Transcript Highlights:

• pay down the UAL, knowing that these changes would increase the cost of the plan to the employer and drive
• And on page 19, this further drives that point home.
• And recall what I showed you on that first slide that I covered: asset allocation is going to drive a
• key changes... ...in recent years knowing that these changes would increase the cost of the plan and drive
• very key changes in recent years knowing that these changes would increase the cost of the plan and drive

Committee: House Joint Committee on Public Employee Retirement

Transcript Highlights:

• bill that has a process for law enforcement vehicles to be decommissioned, so we don't have people driving
• bill that has a process for law enforcement vehicles to be decommissioned, so we don't have people driving
• bill that has a process for law enforcement vehicles to be decommissioned, so we don't have people driving
• bill that has a process for law enforcement vehicles to be decommissioned, so we don't have people driving
• bill that has a process for law enforcement vehicles to be decommissioned, so we don't have people driving

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• Driving a vehicle into a crowd during a parade or a festival is a way to create fear and deteriorize.
• We're talking about barriers that'll stop vehicles from driving into crowds.
• People could, not only are they wasting tax dollars doing that, but they also are driving fast, they're
• And it's a request bill from victims of impaired driving.
• The only similarities are that they have to do with driving under the influence resulting in great bodily

Bills: HB1002 , HB1250 , HB2710 , HB3008 , HB3045 , HB3086 , HB3595 , HB3678 , HB3695 , HB3831 , HB4107 , HB4408

Committee: Senate Public Safety

Summary: The Public Safety Committee met and first held House Bill 3045. It then heard and passed several bills, beginning with HB 1250, which creates a public safety technology revolving fund for Attorney General grants to support the Blue Jay pilot program, a voluntary traffic-stop safety app. Members questioned whether the fund would actually be financed this year and how municipalities would be selected; the author said no funding source was yet identified and the bill was only creating the fund. HB 1250 passed 8-0. The committee also passed HB 2710, creating the Oklahoma Emergency Communications Act and a 15-member board to develop a strategic plan for improving emergency radio communications among state, local, and tribal agencies. The author explained the bill was meant to address communication gaps and interoperability problems, with no fiscal impact. HB 3831, dealing with Oklahoma Task Force One, drew extensive discussion over its funding structure and blank appropriations language. The bill would place the urban search and rescue team in state law and seek a reliable funding source; members discussed the team’s statewide disaster response role, its Tulsa and Oklahoma City bases, and a carve-out excluding wildland firefighting. It passed 8-0. Other measures approved included HB 4408, which sets a protocol for calculating and directing savings from State Questions 780 and 781 into the proper drug diversion account; HB 1002, requiring law enforcement to inform stalking victims about certified domestic violence program advocates; HB 3008, extending the sunset date for the Board of Tests for Alcohol and Drug Influence to 2031; HB 3086, requiring the Department of Corrections director to keep the Board of Corrections informed about budgets and inmate deaths; HB 3595, creating a DPS revolving fund for counties and municipalities to buy vehicle-barrier equipment to prevent crowd-vehicle attacks; HB 3678, expanding electronic-harassment protections for public officials to include municipal officials and school board members; HB 4107, establishing penalties for unauthorized activation or misuse of emergency warning sirens; and HB 3695, revising the definition of great bodily injury in a DUI-related context. HB 3595 passed 6-1 and HB 4107 passed 6-2; the other bills passed unanimously or near-unanimously after brief questioning and debate.

Transcript Highlights:

• I drive down 93, the car in front of me is a hot box. It's everywhere. It's pervasive.
• These women are driving forklifts.
• They're driving our delivery trucks, running operations, running logistics, and leading on the ground
• We have used our delivery trucks on many occasions to deliver food to shelters, support clothing drives
• I know that Walmart in Walpole well; I drive by it every day on my way into work.

