, SB5922, SB5858, SB5943

Keywords: financial aid, postsecondary education, student support, application process, higher education access, school transportation, school buses, pupil transportation, transportation vehicle fund, school district finance, fund transfer, reimbursement schedule, depreciation schedule, zero-emission buses, electric school buses, bus electrification, charging stations, fueling stations, vehicle replacement, major repairs

Summary: The Early Learning K-12 Education Committee opened its 2026 session with a focus on budget caution and several education funding bills. The first hearing was on SB 5841, which would require high school and beyond plans to show that a student completed at least one FAFSA or WASFA application, or that a parent/guardian opted out. Supporters said the bill would reduce barriers to postsecondary aid, improve completion rates, and help students access federal and state dollars; opponents argued it would add administrative burden and create an unfunded mandate, especially for smaller districts and families reluctant to share information. Senators also discussed whether existing Washington Student Achievement Council data could help verify completion. No vote was taken. The committee then heard SB 5922, which would allow school districts to petition OSPI to transfer money from transportation vehicle funds when they reduce their fleet, and SB 5858, which would move the pupil transportation safety net for special passengers into statute. SB 5922 was presented as a flexibility measure for districts with declining enrollment, while some members asked about whether districts could shift to smaller vehicles and how the funds could be used. SB 5858 drew strong support from OSPI, district officials, school directors, and PTA representatives, who said the current $13 million safety net is far below demonstrated need and is essential for transporting students with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, and foster students; testimony emphasized that the program helps districts meet basic education obligations. No votes were taken on either bill. Finally, the committee heard SB 5943, which would let school districts use certain school impact fees for modernization projects tied to safety, security, emergency response, and energy efficiency when the fees are nearing expiration, and would allow districts in binding conditions or enhanced financial oversight to use up to 25% of impact-fee balances for operations and maintenance. The bill sponsor said it would give financially stressed districts a narrow tool to address unfunded state requirements without raising taxes. School district witnesses in support said it would help modernize aging buildings and meet mandates like security and clean-building requirements, while builders and school coalition representatives opposed it, arguing impact fees should remain tied to growth-related capital costs and warning the bill could raise housing costs and weaken the nexus required for impact fees. The chair closed by noting the committee’s effort to advance creative, limited-cost solutions in a tight budget year; no action or vote was recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• I hear concerns about connectivity up &gt;&gt; Okay. So, in all those situations, &gt;&gt; Okay.
• I<00:54:17.800><c> hear</c><00:54:18.040><c> concerns</c><00:54:19.200><c> about</c><00:54:19.640><c>
• They're just waiting to connect customers, you know, the funding to connect those customers.
• Uh so that they beading with bead funds.
• </c> that's that's where I would be concerned that's that's where I would be concerned is,<01:17:07.760

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 KCNA Request for Proposal Process 00:00:01 Overview of KWIC Board and Funding of Kentucky Wired Network Refresh 00:18:10 Zayo Network Services 00:34:40 Discussion of Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Funding 00:57:32, 958, all

