Transcript Highlights:

• Top of my head. Yeah, it is. It's the ones that. Make sure that when it comes to school safety.
• And the 40 percent comes off the top that they can obviously do whatever they want to with.
• On top of the federal money, there's $11 billion. being distributed on this basis.
• The 20% hard cap in the top group is. is in the bill as it stands right now?
• But I would presume that's probably over 500% of the poverty level if you're in the top 25%.

Bills: SB2, HB2, HB2000, HB2196, HB213, HB222, HB645, HB1458, HB 1022, HB141, HB502, HB643, HB3093, HB1700, HB 117, SB503, SB2, HB 120, HB20, HB150, HB6, HB 100, HB210, HB215, HB1393, HB 1151, HB 1268, HB142, HB451, HB 124, HB2, HB2000, HB2196, HB213, HB222, HB645, HB1458, HB 1022, HB141, HB502, HB643, HB3093, HB1700, HB 117

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, child grooming, sex offender registration, criminal justice, reportable conviction, law enforcement, virtual education, hybrid learning, school funding, average daily attendance

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, the top 10 prescription drugs for Medicaid are cancer drugs.
• That’s the top end. It says 4 to 12. That’s the top end. Yes. Yes.
• >> that's the top end. It says 4 to 12. >> that's the top end. It says 4 to 12.
• >> That's<05:03:27.360> the<05:03:27.440> top<05:03:27.600> end.
• >> That's the top end. Yes. Yes. I'm sorry. >> That's the top end. Yes. Yes.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• year, from the prior year, from the prior year, becoming<00:09:42.080> the<00:09:42.200> top
• c><00:09:42.560> fundraising<00:09:43.160> team<00:09:43.480> for becoming the top
• fundraising team for becoming the top fundraising team for their<00:09:43.800> event<00:09:44.320
• At the top of the list, your House Committee on Human Services recommends that two individuals with lived
• Section F at the top of page 1989 of your action calendar further specifies how we would like the group

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House opened with a devotional in honor of Earth Day, then referred three Senate bills to money committees under House Rule 35A: S. 173 to Appropriations, and S. 232 and S. 327 to Ways and Means. The chamber also adopted JRS 50, a joint resolution setting weekend adjournment so the House and Senate would reconvene no later than April 28, 2026. Several members then made announcements recognizing guests and interns in the gallery, including a homeschooling eighth grader, UVM interns, a constituent shadowing a member, family members, and a Civil Air Patrol delegation. The House next took up S. 89, expanding survivor benefits, and passed it in concurrence with proposal of amendment. It then considered S. 157 on recovery residence certification. The Human Services Committee described the bill as making permanent a temporary framework for certified recovery residences, placing oversight with the Department of Health, requiring standards, data collection, and annual reporting, and preserving resident protections such as written agreements, notice, grievance procedures, and alternative housing arrangements. The committee also said the bill would modernize definitions and repeal the sunset on the current framework. Human Services voted 9-0-2 to recommend the strike-all amendment, and Ways and Means reported the bill favorable 11-0-0, noting no fiscal impact unless a future fee is proposed and enacted. The House adopted the amendment, ordered third reading, and moved the bill forward. The final major item was S. 239, creating a child abuse and neglect reporting working group. The Human Services Committee said Vermont’s mandated reporting system has not been substantially reviewed in over a decade and that the bill would convene experts to review the law and recommend updates. Committee testimony emphasized that Vermont has a very high reporting rate but relatively low rates of substantiation and referral to supportive services, and members said the working group should examine reporting before, during, and after a report, including alternatives when in a child’s best interests. The committee’s strike-all amendment added findings, narrowed and prioritized the working group membership to people with direct child-serving or mandated-reporting experience, set deadlines for an interim report by April 1, 2027 and final recommendations by October 1, 2027, and required the first meeting by August 15. The committee also heard from a wide range of child welfare, education, law enforcement, and advocacy witnesses.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, the top line represents adult licenses, and then the gray line at the bottom represents youth licenses
• <00:04:02.640> Uh<00:04:02.960> the<00:04:03.280> top<00:04:03.560> line<
• Uh the top line represents to 2024.
• Uh the top line represents adult<00:04:04.760> licenses,<00:04:05.520> and<00:04:05.680
• The presenter said they could get the numbers directly and did not know them off the top of their head

