Transcript Highlights:

• would extend the moratorium on non-renewals and cancellations for home insurance policies for fire victims
• I'm here to present AB 1994, the Defending Immigrant Victims Act, on behalf of Assembly Member David
• AB 1994 will require local law enforcement to provide a card to all victims with information on federal
• Local law enforcement would provide a card to all victims with information on federal immigration relief

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, the victim, you know, so the victim, even if they're not a minor, you're saying that if the committee
• is going to talk with a victim of an ethics situation, that this bill would not let that victim have

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• two-year delay in human trafficking training creates missed opportunities to help these vulnerable victims
• two-year delay in human trafficking training creates missed opportunities to help these vulnerable victims
• And currently, while faith-based providers like myself are still counted on to help the many victims
• counselor, Christian counselor in Central Florida, we're called upon many times to stand with the victims

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee heard and advanced four member bills. CS/HB 303 would require nurses to complete the existing two-hour human trafficking prevention course before initial licensure, rather than waiting until renewal; the sponsor said this closes a gap for new nurses, and supporters from the Florida Nurses Association and other groups said it would improve early identification and reporting of trafficking victims. Members asked whether the bill changed reporting duties, and the sponsor said it did not. The bill passed unanimously, 24-0. PCS/HB 1069 would treat independent sanctioning authorities as qualified entities for background screening purposes and allow an unscreened athletic coach to work only if directly supervised by a screened coach. The sponsor said the measure is intended to help families and youth sports organizations while keeping children safe, and members discussed how it would apply to Little League and whether disqualifying offenses would still bar work with children. The bill received support from several organizations and passed 25-0. HB 491 would allow batterers intervention programs to offer voluntary faith-based content alongside required cognitive behavioral therapy, without mandating participation. Supporters argued the bill restores options for clients seeking faith-based counseling and said it does not use taxpayer funds or impose religion; members emphasized the voluntary nature of the program. The bill passed 24-0. HB 569 would change how the Agency for Persons with Disabilities organizes forensic client services by grouping clients based on clinical needs rather than legal charges, which the sponsor said would improve efficiency and reduce duplication. The agency and Florida Smart Justice Alliance supported the bill, and it also passed unanimously, 24-0. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a victim >> My name is Hannah LoPresto.
• There are victim survivors all around us.
• </c> victim, and I wasn't the last. victim, and I wasn't the last.
• ><c> all</c><00:08:27.520><c> around</c> There are victim survivors all around There are victim survivors
• </c> We need to believe those victims. We need to believe those victims.

Bills: HF3489 , HF3393 , HF3785 , SF856 , HF4006 , HF4615 , HF3919 , HF4591 , HF3682 , HF4240

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: grooming, child protection, student safety, sexual exploitation, educator licensing, teacher discipline, mandatory reporting, mandated reporter training, school misconduct, predatory offender, child abuse, sexual abuse, sex trafficking, child sexual abuse material, child pornography, position of authority, school employee, school administrator, license revocation, license suspension

Transcript Highlights:

• I am sorry to hear from our victim today that her lawyers did not know about the law that prosecutes
• investigations of human trafficking, not investigation parts, but dealing with the victim.
• </c> create unintended harm for the victims. create unintended harm for the victims.
• </c> and that the the tools need to be victim and that the the tools need to be victim centered<00:19
• </c><00:19:48.880><c> whereas</c> the but dealing with the victim whereas the but dealing with the victim

Bills: HF362 , HF2590 , HF2760 , HF3444

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: massage therapy, Asian bodywork therapy, massage therapist, Asian bodywork therapist, licensure, professional licensing, health occupations, Department of Health, commissioner of health, advisory council, protected title, unlicensed practice, scope of practice, consumer protection, background check, professional liability insurance, continuing education, credentialing examination, state preemption, municipal regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• I've spent my 13 years of legislative career here protecting victims of violence.
• of violence that's what this victims of violence that's what this bill<00:51:51.799><c> does</c><00:
• They are highly more likely to be victims of crime than others, and I am... this is really upsetting
• of crime than others and I I am victims of crime than others and I I am um<00:56:55.200><c> this</c>
• </c><00:57:04.400><c> of</c> them more at risk of being victims of them more at risk of being victims

