Video & Transcript : 'Rigsby Road' :
Page 93 of 500
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Minnesota House OKs SSHF5, the omnibus K-12 education budget bill 6/9/25
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- And uh going to happen down the road.
- To me, a lot of it is just kicking the can down the road.
- To me, a lot of it is just kicking the can down the road.
- I see literacy much like roads and bridges.
- </c><00:31:20.880><c> It's</c> much like roads and bridges. It's much like roads and bridges.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- Our roads and bridges and transportation is rated at a C minus to a D+, I think by many people in the
- Our roads and bridges and transportation is rated at a C minus to a D+, I think by many people in the
- Our roads and bridges and transportation is rated at a C minus to a D+, I think by many people in the
- Our bridge,<00:42:17.440><c> our</c><00:42:17.680><c> roads</c><00:42:17.920><c> and</c><00:42:18.079
- ><c> bridges</c><00:42:18.480><c> and</c> bridge, our roads and bridges and bridge, our roads and bridges
Committee:
Senate Finance
TX
Texas 89th Regular
S/C on County & Regional Government Apr 21st, 2025
S/C on County & Regional Government
Transcript Highlights:
- We maintain over 6,000 miles of roads.
- El Paso if they wish to go forward and regulate roadside vending without the restrictions based on road
- Basically, the concern is people who go off on the side of the road and start selling and making things
- Basically, the concern of people that just go off on the side of the road and start selling and making
- would ensure that no matter where a child lives, whether in a bustling city or on a quiet country road
Bills:
HB240 , HB2097 , HB2731 , HB3087 , HB3234 , HB3319 , HB3394 , HB3687 , HB4105 , HB4205 , HB4350 , HB4462 , HB4642 , HB4801 , HB5403 , HB240
Committee:
House S/C on County & Regional Government
Summary:
The subcommittee on county and regional government heard a long agenda of county-related bills, with most measures left pending after testimony. HB 2097, by Rep. Martinez, would let counties that opt in use an independent hearing examiner instead of a civil service commission for certain deputy sheriff discipline appeals; the bill drew support from CLEET’s Robert Leonard, who said it would be fairer and faster, and it was left pending. HB 4642, by Rep. Gonzalez, would require counties that contract with out-of-state jail facilities to include Texas jail-standard protections and oversight; Gonzalez, detainee Jess Hampton, his wife, Texas Jail Project’s Krish Kundu, and TCJS director Brandon Wood all discussed deaths and poor conditions in Louisiana facilities, staffing shortages, and the need for guardrails and data collection. The bill was left pending.
The committee also heard HB 4350, by Rep. Capriglione, allowing peace officers to request redaction of personal information from online real property records. Supporters said officers face targeted threats and should have protections similar to judges; a title industry witness warned about preserving the integrity of land records. The bill was left pending. HB 3687, by Rep. Harless, would require county fire marshals in counties over 100,000 to meet training and certification standards within set timeframes; Harris County Fire Marshal Laurie Christensen supported professionalization, and the bill was left pending. HB 4105 would let very large counties give a local-bid preference for construction and infrastructure contracts, and HB 4205 would require pay parity for similar law enforcement ranks within large counties; both were supported by Harris County officials and constables and left pending.