Summary: The committee first focused on a disputed KCNA procurement for a statewide network-related RFP. Members questioned why the RFP had been labeled non-technical, whether COT should have reviewed it, and whether the KCNA board could direct that it be withdrawn. Finance and Administration Cabinet counsel Barbie Dickens said the RFP was authorized by KCNA working with procurement services after termination of the prior contract and breach notices, was issued in November 2025, paused during a protest, later resumed, and remained an open procurement. She said the agency—not the board—directs the procurement process, though she acknowledged an agency and OPS could cancel or reissue an RFP if needed. Legislators pushed back, citing KRS 154 and House Bill 314 as evidence that the KCNA board controls contracts and operations, and one member said the board had requested the RFP be withdrawn. Dickens said she could not predict the outcome and was not KCNA’s counsel. The discussion also touched on whether the current director had asked to stop the RFP and whether that request had been denied, with no final action taken during the exchange. The committee then turned to Kentucky Wired Infrastructure Corporation and the Kentucky Wired refresh project. Jim Barnhart described the structure of the nonprofit corporation, the role of Quick and Quack in the financing and operations arrangement, and the board membership, noting that the refresh funding had been approved in the 2024-26 capital budget. He said the equipment upgrade is necessary because of end-of-life hardware and software support issues, and that the refresh would expand capacity, lower risk, and reduce operating costs. Barnhart said some equipment had already been received, the rest would be purchased later, and the project should begin before September and take about a year to complete. When asked about contract disputes involving Ledcor and whether the vendor had an ongoing contract, Barnhart and the authority representative said they had not been notified of any issues and were not directly involved in that contract dispute. Committee members also raised concerns about a prior market test and whether a lower-cost bidder had been blocked from a previous RFP process. Barnhart said he understood Quack could make that decision and that the Commonwealth did not have input so long as the network was maintained, but he was not involved at the time. A legislator then read from the KCNA statute and argued that the board, not agency staff, is supposed to direct KCNA contracts and operations, saying House Bill 314 did not change those duties. The chair agreed the committee’s intent was for the board to control KCNA and direct contracts, and the discussion ended with a transition away from the KCNA dispute toward future testimony, including a presentation from Zayo Networks on open access networks and broadband infrastructure.

Transcript Highlights:

• and the fiscal impact have been estimated at $244,000, with about half of that coming from federal funds
• This bill would create a revolving fund that could save money. I will provide a financial scenario.
• What we don't have is a dedicated revolving fund that specifically addresses that population and that
• I'm not asking for any money to be put into this fund.
• services and PACE would be put into a revolving fund.

Bills: HB3390, HB4199, HB4407, HB4412

Keywords: home care, community services, Oklahoma Department of Human Services, rating system, inspection reports, substantiated complaints, agency oversight, child care, workforce, pilot program, affordable care, income eligibility, long-term care, revolving fund, options counseling, funding, consultation services, Medicaid, community-based services, seniors

Transcript Highlights:

• As legislators, it's our duty to take concerning behavior. concerning behavior.
• </c> funding and and it really saddens me. funding and and it really saddens me.
• It had funding that has been funding.
• </c> significant difference in funding. significant difference in funding.
• </c> million left over in the housing fund. million left over in the housing fund.

Bills: HF4893

Keywords: education finance, student support, aid allowances, appropriation, school funding, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> sure those funds can get out the door. sure those funds can get out the door.
• Uh $20,000 funding.
• are not new funds, but they are just adding funds to an existing account.
• </c><00:17:31.400><c> are</c> subdivision one funds are subdivision one funds are um<00:17:32.760><c>
• </c> find the funding. find the funding. Representative<00:19:24.000><c> Smith.

Bills: HF3548

Keywords: farm assistance, down payment, agriculture, state funding, loan modification, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• These both flow into what we call the Marijuana Regulation Fund.
• This 15% of the fund goes to what is called the Cannabis Social Equity Fund.
• It’s a separate fund.
• This 15% of the fund goes to what is called the cannabis social equity fund.
• It's a separate fund, and it was actually established in the 2022 cannabis equity bill.

Bills: H5005

Keywords: environment, water conservation, natural resources, public funding, environmental justice, 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• $8 an administrative fee, and $17 is a donation to the Space Exploration and Aeronautics Research Fund
• No general fund, no taxpayer, gold press, Latin, for AI rover convoys that bicker like R2-D2 and C-3PO
• We are woefully way behind when it comes to the funding game, as I'm sure you're aware.
• As many of you know, the commission was created about two years ago, but we have no funding mandate.
• And this is one of those great ideas, Some dollars for our Aerospace and Innovation Fund.

Bills: SB1020

Keywords: special plates, Arizona Space Commission, transportation, funding, space exploration, 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We passed statewide tourism funding this year for the first time in a long time, and I'm excited about
• using the experience of our tourism councils across the state as well as this new, you know, newly funded
• representative die thank you senator lias for coming and visiting us we passed a statewide tourism funding
• state as well as this new you know newly councils across the state as well as this new you know newly funded
• need this support and stability and assurances as they're filling gaps between state and federal funding

Bills: SB6313

Keywords: Capitol Centennial Stewardship, funding, gifts, grants, donations, legislative support, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There is no General Fund impact and $19,000 total funds.
• near general fund.
• fund source.
• There is no general fund impact and $19,000 total funds.
• in total funds.

