Transcript Highlights:

• It's driving down conflict.
• And he said, "I would volunteer at Roadrunner if they guaranteed I could always drive the forklift."
• I know that many representatives have been doing food drives. I know that.
• To keep the door open, if a community says, 'We really like the drive-thru,' and a year from now they
• Of a shopping opportunity here instead of doing a drive-thru in this particular community.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Opportunities, grow our workforce, and drive innovation that benefits New Mexico.
• In a time of high inflation and limited labor and material availability, we have to partner to drive
• We're actually driving the private practice, which is what medicine was really created for.
• As you look out and drive here today, you can see that we have significant expansion occurring with our
• Yes, everybody can drive themselves. And then there will be a reception and dinner at the

Transcript Highlights:

• When relocation is constrained or delayed, it can drive up costs and create uncertainty for all parties
• involved. ...delayed, it can drive up costs and create uncertainty for all parties involved.
• Drive through any wine region today and you will see it: uprooted vines stacked along the roadside.
• As data has shown, repeat offenders continue to drive illegally.
• drunk is putting that device on their car, ...from people who are habitually driving drunk is putting

Committee: House Governmental Organization

Transcript Highlights:

• Joe also served 62 years as a Shriner and delighted so many by driving in parades with his three-wheeled
• Joe also served 62 years as a Shriner and delighted so many by driving in parades with his three-wheeled
• Speaker, I want to thank the families of Flight 5342, who've been a driving force for the Rotor Act and
• Speaker, I want to thank the families of Flight 5342, who've been a driving force for the Rotor Act and
• SPEAKER, I WANT TO THANK THE FAMILIES OF FLIGHT 5342 WHO'VE BEEN A DRIVING FORCE FOR THE ROAD ACT AND

Bills: SB2503 , HB5235 , HB6329 , HB3679 , HB2600 , HR390

Keywords: aviation safety, Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, air traffic management, pilot training, regulatory compliance, contracting, education requirements, federal contracts, workforce development, bidder eligibility, artificial intelligence, small business, technical standards, best practices, cybersecurity, satellite technology, scientific research, space exploration, data access, innovation

Transcript Highlights:

• So Florida identification card can be REAL ID compliant, but you might not have driving privileges.
• And because they can just drive to Georgia in a matter of 20 minutes, they don't have a Florida driver
• How do you think Black people will feel having to see this marker and drive down this road?
• And, you know, I look at Florida and they live here and they're driving.
• When I was talking about how do you think Black people will feel driving down, ...to me.

Bills: S0174 , S1342 , S1334 , S1362 , S1602 , S1604

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development

Summary: The committee first heard CS for SB 1342 on transit-oriented development by Senator Rouson, which seeks to expand housing near fixed transit corridors by updating TOD definitions and applying Live Local-style land-use principles to those areas. An amendment narrowed definitions, limited the bill to land-use and development regulations, removed a private cause of action, and added exclusions for environmentally sensitive areas, historic properties, and military installations. Supporters said the bill would increase housing supply near existing infrastructure and maximize the state’s transit investments, while local government groups and city leagues opposed it as a sweeping preemption of local zoning authority that could force high-density development without public hearings or adequate infrastructure planning. The committee adopted the amendment and then reported the bill favorably. The committee then took up CS for SB 1334 on elections by Senator Grall, which would require documentary proof of citizenship in voter registration and related election processes, update how citizenship is verified through REAL ID and the SAVE database, clarify that paper ballots are the primary voting method, and add other election-related changes such as candidate eligibility rules and timelines. Two technical amendments were adopted. During extended questioning, senators raised concerns about how documents would be submitted and stored, whether voters without Florida IDs or REAL IDs—especially students, disabled voters, seniors, and homeless Floridians—could be flagged or burdened, and what fiscal and workload impacts the bill would have on supervisors of elections and state agencies. Supporters argued the bill would streamline verification and reduce duplicate paperwork, while many public speakers and some senators said it would create barriers to voting, increase costs, and risk disenfranchising eligible voters. The transcript ends during debate on the bill, before a final vote is shown. Later, the committee considered CS for SB 1362 on advanced air mobility by Senator Harrell. A strike-all amendment aligned the bill with the House version and added vertiports and charging systems as eligible projects for public-private partnership funding, with FDOT authorized to fund certain vertiport costs within available resources. The bill drew support from industry and local representatives, and the committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. The committee also heard SB 174, which designates a portion of State Road 985 in Miami-Dade County as Charlie Kirk Memorial Avenue and directs FDOT to install markers at an estimated cost of $2,400. The bill prompted significant debate over whether Kirk’s legacy warranted a state road designation, with opponents citing his controversial statements and arguing the honor was political and divisive, while supporters said the designation recognizes civic engagement near FIU and is symbolic rather than regulatory. The transcript ends during debate on SB 174, before any final action is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• So Florida identification card can be REAL ID compliant, but you might not have driving privileges.
• How do you think Black people will feel having to see this marker and drive down this road?
• And we drive a long way to go home, right?
• And, you know, I look at Florida and they live here and they're driving.
• When I was talking about how do you think Black people will feel driving down... ...to me.