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• today it's<00:26:06.880> one<00:26:07.039> of<00:26:07.120> the<00:26:07.279> top
• c><00:26:07.520> ranked<00:26:08.400> schools<00:26:08.799> in it's one of the top
• ranked schools in it's one of the top ranked schools in the<00:26:09.279> state<00:26:09.679>
• <00:26:10.880> 5%<00:26:11.440> of the state and ranked in the top 5% of the state
• and ranked in the top 5% of high<00:26:11.840> schools<00:26:12.159> by<00:26:12.320>

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Maryland Senate opened with an invocation by Reverend Dorene Robinson of Weman Memorial AM Church in Baltimore, followed by a quorum call showing 41 members present. The chamber then spent much of the session recognizing guests and visitors, including members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the Morgan State Choir, the Winston Churchill High School varsity golf team, the Elijah Cummings Youth Program, students from several schools, faith leaders, and other community guests. Several senators also introduced personal guests and offered birthday recognitions, including Mrs. Eliza May Robinson and the Secretary of the Senate. On the legislative side, Senate Bill 988 on judicial facilities, stops, detention, and arrest limitation rules was introduced and referred to the Rules Committee. Bond initiatives were also read and referred to the Capital Budget Subcommittee. The chamber took up Senate Bill 108 on wetlands enforcement, but the minority leader said members still had questions, and the bill was special ordered until Friday without objection. The Senate also adopted a congratulatory resolution honoring the Winston Churchill High School varsity golf team for winning the 2025 4A/3A Maryland State Golf Championship, including recognition of senior captain Zoe Kusak’s individual title. Another resolution congratulated Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, North Atlantic Region, for its advocacy and community service. The session ended after committee schedule announcements and a motion to adjourn until the next day, with the Senate agreeing to adjourn until Thursday, February 26 at 10 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• We know that recurring revenue in the next year is going to only top at $100 million.
• Chair, this is $1 billion over the course of five years aggregate on top of the automatic $500 that's
• It's the technical assistance, because it is a full-time job on top of their other full-time jobs to
• It's the technical assistance because it is a full-time job on top of their other full-time jobs to be
• it... ...play can't figure out all the things I have to do on top of this and how to create it correctly

Bills: SB241, SB145

Keywords: child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool, pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start, Children's Code, early childhood education and care department, ECECD, child care facilities, licensed child care, registered child care, copayments, waitlist, subsidy, federal poverty level

Transcript Highlights:

• On top of that, the expansion request is just really the lack of federal funding, and that's to continue
• We feel like New Mexico is often at the top of the bad list and the bottom of the good list.
• First of all, I just want to say congratulations on the USA Today top workplaces. That means A lot.
• a Department of Justice antitrust lawyer, and so I know that he has established that as one of his top
• That's on top of the LFC recommendation.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to make sure I'm right: your intention there is to say, don't just let some kids rise to the top
• let some interpretation, I mean, your intention there is to say, don't just let some kids rise to the top
• way or deal with average students, that too often we leave kids that are on the bottom third and the top
• it, but this, you know, distilling it down to its symbols, an additional 60% for gifted education on top
• Then section 7 at the top of page 9, line 83, has the threshold.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Common mental health concerns that we see at WSU, the top five presenting concerns that we saw in the
• So you can see dental hygienist is at the top of the list right now in terms of most common...
• So you can see dental hygienist is at the top of the list right now in terms of most common careers.
• So what you see in the upper left-hand corner, this is the eighth grade top career clusters and top career
• acting as the number one career interest for eighth graders, professional athlete often towards the top