Bills: SB5998

Keywords: fiscal appropriations, budget, state funding, financial management, operating expenses, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Fund the schools.
• funded by the state.
• The biggest concern is that a decision was made to use your funding for something it was not intended
• State funds, which would be matched by $100,000 in federal funds, as well as more than $800,000 in funds
• to supplant general fund obligations with CCA funds.

Bills: SB5998

Keywords: fiscal appropriations, budget, state funding, financial management, operating expenses, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Funding to pay for principal and interest of those bonds are appropriated from the state general fund
• Funding to pay for principal and interest of those bonds are appropriated from the state general fund
• These declines have become both an immediate concern and a long-term concern for Washington's research
• no concerns about merit.
• My own funding was cut last year.

Bills: SB6321, SGA9245, SGA9247, SGA9250, SGA9252, SGA9253, SGA9254, SGA9259, SGA9260, SGA9261, SGA9262

Keywords: scientific research, innovation, economic growth, Washington Institute, public funding, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The funds in the account must be distributed 80% to fund grants under the Public Media Broadcaster Program
• the two programs, and the account cannot be used to replace funds from the general fund.
• We need community radio funded, and we also need PBS funded. So thank you for letting me speak.
• , continued funding of this program.
• Do you need more funding for that?

Bills: HB2579

Keywords: public media, digital equity, funding, media access, communication technology, 904, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on House Bill 2579, which would create a Public Media Broadcaster Program and a Digital Equity Program funded by a 20-cent-per-line monthly tax on wireless, VOIP, and landline services. Committee staff explained that 80% of the revenue would go to public media grants and 20% to digital equity grants, with a small administrative set-aside. The prime sponsor, Rep. Chris Stearns, and many supporters argued that public radio, PBS, and community media provide essential local news, emergency alerts, music, education, and community connection, especially as federal support declines. Supporters included public media leaders, community media producers, digital equity advocates, a student, and faith-based and civic representatives, who emphasized access for rural communities, youth training, multilingual outreach, and emergency communications. Opponents from CTIA and Washington Citizens Against Unfair Taxes argued the bill would add a regressive burden to already high wireless taxes and criticized the proposal as another tax increase; CTIA also offered to provide comparative state tax data. The hearing closed without a vote on the bill. The committee then received a cybersecurity briefing from state emergency management and technology officials on critical infrastructure protection. Presenters described Washington’s current layered cybersecurity model across state agencies, the Fusion Center, the Military Department, and local and private partners, and said threats are increasingly sophisticated due to ransomware, supply-chain attacks, zero-day exploits, and AI-enabled phishing. They highlighted the state and local cybersecurity grant program, the need for better real-time threat monitoring and intelligence sharing, and a planned volunteer cyber incident response team under the emergency worker program. Members asked about the most vulnerable sectors, motivations behind attacks, and whether the legislature should act on the proposed shared-intelligence model; officials said the main gap is real-time visibility across participating networks and that the model would require significant future investment, but no immediate legislative request was made. The committee also heard an update on the December 2025 flooding response. Emergency management officials said severe atmospheric rivers caused widespread flooding, landslides, wind damage, power outages, evacuations, rescues, and damage to homes, roads, levees, water systems, and agriculture. They credited mitigation investments, floodplain restoration, and prior state staffing increases for reducing damage, and said state and federal agencies coordinated evacuations, rescues, alerts, and disaster assistance. Officials noted ongoing needs for statewide alerting and evacuation systems, multilingual alerting, search-and-rescue coordination, and more funding for state individual assistance and mitigation. Members asked about a statewide alert system, funding needs, and private losses; staff said a statewide integrated platform would improve coordination but would require ongoing appropriations. Finally, the committee received a wildfire resilience update. Presenters said more than 2.3 million acres burned statewide from 2020 to 2025, with wildfire now treated as a recurring statewide hazard rather than an episodic event. They described roles for Emergency Management, the Insurance Commissioner, Commerce’s energy resilience office, and the Department of Natural Resources in prevention, response, recovery, insurance resilience, grid hardening, and forest management. DNR officials highlighted fuels reduction, firefighter training, interagency coordination, AI-enabled detection cameras, aircraft with LiDAR and infrared, and a common operating picture that shares fire data with local responders. They also discussed a legislature-directed statewide wildfire hazard and risk mapping effort and broader community resilience measures such as home hardening and evacuation planning.