Bills: S0174 , S1342 , S1334 , S1362 , S1602 , S1604

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• Needham, driving right past the closed Norwood Hospital.
• But he did drive himself to the hospital and was met there. ...by a couple of emergency staff coming
• cath within a 20- to 30-minute drive to take care of him.
• But he did drive himself to the hospital and was met there. can be a little stubborn sometimes.
• cath within a 20- to 30-minute drive to take care of him.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight

Summary: The committee first heard testimony on H. 3599, a bill concerning access to historic Indian lands and easements for landlocked tribal parcels in Massachusetts. Witnesses, including members of the Mashpee Wampanoag and Herring Pond communities, said the bill would restore access to family lands that have long been treated as landlocked and had been denied easements by necessity in prior court rulings. They described heavy tax burdens, prior litigation, and support from the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, with conditional support from the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe pending language changes. Committee members asked about the tax assessments and the status of tribal support, and the chair said the committee would follow up on possible amendments. The committee then took up S. 2922, which would authorize an underground easement at Magazine Beach in Cambridge for the Greater Cambridge Energy Project. Eversource representatives said the easement is needed for a transmission line connecting the Brighton and Kendall Square substations, supporting grid reliability and the Commonwealth’s clean energy transition. They said DCR would receive fair market value and replacement land in Wendell to satisfy Article 97 requirements. No objections were raised, and the panel’s testimony concluded without a vote recorded in the transcript. Most of the hearing focused on H. 5047, which would authorize the Commonwealth to take the Norwood Hospital site by eminent domain so the hospital can be restored. Sponsors, local officials, hospital task force members, EMS and fire representatives, a chamber of commerce leader, and a former hospital administrator all argued that the 2020 flood and Steward’s bankruptcy left the region without adequate care, causing longer ambulance transports, emergency room boarding, staffing strain, and economic losses. They said the site remains a partially completed shell, that the state should be able to acquire it and bring in a nonprofit operator, and that the taking would not require state funding because an operator would pay the acquisition costs. Committee members from both chambers expressed support and asked about costs, timing, infrastructure, and whether a nonprofit operator is being pursued. The chair took the bill under advisement after extensive testimony; no vote was taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• know that while we're seeing this, this push on us, that we've got to continue to understand what drives
• To the STEM areas, which ties back to your R1 status, which again you want to drive because that brings
• But today, we want to do that well, and that's this new idea of professional advising, which drives up
• You also see how we're doing it to align our academic programs with industry to drive the economy.
• You also see how we're doing it to align our academic programs with industry to drive the economy.