Later, the committee heard HB 5403, which would repeal a special rule limiting Dallas and Tarrant county sheriffs’ control over commissary funds; the author said it would remove an outdated population bracket, and the bill was left pending. HB 4462 would require large counties to allow elected officials named in civil suits to seek outside counsel and have a role in settlement decisions; supporters argued county attorneys and commissioners court can have conflicts of interest, while questions focused on who qualifies and whether the bill could complicate settlements. The bill was left pending. Finally, HB 240, by Rep. Swanson, would restore a five-member quorum requirement for Harris County tax levies, effectively preventing tax action without all commissioners present and defaulting to the no-new-revenue rate if quorum is not met; urban counties opposed it as a potential budget obstruction, while supporters said it protects taxpayers and representation. That bill was also left pending. The transcript ends as the committee begins HB 3319, which would create a civil service system for constable department employees in large counties, but the discussion is cut off before testimony or action.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection - 03/27/25
Commerce and Consumer Protection
Transcript Highlights:
- And I'm a little bit leery about going down this road because, uh, I think the developer, if they want
- And I'm a little bit leery about going down this road because, uh, I think the developer, if they want
- And I'm a little bit leery about going down this road because, uh, I think the developer, if they want
- And I'm a little bit leery about going down this road because, uh, I think the developer, if they want
- I'm a little bit leery about going down this road because, uh, I think the developer, if they want to
Committee:
Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- Senator Roads votes aye. Senator Dort votes aye. Chair, your recommendation is adopted. Thank you.
- Senator Roads votes aye. Senator Dort votes aye. Chair, your recommendation is adopted. Thank you.
- Senator Roads votes aye. Senator Dort votes aye. Chair, your recommendation is adopted. Thank you.
- hi Senator Dort hi chair your roads hi Senator Dort hi chair your recommendation<00:27:49.600><c> is
- and having one complete true of the road and having one complete true was<00:40:06.240><c> to</c><00
Committee:
Senate Hawaiian Affairs
Summary:
The committees first heard Senate Bill 151 relating to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and geothermal development on Hawaiian homelands. DHHL and Ulupono Initiative testified in strong support, saying the measure would help advance clean energy goals, create economic opportunities, and support DHHL’s mission. Fine Electric also supported the bill. Several members of the public testified in opposition, raising concerns about consultation with beneficiaries, water impacts, land issues, and the scale of the proposed spending. In response to questions, DHHL staff explained slimhole drilling, the permitting distinctions between water exploration and geothermal exploration, and said prior studies and geophysical testing had been done. The chair then recommended passage with amendments, including SMA technical amendments, a directive to establish a permitted interaction group to study geothermal options, removal of the appropriation language, and a new effective date. The committees adopted the recommendation and passed SB 151 with amendments, with one senator voting no and several excused.
The joint committees then took up Senate Bill 371 on property damage to critical infrastructure facilities. The Department of the Attorney General supported the bill with amendments, recommending broader critical infrastructure language to cover systems such as transportation, gas, power, water, and oil, and suggesting additional changes to improve prosecution. Utility and other supporters also testified in favor. The chairs proposed adopting the AG’s amendments except one, and further expanding the bill to make manslaughter explicit when a death results from disruption of critical infrastructure, and to add water as a covered infrastructure category. The committees adopted the amended recommendation and passed SB 371 with amendments.
Finally, the Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs committee heard Senate Bill 585 on special purpose revenue bonds for Bana Pacific. The Attorney General noted a possible issue with the company’s entity status and the bill title, but Bana Pacific stated it was in the process of converting from an LLC to a corporation and was satisfied with the title. The State Energy Office supported the concept, and Bana Pacific described the project as an integrated biogas and green hydrogen facility that would support energy security, create jobs, and reduce emissions. The committee then moved on to Senate Bill 964 on waste-to-energy, where the State Energy Office offered supportive comments but many testifiers opposed the measure, arguing incineration is costly, polluting, and inferior to recycling. Written testimony showed more opposition than support, and public testimony focused on environmental and cost concerns.
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Energy Development and Transmission Committee Jun 2nd, 2026
Energy Development and Transmission Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- And like you, county commissioners have a wide range of responsibilities, including roads, bridges, taxes
- stabilizes school enrollment, and justifies enhanced community services like better streets, better roads
- Growth requires time from us, you and me, and communities, energy, investment in roads and utilities,
- What does it do for roads and bridges? And how much will we need to spend?