Bills: H5005

Committee: Joint Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions

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

Transcript Highlights:

• August, an illegal alien who could not understand road signs or traffic laws and didn't know how to drive
• probably has been victimized and sort of abused and put into a position that he or she should not be in driving
• a vehicle they can't drive in situations they can understand.
• This expands the definition of a habitual traffic offender to include repeated convictions for driving
• It treats unlicensed driving the same as other serious traffic offenses for purposes of habitual traffic

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:

• This isn't all the analysis we did, but these are the things that helped us drive the decision here.
• And would this be a reduction in carbon to not be driving those miles? Thank you.
• Phillips, and I serve as the Washington State Executive Director for the Pacific Northwest Four Wheel Drive
• I've been paying more than my fair share of the taxes and driving across that Fairfax Bridge for over
• Had that happened, sources tell me we'd still be driving across that bridge today.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee began with a work session on the Fairfax Carbon River SR-165 Bridge closure and replacement. Wilkeson Mayor Jamie Pololi described the bridge as a long-neglected state asset whose closure cut off a gateway community from Mount Rainier access, hurt local businesses and municipal revenue, complicated emergency response, and severed access to public lands. Pierce County’s Melissa Littleton emphasized that the Fairfax closure, along with recent bridge closures from other causes, shows the need for stronger preservation and modernization funding. WSDOT’s Steve Rourke explained that the 105-year-old bridge was permanently closed after structural failure, that a detour route on private property is now the only access for some residents, and that the agency’s planning study considered seven alternatives; the current recommendation is to continue geotechnical work and NEPA review, with construction likely taking 24 months or more once a design is finalized. Committee members asked about detour distance, speeding up the project, emergency authority, historic-preservation issues, community mitigation, and funding needs; WSDOT said about $7 million in existing preservation funds has already been used and more will be needed. The committee then heard public testimony on proposed substitute Senate Bill 5987, which would declare the Fairfax Bridge closure an emergency, direct WSDOT to restore SR-165 access as soon as possible, and give the transportation secretary some emergency authorities. Supporters, including the mayor, residents, recreation advocates, and trail groups, said the bill is needed because the closure was foreseeable, has harmed local economies and recreation access, and lacks a current emergency response pathway. WSDOT testified in opposition, warning that the bill could create false expectations because most of the timeline is driven by federal environmental review and historic-preservation requirements that the secretary cannot waive. The bill drew strong support in testimony, with 606 pro, 1 con, and 2 other recorded on the sign-in tally. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6170, which would raise dollar thresholds for state highway work performed by state forces and for certain contracting rules that help small and disadvantaged businesses compete. Staff said the limits have not been updated since 2005 and the bill would increase the normal state-force threshold from $60,000 to $100,000 and the emergency threshold from $100,000 to $160,000. Senator King, the prime sponsor, said the change would better match inflation and help keep maintenance work in-house when appropriate. Washington Federation of State Employees and WSDOT supported the bill, saying it would help maintenance workers do more timely work without harming existing equity and small-business contracting programs; the committee noted 55 pro and no con on the sign-in tally. The chair then reminded members that amendment requests for the upcoming executive session were due the next day, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Firefighters' Employment Status, defines firefighter in workers' compensation statutes that cover driving
• HB2138 Firefighters' Employment Status defines firefighter in worker compensation statutes that cover driving
• HB 2045, drive-by shooting, immediate area.
• By way of consent, under current law, a person commits drive-by shooting by intentionally discharging
• This bill seeks to specify that a motor vehicle from which a person commits a drive-by shooting is subject