Summary: The committee met at NDSU and approved the April 9 minutes. The main purpose of the meeting was an informational presentation from NDSU President David Stewart and university leaders on the university’s priorities, including enrollment, student success, research, commercialization, and use of New Horizons funding. Stewart emphasized a “One NDSU” approach, thanked legislators for past support, and said the university will focus on recruitment and retention, a new strategic plan, and growing research and tech transfer while serving North Dakota’s workforce needs. University leaders said NDSU is using tuition waivers more strategically and will work to reduce them over time through scholarship optimization. Provost Sherry Vale described academic portfolio reviews, program closures or consolidations, strategic hiring, and workload policies aimed at aligning resources with demand. They also highlighted student outcomes, including high completion rates, strong employment placement, and NDSU’s role in producing a large share of the state’s engineers, nurses, and agriculture graduates. Several students testified about how NDSU’s mentoring, internships, research, and support services helped them succeed. The committee also heard from partners on New Horizons-related collaborations: Gateway to Science described K-12 STEM outreach in rural and tribal areas, and Sanford Research discussed joint research efforts, including COBRE-related work, obesity and GLP-1 studies, and a joint biostatistics hire. Later speakers highlighted Governor’s School and NDSU’s research and commercialization efforts, including growth in research expenditures and invention disclosures. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• many times: we get somebody that, oh, yeah, we need it here because the elderly, they don't want to drive
• We can drive to Walmart, do curbside pickup, or we pop the button on our trunk.
• So you can't put it in your pickup truck and drive it from your brewery down the street to your other
• I'd like to get on the interstate and drive... ...I'd like to get on the interstate and drive 100 miles
• But if somebody wanted to brew beer or spirits in their garage and drive it over to a gas station or

Committee: House Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and the Environment

Summary: The Commerce Committee first heard Senate Bill 1020, which would let the Department of Revenue award a Missouri license office contract without rebidding if no qualifying bids are received on the initial solicitation. Senator Sandy Crawford and Director of Revenue Trish Vincent said the change would help keep rural license offices open, reduce repeated bidding delays, and allow the department to work with local entities such as chambers, counties, or cities when smaller offices are hard to staff profitably. Members asked about the process, the challenges in low-volume communities, and whether more online services could eventually reduce the need for offices; no opposition testified, and the hearing concluded without a vote. The committee then took up House Bill 3093, which would extend Missouri’s direct-to-consumer shipping framework from wineries to distillers and breweries. Sponsor Rep. Nick Kimball and many supporters argued the bill would create parity for Missouri craft producers, preserve age-verification and signature requirements, and keep tax collection and other safeguards in place. Supporters included distillers and brewers who said the current system favors wine, limits small Missouri businesses, and makes it harder to reach customers who want products shipped after visiting a taproom or distillery. Several members also raised questions about enforcement, the three-tier system, and whether the bill could be narrowed or paired with other changes. Opponents, including representatives of wholesalers, grocers, convenience stores, and beer wholesalers, argued the bill would weaken the three-tier system, increase competition from out-of-state producers, and create enforcement and tax-collection problems. They said wine shipping has shown compliance and auditing difficulties, cited concerns about underage access and online ordering, and urged the committee to preserve the existing distribution structure or strengthen wine-shipping rules before expanding them. Supporters countered that alcohol shipments are already tightly regulated, that direct shipping is already occurring in other forms, and that the bill would simply add another regulated avenue for Missouri-made beer and spirits. The hearing ended after extensive testimony and questions, with no final committee action reported in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• But by putting more money, did that drive more requests, or was this normal for the amount of requests
• But did by putting more money, did that drive more requests, or was this normal for the amount of, I
• So somewhere you're going to be asked to drive into that same discussion.
• So that's really what is driving the effect.
• Some of us got to drive for three hours. Anyway, are there any more questions for Justin?

