Transcript Highlights:

• House Enrolled Act number 26 being original House Bill 41.
• to provide driver's thirdparty providers to provide driver's licenses<02:42:15.680><c> and</c><02:42
• legislative findings, providing definitions, providing for the administration of the account, providing
• </c> on House Bill 126. on House Bill 126.
• House Bill 78.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill also provides $200 million for transportation improvements that directly support new housing
• We thank you very much for that long-term support that you've provided us.
• We're not sure what will be housed under, just more the idea that we can support housing development
• There's growth in housing.
• to connect new housing to existing infrastructure.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Transportation

Summary: The Transportation Committee heard testimony on House Bill 4987, the Healey-Driscoll administration’s transportation bond bill financing long-term improvements to municipal roads and bridges. Administration officials said the bill would authorize more than $5 billion overall, including $1.2 billion for Chapter 90 over four years, $500 million for accelerated road and bridge repairs, $200 million for MBTA rail modernization and reliability, $200 million for transportation projects supporting housing development, $200 million for a new DCR parkway resilience and safety program, and reauthorizations for federal-aid highway projects, non-federal highway projects, municipal pavement, and Shared Streets and Spaces. They emphasized that the proposal is backed by Commonwealth Transportation Fund revenues, including registry fees, gas tax, and Fair Share surtax revenue, and said it would improve safety, reliability, housing production, and regional equity. Committee members asked about the four-year Chapter 90 authorization, the housing-related transportation funding, federal funding uncertainty, and how the MBTA money would support commuter rail electrification and regional rail. Administration witnesses said the multi-year structure would help municipalities plan and avoid more expensive deferred maintenance, that the housing funds would be flexible for infrastructure needs tied to development, and that the state is pursuing federal grants while relying on state-backed capital financing. They also described process improvements at MassDOT that have reduced project bid-to-notice timelines by 60% and said the rail modernization funds would support locomotive procurement, including battery-electric and Tier 4 diesel locomotives. The Massachusetts Municipal Association and local officials from Sherborn, Conway, and Yarmouth strongly supported the bill, saying the increased Chapter 90 funding and road-mile formula have made a major difference for small and rural communities and that four-year funding would improve predictability, project bundling, and cost savings. They cited local road, bridge, culvert, and gravel-road needs and urged favorable action. A Better City and MAPC also supported the bill but urged the committee to use it for broader transportation policy changes and new revenue tools, including possible reforms to TNC fees, regional pricing, and other funding mechanisms. The committee took no vote during the hearing and adjourned after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• I would entertain a motion to waive the five-day notice rule considering House Bill 2215, House Bill
• 2426, House Bill 2606, House Bill 2575, House Bill 1903, and House Bill 1742.
• We're here today neutral on House Bill 2215. We're here today neutral on House Bill 2215.
• I'm testifying today to provide technical comments on House Bill 2575. We appreciate Rep.
• I'm testifying other today to provide technical contacts on House Bill 2575.

Bills: HB2426 , HB2606

Committee: Senate Environment, Energy & Technology

Keywords: pollution control, efficiency, appeals process, environmental regulation, hearing board, data protection, privacy, performance measures, reporting requirements, office of privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Fair Housing.
• in our housing market.
• House Bill 2240.
• House Bill 2240.
• House Bill 2240.