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We can now see the makeup of our criminal offenders using information coming from victims, witnesses,
• Witnesses 911 callers the police victims Witnesses 911 callers the police and<00:09:50.360><c> others
• The victims.
• My analysis demonstrated that Black Minnesotans were 5.5 times more likely to be victimized by a serious
• The victims.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Whereas January 27th is observed annually as International Holocaust Remembrance Day to commemorate the victims
• Holocaust Remembrance Day in the State of Washington, a day of reflection and remembrance for the victims
• A Holocaust victim and others who are protesting, calling for the release of the hostages in Israel,

Summary: The Senate met in a pro forma session and first suspended Rule 46 so committees could continue meeting during the session. The journal was approved, and the chamber moved through introductions and referrals, including first reading of Senate Bill 6314 and a referral adjustment sending Senate Bill 6321, which would establish the Washington Institute for Scientific Advancement, to the Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development. The main floor item was Senate Resolution 8670 recognizing International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The resolution recounted the history of the Holocaust, the liberation of Auschwitz, and the ongoing problem of anti-Semitism, including a cited rise in incidents in Washington State. Senator Solomon spoke at length in support, sharing personal family history tied to Nazi persecution and warning about rising anti-Semitism and the need for vigilance, remembrance, and community support. Senator Short also spoke in support, emphasizing responsibility to prevent such atrocities and the value of education and open-mindedness. Senator Hasegawa moved that the sponsor’s remarks be spread across the journal, and the Senate agreed without objection. The resolution was then adopted by voice vote. The President recognized guests from the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Holocaust Center for Humanity in the gallery. The Senate then adjourned until 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• How many victims are there? How many people are being arrested and convicted?
• safety dollars are being spent on these prostitution sting operations under the guise of rescuing victims
• being unduly swept up in these criminalization of prostitution schemes under the guise of rescuing victims
• published a statement following the Super Bowl in February that said there were 30 traffickers and 73 victims
• were rescued in the Super Bowl in 2006, About how many victims were rescued in the Super Bowl in 2006

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on August 5, 2026, and first approved a large consent calendar of bills, then heard and voted on a long series of measures covering health care, housing, energy, labor, public safety, insurance, and immigration-related issues. Several bills were moved on roll call with no or limited opposition, including SB 999 on delaying the Health Minimum Essential Coverage report deadline, SB 931 on Diablo Canyon’s mitigation fund, SB 952 on State Water Project clean energy procurement, SB 1288 on nonprobate asset beneficiary notification, SB 1371 on solid waste labor-dispute contract clauses, SB 1014 on housing development fee estimates, SB 1283 on EV charging station permitting, SB 1209 and SB 1244 on insurance enforcement and broker compensation disclosure, SB 1359 on gas utility infrastructure oversight, SB 677 and SB 908 on housing streamlining, SB 1323 on medical facility procedures for people in immigration custody, SB 938 on peace officer training waivers for former federal immigration officers, SB 1272 on code-violation enforcement timelines for new homeowners, SB 1117 on ADU impact fees, SB 1196 on utility hookups for small energy projects, SB 1299 on sprinkler fitter certification, and AB 2597 appropriating funds for state legal settlements. The committee also approved its suspense calendar and later lifted SB 1359 from call with an added aye vote. Testimony generally followed the bills’ themes. Supporters argued that the measures would improve transparency, reduce costs, streamline housing and energy projects, protect consumers, and strengthen public safety or worker protections. Opponents or “opposed unless amended” witnesses raised concerns about implementation burdens, disclosure mandates, labor and compliance issues, local government costs, and the scope of some proposals. Notable points of contention included SB 869, where restaurant groups objected to the on-menu sugar warning approach and urged more flexible disclosure methods, and SB 1244, where insurance industry representatives argued the bill would impose unworkable disclosure obligations on brokers and agents. SB 1272 drew opposition from code enforcement and county groups who warned it could delay health-and-safety enforcement, while SB 1117 drew opposition from special districts, counties, and fire-related groups concerned about reduced fee revenue for infrastructure. The committee also heard public comment on several bills not presented that day, including opposition to wildfire mitigation/CEQA-related legislation, staffing regulation fees, and education and demographic-data bills. Overall, the hearing was dominated by fiscal and policy debates over housing affordability, energy infrastructure, consumer transparency, and the balance between regulatory streamlining and local or industry compliance costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• How many victims are there? How many people are being arrested and convicted?
• safety dollars are being spent on these prostitution sting operations under the guise of rescuing victims
• being unduly swept up in these criminalization of prostitution schemes under the guise of rescuing victims
• a statement following the Super Bowl in February that said that there were 30 traffickers and 73 victims
• were rescued in the Super Bowl in 2006, ...about how many victims were rescued in the Super Bowl in