Summary: The committee met as the Regulatory Division of the budget section and received updates on several Industrial Commission-related agencies and programs. Legislative Council first reviewed base budget materials, then the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency reported on its current appropriation and staffing, noting that its new FTEs were being filled gradually and that it remained largely funded through special and federal funds. Agency leaders described homeownership lending, loan servicing, and housing incentive fund activity, including below-market mortgage rates, down payment assistance, and a growing servicing portfolio that has increased workload but not yet required additional FTEs. Housing Finance also detailed use of the Housing Incentive Fund and homeless grant dollars. Officials said the multifamily HIF round drew more than $73 million in requests and awarded $25 million, while the single-family program supported rural development and community land trusts. Homeless grant funding was split between emergency shelter, prevention, and rapid rehousing, with performance-based scoring used to renew or reallocate awards. Members discussed housing affordability, aging households, rental assistance, and the need to coordinate housing and site-preparation messaging with Commerce. The agency asked that HIF, single-family, and homeless funding be maintained or increased in the next session. The Department of Mineral Resources then presented its budget and operations update. Staff said the agency was on track financially, had filled most of its new reclamation FTEs, and was not expecting major litigation costs beyond normal late-biennium invoices. The director reviewed agency initiatives including Project North Star IT modernization, organizational restructuring, succession planning, rulemaking, and implementation of the development incentive well tax program and critical minerals rules. He also discussed oil and gas activity, explaining that longer laterals, especially three- and four-mile wells and the first five-mile spacing case, are helping keep production relatively flat even as rig counts ease. Members asked about gas capture, hedging, break-even prices, and the effects of Iran and Venezuela on oil markets. The committee also heard about enhanced oil recovery grants and the Pipeline Authority. The EOR program’s $25 million appropriation was fully allocated to six projects, with total awards reaching about $45.1 million when other fund balances were included, subject to a possible 5% reduction if federal DOE money does not materialize. Officials said the projects are public, reimbursement-based, and will produce results over the next several years. Finally, the Pipeline Authority outlined natural gas transmission projects, including the imminent Bakken Express line and the proposed Bakken East project, which WBI was selected to advance after an Industrial Commission RFI process. The project is moving through open season, survey permission, and regulatory work, with in-service dates projected for 2029 and 2030.

Transcript Highlights:

• But did, by putting more money, did that drive more requests, or was this normal for the amount of...
• So somewhere you're going to be asked to drive into that same discussion.
• So that's really what is driving the effect. But these are some of the highlights.
• So that's really what is driving the effect. ...is the director's cut tomorrow.
• Some of us got to drive for three hours. Anyways, are there any more questions for Justin?

Summary: The committee met as the Regulatory Division budget section and first reviewed the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency’s budget and program update. Legislative Council outlined the agency’s base budget and historical funding, and Housing Finance staff reported on homeownership lending, housing incentive fund (HIF) awards, and homeless grant spending. Agency officials said the five new FTEs approved last session are mostly filled, with one homeless program manager still open. They described strong demand for HIF, noting that September 2025 multifamily requests exceeded $73 million while only $25 million was available, and that single-family and homeless programs are also heavily subscribed. Members discussed the agency’s local loan servicing workload, interest-rate benefits, down payment assistance, and the need to coordinate housing discussions with Commerce and site-preparation efforts. The agency asked that HIF, single-family, and homeless funding be maintained or increased, and committee members emphasized accountability and statewide access for homeless prevention and rapid rehousing funds. The Department of Mineral Resources then presented its budget and agency initiatives. Staff reported that the department is on track financially, that most of the five new reclamation-related FTEs are hired, and that litigation costs tied to oil and gas matters are expected to continue appearing late in the biennium. The director reviewed ongoing modernization and organizational efforts, including the North Star IT project, succession planning, training, and rulemaking for oil and gas and critical minerals. Members asked about longer laterals, spacing, and production trends; the department said operators are increasingly drilling three-, four-, and even an initial five-mile lateral, which is helping keep North Dakota oil production relatively flat even as rig counts ease. The director also discussed oil price volatility tied to Middle East conflict, hedging practices among producers, gas capture remaining around 95%, and the likelihood that current production levels will stay near flat unless prices or geopolitical conditions change significantly. An update on the enhanced oil recovery grant program followed. The Industrial Commission’s grant administrator said the full $25 million appropriation was allocated in the fall to six projects, and because the oil and gas research fund also had carryover and biennial tax revenue, total awards reached about $45.1 million. The projects are expected to run two to four years, with meaningful results not likely until mid-2026 or later. Members questioned whether the public would have access to the research findings and how accountability would be maintained; staff said the grants are reimbursement-based, require regular status reports, and will culminate in public final reports. The committee also heard from the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, which updated members on natural gas transmission projects, especially WBI Energy’s proposed Bakken East pipeline. The authority said the project has advanced through a nonbinding and then binding open season, with WBI now securing survey permissions and moving through regulatory and landowner processes, while other related gas transmission projects near Minot and Epping are also in development.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we made it clear that those records would now be preserved as it relates to driving records for 10
• </c><00:15:05.519><c> Uh,</c><00:15:05.920><c> as</c><00:15:06.160><c> you</c> regarding driving records
• Uh, as you regarding driving records.
• </c><00:15:22.800><c> And</c><00:15:23.040><c> then,</c> driving records for 10 years.
• And then, driving records for 10 years.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• They have variable frequency drives on all of their fans.
• They have<00:23:51.200><c> variable</c><00:23:51.679><c> frequency</c><00:23:52.159><c> drives</c><00
• :23:52.559><c> on</c><00:23:52.720><c> all</c><00:23:52.960><c> of</c> have variable frequency drives
• on all of have variable frequency drives on all of their<00:23:53.280><c> fans.
• down the cost of to to drive down the cost of electricity.<00:27:00.159><c> Um</c><00:27:01.360><c>