Summary: The caucus meeting began with introductions from pages and interns, followed by a procedural reminder from Rhonda about caucus consent and third-read consent calendars. She explained that bills coming out of rules can be placed on consent if they are not amended, and that pulling a bill from consent means members should be prepared to speak to it on the floor. The meeting then moved through a long Minority Caucus calendar of bills, with staff giving brief descriptions and members frequently noting bills for no further comment, pulling several from consent, or stating opposition. The bills discussed covered a wide range of topics, including appropriations and federal monies (HB 2148), a Buffalo Soldiers memorial (HB 2062), school library funding restrictions (HB 2008), prayer at public school governing body meetings (HB 2110), school safety administration (HB 2142), parental rights and social transitioning notifications (HB 2249), insurer assessments (HB 2091), agricultural property classification and inspection rules (HB 2104 and HB 2105), firefighters’ workers’ compensation status (HB 2138), truth-in-taxation bond notices (HB 2289), tax filing penalties (HB 2016), engineer and architect reciprocity (HB 2122), felony murder involving an unborn child (HB 2043), body concealment and related felony classifications (HB 2044), domestic violence order-of-protection service rules (HB 2048), mandatory reporting for partial-birth abortions (HB 2074), unlawful flight sentencing enhancements (HB 2108), weapons trafficking penalties (HB 2131), fentanyl sentencing thresholds (HB 2132), drive-by shooting definitions and forfeiture (HB 2045), probation review notices for sex offender hearings (HB 2046), venue changes in superior court when judicial employees are parties (HB 2126), and child support for pre-born children (HB 2144). Water-related bills included snowpack augmentation funding (HB 2024), WIFA grant disclosures (HB 2029), removing water conservation education as an eligible use (HB 2030), stormwater recharge mapping with an appropriation (HB 253), cesspool remediation assistance (HB 2096), groundwater pumping limits in INAs (HB 2097), Colorado River litigation funding (HB 2116), and natural resource board changes and education funding (HB 2117). Election-related measures included moving the primary date and adjusting cure periods and observer rules (HB 2022), and a proposed constitutional amendment on citizenship, ID, foreign contributions, early voting, and mail voting (HCR 2001). The committee also heard two memorials urging federal terrorist designations for the Muslim Brotherhood and CARE (HCM 2001 and HCM 2002). Members and staff offered substantive objections to many bills, often arguing they were anti-student, anti-abortion, overly punitive, unfunded mandates, or unfair tax policy. Several bills were pulled from consent for further discussion, including HB 2008, HB 2110, HB 2142, HB 2249, HB 2043, HB 2074, HB 2108, and HB 2144. Supportive remarks were also made for some measures, such as the cesspool remediation bill, which was noted as having unanimous support, while other bills were flagged for stakeholder meetings or future amendments. The meeting ended with announcements recognizing members’ birthdays and noting Muslim Day at the Capitol, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a beautiful drive. I drove up yesterday through Torreon.
• Pueblo Pintado, Crown Point, so it's a nice drive.
• It's always so beautiful driving through this area.
• Much better than driving on the interstate. Again, I appreciate the warm welcome this morning.
• It's a beautiful place to drive into. I had never been here before.

Committee: House House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• of California, whether it's looking at cost containment caps, whether it's looking at other ways to drive
• Deployed in other states, and California is really ripe to be able to take advantage of innovation and driving
• If we can take out that acuity, we can drive better care and lower costs at the same time.
• I is driving for Cardia Health. Thank you. My name is Jorge. I is driving for Cardia Health.
• vulnerable, and potentially life-threatening decision should be denied care, told to go home, or forced to drive

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee met on March 25, 2025, with Chair Mia Bonta presiding and initially operating as a subcommittee until quorum was established. The committee heard several health-related bills, including AB 73 on creating a Black Mental Health Navigator certification, AB 499 on lowering the state reimbursement trigger for the Robert F. Kennedy Farm Workers Medical Plan, AB 843 on aligning California health insurance language-access rules with federal standards, AB 257 on a specialty care network using telehealth and virtual services for Medi-Cal and underserved communities, AB 64 on allowing diacritical marks on vital records, AB 315 on the Home and Community-Based Alternatives waiver, and AB 40 on clarifying that emergency services include reproductive health services such as abortion. Testimony generally emphasized disparities in access, culturally competent care, language access, rural provider shortages, and the importance of preserving or expanding programs that help vulnerable populations. Supporters included authors, state and local health organizations, advocacy groups, and affected individuals. AB 73 was backed as a way to address stigma, mistrust, and culturally competent mental health access for Black Californians. AB 499 was described as helping keep a self-insured farmworker health plan operational while maintaining a low-cost, labor-management model. AB 843 was supported as a way to prevent children and families from having to translate sensitive medical and insurance information and to protect limited-English-proficient Californians. AB 257 drew support as a demonstration project to improve specialty care access through California-based clinicians and virtual care, with examples of reduced wait times and costs. AB 64 received emotional testimony from the author, a child and his family, and others about the importance of accurately recording names with accents and other marks. AB 315 was presented as a cost-neutral or cost-saving way to expand home- and community-based care for medically fragile people, with strong support from disability, health, and provider groups. AB 40 drew support from reproductive health and medical organizations, while one opposition witness argued it could conflict with emergency care standards and overburden emergency departments. The committee took roll-call votes and advanced AB 499, AB 73, AB 843, AB 257, AB 64, AB 315, and AB 40 to Appropriations, with AB 40 receiving some no votes. The committee also adopted its 2025-26 rules and approved a consent calendar that included AB 225, AB 304, AB 403, AB 688, and AB 951. Several measures were initially placed on call and later lifted and recorded as passing out of committee before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• from Washington, D.C., and they've tried everything from, you know, forcing fuel switching as far as driving
• ><c> far</c><00:06:46.639><c> as</c><00:06:46.759><c> far</c> ...forcing fuel switching as far as driving
• you</c><00:09:17.480><c> buy</c><00:09:17.880><c> when</c><00:09:18.000><c> you</c><00:09:18.120><c> drive
• </c><00:09:18.680><c> a</c><00:09:18.839><c> lot</c><00:09:19.040><c> of</c> when you buy when you drive
• by a lot of when you buy when you drive by a lot of existing<00:09:20.839><c> uh</c><00:09:21.040><c