Transcript Highlights:

• to other funds.
• Our concerns lie elsewhere.
• We also share the Commissioner of Public Lands' concerns about wildland fire funding.
• forest restoration fund, we are discouraged to see funding from the CCA used to fund the Working Families
• We are deeply concerned with the governor's proposed sweep of derelict vessel funding.

Bills: SB5998

Keywords: fiscal appropriations, budget, state funding, financial management, operating expenses, 904, all

Summary: The Senate Ways and Means Committee heard an overview of Governor Ferguson’s 2026 supplemental budget from OFM Director Katie Chapman See. She said the budget was built in response to higher caseloads and inflation, a $390 million revenue decline, federal changes tied to H.R. 1, and a relatively small ending fund balance. The proposal prioritizes core services, affordability, and limited targeted responses to federal policy impacts. It includes about $1.1 billion in new near-general-fund spending, about $800 million in reductions, revenue shifts and tax preference changes, use of other funds, and about $1 billion from the budget stabilization account. She also noted the budget is balanced over two years but not fully over four years. Chapman See highlighted major reductions in child care, long-term care, developmental disabilities, higher education, K-12 support programs, and administrative costs, alongside increases for wildfire preparedness and suppression, health care subsidies, housing-related work, energy assistance, One Washington IT replacement, and some education and public safety items. She also described about $155 million in costs tied to H.R. 1, including SNAP and Medicaid system changes and food assistance impacts, and said the budget would close or modify several tax preferences, including data center and prescription drug wholesaler preferences. In response to questions, she said some spending was classified as “non-mandatory but necessary” based on the governor’s judgment, that Working Connections Child Care reductions would rely on attrition rather than cutting current families, and that the budget assumes future changes to developmental disability eligibility and maintains services for some clients affected by federal immigration-related eligibility losses. Statewide officials and advocates then testified. Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove urged full wildfire-prevention funding, saying the governor’s proposal falls short of the legislature’s prior commitment. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs objected to fund sweeps from his office, warning they would hinder cybersecurity and election-related needs. Public testimony on K-12 education was overwhelmingly opposed to the budget’s cuts to transition to kindergarten, local effort assistance, Running Start, and other programs, while some witnesses supported restoring funding for Ninth Grade Success, Graduation Success for foster youth, and homeless student supports. Higher education witnesses from community colleges and universities opposed across-the-board cuts and higher self-insurance costs, warning of reduced course offerings, staffing cuts, and harm to access and workforce training. Several speakers also criticized the proposed shift of Climate Commitment Act funds and urged new progressive revenue, including a millionaire’s tax, to avoid deeper cuts.

Bills: SB 2, SB 5, SB 10

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting

Bills: SB2, SB5, SB10

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting

Bills: HB17, HB23, SB10

Keywords: property tax, school funding, enrollment changes, inflation adjustment, tax rate notice

Bills: SB2, SB5

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting

Transcript Highlights:

• Funding streams that we made adjustments to were able to fund the unemployment insurance for our hourly
• We were able to maintain the intended use funds for our Funds for Student Support Personnel Aid for our
• We're able to keep the grant funding.
• We also captured 2 million of MDE funds that would have been canceled back to the general fund.
• This is a per-pupil funding stream that districts will receive that is as flexible as general ed funds

Bills: HF1049

Keywords: school library aid, education finance, school districts, charter schools, funding eligibility