Transcript Highlights:

• But he did drive himself to the hospital and was met there.
• But he did drive himself to the hospital and was met there by a couple of emergency staff coming out,
• If my brother was driving out of Boston and was experiencing that on I-95, there would be no cardiac
• cath within a 20- to 30-minute drive to take care of him.
• cath within a 20- to 30-minute drive to take care of him.

Bills: H3599 , H5047 , S2922

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight

Keywords: Native American, easements, land access, property rights, public utility, vehicular access, eminent domain, health care access, land acquisition, Norwood hospital, public health, electric infrastructure, NSTAR, Eversource Energy, land conservation, Massachusetts legislation

Transcript Highlights:

• discourages early resolution through settlement and requires open discussion of litigation strategy, both driving
• court that's trying to determine the constitutionality of it will probably be reminded as they're driving
• court that's trying to determine the constitutionality of it will probably be reminded as they're driving
• I also drive Uber to support my three college students who live right here in Tallahassee.
• Driving the school bus is hard, is stressful, and the job is just not for anyone.

Bills: S0332 , S0464 , S0576 , S0830 , S0964 , S0984 , S1096 , S1296 , S1298 , S1612 , S1656

Committee: Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability

Summary: The committee first heard a committee substitute for SB 332, which creates a narrow public meetings and public records exemption for certain pre-suit settlement communications in Bert Harris claims involving local governments and private property rights. The sponsor said the change is intended to allow confidential legal strategy and negotiation during the 90-day pre-suit period while keeping settlements and outcomes public. The strike-all amendment was adopted, supportive testimony was waived in, and the bill was reported favorably. Members then approved several other measures, including SB 464 requiring K-12 schools to formally observe Veterans Day as a school holiday; SB 984 on firefighter cancer benefits and prevention, which was amended to add a statement of important state interest and reported favorably after testimony from firefighters both supporting the bill and urging a longer benefit window; SB 576 on local government cybersecurity, which was amended to route the program through the Florida Digital Service and strengthen state-local coordination; SB 964 clarifying how certain gift and honoraria disclosures are filed with the Commission on Ethics; SB 1612 requiring local governments to accept electronic payments with a delayed effective date; SB 830 creating public records exemptions for certain local government administrators and their families; SB 1096 clarifying the filing deadline for employment discrimination complaints; and SB 1656 designating the SS American Victory as Florida’s official state flagship. All were reported favorably. The committee also considered a slate of appointments, including a separate vote on Jeffrey Aaron to the Public Employees Relations Commission, which was recommended favorably after Senator Polsky objected to the appointment and cited concerns about political ties and prior work. The remaining appointees on tabs 12 through 30 were also recommended favorably. After a recess, the committee took up SB 1296 on the Public Employees Relations Commission, as substituted by a committee PCS. The PCS would change union certification and recertification rules, require stronger showing-of-interest and voting thresholds, limit paid union leave in some cases, require equal access to employer communication spaces, and speed up impasse procedures for state-funded salary increases. The bill drew extensive testimony, with supporters arguing it would improve accountability, transparency, and taxpayer fairness, and opponents—many of them teachers, bus drivers, and other public employees—saying it would weaken collective bargaining, burden workers, and function as union busting. Members raised constitutional concerns about the single-subject rule and collective bargaining protections, and debate was ongoing at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• discourages early resolution through settlement and requires open discussion of litigation strategy, both driving