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and took up House Bills 640, 641, and 790. HB 640 would authorize the Energy and Environment Cabinet to adopt regulations to control invasive non-native plant species, with testimony focusing on the threat posed by species such as callery pear/Bradford pear to native plants, forest health, and the economy. Members asked whether the bill itself would ban Bradford pears; the sponsor clarified that it would not directly ban them, but would give the cabinet regulatory authority. The bill received a favorable expression by roll call. HB 641 addressed coal combustion byproducts, explaining that the bill would help preserve landfill space by allowing these materials to be reused as special waste in places such as abandoned strip mines or underground mines, and would clarify that reclaimed land could qualify for agricultural use such as pasture, hay, or crop production. Members raised concerns about groundwater and runoff; the sponsor and another member argued that placing the material under cover would reduce exposure compared with open piles currently sitting at power plants. After discussion, the bill passed with favorable expression, with a few members passing on the vote. HB 790, as amended by committee substitute, was described as substantially narrowed from its original form. The substitute removed setback requirements and instead required construction certificate holders for solar merchant electric generating facilities to report federal and state incentives used for siting, construction, and operation, with the cabinet compiling and submitting an annual report to the General Assembly. The committee approved the substitute and the bill passed with favorable expression. At the end of the meeting, members were also reminded of a later TVA energy update meeting and the chair noted ongoing work on Senate Bill 89, with possible future action and a special meeting if revised language is ready.

Transcript Highlights:

• vote no on Senate Bill 734. not because that tragedies do not happen, but because that the upward drive
• And whenever you have a an issue that has the potential of a very good potential to drive up health care
• I but I didn't understand the part when you talked about driving up health costs, maybe I missed something
• How do you see this bill driving up help to allow me recognized, sir, that. >> If you'll allow me to
• It will drive new doctors, young doctors and doctors at the cutting edge out of this state.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those mine rescue teams, for each mine, have to be within one hour's drive of the mine.
• and that's why we have our offices where they are, so that they can be situated at least one hour's drive
• don't we, David, within the state, so that we have those situated so that we can be within one hour's drive
• 57.879><c> hour's</c> can be with one hours within one hour's can be with one hours within one hour's drive
• <00:07:58.639><c> time</c> drive time drive time so<00:08:00.360><c> again</c><00:08:00.639><c> as</c