Summary: The committee spent much of the meeting hearing presentations on student mental health supports at Central Washington University, Washington State University, the University of Washington, and the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges. CWU described high levels of student distress, loneliness, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and basic-needs insecurity, along with a campus-wide holistic well-being model that includes behavioral intervention teams, emergency aid, peer outreach, community partnerships, and a collegiate recovery community. WSU emphasized loneliness, common presenting concerns such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and relationship distress, and the role of housing and residence life, resident advisors, living-learning communities, and coordinated crisis response in identifying and supporting students. UW highlighted prevention and support programs through LiveWell, including alcohol and other drug consultations, confidential advocacy, suicide intervention, student needs navigation, peer health educators, and peer wellness coaches. The community and technical college system reported persistent access barriers, especially for students ages 18 to 24 and those facing housing or food insecurity, and said the legislature-funded mental health pilot at four colleges expanded counseling access, telehealth, and referral pathways, while broader system efforts focus on awareness, telehealth, basic-needs supports, and workforce training in behavioral health fields. Members asked each panel how they gather student feedback, and the institutions said they use surveys, evaluations, and ongoing outreach to students in services. Questions also focused on substance-use and recovery resources, Greek life outreach, and whether colleges have enough licensed mental health staff versus academic advisors; the community college board said not all colleges have licensed mental health providers on staff, and some rely on community contracts or telehealth. The committee also discussed whether counseling services are increasing because of post-pandemic effects or because students are more willing to seek help, with presenters saying both factors likely play a role. The committee then shifted to artificial intelligence in higher education. Washington State University, the University of Washington, Western Washington University, and the community and technical college system described campus AI task forces, governance structures, and efforts to set policies for students, faculty, and staff. Presenters said institutions are requiring course-level AI use statements, promoting ethical and transparent use, expanding access to approved tools such as Microsoft Copilot, and using AI for teaching, research, advising, and administrative support while guarding privacy, equity, and academic integrity. Members raised concerns about deepfakes, bias, student monitoring, and whether AI should be used to screen applications or evaluate student work; presenters said human review remains essential and that some institutions prohibit AI use in hiring or admissions screening. The final presentation, from OSPI, described the statewide rollout of the School Links high school and beyond plan platform under 2023 legislation, saying it will standardize career and college planning across K-12, provide better data and student guidance, and connect students to postsecondary pathways and employers; OSPI said the rollout is underway but current funding only extends through June 30, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• And you see, the red line above, or orange top line, is the operating expenditures for ferries.
• potentially the subgrade and other pieces of the pavement, which is much more expensive than just redoing the top
• Those dashed lines you see there—the top line is if we don't do anything to address our bridges, and
• When asked if there was anything else off the top of the speaker's head, the response was no.
• empowers us so I think that that's really helpful is there anything else you could think of off the top

Summary: The committee received a detailed staff presentation on Washington State Ferries’ capital needs, current fleet status, and long-range funding outlook. Staff described the current service pattern, ridership recovery since the pandemic, the aging fleet, and the state’s plan to add three new hybrid-electric Olympic-class vessels under the 2025 budget, with delivery expected around 2030-2032. Members also heard that the fleet is operating with no reserve vessel, that preservation time is below the desired level, and that terminal electrification and vessel conversion plans face timing, cost, and procurement risks. Questions focused on ridership trends, biofuel supply, design-risk allocation in vessel contracts, sequencing of terminal electrification with new vessel delivery, and the cost and feasibility of restoring international Sidney service, which would require a SOLAS-certified vessel. Staff then outlined ferry capital funding, saying recent spending and programmed needs are far above regular ferry-specific revenues and that the system relies on a mix of dedicated accounts, transportation package money, federal grants, and transfers. They said the near-term budget is balanced through 2027-29, but the longer-term capital outlook shows a shortfall of roughly $250 million to $300 million per biennium, with broader unmet needs much higher. The presentation estimated costs for future vessels, life extensions, terminal electrification, and additional Jumbo Mark II conversions, and noted that the current enacted plan does not fully fund fleet replacement, full electrification, or life extension of older vessels. Members asked for follow-up information on terminal seismic/environmental issues, contract options for additional vessels, and the timing and cost of alternative vessel designs. The committee then shifted to WSDOT maintenance and preservation. Pascoe Focktich described maintenance operations, including winter response, guardrail repair, facilities, equipment, and the effects of underfunding and inflation. He said most of the maintenance budget is fixed cost and labor, that material prices have risen sharply, and that many facilities are in poor condition with asbestos issues and deferred upkeep. He also noted growing guardrail damage, increasing pavement claims, and the burden of maintaining aging bridges and facilities. Members asked about prior planning for these needs, the role of asbestos, and whether more proactive sequencing could help budget decisions. Troy Suing then presented the highway preservation program, saying WSDOT is in the early stages of critical failure and has stretched preservation dollars as far as possible. He explained the distinction between pavement, bridge, and other highway asset preservation, said the department is largely reactive, and estimated that delaying work can make it three to five times more expensive later. He said about 40% of roadways are currently due or overdue for preservation, bridge conditions are nearing the federal poor-bridge threshold, and the department’s 10-year preservation need is about $8 billion. Members asked about the cost of deferring work, whether the department could do more if funded, how priorities are set, and whether other states face similar problems. Finally, Evan Grimm and Mike Fay briefed the committee on bridge strikes by overheight vehicles. They described recent incidents on I-90 near Cle Elum and SR 410 near White River, the damage and closures caused, and possible countermeasures such as public outreach, improved trip-planning tools, and a pilot warning system with sensors and flashing beacons. Fay explained the state’s financial recovery process for third-party damage, saying WSDOT recovers roughly $20 million per biennium and about 78% to 80% of billed damages, with money going to the motor vehicle fund. Members asked about prevention, insurance recovery, and whether the state uses claim data to inform future design or safety changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• These have been changing throughout 2025, so we've been trying to stay on top of them, including tariffs
• And some of the statistics show that roughly half of consumption is funded by the top partners and top
• When we remove the top four agencies, which is over 150 agencies, boards, commissions, and higher education
• The other top four is the Evergreen State College, which is a bit of an outlier this year.
• rather large incident with the death of a student and the injury of some students, which put them in the top

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a work session covering the state revenue outlook, caseload forecasts, wildfire costs, budget balance, tort liability, water supply, and pension policy. The Economic and Revenue Forecast Council reported modest near-term U.S. growth, no near-term Washington employment growth in 2026, continued personal income growth, and elevated inflation, with tariffs and federal policy cited as major risks. Revenue forecasts were slightly improved for the current biennium by about $105 million but down about $185 million for the next biennium. Members asked about income inequality and housing permits; staff said personal income is an aggregate measure and housing production remains below long-term needs. The Caseload Forecast Council then reported that most forecasts were unchanged or only slightly changed, but several programs increased, including Washington College Grant, Working Connections, aged/blind/disabled cash grants, nursing homes, home and community services, and developmental disabilities personal care. The largest policy-driven change was in Medicaid low-income adult caseloads, where federal H.R. 1 was projected to reduce coverage substantially through narrower eligibility, community engagement requirements, and shorter eligibility periods. The committee also heard a wildfire funding update and a 2025 fire season review. Staff explained that the state budgets $93 million annually for suppression and uses supplemental appropriations for costs above that level, with an estimated state supplemental need of about $139 million for the current year. Department of Natural Resources officials said 2025 fire activity remained below the 10-year average in acres burned, but fires were more complex and closer to communities, contributing to higher residence loss. They described expanded use of aircraft, firefighters from other states, corrections crews, and the Arcadia 20 hand crew, and said the state did not need National Guard ground support this year. A budget preview then showed that the near general fund outlook had worsened after vetoes, lapses, and forecast changes, and that maintenance-level costs alone would leave a projected negative balance by fiscal year 2027 and about $4.3 billion by fiscal year 2029, before any policy decisions. Jason Seams, the state risk manager, reported a sharp rise in tort claim costs, with indemnity expenses nearly doubling from fiscal year 2023 to 2025 and DCYF accounting for most of the increase. He said the state self-insurance liability account has run deficits for four straight biennia and is now facing nearly $600 million in deficits, driven largely by a surge in DCYF claims, especially juvenile rehabilitation and long-running sex abuse cases. Members asked about the role of old claims, comparisons with other states, excess insurance, and whether more Attorney General staff could reduce special assistant attorney general costs. The committee then shifted to water policy, hearing from tribal leaders, Ecology, and the Washington Water Trust. Tribal witnesses emphasized overappropriation, declining flows, climate impacts, and the need for legislative oversight and tribal participation in water policy. Ecology described major projects in the Odessa sub-area, Yakima Basin, and Dungeness, along with the need for storage, recharge, conservation, and policy changes to support water supply development. The Washington Water Trust argued that climate change is reducing summer flows and that the state needs more funding, enforcement, and long-term commitment to restore instream flows. The final item was a pension update on LEOFF 1 surplus assets; staff reviewed two 2025 bills that would have merged or restructured the plan and used surplus assets, but neither passed, and instead the budget directed the Select Committee on Pension Policy to study the issue and report back.

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you have an idea at the top of your head, I'd love to hear it.
• Understanding that education is a top quality-of-life concern for military families, we urge the continued
• So top issues for Fairchild Air Force Base are affordable child care. I won't belabor this point.
• The top one shows all the non-military certificates in comparison with our military-affiliated certificates
• year 26 supplemental budget in the amount of $531,000 to restore those most important services on the top

Summary: The committee heard updates from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Navy Region Northwest, Fairchild Air Force Base, the Coast Guard, state licensing agencies, the Professional Educator Standards Board, the Washington National Guard, and a veterans behavioral health presenter. Across the military briefings, common themes were readiness, infrastructure, and quality-of-life issues for service members and families, especially child care, housing, food insecurity, medical and dental access, and military spouse employment. JBLM highlighted its role in Indo-Pacific readiness, ongoing PFAS cleanup, 212 new family housing units under construction, efforts to expand child care, and continued work to keep the Lewis Army Museum open. Navy Region Northwest discussed its major installations and economic impact, the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Plan, future carrier and submarine homeporting needs, and asked the legislature to continue support for licensure compacts, educational stability for military children, housing, and medical access. Fairchild emphasized its tanker and survival missions, child care shortages, food insecurity, aging housing, and concerns about wind turbine development near flight paths, while the Coast Guard focused on rebuilding Base Seattle for new icebreakers and on rural access to housing, medical care, and child care at dispersed stations like Neah Bay. Members repeatedly raised food insecurity and asked for follow-up on solutions. JBLM and Fairchild both described increased demand for food assistance during the shutdown, and committee members noted progress in getting mobile food vans onto JBLM. The presenters also praised state action on military spouse licensure and child care, including Senate Bill 5545 and related compact and portability efforts. The Department of Licensing reported about 9,000 self-identified military members or spouses licensed, with average time-to-license just under nine days, and said applications are prioritized when military status is self-identified. The Department of Health said its military-to-civilian crosswalk now covers more than 35 health professions, that temporary practice permits and expedited processing are in place, and that 1,300 credentials were issued to military spouses and domestic partners and 129 to military-trained health professionals in the last fiscal year, all within 30 days. The Professional Educator Standards Board explained that military spouses and service members can receive expedited teacher certification with reduced documentation, and that they are moved to the front of the review queue when they self-identify. Members asked about verification, and staff said the process relies on attestation with investigatory safeguards if needed. The Washington National Guard briefed on its dual state and federal mission, the impact of the recent shutdown on nearly 700 employees who worked without pay, and policy and budget requests including youth academy protections, alignment of the Washington Code of Military Justice with the UCMJ, making Civil Air Patrol a division of the Military Department, 911 funding, disaster assistance, and capital funding for headquarters and readiness facilities. The Guard also warned about drone threats and said it wants authority to identify, track, and monitor suspicious drones. A veterans behavioral health presenter, an Army combat veteran and clinical social worker, described high suicide risk, barriers to care, and the need for more culturally competent services, especially for women veterans and caregivers. He said Washington veterans’ suicide rate remains above the national average and emphasized that childcare, transportation, and provider shortages can prevent timely treatment. Members generally responded supportively throughout, asked for follow-up on food security and other issues, and encouraged agencies to bring forward legislative ideas for future sessions.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I can tell you the top one, at least in America, is overwhelmingly Bitcoin. 80% of our business is
• It's like the top 10 coins that are usually listed on an exchange, but they have to be consistent.
• version four that was posted, and that would be that 10% of the funding would be set aside off the top
• The funding would be set aside off the top to reimburse local education agencies for their expenses when
• of. ...very mindful of that and aware that that's an ongoing concern that we're trying to stay on top

Keywords: 985, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You have one individual at the top, Jefferson Moss, who is ultimately accountable for how things are
• We're obviously, as we all know, top in the nation in terms of GDP growth, highest household income.
• And they added performance incentives on top of what the state was able to provide.
• And you'll see later that we talk about how important it is that we're not just looking at top line.
• You'll note, too, on this overall framework in the top right-hand corner, it says version 1.0.

Keywords: 985, all

Transcript Highlights:

• revenue distribution is the gasoline tax, followed by our weight distance tax, which brings up the top
• If we didn't see that mile per gallon growth, you'd see what it would essentially do to the top of the
• The top of the blue is what we're forecasting due to that reduction in fuel tax.
• electric vehicle registration fee, meaning that that registration fee surcharge would be imposed on top
• The top one is New Mexico 263, which is El Cerro Loop in Los Lunas.

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving back to the top right there, you'll see Climate Commitment Act is now at 9% of your budget.
• By the end of the 90s, the majority of states had a top speed limit of 70 or 75.
• And then we have 10 states, including Washington, that have a top speed limit of 75 miles an hour.
• By the end of the 90s, the majority of states had a top speed limit of 70 or 75. Next slide.
• And then we have 10 states, including Washington, that have a top speed limit of 75 miles an hour.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met on October 16, 2025, for a budget and revenue overview, a traffic safety presentation, and a discussion of potential transit and active transportation grant programs. Committee staff reviewed the adopted 2025-27 transportation budget, noting $15.5 billion in expenditures, the large share for WSDOT, and the mix of revenue sources including fuel tax, vehicle-related fees, federal funds, Climate Commitment Act revenue, and new 2025 revenues from SB 5801 and SB 5802. Staff said the 2025 session produced a balanced four-year plan, preserved major project schedules, maintained highway preservation funding, and added money for culverts, local preservation, and other priorities. They also described a September forecast showing lower motor fuel consumption than previously expected, but still enough revenue growth to keep the transportation plan balanced. For the 2026 supplemental, staff said agency requests were relatively modest overall, with most capital requests reflecting reappropriations and timing shifts rather than new projects, while WSDOT’s addendum identified much larger future needs for maintenance, preservation, paving, culverts, and safety work. Senators asked for more detail on how revenues are distributed by fund type and geography, how much of the maintenance and preservation request is actual maintenance versus equipment, whether paving needs could be supported through bonding, and how electric vehicle sales trends might affect forecasts. The committee then heard a remote presentation from Dr. Jessica Chikino of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety on traffic safety trends and countermeasures. She said U.S. traffic fatalities have risen sharply over the past decade, with especially large increases for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists, and argued that the U.S. lags other high-income countries in roadway safety. Her presentation highlighted IIHS’s “30 by 30” goal to reduce fatalities 30% by 2030 through safer speeds, stronger impaired-driving countermeasures, better pedestrian protection, and safer commercial vehicles. She discussed research linking higher speed limits to higher fatality risk, the benefits of lower urban speed limits, speed safety cameras, traffic calming, lighting, pedestrian beacons, and safer intersection design. She also described ongoing work with Bellevue on smart signal technology and pedestrian safety pilots. Committee members thanked her for the presentation and said they would share the materials with others. In the final work session, the committee revisited transit and active transportation grant concepts that had been included in the Senate budget proposal but did not advance in 2025. Barb Chamberlain of WSDOT’s Active Transportation Division explained how grant programs need runway, staff capacity, applicant readiness, and clear criteria, and compared program design to getting a plane off the ground. She discussed the proposed Senior Transportation Emphasis Program and regional trails/cycle highways concepts, noting that some projects could be structured as funding-first programs while others would work better as project-line or project-first models. She said regional trail projects are already eligible under existing programs but often score lower because current criteria emphasize safety and population served. Justin Leighton of the Washington State Transit Association then reviewed transit grant programs and argued that transit safety and security needs remain underfunded, including operator barriers, lighting, shelters, behavioral health coordination, and non-uniformed security staff. He said many transit capital programs are oversubscribed, that operator barrier retrofits alone could cost $20 million to $30 million, and that agencies face uncertainty about how recent sales tax changes apply to security-related contracts. No votes were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And at the top of our list is really to embody the land grant mission for the state of New Mexico, which
• pride ourselves on in the college is to really cohere around those foundational through lines, at the top
• It broke it down, you know, the rates for whites are still at the top in our numbers, although I didn't
• We topped out at just over a million in Medicaid, and of course, SNAP went up as well.
• I'm just remembering these numbers off the top of my head. That's particularly...

Transcript Highlights:

• we're looking at slide 8; we have the... the long-run forecast, and this is just showing first our top
• In the top 10 cheapest diesel fuel tax in the nation.
• At the very top, you'll see the U.S. average. What's happening there is an important note.
• At the very top, you'll see that nationwide, 5% of transportation funding in 2003 came from bonding.
• the federal government then said we think we're going to impose one nationally and it will come on top

Transcript Highlights:

• And here in the plaza, on top of the house, my great-great-grandpa, General Kearney, now ordered that
• That all helps in us reaching that goal and those markers that I mentioned on the top of the slide.
• Congratulations on being our top folks in terms of being able to pass the examination, but can you talk
• Everyone that interviewed her found that she came out on top.
• The devastation, what I call the aftermath of COVID, and then on top of that here for our county, fire

Transcript Highlights:

• We found that you were at great risk, particularly at the top levels of the captains and the mates.
• Just in terms of the way people were treated, it was a very top-down approach.
• And then finally, I'll just point out at the top of the bottom of the chart, we've also, the ferries
• The top of my head. And I said the thought that I have to under realize this is from a cost per...
• Thank you. one issue or the top part was rising sea levels. How much, how are those sea levels?

Summary: The committee met to hear an update from Washington State Ferries on capital projects and workforce issues, beginning with a briefing on the agency’s long-term fleet and terminal needs. WSF officials described the history of underinvestment after the late 1990s, the current fleet reduction from 25 to 21 vessels, and the need to keep older boats in service while moving toward a 26-vessel long-range fleet and hybrid-electric operations. They said the agency is transitioning to a new vessel procurement strategy, with Eastern Shipbuilding selected to build up to three 160-car hybrid-electric ferries, and outlined a schedule that includes contract execution, about a year of design work, steel cutting in fall 2026, and several years of construction. Members raised concerns about the higher cost of electrified vessels, the length of the schedule, the adequacy of liquidated damages and incentives, the risks of building in Florida and transporting vessels to Washington, and whether the contract sufficiently protects the state from cost overruns and design problems. The committee also received an update on the Wenatchee conversion, which officials said is days away from entering service as the first large hybrid-electric ferry conversion. WSF explained that the conversion combined required midlife preservation work with propulsion upgrades and battery installation, and that the project took longer and cost more than originally expected because it was a prototype with significant lessons learned. Officials said the Tacoma and Puyallup conversions would follow later, but those decisions were being delayed until after the World Cup to avoid service disruptions. Members asked about the cost-effectiveness of the conversion, the expected fuel and emissions reductions, and what happens to engine crews during long conversion periods; WSF said crews were embedded in the project and that the conversions should reduce diesel use substantially once terminal charging is available. The meeting then shifted to workforce development, with Siegel consultants reviewing their 2021 and 2024 studies of ferry staffing, overtime, recruitment, and workplace culture. They said the earlier problems stemmed from seasonal staffing practices, low winter hours, limited career progression, a narrow maritime recruiting pipeline, and a culture that made retention difficult. Since then, they reported major improvements: staffing has increased from about 1,500 to 1,900, turnover has fallen, captain and engineer shortages have eased, and recruitment has broadened beyond the traditional maritime pool, including more women and other underrepresented workers. They credited new programs such as guaranteed hours, paid pilotage, AB-to-mate pathways, and the “Turning of the Tide” culture campaign, while noting remaining issues with communication, HR access, accountability, and quality of life. Members generally acknowledged the progress but asked whether staffing levels are now sufficient and how interchangeable crews are across vessels and routes. Finally, terminal engineering staff began a presentation on capital terminal work, starting with the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal. They described the terminal’s age, low elevation, vulnerability to sea level rise and earthquakes, and the need for replacement piles, beams, and improved vehicle circulation. The agency said it has completed a planning and environmental linkage study, is moving into NEPA/state environmental review, and has been working with the community to balance the needs of Southworth and Vashon riders with neighborhood concerns in Fauntleroy. The preferred alternative is a larger offshore dock footprint that would improve capacity and reliability while reducing impacts to eelgrass habitat. The meeting ended before the terminal discussion was complete.