Summary: The Consumer Protection and Business Committee heard public hearings on several bills related to real estate, self-storage, and consumer disclosures. House Bill 2477 would shorten the time to bring claims against appraisers arising from appraisal reports to two years from discovery or five years from signing, except fraud claims, and would limit liability to specified clients and intended users. The sponsor and appraiser witnesses said the bill would reduce long-tail liability, lower insurance and recordkeeping burdens, and help attract new appraisers; no opposition testimony was heard in the excerpt. House Bill 2512 would prohibit real estate brokers from marketing residential properties to exclusive groups unless the property is also publicly marketed. Supporters, including Washington Realtors, Zillow, Habitat for Humanity, Windermere, and others, said it would promote transparency, competition, and fair housing; opponents argued it could limit homeowner privacy and autonomy, and the Attorney General’s office said the Washington Law Against Discrimination already covers discrimination concerns and objected to placing enforcement in that statute. House Bill 2240 would modernize self-storage rental agreements by allowing electronic execution, deeming continued use after notice as acceptance, and setting notice and disposal rules after termination or nonrenewal; storage industry witnesses supported the bill as clarifying safety and notice procedures, while an advocacy witness opposed it as harmful to unhoused people and others who rely on storage units. House Bill 2465 would require a water recreation safety guide for short-term rentals with pools or similar facilities; the sponsor and hospitality industry supported it as a low-cost safety measure, while cities raised implementation concerns and asked for an amendment on where the guide would be posted. House Bill 2501 would update a seller disclosure notice to reflect the Pollution Liability Insurance Agency’s shift from a no-cost insurance program to a loan-and-grant remediation program, and it drew support as a technical correction. House Bill 2624 would exempt public entities, tribes, and nonprofit land conservancies from the 2025 “solicited real estate transactions” appraisal and notice requirements; conservation groups and the Department of Natural Resources supported it as necessary to preserve land acquisition and grant funding, and the sponsor described it as a cleanup bill. The committee then moved into executive session and took action on two liquor-related bills. House Bill 2536, allowing wineries to hold a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license or beer/wine restaurant license at one location, was moved out of committee with a due pass recommendation by a 14-1 vote. House Bill 2476, modifying the spirits, beer, and wine theater license, was amended via a proposed substitute that restored the 120-seat-per-screen limit except for theaters admitting only patrons 21 and older; the substitute was reported out with a due pass recommendation by a 13-2 vote. Members discussed the balance between business flexibility and concerns about alcohol access in family settings and recovery communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 5382 will be reported. Next item on the agenda is House Bill 5685.
• House Bill 5685 will be reported. Next item on the agenda is House Joint Resolution 42.
• This came to us from House Finance. It passed the House 92 to 4.
• the House 94 to 0.
• House Bill 4404 will be reported.

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met with a quorum present and first approved the minutes from the prior meeting. It then reconsidered Committee Substitute for House Bill 5212, noting that an Education Committee amendment had been inadvertently omitted the day before; the vice chairman withdrew the prior motion to report the bill, and the committee returned to the bill with the technical Education Committee amendments pending. The transcript then moved through a long agenda of bills and supplemental appropriations, with the committee generally hearing brief explanations from counsel, occasional member questions, and then voting to adopt amendments and report measures to the full Senate. Among the substantive policy bills, the committee advanced House Bill 4007 on the Industrial Access Road Fund, allowing an additional possible $3 million transfer in a fiscal year, expanding eligible uses, and increasing county/municipal spending limits; House Bill 4765, which raises salaries for state police, teachers, and school service personnel and, via a strike-and-insert amendment, creates a market pay enhancement tied to county and regional income data; House Bill 5162, recodifying tax lien sale procedures and clarifying ownership and government-property tax treatment; House Bill 5382, extending the Neighborhood Investment Tax Credit Program to July 1, 2031; House Bill 5685, authorizing up to $150 million in revenue bonds backed by excess lottery funds for State Culture Center improvements; House Joint Resolution 42, placing a constitutional amendment on the ballot to raise the homestead exemption from $20,000 to $40,000; House Bill 4010, creating an airport hangar grant program and fund; House Bill 4404, increasing from $500 to $5,000 the amount volunteer fire departments may spend on training and fire prevention materials; House Bill 4592, requiring standardized campus safety mapping data for higher education institutions; House Bill 4784, extending and making retroactive a qualified opportunity zone business tax modification; and House Bill 5088, increasing retirement benefits for Division of Natural Resources police officers, with a one-time $4.25 million cash injection. The committee also reported several supplemental appropriations and originating bills, including Senate Bill 842 for the Spay Neuter Assistance Fund, Senate Bill 846 for Culture and History capital repairs, Senate Bill 872 for Natural Resources capital repairs (reduced to $10 million in committee substitute), Senate Bill 876 for Department of Health facilities, Senate Originating Bills 1 through 5 covering Culture and History, road funds, corrections IT and services, tobacco education, and the Adjutant General’s armory board transfer, respectively. Most items were adopted by voice vote; House Bill 4765’s strike-and-insert amendment was adopted after a division vote of 10-6. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• construction and help provide more quality housing options.
• For one, scissor stairs allow housing providers to reduce the amount of space dedicated to stairs and
• It also requires affordable housing to be provided to very low-, low-, and moderate-income households
• for property tax exemptions for nonprofit organizations providing emergency or transitional housing
• for property tax exemptions for nonprofit organizations in providing emergency or transitional housing

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on several housing-related bills. On SB 6054, Senator Hunt’s bill to prohibit common-interest community rules from blocking wildfire home-hardening materials, staff explained that HOA and condominium governing documents could still impose reasonable aesthetic rules, but not ones that make fire-resistant materials infeasible or more than 10% costlier. The sponsor described the bill as a response to HOA requirements for less fire-resistant roofs. Testifiers generally supported the goal but objected to the 10% cost cap, saying it could limit community-specific design choices and create unintended conflicts with aesthetic standards. The committee also heard SB 601 on scissor stairs in the building code. The sponsor and supporters from Futurewise, architects, and housing advocates said scissor stairs could make mid-rise and high-rise housing more efficient, reduce corridor space, and improve unit layouts without sacrificing life safety. They noted the design is used in places like Vancouver, B.C. and in some Washington venues, and argued the bill would help lower costs and increase housing supply. No opposition was presented during the hearing. For SB 6015 on permit-ready residential plans, staff said L&I would create a process for publishing approved plans for factory-built housing and certain small residential types, with local governments required to approve applications using those plans on qualifying lots starting in 2027. Supporters from builders, architects, Habitat for Humanity, and Sightline said statewide standard plans could reduce duplication, speed permitting, and help scale factory-built and potentially site-built housing. Counties and L&I were supportive in concept but raised concerns about mandating local adoption of model ordinances and about whether the bill should include site-built plans as well. The committee also heard SB 5470 on detached ADUs outside urban growth areas, with supporters saying it would help rural homeowners and intergenerational living, while Futurewise opposed the bill as written and sought tighter density, lot-size, and metering limits. Finally, the committee heard SB 5729, a permit-streamlining bill that would deem completeness for applications prepared by licensed professionals and limit local governments to three review cycles. Builders and business groups supported it as a way to reduce delays and costs, while counties, cities, and Futurewise argued it could lead to more denials, less communication, and unintended liability concerns. In executive session, the committee adopted the proposed substitute for SB 5884 and moved it forward with a do-pass recommendation to Ways and Means.

Transcript Highlights:

• California, over the last several years, has enacted landmark housing policies to provide affordable
• At Covenant House, we provide sanctuary, housing, and support to young people experiencing homelessness
• Covenant House provides a full continuum of care and support, and we believe that the young people in
• housing program. of care of housing.
• That they get some assistance and help, and especially when it comes to housing, which provides you so

Committee: Senate Housing

Transcript Highlights:

• a process that provides levels of housing,<01:31:56.840><c> levels</c><01:31:57.200><c> of</c><01:31
• So, the legislative intent, as I had said earlier, is to provide housing, to reduce reliance on the hotel
• . housing. housing.
• As I said in the beginning, the goal is to provide housing for folks so that the program will go away
• </c> the beginning, the goal is to provide the beginning, the goal is to provide housing housing housing

Transcript Highlights:

• to express strong opposition to House Bill 928.
• I urge your support for House Bill 928.
• I'm here today in strong opposition to House Bill 928.
• We have before us House Bill 928, a motion to send House Bill 928 to the 14th order with a second.
• I move we hold House Bill 916 in committee.

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2018, House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2019, House
• House Bill 1313, House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2113, House Bill 3000, House Bill 2898, House
• House Bill 1313, House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2113, House Bill 3000, House Bill 2898, House
• House Bill 1313, House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2113, House Bill 3000, House Bill 2898, House
• House- 31-13, House Bill 3,000, House Bill 28-98, House Bill 1740, House Bill 2760, House Committee Sub-Soup

Summary: The House first established a quorum after a roll call and then moved through House Bills for Perfection, Informal. Members briefly recognized Doug Pitt and Crystal Simon of Care to Learn, with remarks highlighting the organization’s work providing clothing and other support to students in 60 communities and reaching about 130,000 students statewide. Several bills were then taken up and advanced. HB 2848, creating the offense of masked intimidation, was explained as targeting intentional harassment or threats while hiding one’s face; members discussed examples ranging from domestic intimidation to historical hooded groups, and the bill was ordered perfected and printed. HCS HB 1791, aimed at speeding building permits to help address housing costs and disaster recovery, drew debate over whether the 30- and 60-day permit deadlines would burden local governments; an amendment requiring code-enforcement staff to be certified in the adopted code was added, and the bill was adopted and perfected and printed as amended. HCS HB 2465, expanding small-business health coverage options by allowing one-person businesses to access group plans outside the ACA framework, was adopted and perfected and printed. HCS HB 2711, reducing the assessment rate on broadband infrastructure investment to encourage expansion, received amendments clarifying that the tax break is intended to promote broadband expansion; members debated whether upgrades within existing territories should qualify, and the bill was adopted and perfected and printed as amended. The chamber also advanced HCS HB 3080, restoring historic preservation tax credit language that had previously been struck down by the courts; supporters cited recovery and redevelopment projects in places such as Joplin, St. Charles, Independence, Odessa, and St. Louis, and the bill was adopted and perfected and printed. HB 1772, increasing state payments for adoption attorneys and separating guardian fees to help move children out of foster care more quickly, was described as a targeted effort to reduce legal barriers to adoption and was perfected and printed. HB 2096, raising state matching funds for regional planning commissions and updating the list of commissions, was also perfected. Finally, HCS HB 2913 and 3228, which would protect teachers and other school employees from liability when intervening to protect themselves or students in violent situations, was supported as a response to teacher concerns and was adopted and perfected and printed.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 120 builds upon existing.
• For example, this bill would provide funding for programs like JROTC that provide students with civic
• Okay, do you provide the uniforms for them or... they have to get their own. Yes, we provide them.
• Bonin and the House Appropriations Committee on a rider if necessary to provide tuition assistance for
• In strengthening CTE and focusing on skilled trades, House Bill 20 provides critical pathways is for