Summary: The Tourism and Energy committee received a presentation from Gordon Sloan, Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, and Deputy Commissioner David Fields on the Division of Mine Safety. They outlined the division’s structure, saying it has four branch offices in Madisonville, Harlan, Hazard, and Pikeville, with 36 inspectors total, plus administrative staff and several headquarters specialists. They also explained that four additional inspectors are on sick leave or workers’ compensation and will not be backfilled, and confirmed that inspectors work from offices rather than from home. The presentation focused on mine safety duties and staffing needs. Sloan said underground licensed mines must receive six inspections annually, including mine safety analyses, an electrical inspection, roof inspections, and regular inspections of airways, returns, belts, and miner safety equipment. He also described the division’s mine rescue responsibilities, including providing rescue coverage where operators do not have their own teams, maintaining teams within an hour’s drive of mines, and supporting training and certification. The division also conducts 17 training courses and about 8,000 to 9,000 trainings per year. Members were given updated mine and employment figures. Sloan reported 126 licensed mines in 2024 across the branch areas, with 61 active all year and others idle or later abandoned. He said Kentucky had 4,683 miners in 2024, with average employment of 4,509, and noted that the state had gone 34 months without a mining fatality since March 2022. He also said the division provides rescue services for 16 underground rock quarries, three highway tunnels, and three underground military training sites. In response to questions, Sloan said the division does not plan to refill the four vacant inspector positions because staffing is adequate statewide, and he said he would provide additional historical mine data later. The committee took no formal action and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• , of course, the rules and regulations saying the medical want to marijuana, which means you can't drive
• He was driving a Ford F 3.50.
• 20 illegal aliens and Giannis block has been continued illegally entering the United States while driving
• that where you can drive through them.
• It's important that we drive the safest vehicles on the road that are the best equipped with the best

Transcript Highlights:

• Their dedication drives them to heights of 40, 60, and sometimes as much as 120 feet.
• Their dedication drives them to heights of 40, 60, and sometimes as much as 120 feet in the face of challenging
• Most likely it's going to be somewhere 2 or 3 o'clock, something like that, to give folks time to drive
• nay. most likely it's going to be somewhere 2, 3 o'clock, something like that, give folks time to drive

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, established a quorum with 98 members present, and granted leave for Representative Jack Ladyman. The chamber then received committee reports from the Joint Budget Committee recommending passage of several appropriation bills, and the Governor’s communication noting approval of House Bill 1001 (Act 2). The Speaker also recognized guests in the galleries, including law enforcement personnel, doctors, students visiting for STEM Day, line workers, and representatives from the Council of State Governments. The bulk of the meeting was devoted to budget amendments and appropriation bills. The House adopted amendments to House Bills 1018, 1023, 1036, 1041, 1055, 1068, and 1077, covering items such as title changes at East Arkansas College, DHS and Department of Health staffing adjustments, Capitol Police positions for the Winthrop Rockefeller Building, transfer of the early childhood nutrition program to the Department of Agriculture, DFA position changes and the Rural Health Transformation Program, and DHS county office reductions. The chamber then passed House Bill 1060 for the State Library, and Senate Bills 5, 13, 39, and 56, which funded the Tobacco Settlement Commission, Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission, Arkansas State University, and Auditor of State continuing education/local offices. Most measures passed with strong support, though Senate Bill 56 drew 14 nays. Before adjournment, the Speaker announced the House was ahead of schedule and planned to move the following week’s calendar earlier, with a possible sine die adjournment on Wednesday if business proceeded as planned. Representative Meeks moved to adjourn until 1 p.m. the next day, and the motion carried without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• As I was driving in this morning, I saw a license plate that said Micah 6:8.
• As<00:06:12.800><c> I</c><00:06:12.840><c> was</c><00:06:12.960><c> driving</c><00:06:13.400><c> in</
• > this</c><00:06:13.680><c> morning,</c><00:06:14.080><c> I</c><00:06:14.160><c> saw</c> As I was driving
• in this morning, I saw As I was driving in this morning, I saw license<00:06:15.080><c> plate</c><00

Transcript Highlights:

• If they want to drive them on the roadway, they are going to need to be licensed and they're going to
• Yes, Chairman, if we do this, are we saying that these are going to be legal to drive, like on our state
• I mean, can you imagine if somebody had happened to be driving by at the same time?
• You know, also, we have, like, golf carts that are legal to drive on the road and everything else, and

Committee: House Transportation and Defense

Transcript Highlights:

• For instance, a person may be driving.
• For instance, a person may be driving.
• For instance, a person may be driving.
• For instance, a person may be driving.

Bills: HB166 , HB487 , SB130 , SB181 , HB166 , HB487 , SB130 , SB181

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund

Keywords: education policy, wireless communication devices, internet safety, social media, mental health, HB487, Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program, veterans, disabled veterans, dependents, spouse benefits, widow benefits, children of veterans, tuition assistance, education benefits, scholarship, college aid, undergraduate tuition, private school reimbursement, books and fees

Transcript Highlights:

• a Class D driver's license by allowing Oklahomans to self-certify that they are medically able to drive
• The same language passed out of this committee... ...medically able to drive safely.
• He believes that it does not impact his ability to drive a car.
• And so one of the things that we talked about then was people who are deaf driving.

Bills: HB4284 , HB1250 , HB4190 , HB3086

Committee: House Public Safety

Keywords: animal abuse, offender registry, public safety, animal welfare, criminal justice, Oklahoma legislation, local law enforcement, Public Safety Technology Revolving Fund, grants, state funding, law enforcement technology, cyber crime, fraud prevention, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, insurance fee, digital forensics, investigative support, revolving fund, prisons, corrections

Transcript Highlights:

• So what this bill does is provide an ecosystem of incentives to help drive the adoption of low-carbon
• This is the part that drives market demand.
• And so the end user, we want to facilitate both the building of the supply and build the demand, drive
• And so that's why this package is both designed to build the supply and drive demand so that we are working

Committee: Senate Senate Conservation

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 153, a proposal focused on industrial decarbonization and manufacturing. The bill would create a voluntary, market-based framework with three main parts: an Environmental Product Declaration program to help manufacturers measure and certify product carbon footprints, an industrial carbon reduction incentive and capital grant program to support lower-carbon production, and a rebate program to encourage purchase of low-carbon construction materials. Supporters said the bill would reduce emissions, strengthen supply chains, create jobs, and help New Mexico attract and grow low-carbon manufacturing. Members raised concerns about the anti-donation clause, whether the program would actually benefit New Mexico companies, the availability of in-state supply, the cost to the state, and whether a sunset should be added. Sponsors and agency representatives responded that the programs are voluntary, would be implemented through rules with performance and verification requirements, and are backed by a finite appropriation and reporting requirements. They also said the bill is intended to build both supply and demand, with examples cited such as low-carbon cement and engineered wood projects that could reduce emissions and create jobs. After discussion, the committee moved to a vote on House Bill 153. The motion to do pass was approved, with Senator Scott voting no and several members excused. House Bill 254, which had also been on the agenda, was not heard because the committee was called to the floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• As we started taking testimony from people in our rural areas, we keep hearing an hour-and-a-half drive
• I don't want to wait for weeks, and I certainly don't want to drive two hours to get to a doctor.
• As we started taking testimony from people in our rural areas, we keep hearing an hour and a half drive
• You know, with an injury, I don't want to wait for weeks, and I certainly don't want to drive two hours

Summary: The Labor and Workplace Standards Committee met to consider four bills, though House Bill 2563 was removed from consideration before action. HB 2188 would require L&I to publish more information about workers’ compensation premium rates and actuarial rate-setting. Members described it as a transparency measure, and it passed the committee 8-0 with one excused. The committee then took up HB 2218, dealing with access to medical care in the workers’ compensation system. The proposed substitute made several changes to provider-network rules, rural access standards, utilization review timelines, and continued treatment after claim closure. Representative Schmidt’s amendment to add more claims managers was adopted, while earlier amendments on inducement and treatment language were withdrawn. The substitute bill passed 6-2 with one excused, with supporters emphasizing rural access and faster care, and opponents raising concerns about the fiscal note and some inducement-related language. HB 2524 would create a State Security Guards Industry Standards Board to set minimum employment standards for security guards and allow enforcement by L&I and, in the original bill, a private right of action. Amendment 236, making technical changes and delaying the board’s first meeting, was adopted, while Amendment 237 to remove the private right of action failed. The amended substitute passed 5-3 with one excused. Supporters said it would improve training, stability, and worker protections, while opponents cited cost concerns and argued it could interfere with existing compensation and bargaining arrangements.