- Right now, that's not a realistic concern, but we don't know down the road as computer power doubles
Summary:
The committee met in Grand Forks, approved the February 26 minutes by voice vote, and recessed for a tour of the Mincota Power Cooperative headquarters before returning for presentations on large energy consumers, especially data centers. The first presentations focused on how North Dakota should respond to rapid growth in energy-intensive projects, with speakers emphasizing the need for reliable transmission, local decision-making tools, and factual information for county and township officials who are being asked to weigh major projects with limited staff and technical support.
The North Dakota Transmission Authority director said local governments are being asked to make high-impact decisions on pipelines, transmission lines, large agriculture, wind, solar, carbon dioxide pipelines, direct-air capture, and data centers, and urged development of simple statewide decision tools and support from the League of Cities and Association of Counties. The Department of Environmental Quality’s air division director said North Dakota’s air remains among the cleanest in the nation, but large data centers can create air-quality concerns because of diesel backup generation; he said the department is requiring air monitors at some facilities and expects grid power and, potentially, cleaner natural gas backup to reduce emissions. Members asked about emissions standards, misinformation, monitoring costs, and staffing succession at DEQ.
The Department of Water Resources director said North Dakota’s water law is based on common ownership and prior appropriation, and that data centers generally use relatively small amounts of water, often in closed-loop systems. He said the Missouri River and groundwater supplies are ample for projected needs, that the department’s permitting process protects senior water rights, and that even a worst-case data center scenario would use a very small share of Missouri River flow. Members asked about downstream impacts and compared data center water use with fracking. Later, McLean County State’s Attorney Ladd Erickson urged the committee to study how other states regulate data centers, warned against litigation-driven delays and overly broad local ordinances, argued reclamation bonding should be handled at the state level if at all, and said data centers can bring jobs and tax base but should remain subject to local zoning. The committee ended the morning session for lunch and later heard an EERC update from CEO Charles Gorecki on the center’s 75 years of work in energy and environmental technologies, especially oil and gas development and related research.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on Climate Crisis, Resources, Energy, and Transportation May 13th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- And that will really be a challenge for us in 10 or 15 years as we go down the road.
- As we go down the road. So with that, we have concluded this item.
- What funding for high road jobs in the transportation space already exists?
- What funding for high road jobs in the transportation space already exists?
- All Californians stand to benefit from safer roads and an intervention before a crash can occur.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Environmental Quality Committee Apr 15th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- This bill applies to on-road heavy-duty vehicles, off-road diesel equipment, and several equipment vehicles
- SB 1064 makes a simple change: smog-check them once a year for low-use heavy-duty trucks, on-road and
- off-road, and including special equipment.
- We're moving animal nutrition ingredients all throughout the state, but not only on-road; we're also
- There's roads and equipment and lay-down facilities.
Summary:
The committee heard SB 1375 by Senator Cortese, which would streamline environmental review for certain transit and rail projects that have already undergone extensive prior review. Supporters, including VTA, San Jose transportation staff, BART, Caltrain, MTC, and Climate Reality Silicon Valley, said the bill would reduce duplicative analysis, save time and money, and help advance projects like the Diridon Station modernization in San Jose. Committee members emphasized the bill’s narrow scope and the added amendments requiring displacement planning, legal services for displaced residents, construction-impact mitigation, and natural resources planning. The bill was approved on a 5-0 vote and sent to Transportation as amended.
The committee also took up SB 1031 on compostable plastics labeling and waste-stream impacts. The author and supporters such as Californians Against Waste argued the bill would reduce greenwashing, clarify labeling, cut contamination in compost and recycling streams, and direct OEHHA to study health and environmental effects. Opposition from manufacturers, BPI, retailers, and others focused on concerns that the bill would effectively ban compostable products in California, create costs, and fail to fix a separate federal/NOP labeling problem. After extensive discussion about composting capacity, labeling clarity, and costs, the bill passed 3-2 to Appropriations.