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We know women and girls continue to be the overwhelming victims of the missing and murdered Indigenous
• the Senate, gotten bipartisan support, and we're back, and that aid still has not been given to the victims
• the Senate, gotten bipartisan support, and we're back, and that aid still has not been given to the victims
• We are calling on the President once again to unlock this money to those in need. ...to the victims.
• And if he won't do it, we call on Congress to do their job and actually help the fire victims in L.A.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• which helps not only with our organization, but also allows us to efficiently communicate with our victims
• which helps not only with our organization, but also allows us to efficiently communicate with our victims
• which helps not only with our organization, but also allows us to efficiently communicate with our victims
• which helps not only with our organization, but also allows us to efficiently communicate with our victims
• But also allows us to efficiently communicate with our victims and our law enforcement.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Commonwealth’s Attorneys, County Attorneys, Prosecutor’s Advisory Council 00:00:18 Approval of Minutes 00:20:09 State Treasurer 00:20:33, 958, all

Summary: The meeting began with testimony from representatives of the Prosecutor’s Advisory Council, including county and commonwealth attorneys, on their proposed budget. They described the scope of their work in district and circuit court, juvenile and dependency cases, specialty courts, guardianship, involuntary hospitalization, and the Rocket Docket program. The witnesses emphasized that their budgets are overwhelmingly personnel costs and warned that proposed cuts could lead to layoffs, reduced retention, and loss of recently added positions. They also said the General Assembly’s recent salary classification plan had improved recruitment and retention, and that underfunding could reverse those gains. A major topic was the Rocket Docket program, which they said speeds lower-level cases through the system, reduces jail costs, and saves money for both counties and the state. They reported that in one circuit, average jail time for certain cases dropped from about 50 days to about 6 days. They also raised concerns that the Rocket Docket line item may not be clearly included in the committee substitute and asked for clarification on how the budget would treat it. In response, the chair said the intent was to move some of those items into the base budget, though the exact structure was still uncertain. The presenters also discussed a 2022 subsidy for county attorney employees tied to retirement contributions, saying it totals about $1.3 million and should not be reduced because the obligation remains. They said the budget would need to support the salary classification plan extensions, House Bill 8 subsidies, and a new case management system that they described as essential to modernizing operations and improving communication with victims and law enforcement. The chair thanked them for the testimony and indicated the committee would continue reviewing the budget. The committee then heard from Deputy State Treasurer Russell Weber, who reported that the treasury has now returned more than $90 million in unclaimed property to Kentuckians. He said the office faces ongoing fraud issues and requested funding for a dedicated legal counsel and a fraud investigator, along with outreach money to educate the public about unclaimed property. He also outlined several capital requests, including the final year of a printer-system lease and replacement of HVAC equipment in the treasury building. Members briefly joked with him about a mineral-rights bill and coal, but no votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and adjourning the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• It was life-changing for me. ...bill has many victims and virtually no beneficiaries that I can see.
• This cooling-off period gives victims time to realize that they have been scammed and request that full
• Now, law enforcement tells us that most victims of fraud recognize that something nefarious has happened
• Transaction hashes, wallet addresses, and refund policies on every digital receipt gives victims and
• These aren't fraud victims.

Summary: The committee first took up SB 1236, which would condition state economic development incentives on employers at subsidized companies using secret-ballot union elections and prohibiting neutrality agreements. The sponsor said the bill is meant to protect workers and taxpayer dollars, and he noted he would amend the Attorney General enforcement language to allow appeals. Supporters argued it protects secret ballots and transparency, while opponents said it is a form of union-busting, could conflict with federal labor law, and would burden contractors and workers. After debate, the committee reported the bill favorably on a roll call vote, with Senators Bracey Davis, Smith, and Errington voting no and the remaining recorded votes in favor. The committee then heard CS/SB 198, which regulates cryptocurrency kiosks to combat fraud, especially against seniors. The bill requires kiosk registration, fraud warnings, blockchain analytics, transaction limits, receipts, and refund protections for certain first-time transactions involving non-U.S. wallets. Supporters from consumer and senior advocacy groups said the bill would help stop widespread scams, while one industry witness praised the bill’s fraud protections but suggested narrowing the daily limits and new-customer period. The committee reported the bill favorably by roll call vote. Next, the committee considered CS/SB 1356 on dog breeding, pet sales, and breeder registration. The sponsor described it as a work in progress aimed at ending inhumane breeding conditions, improving consumer disclosures, and creating breeder standards and penalties; an amendment removed state oversight of local animal shelters. Pet store representatives supported many animal welfare provisions but objected to the three-day financing waiting period, shelter-space requirements, expanded reimbursement, and litigation exposure. Animal welfare supporters backed the bill, and the committee reported it favorably. The committee also heard SB 1722 on app stores and minors’ access to apps. The bill requires age verification, parental consent for minors, notice of app changes, and enforcement by the Department of Legal Affairs. Supporters said it would better protect children online and help enforce existing age-based restrictions, while opponents warned it could require overcollection of personal data, create privacy and constitutional problems, and duplicate tools parents already have. After debate, the committee reported the bill favorably. Finally, the committee took up CS/SB 422, which would bar use of ADS-B aviation data to calculate or collect certain airport fees, with an amendment adding departures to the covered activities. A pilot supported the bill as a safety and privacy measure, while airport advocates opposed it, saying it would undermine airport finances and force less efficient fee collection methods. The transcript ends during testimony on this bill, before final action is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair, members, House Bill 2175, crimes, hostility towards victim sentencing, by way of background
• if the defendant committed the outlined violations in your caucus sheet out of hostility towards a victim
• application with the prosecuting agency of the county in which the person was convicted, to notify the victim
• if the victim is requested post-conviction notice of the application for change of name and the victim's
• increases the violation for sexual extortion from a class three felony to a class two felony if the victim

Summary: The caucus reviewed a long minority calendar covering a wide range of bills, with sponsors giving brief descriptions and members frequently raising concerns about constitutionality, cost, federal preemption, and policy impacts. Topics included medical intervention and vaccination/mask prohibitions, state treasurer investment rules, vacant state positions reporting, shooting range closure limits, congressional term limits, audit penalties, cellphone use while driving, procurement restrictions tied to China, air ambulance regulation, hospital immigration-status reporting, SNAP purchase restrictions, school assessment changes, school contract transparency, religious excusals from school, student contact information, fitness reporting, and several property tax, water, and agriculture measures. Members also discussed bills on AI-generated sexual material consent verification, DEI liability, hate-crime sentencing, commercial driver forfeiture tied to immigration status, speed-limiting devices for repeat speeding offenses, PFAS firefighting foam, name changes for sex offenders, abortion-inducing drugs, prisoner transition services, sexual extortion penalties, solar radiation management bans, and cultivated-cell food labeling and sales bans. Several bills drew explicit opposition or requests to pull them from consent, especially those affecting abortion access, immigration-related hospital reporting, school testing, religious release programs, DEI policies, and cultivated-cell foods. Members noted that some measures appeared duplicative, overly broad, or likely unconstitutional, and in multiple cases referenced prior vetoes or prior-year versions of the same bills. Supportive comments were also made on selected bills, including the PFAS foam prohibition, the assistive technology study committee, the digital goods consumer protection bill, and the prisoner transition services extension. The caucus also considered water and infrastructure measures, including brackish groundwater funding and studies, water augmentation authority bonds, Pima County water rates, groundwater transport rules, and HOA drought watering limits. Toward the end, members reviewed election-related memorials and resolutions, including a proposal to limit voting centers, a memorial urging withdrawal from the United Nations, and another urging defunding the IMF; all three were noted as being on consent and were pulled for further discussion. The meeting closed with announcements, including a note about a local missing-person concern and a caucus recognition program called the Affordable Arizona Award.

Transcript Highlights:

• will stop taking these cases altogether, reducing access to care for injured workers and accident victims
• Cases altogether, reducing access to care for injured workers and accident victims.
• My name is Reedy Mukapadeh, and I'm a victims' rights attorney with the Sexual Violence Law Center, which
• provides free legal representation to indigent victims of sexual and domestic violence across Washington
• For example, in criminal court, victims' counsel often must obtain medical records directly from health

Bills: HB1496 , HB2182 , HB2196 , HB2242

Committee: House Health Care & Wellness

Keywords: patients' rights, healthcare information, medical confidentiality, health data security, healthcare access, abortion, medications, reproductive health, access, healthcare, PANDA, PANS, treatment access, mental health, legislation, preventive services, state authority, definitions clarification, public health, 904

Transcript Highlights:

• will stop taking these cases altogether, reducing access to care for injured workers and accident victims
• . ...cases altogether, reducing access to care for injured workers and accident victims.
• My name is Reedy Mukapadeh, and I'm a victims' rights attorney with the Sexual Violence Law Center, which
• provides free legal representation to indigent victims of sexual and domestic violence across Washington
• For example, in criminal court, victims' counsel often requires medical records directly from health

Summary: The committee heard testimony on three health care bills. HB 1496 would cap charges for electronically stored medical records at $50 for patients and certain authorized recipients, while removing a free-copy provision tied to SSI/SSDI appeals and changing attorney fee language to “prevailing patient.” Supporters, including patient advocates, attorneys, and injured workers, said current record fees can reach thousands of dollars and block access to justice; opponents, including hospitals, home care providers, and records vendors, argued the bill would not cover the labor and HIPAA compliance work involved in large third-party requests and could shift costs to providers and patients. The bill remained in hearing with testimony continuing after the committee moved through other bills. HB 2182 would change how the Department of Corrections distributes its stockpile of mifepristone and misoprostol, removing the requirement that the medications be sold at cost plus a $5 fee and instead allowing, but not requiring, payment while directing DOC and the Department of Health to coordinate distribution to providers and facilities. The prime sponsor and supporters said the bill is needed so the state’s stockpile does not go unused or expire and to remove barriers to access for abortion and miscarriage care; opponents argued the bill subsidizes abortion, raises legal and taxpayer concerns, and should be rejected. Public testimony on HB 2182 was closed after hearing from both supporters and opponents. HB 2196 would require certain fully insured health plans to cover IVIG for PANS and PANDAS, with initial and medically necessary follow-up courses, and would bar denials based on prior treatment, age, out-of-state care when unavailable in Washington, or treatment guidelines that only address psychiatric symptoms. The sponsor, families, and physicians described severe, sudden-onset symptoms in children and said IVIG can be life-changing after other treatments fail, while insurers warned the mandate could add to already rising premiums and noted the treatment can be very expensive. HB 2242 would shift vaccine and preventive-service recommendation authority from federal bodies to the Department of Health, while preserving no-cost coverage for preventive services and updating the reference date for protected services; the governor, insurance commissioner, public health officials, and many physicians supported it as a way to preserve access amid federal instability and rising vaccine-preventable disease, while questions focused on whether the bill would change school or daycare requirements, which staff said it would not.

Transcript Highlights:

• It provides the inability to pursue restitution for some of the victims of scams, and there's also a
• Out is the number of people that are, you know, victimized by these scams are typically in the over-60
• May I just add that the FBI estimates that, and the FTC estimates, only about 15% of all fraud victims
• speed, which is one of the reasons why law enforcement has such a hard time recovering funds from victims
• So I was just wondering, the person is scammed into, the victim is scammed into putting their money in

Summary: The committee first heard a work session on cryptocurrency kiosks from the Department of Financial Institutions and Spokane City Councilmember Paul Dillon. DFI described crypto kiosks as licensed money transmission terminals that allow cash purchases of virtual currency, and said the main concern is fraud: scammers often pressure victims, especially older adults, to deposit cash into kiosks and send it to wallets controlled by organized crime. DFI cited a sharp increase in kiosk volume, nationwide fraud complaints and losses, and said Washington currently has licensing and disclosure rules but lacks transaction and fee limits. The department said it is seeking stronger disclosures, a $1,000 daily transaction limit, and a fee cap. Spokane described its unanimous ordinance banning new kiosks and removing existing ones after local scam reports, and members asked about how the machines work, whether the fraud is in the hardware or the transaction, and whether stronger warnings or screening could help. The committee then reviewed home equity sharing agreements, or CHISAs, based on a report by Mariana Amaram and testimony from DFI and industry representatives. The report found that CHISAs provide homeowners a lump sum in exchange for a share of future home value or appreciation, with no monthly payments, but that consumers often struggle to understand the products and settlement calculations. The report said the market has grown quickly in Washington, that costs can be hard to predict, and that early uncapped contracts could produce very high settlement amounts, especially during periods of rising home prices. DFI said it views these products as mortgage loans and is moving forward with rulemaking, including counseling and clearer disclosures, while industry witnesses said the products are equity-based rather than debt-based and asked for tailored regulation. Members discussed the need for better consumer education, clearer payoff schedules, and whether the products should be treated as mortgages or a separate category. The final panel focused on Washington’s space economy, with presentations from Amazon Leo, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, Space Northwest, and Green River College. Speakers highlighted major in-state investments in satellite manufacturing, launch systems, and workforce training, including Amazon Leo’s Redmond and Kirkland facilities, Blue Origin’s Kent headquarters, and Stoke Space’s Kent manufacturing and Moses Lake test site. Space Northwest presented data showing the sector’s growing economic footprint, high-wage jobs, and regional clusters in Kent and Redmond, and urged more workforce programs, incentives, infrastructure support, and a state space commission. The companies emphasized local hiring, apprenticeship and certification programs, and the role of Washington’s aerospace supply chain in supporting the broader space industry. No votes were taken during the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a little certificate here, and it's about acknowledging the victims of violent crimes and their
• President, that this is something that I'd like to give out to some of the victims of those violent crimes
• President, I would like to ask the body to please take a moment of silence for the countless other victims
• That was an exhausting list of innocent victims who were murdered by juvenile delinquents.
• Year of these victims of violent crime that these lives are gone, and again their families' lives are

Transcript Highlights:

• ABOUT HALF THE BUDGET IS VICTIM SERVICES.
• THIS IS ESSENTIALLY PASS THROUGH GRANTS FROM MOSTLY FROM THE FEDERAL VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT FUNDS.
• SO THESE FUNDS ARE USED TO ADDRESS EMOTIONAL PHYSICAL NEEDS OF CRIME VICTIMS, EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT
• ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY WE WILL CARE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE FOR EVERYONE THAT RETURNS THERE IS USUALLY A VICTIM
• ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR RETURN TO PRISON SO IF WE WANT TO REDUCE VICTIMIZATION WE HAVE TO DO THIS AND

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Carol Mitchell is the true victim here.
• in this case, her for the real victim in this case, her stepmother<00:13:34.760><c> Carol</c><00:13:
• </c> Carol Mitchell is the true victim here. Carol Mitchell is the true victim here.
• victim in this case gets called back later<00:31:24.440><c> the</c><00:31:24.560><c> next</c><00:31:
• Chair, the real victim in this case is Carol Mitchell.

Committee: Senate Rules and Administration - Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct

Keywords: 1187, senate, all