Bills: HB20 , HB 120 , HB20 , HB120

Committee: House S/C on Academic & Career-Oriented Education

Keywords: applied sciences, career education, high school diploma, certificate program, work-based learning, job placement, high-growth jobs, technical training, career readiness, education reform, workforce training, public schools, financial aid, fraudulent solicitation, disaster relief, nonprofit organizations, criminal penalties, consumer protection, fraud prevention, charitable donations

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:00:47.359><c> We</c> provide the much neededed housing.
• We provide the much neededed housing.
• It also provide the opportunity for new housing.
• It also provide the opportunity for new housing.
• It also provide the opportunity for new housing.

Committee: Senate Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2830 provides statewide standards, places oversight with the State Board of Education, and
• Schools provide facts; families provide guidance, meaning, and values.
• Chairman, members, House Bill 2040 requires a public educational institution to provide students adoption-related
• Chairman, members, House Bill 2040 requires a public educational institution to provide students adoption-related
• Madam Vice Chair, please move House Bill 2381. House Bill 2381. Mr.

Committees: House Education , House House Education Committee of Reference

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of House File 1161, a bill that could provide tax
• Members, Solveig Beckel from House Fiscal. House File 1161 has a fiscal note.
• During the pandemic, the federal government provided additional reimbursements to allow schools to provide
• services provide the meals that they're providing, this amendment moves that 12.5 cents to a separate
• We're going to House File 2786, 1053, and House File 51, Representative Bennett.

Bills: HF51 , HF1161 , HF2201 , HF2786 , HF1053

Committee: House Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• , to provide for exceptions, to provide for enforcement, and to provide for related matters.
• This is House labor. House labor is different.
• provide for annual reporting, to provide definitions, to provide for enforcement, to provide for rulemaking
• provide for annual reporting, to provide definitions, to provide for enforcement, to provide for rulemaking
• minimum wage, to provide for civil remedies, to provide for damages, to provide for venue, to provide

Committee: House Labor & Industrial Relations

Summary: The House Labor and Industrial Relations Committee met on April 9 and first took up Senate Bill 162, which would change the workers’ compensation medical treatment schedule appeal process. The bill, presented as a collaboration between the Attorney General’s office and trial lawyers, would require additional medical evidence submitted on appeal to be sent back to the medical director for review before court review continues. Members discussed the 30-day turnaround for the medical director and whether the process would delay injured workers’ cases. After testimony from injured workers’ representatives and support cards from several business and labor groups, the committee adopted the technical amendments and reported SB 162 favorably. The committee then heard House Bill 353, which would establish a state minimum wage beginning at $12 per hour in 2027, rising to $15 in 2029 and then indexed to inflation. Supporters, including the sponsor, Invest in Louisiana, the Workplace Justice Project, 10,000 Women Louisiana, the AFL-CIO, and a young witness from People’s Promise, argued that Louisiana’s wages have lagged behind costs of living, that many workers remain in poverty, and that the bill would help families, reduce reliance on public benefits, and improve economic stability. Opponents, including NFIB and small-business advocates, argued that the market should set wages, that the bill would raise labor costs, compress pay scales, reduce hours or hiring, and potentially increase prices. After extended debate, the committee voted and HB 353 failed. The committee next considered Senate Bill 383 on the incumbent worker training program. Senator Bass and Louisiana Works officials said the bill would expand and make the existing program more flexible, increase available funding, shorten the business eligibility period from three years to two, and allow unused funds to roll over. Members focused on how the program would reach workers, how businesses and employees would learn about training opportunities, and how it would support workforce development in growing regions. Support came from business and economic development groups, and the committee reported SB 383 favorably with amendments. Finally, the committee began Senate Bill 382, which would repeal the Workers’ Compensation Advisory Council, described as the Senate version of a bill the committee had already considered. The transcript cuts off during discussion of the prior vote on the similar House version, and no final action on SB 382 is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• House bill 2430, please. Okay, thank you. House bill 2430, please.
• We want to provide...
• House Bill 2648 provides the essential clarity that law enforcement needs to uphold their duty to serve
• House Bill 2648 provides clarity and the boundaries that will help our law enforcement do their jobs
• House Bill 2648 provides clarity and the boundaries that will help our law enforcement do their jobs

Bills: HB1591 , HB2146 , HB2220 , HB2430 , HB2526 , HB2641 , HB2648

Committee: House Community Safety

Keywords: domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, survivor protections, legal remedies, defendants, sexual exploitation, minors, child safety, law enforcement, victim support, criminal justice training commission, CJTC, law enforcement training, peace officer certification, decertification, corrections officer certification, tribal police certification, police accountability, police oversight

Transcript Highlights:

• The next item on the agenda is House Bill 51, the committee substitute for House Bill 5162.
• This came to us from House Finance. It passed the House 92 to 4.
• the House 94 to 0.
• House Bill 4404 will be reported.
• This came to us from House Finance; it passed the House 89 to 9. Questions of counsel?

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill also provides $200 million for transportation improvements that directly support new housing
• We thank you very much for that long-term support that you've provided us.
• We're not sure what will be housed under it, just more the idea that we can support housing development
• to connect new housing to existing infrastructure.
• to connect new housing to existing infrastructure.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Transportation

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 4987, the administration’s transportation bond bill centered on Chapter 90 roadway funding and related capital programs. Administration officials described the bill as a roughly $5.5 billion package that would continue $300 million per year for Chapter 90 over four years, with part of the funding distributed by the traditional formula and an additional $100 million based solely on road miles to better support rural and smaller communities. They also highlighted authorizations for municipal pavement work, Shared Streets and Spaces grants, accelerated bridge and pavement repairs, MBTA rail modernization and reliability, housing-related transportation improvements, and a new DCR-focused PRISM program for parkways and related infrastructure. Officials emphasized that the bill is financed through the Commonwealth Transportation Fund and Fair Share revenues, and said it would help municipalities plan more predictably, speed project delivery, and support housing, safety, and climate goals. Committee members and witnesses discussed the bill’s broader scope beyond traditional Chapter 90, especially the $200 million for transportation projects that support housing development and the $200 million for MBTA modernization and rail reliability. Members asked about the rationale for a four-year authorization amid fiscal uncertainty, federal funding volatility, and the status of commuter rail electrification. Administration officials responded that the capital authorization is backed by dedicated transportation revenues rather than the operating budget, and said multi-year certainty helps cities and towns make better long-term repair decisions. They also said the MBTA’s rail modernization funds would support locomotive procurements, including battery-electric and Tier 4 diesel locomotives, as part of a longer-term regional rail and electrification strategy. Municipal officials and regional advocates strongly supported the bill. The Massachusetts Municipal Association, along with town and city officials from Sherborn, Conway, and Yarmouth, said the increased Chapter 90 funding and road-mile-based distribution are especially important for small and rural communities with limited local revenue capacity, and that multi-year funding would let them bundle projects, bid at better prices, and address backlogs more proactively. A Better City and MAPC also supported the bill but urged the committee to treat it like a traditional bond bill by adding policy provisions and considering new transportation revenue tools, such as TNC fee changes, road pricing, parking taxes, and other mechanisms. The committee took no vote during the hearing and adjourned after testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• We cannot often provide electronic data.
• amidst a growing housing crisis.
• , and provide for himself.
• as her medical providers.
• as her medical providers.

Transcript Highlights:

• This instrument provides relative to certain insured contractual payments, to provide for prescriptive
• periods, to provide for a payment under terms of contracts, to provide for effectiveness, and to provide
• We'll move to House. We'll move to House Bill 943. 943, if that's okay. That's fine with me. Ms.
• , to provide for an effective date, and to provide for related matters.
• , to provide for an effective date, and to provide for related matters.

Committee: House Insurance