SB 958 by Senator Weber Pierson addressed the Midway Rising redevelopment project in San Diego. The bill, as amended, would no longer create a full CEQA exemption but instead clarify CEQA treatment of building-height impacts in the project’s future EIR. Supporters said the project would deliver thousands of housing units, including affordable housing, along with parks, a new arena, and economic benefits on underused city land. The committee voiced support for the project’s housing and revitalization goals, and the bill passed 3-0 to Local Government as amended. The committee also heard SB 1075 on strengthening AB 617 community air protection plans, with environmental justice supporters backing stronger enforcement and local implementation while local governments, business groups, and air district representatives warned it could create uncertainty, raise costs, and function as a land-use mandate; the bill was held on a 2-2 vote after the author accepted several amendments and continued negotiations.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs (03/17/2026)
Election Law and Municipal Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- and 32 roads, respectively, and undoing repairs from previous damage and weather events.
- apart, in of rain and less than 2 years apart, disabling<00:42:42.160><c> 31</c><00:42:42.640><c> roads
- </c><00:42:43.119><c> and</c><00:42:43.520><c> 32</c><00:42:44.480><c> roads,</c> disabling 31 roads
- and 32 roads, disabling 31 roads and 32 roads, respectively,<00:42:45.599><c> and</c><00:42:46.000><c
- Now, in a town where there's 31 roads being washed out, obviously they're going to have some serious
Committee:
Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
2026 Legislative Session - Day Twenty Six - Tuesday, February 24
Missouri House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- So you don't have a product that's otherwise legal on this side of the road, illegal on that side of
- the road, because you have these patchwork, these patchwork decision making going on.
- But they do own land across the road that they own, and they do have room to put it there.
- , they can put that sign on the opposite side of the road.
- For a very specific situation where a person owns land on both sides of the road, wants to be able to
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Chamber Meeting Feb 14th, 2026 at 01:49 pm
New Mexico House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- , which amends the Public Works Apprenticeship and Training Act, requires street, highway, bridge, road
- cost of doing business, the cost of construction in the state of New Mexico, specifically building roads
- Speaker, kind gentleman, is there a waiting list for road construction or any kind of apprenticeships
- Speaker, gentlelady, in road construction but in electricians. Mr.
- Speaker, gentlelady, in road construction but in electricians. Thank you, Mr.
Bills:
HB145 , HB164 , HR1 , HB20 , HB65 , HB66 , HB80 , HB306 , SB29 , SB37 , HB99 , HB206 , HB213 , HB270 , SB104 , SB193 , HB38 , HB254 , HB256 , SB58 , SB64 , HJM1 , HM7 , HM17 , HM4 , HM22 , HM23 , HM24 , HM26 , HM2 , HM16 , HM32 , HM13 , HM47 , HM20 , HM51 , HM1 , HM31 , HM35 , HM36 , HM46 , HM53 , HM54 , HM39 , HM29 , HM43 , HM59 , HM11 , HM14 , HM21 , HM34 , HM50 , HB253
MO
Transcript Highlights:
- Page 51, state road fund. This is another item that is somewhat time sensitive.
- state road fund authority.
- The bill to create the federal state road fund did not pass.
- Page 74 is their safety and operations, State Road.
- So if a washed-out road or a washed-out bridge, FEMA pays—paid my county for something.
Committee:
House Budget
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Session Jun 21st, 2026 at 06:00 pm
Massachusetts Joint Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- And then we'll get the show on the road. I was thinking, you know, I've been in the business.
- We refused to kick the can down the road any longer. Why?
- Money for roads and bridges, high-speed internet and broadband, solar power, and so much more.
- And most important, most important, it wasn't respectful to the people who need to travel on our roads
- You'll see more funding in your town's budget to fix roads and sidewalks.
Summary:
The House and Senate met in joint convention for the Governor’s annual State of the Commonwealth address. Before the address, the chamber handled routine organizational motions, including recesses, the appointment of committees to escort the Lieutenant Governor, constitutional officers, and the Governor into the chamber, the posting of colors, the Pledge of Allegiance, the national anthem, and an invocation and benediction. The joint convention then heard Governor Maura Healey’s address, followed by remarks from legislative leaders and a closing benediction.
In her speech, Governor Healey said the state is strong and highlighted accomplishments from the past session, including tax cuts, expanded child care support, the Affordable Homes Act, transportation improvements, federal funding gains, veterans’ services, and health care measures. She also emphasized ongoing priorities such as reducing housing costs, improving transit and infrastructure, expanding primary care and mental health services, supporting education and career pathways, strengthening clean energy and AI investment, and protecting reproductive health care. She called for abolishing tenant broker’s fees, creating a statewide graduation standards council after the MCAS requirement change, and continuing efforts to address the emergency shelter system and other cost pressures.
No roll call votes were taken on legislation during the address itself, but the convention adopted the various ceremonial orders and motions by voice vote. After the Governor’s remarks and the benediction, the joint convention adjourned, and the House later adjourned to meet the following Tuesday in informal session.
LA
Louisiana 2026 Regular Session
Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development May 7th, 2026
Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development
Transcript Highlights:
- And now we're working on a road, a mile-long road, that I'll show you some pictures of, and we're excited
- And now we're working on a road, mile long road that I'll show you some pictures of and we're excited
- That's the mile-long road. We're excited.
Summary:
The House Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development met with a quorum, adopted the minutes from its October 3, 2024 meeting, and Chairwoman Butler noted that HCR 82 would be voluntarily deferred in favor of continuing work on HCR 77 related to a pilot program for landscaping and crawfishing. The committee then considered HCR 205, which urges the USDA to use its Commodity Procurement Program to purchase domestic Louisiana shrimp. Representative Kerner and Commissioner Mike Strain described the shrimp industry’s low prices, full cold storage, and the need for urgent federal action to support shrimpers and move product into schools, nursing homes, and food banks. Members discussed domestic sourcing rules, enforcement against imported seafood, and marketing challenges; HCR 205 was reported favorably without objection.
The committee also took up HCR 188, which memorializes Congress to oppose any federal farm bill provision that could negatively affect the use of hunting dogs. Chairwoman Butler and Commissioner Strain explained that the concern centered on vague language in a farm bill section that could be interpreted to restrict hunting dogs used for tracking or field trials. Members agreed the language should be removed if it remained in the bill, and HCR 188 was reported favorably without objection.
The committee then heard a presentation from Orlando McMeans of the Southern University Ag Center and College of Agriculture, along with Dr. Calvin Walker. They outlined the center’s research, extension, and academic programs, including enrollment growth, dual-enrollment efforts, 1890 scholars, JAG Stars scholarships, beef cattle and aquaculture research, viticulture, precision nutrition, and food access initiatives. They also described major facility projects, including a high-tech meat processing facility, research labs, a vineyard, and a proposed disaster-safe shelter. Members asked about butcher training, cattle genetics, and the shelter’s potential uses, and the committee adjourned after the presentation.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
House Standing Committee on Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations.(3-18-26)
Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations
Transcript Highlights:
- about kinship care, I really hope that through this the cabinet will stop kicking the can down the road
- about kinship care, I really hope that through this the cabinet will stop kicking the can down the road
- cabinet will stop kicking the can<00:14:45.600><c> down</c><00:14:45.760><c> the</c><00:14:45.880><c> road
- 00:14:46.280><c> and</c><00:14:46.440><c> actually</c><00:14:46.839><c> implement</c> can down the road
- and actually implement can down the road and actually implement um<00:14:48.320><c> the</c><00:14:48.440
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Transportation Feb 23rd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- those things up, and add into this that we do have a commitment to both the ferry system and to our road
- those things up and add into this that we do have a commitment to both the ferry system and to our road
- system for preservation and maintenance and so. system and to our road system for preservation and maintenance
- Second, this proposal funds the County Road Administration Board's decision package, which will help
- the new local roads program you supported last session get up and going.
Summary:
The House Transportation Committee held public hearings on a proposed substitute for House Bill 2306, the 2026 transportation supplemental budget, and on proposed substitute House Bill 2711, a transportation resources bill. Staff described HB 2306 as revising the enacted 2025-27 transportation budget, increasing spending by about $1.1 billion to $16.5 billion, largely through reappropriations and new funding for preservation, maintenance, rail, transit, active transportation, ferries, licensing, and State Patrol needs. The chair and ranking member emphasized caution because of downward revenue forecasts, uncertainty around major project bids and future fish passage costs, and the decision to use existing bond authority without new bonding. Public testimony on HB 2306 generally supported preservation, maintenance, rail improvements, dredging, transit access, and local safety projects, while some witnesses urged more support for EV incentives and long-term transportation funding stability.
For HB 2711, staff explained that the bill responds to administrative issues in last year’s transportation resources law, including fuel tax inflation adjustments, luxury vehicle/aircraft/vessel taxes, the indigent tow reimbursement program, tire fee language, and other tax administration provisions. The proposed substitute would repeal the luxury aircraft tax, adjust peer-to-peer rental car tax administration, restore authority for the Transportation Commission to exempt transit buses from tolls, waive certain penalties and interest tied to early compliance with the luxury vehicle tax, allow lease payments to be taxed incrementally, add exemptions for tribal members and nonresidents, change transfer timing between accounts, and create a Preserve Washington Account for highway preservation and maintenance. Fiscal notes projected additional revenue from aligning use tax with sales tax and modest administrative costs, while delaying the tow reimbursement program reduced near-term expenditures.
Testimony on HB 2711 was mixed. RV dealers asked for a delay to the luxury vehicle tax, arguing the industry is already in decline and the tax could push sales out of state. WFSE supported the new Preserve Washington Account and urged higher bid limits for highway maintenance work. Committee members asked for clarification on the peer-to-peer rental car tax and the transit bus toll exemption. The chair announced that executive session on the bills, along with one other measure, would occur Wednesday, and members were told to submit amendment requests by the next day.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Taxation and Revenue Feb 14th, 2026 at 10:35 am
House Taxation & Revenue
Transcript Highlights:
- I think there's generally support so that folks know the rules of the road that they can choose whether
- So that folks know the rules of the road that they can choose whether to go an IRB route or not.
- Central Avenue right there is the second most dangerous road in America for pedestrians.
- Where are we going to get the other funds to pay for another set of bonds down the road if we need to
- development of improving that area and starting to bring that park down to Central, working on the roads
Committee:
House House Taxation & Revenue
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Taxation and Revenue Feb 14th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- I think generally support so that folks know the rules of the road that they can choose whether to go
- an IRB route or not. ...so that folks know the rules of the road that they can choose whether to go
- Central Avenue right there is the second most dangerous road in America for pedestrians.
- Where are we going to get the other funds to pay for another set of bonds down the road if we need to
- development of improving that area and starting to bring that park down to Central, working on the roads
Summary:
The committee first heard House Bill 248, the general obligation bond bill, which would authorize about $392.5 million in bond capacity for senior centers, libraries, and higher education, special schools, and tribal school projects. The sponsor highlighted major projects including a new UNM School of Medicine, a multidisciplinary building at NMSU, renovations at New Mexico Tech, a technical innovation center at CNM, an agricultural science and arts building at ENMU, and library renovations at New Mexico Highlands. Public testimony was supportive, especially from the New Mexico Library Association, and members discussed how the bond process works, including application timing, readiness to spend funds, voter approval, and how unspent bond proceeds revert. The committee voted do pass on HB 248 without opposition.
The committee then considered House Bill 309, which would clarify property tax valuation rules for electric energy storage facilities by extending the existing special valuation method for electric generation, transmission, and distribution to battery storage and similar technologies. Supporters from PNM, InterWest Energy Alliance, and Inventergy said the bill would provide consistency and clarity as storage becomes more important to grid reliability and clean energy development. Members raised questions about depreciation, the 12-year schedule, the 20% floor on valuation, possible effects on local government revenues, whether the bill would apply to utilities and co-ops, industrial revenue bonds, and whether it covered microgrids or only battery systems. The committee approved HB 309 on an 8-3 vote.
Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 48, which would authorize $92 million in bonds for the State Fairgrounds District to support redevelopment of the southwest corner of the fairgrounds, including land acquisition, green space, water and sewer infrastructure, and traffic calming and pedestrian safety improvements near San Pedro and Central. Support came from neighborhood groups, housing advocates, the city of Albuquerque, the chamber of commerce, and others who described the project as a long-term investment in safety, infrastructure, and economic revitalization for the surrounding area. Members questioned the bond repayment structure, the 25-year term, the use of district gross receipts and gaming tax revenues, parking impacts, and future bonding needs. The committee voted do pass on SB 48 by a 10-2 margin.
MO
Transcript Highlights:
- When we think a lot of our small roads across the state, that is kind of another, you know, you think
- I-70, the main roads; you think of a lot of our lettered or smaller roads that feed into that.
- As a reminder, changing an 'and' to an 'or' to ensure that off-road diesel qualifies, as originally intended
- factual information out there on the amount of trucks that just the short lines in our area take off the road
Committee:
House Agriculture
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Capital Budget Jan 29th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm going to talk now a little bit about the non-highway and off-road vehicle account.
- This concept was developed decades ago when realizing that a lot of gas was expended on roads that aren't
- Without going into great detail, if you imagine a Forest Service, a DNR, or other road that you can't
- , or other recreation site that you can't directly access from a state, county road, a state highway,
- I'll also add that, you know, in programs like the non-highway road program, we had gotten to the point
Summary:
The committee held public hearings on several capital-related bills. HB 2353 would raise the pre-design threshold for state-funded capital projects from $10 million to $15 million and index it to inflation beginning in 2027. The sponsor and a testifier said the change would reduce delays and save money on projects by avoiding costly pre-design work for mid-sized projects; staff noted the bill could reduce future capital budget costs. HB 2420 would increase the Small Works roster contract cap in stages from $350,000 to $650,000 by 2030, with a proposed substitute shifting the first increase from July 2026 to January 2027 to allow time for rulemaking. Testimony from universities, cities, ports, counties, and water/sewer districts supported the bill as a way to reduce administrative burden, speed projects, and help small and diverse contractors.
The committee also heard HB 2470, which would change how the School Construction Assistance Program treats school facilities on military bases. Staff explained the bill would exclude on-base instructional space from a district’s available-space calculation and adjust state assistance to account for federal funding, potentially increasing eligibility for affected districts such as Clover Park and Medical Lake. The sponsor and supporters said current rules unfairly reduce state support for districts serving military families; OSPI testified in support but said the bill would need amendment to avoid federal-law issues and was working on a revised approach that would increase the SCAP funding assistance percentage instead of directly referencing federal funds. Clover Park School District and the Veterans Legislative Coalition also supported the measure.
In executive session, the committee moved HB 2338, which expands the low-income weatherization program to include community-scaled projects, out of committee with a do-pass recommendation by a vote of 17 ayes and 2 excused. The committee then held a work session with the Recreation and Conservation Office on its competitive grant programs, including Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program accounts, youth athletic facilities, community forests, aquatic lands, boating, off-road vehicle, firearms and archery, and federal grant programs. Members asked about demand, ADA compliance, geographic distribution, and technical assistance; RCO said demand is high in several programs and that it uses scoring criteria, regional allocations, and outreach to improve access statewide.