• court that's trying to determine the constitutionality of it will probably be reminded as they're driving
• court that's trying to determine the constitutionality of it will probably be reminded as they're driving
• I also drive Uber to support my three college students who live right here in Tallahassee.
• Driving the school bus is hard, is stressful, and the job is just not for anyone.

Bills: S0332 , S0464 , S0576 , S0830 , S0964 , S0984 , S1096 , S1296 , S1298 , S1612 , S1656

Committee: Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability

Keywords: public records, public meetings, property rights, transcripts, settlement negotiations, Veterans Day, K-12 schools, holiday observance, education, Florida statutes, cybersecurity, local government, grant program, data-sharing, Florida Digital Service, ransomware protection, county administrators, city managers, exemption, privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• And I would like to believe that, but if you drive, my district goes from Albuquerque, Los Lunas, all
• And if you drive from Albuquerque on I-40 to... guards and assurances in place to prioritize.
• And I'd like to believe that, but if you drive, my district goes from Albuquerque Los Lunas all the way
• And if you drive from Albuquerque on I-40 to... State line.
• And if you drive from Albuquerque on I-40 to Laguna, you can see illegal dumping everywhere.

Bills: SB47 , SB110 , SB122 , SB143 , SB168

Committee: Senate Senate Conservation

Keywords: food recovery, composting, waste management, solid waste surcharge, organic waste reduction, environment, grants, advisory group, bosque management, Rio Grande, environmental protection, water resources, fiscal appropriation, drinking water, well owners, water testing, water treatment, public health, agriculture, New Mexico Department of Agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• When wealthy individuals drive ballot measures and pay... truthful information.
• When wealthy individuals drive ballot measures and pay is tied to signature counts, speed and volume
• Today, unlike many, I was able to drive six and a half hours from rural Central Washington to share my
• Real quick, I just want to say thank you for making the drive.
• Thank you for making the drive. It is important to hear from folks all across the state.

Bills: HJR4209 , HB2260 , HB2259

Committee: House State Government & Tribal Relations

Keywords: redistricting, congressional representation, census, state law, legislative boundaries, ballot measures, petitioners, signature gatherers, voting rights, election integrity, initiative process, referendum, signature gathering, ballot measure, citizen actions, support demonstration

Transcript Highlights:

• Ferries no longer believes it's feasible due to the size of the vessel and issues replacing the drive
• He then asked what drives the condition of highway assets and said that, similar to the interconnectivity
• It feels like there's more guardrail damage, just from my looking as I'm driving.
• If you just drive around a little bit and look at the pavements at all or some of the structures at all
• If you just drive around a little bit and look at the payments at all or some of the structures at all

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:

• This was always his drive regarding what he used to do.
• I just want to highlight a couple of things that are driving the general fund increases that the agency
• This total increase in liability of $5 million is driving some general fund increases in the operating
• There's been, I believe, an increase in that, but I'll follow up with the specifics on what's driving
• Those two things don't drive for me.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee