Transcript Highlights:

• </c> in fact making changes to improve in fact making changes to improve process<00:15:27.040><c> and
• And knowing that a the road might be.
• And we can look at improving that.
• But to we can look at improving that.
• </c> that uh accuracy is going to improve that uh accuracy is going to improve after<00:29:07.120><c>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is specific to exemptions on improvements that will go to improvements being made in community
• There's an opportunity for them to improve.
• We're really, as a state, looking at literacy and how to improve it.
• They don't have road rage, and they don't drive while looking down at their phone.
• Number one, it ensures Involved with putting these vehicles on the road.

Summary: The House first established a quorum after several member introductions and announcements, including recognition of guests from foster care, a Bayless High School Scholar Bowl team, public utility representatives, and family members. The chamber then moved into House Bills for Perfection, beginning with HB 1812, a voter-roll maintenance measure that requires the Department of Health and Senior Services to send deceased-voter lists to the Secretary of State every 30 days for distribution to election authorities. An amendment added a 10-day processing deadline, and the bill was supported as an election-integrity measure before being ordered perfected and printed. Members also advanced HCS for HB 3308, a sales-tax exemption for materials used to construct facilities or improvements for public use that will be deeded to a political subdivision, such as parks. Supporters said it would help public-good projects while limiting the exemption to public-use construction; questions focused on fiscal impact and ensuring there is a formal agreement to transfer the property. The substitute was adopted and ordered perfected and printed. The House then took up HCS for HB 3010, a prior-authorization reform bill for health care providers. Supporters said it would reduce administrative burden, add an API-based tracking component, and create a gold-carding process for providers with high approval rates; members from both parties emphasized the strain prior authorization places on physicians and patients. The committee substitute and bill were adopted and ordered perfected and printed. The chamber next considered HCS for HB 2872, a major literacy bill centered on the science of reading. The bill requires phonics-based instruction, early screening in grades 1-3, teacher training, and retention for students who are not reading on grade level by the end of third grade, subject to exemptions for students with disabilities, English learners, IEPs, 504 plans, prior retention, and other good-cause cases. Amendments clarified that three-cueing cannot be the primary instructional strategy and added parent involvement and earlier intervention language; the most contentious debate focused on retention and parental rights, but the amendment passed 103-27-1 and the bill was then adopted and ordered perfected and printed. Finally, the House advanced HCS for HB 1826 and related bills to expand authorized epinephrine products beyond EpiPens to include nasal spray and other approved forms for use in schools, child care centers, nursing homes, and by first responders; supporters cited allergy emergencies and needle fear, and the substitute was adopted and ordered perfected and printed. The chamber also began debate on HCS for HB 2069/2208, a bill to authorize autonomous vehicles in Missouri, with the sponsor describing safety and economic benefits and the first amendment adding liability, jurisdiction, and U.S.-based operator requirements; a second amendment removed commercial vehicles and made technical changes. Debate on the underlying autonomous-vehicle bill continued, with supporters emphasizing modernization and opponents raising concerns about local control, surveillance, and the lack of independent safety data.

Transcript Highlights:

• that's in geometric design standards, paving an unpaved road, or widening the road, or whatever the
• that's in geometric design standards, paving an unpaved road, or widening the road, or whatever the
• that's in geometric design standards, paving an unpaved road, or widening the road, or whatever the
• Money comes in from roads and bridges; they have to use it for roads and bridges.
• </c> have to use it for roads and bridges. have to use it for roads and bridges.

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• WHERE ARE WE AT IN THE DISASTER AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TEAMS, SECRETARY PURDUE SENT TEAMS OUT THERE FOR ROAD
• ARE WE STABLE AND IMPROVING AND IF WE'RE STABLE AND IMPROVING AND WE CAN RELEASE RESOURCES THEN WE WILL
• ROLE TO THE ADMINISTRATION IN WASHINGTON ON FEMA AND I'M JUST WONDERING IS THERE ANYTHING DOWN THE ROAD
• MORE THAN THAT, WE SAW THE FACILITY AS BEING STRATEGIC TO THE SPACEPORT SO WE TOOK OWNERSHIP OF THE ROAD
• WITH THE SPACEPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WHICH WE DO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SPACE FLORIDA WE'VE INVESTED IN

Transcript Highlights:

• called Two Counties Road.
• I'm on top of the cap rock over there between Tucumcari and Clovis, and the road is pretty good until
• I know that they're looking for some improvements to their facilities.
• I'm a former county commissioner in San Juan County, and we made a lot of changes trying to improve our
• Those are issues with roads.

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• He said the product before the committee is much improved from the earlier version and is designed to
• And I think there's a lot of important changes in the bill that will improve the process.
• Including parcel configuration, vegetation management, road access, and long-term maintenance.
• or This would be done when a homeowner meets provisions such as creating defensible space, improving
• We held a work session on frontage improvements.

Summary: The Senate Local Government Committee heard several land use and infrastructure bills. SB 5633 on subdivision of land drew the most discussion: staff described a broad rewrite that would move many subdivision decisions from legislative bodies to administrative personnel, limit or eliminate public hearings for preliminary plats, require notice to nearby landowners, set completeness and 100-day decision timelines, and streamline concurrent review of related permits. Builders, Realtors, and some cities supported the bill as a long-overdue modernization that could reduce delays and housing costs, while county and city representatives raised concerns about eliminating public hearings, implementation details, and local accountability. The committee also heard SB 6274 on street standards and frontage improvements, which would require jurisdictions to identify infrastructure barriers to infill and middle housing and periodically review street and frontage standards; supporters said frontage mandates can make housing infeasible, while local government witnesses warned about conflicts with safety, ADA, and transportation goals. SB 6309 on high-capacity transit permits would let Sound Transit apply for permits before acquiring property and before some land use decisions, and would allow certain development agreements and subdivision exemptions to speed transit delivery; Sound Transit and city representatives supported it, and the committee waived the five-day notice rule to hear it. The committee also took testimony on SB 6279, which would incorporate the wildland-urban interface code into the state building code after statewide wildfire maps are completed and require state and local coordination on defensible space and local amendments. Supporters framed it as needed wildfire resilience planning, while opponents from counties, builders, environmental groups, and local officials argued the bill was premature, too rigid, and potentially inconsistent with environmental laws, local conditions, and insurance realities; several asked for more local flexibility, clearer map processes, and changes to the timing and scope of adoption. SB 6291 would extend from two to four years the period during which local health jurisdiction staff may inspect on-site wastewater systems under supervision before certification; public health officials supported it as a workforce and training fix, saying the current timeline is too short and costly. The committee also heard SB 5903, SB 6016, SB 5820, SB 6132, and SB 6189 in executive session, adopted substitutes on some bills, and advanced SB 6016, SB 5820, SB 6132, and SB 6189 out of committee by due-pass votes, with SB 6016 receiving a substitute and a member noting support but remaining concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• Michael Jackson, the Wiz, get on down, get on down the road. So here we are.
• Michael Jackson, the whiz, get on down, get on down the road. So here we are.
• This bill would keep those buses on the road longer, setting us back.
• This bill would keep those buses on the road longer, setting us back.
• This bill would keep those buses on the road longer, setting us back.

Bills: SB5808 , HB2254 , HB2385 , SB6006 , SB6351 , SB6198 , SB6260 , SB6353 , SB5949 , SB6129 , SB6228 , SB6231 , SB6229 , SB6173

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: health insurance, premium assistance, funding, healthcare access, state budget, HB 2254, Washington, Health Care Authority, partnership access line, psychiatric consultation line, first approach skills training, behavioral health, mental health, assessment, administrative costs, health carriers, self-funded plans, multiple employer welfare arrangement, MEWA, employers

Transcript Highlights:

• Many manufactured home communities rely on aging, privately owned infrastructure: water, sewer, roads
• ,</c> corporate landlords, even when roads, corporate landlords, even when roads, water,<00:04:31.480
• Most importantly, resident improvements.
• ,</c> infrastructure, water, sewer, roads, infrastructure, water, sewer, roads, electrical<00:05:13.680
• Major infrastructure improvements were completed in late 2024, beginning with a full road and drainage

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I have traveled the bypass road of nine or ten miles on an old logging road to get to see the people
• Roads and bridges across... Washington's infrastructure is failing. We know that.
• Roads and bridges across our state are aging, crumbling, and increasingly unsafe.
• We are currently dependent on an emergency dirt access road.
• We are further limited by the maintenance of this access road.

Summary: The Transportation Committee held public hearings on House Bill 2550 and House Bill 2645, then moved to executive session on three other bills. HB 2550 would require certain community and technical college students enrolled in degree- or certificate-seeking programs to be allowed to ride transit for free as a condition of transit support grant eligibility. Staff said the current program already requires zero-fare access for riders 18 and under, and the bill would expand that requirement to CTC students. Testimony from the sponsor, students, and transit advocates supported the goal of reducing barriers to education, while the Washington State Transit Association raised implementation concerns, including how eligibility would be verified and the potential loss of fare revenue and added administrative costs. The fiscal note discussion estimated local impacts of roughly $10 million to $12 million per year for affected transit agencies. HB 2645 concerned the emergency replacement of the closed Fairfax Bridge on State Route 165. The bill and proposed substitute would declare an emergency and give WSDOT expanded authority to expedite bridge replacement by waiving or suspending certain state requirements. The sponsor and many local residents, business owners, recreation advocates, and emergency responders testified that the bridge closure has cut off communities, limited access to Mount Rainier and public lands, and significantly increased emergency response times. WSDOT testified that it is already moving forward with planning and design for a replacement bridge, but said much of the timeline is driven by federal requirements such as NEPA, historic preservation, and endangered species review. No vote was taken on HB 2550 or HB 2645 in the transcript. In executive session, the committee adopted a proposed substitute for HB 2109, which allows certain towed vehicles with debris on them to be covered instead of cleaned before transport, and passed it out of committee 27-0. The committee also adopted an amendment to HB 2134, which updates regional transportation planning requirements related to greenhouse gas and vehicle miles traveled reductions, and passed the bill out 16-12. Finally, the committee adopted two amendments to HB 2323 creating the Blue Envelope Program for traffic stops involving neurodiverse individuals, then passed the bill out of committee 28-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• districts hauling; HB 2102, domestic water improvement districts hauling; HB 2103, water improvements
• mitigation and off-road law enforcement.
• This would be specifically for off-road law enforcement. Very good.
• And now let's look at the last one: for improving.
• It would harm public safety, roads, parks, libraries, and more.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Second, sustainable safety improvements depend on engagement and not enforcement alone.
• . ...to professionalism and continuous improvement.
• Safety improvements benefit not just insurers, but carriers, drivers.
• And if you continue down this road, this is what's going to happen.
• That's something we definitely see further down the road.

Summary: The committee first held a public hearing on House Bill 2410, which would establish a commercial truck safety and education council, increase the commercial vehicle safety enforcement fee from $16 to $32, and direct the new revenue to a dedicated account for truck safety and training programs. Committee staff outlined the bill’s CDL and training requirements, council structure, confidentiality provisions, and fiscal impacts. The prime sponsor said the bill was intended to improve truck safety through industry-led education and noted that a substitute was expected because details still needed work. Testimony from the Washington Trucking Associations, insurers, the Association of Washington Business, and the Washington Traffic Safety Commission was generally supportive of the safety goals, though the commission said operational details and agency roles still needed clarification. No vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee then heard House Bill 2347, which would repeal the recently enacted luxury aircraft tax on non-commercial aircraft valued above $500,000. Staff explained that the tax is scheduled to take effect April 1 and that repeal would reduce revenue to the Sustainable Aviation Fuel account. Representative Dent, the sponsor, argued the tax is harming business aviation, emergency services, wildfire response, agricultural operations, and rural access, and said aircraft and related jobs were already leaving the state. Most public testimony came from aviation businesses, airport operators, industry associations, and related employers, all urging repeal and warning of aircraft departures, lost hangar tenants, reduced fuel sales, and job losses. One witness from the Port of Seattle supported addressing the tax’s impact but urged working toward a narrower fix rather than full repeal so sustainable aviation fuel funding would remain stable. After closing the hearing on HB 2347, the committee received a work session on tolling technology. Transportation Commission staff presented the results of a pilot using a smartphone app to support toll collection, explaining that the current tolling system remains accurate but that new technologies could reduce costs and improve flexibility over time. The pilot found high accuracy when the app was paired to a vehicle by Bluetooth, lower accuracy without pairing, strong customer satisfaction, and some privacy concerns. The commission recommended keeping the current system in place for now, conducting a more fully operational smartphone-based pilot in the near term, and eventually developing a broader technology marketplace for future tolling systems. Members asked about the role of tags versus apps, video tolling accuracy, and the timeline for replacing existing tolling methods. The meeting ended with adjournment for caucus.

Transcript Highlights:

• the</c><02:23:22.240><c> road,</c> seen from the road, seen from the road, and<02:23:24.080><c> everyone
• Some towns place arbitrary limits on the length of dead-end roads and cul-de-sac roads.
• Some towns place arbitrary limits on the length of dead-end roads and cul-de-sac roads.
• </c><02:28:24.960><c> is</c> that to that that uh existing road is that to that that uh existing road
• </c> marshal who said as long as the roads marshal who said as long as the roads are<02:33:48.319><c>

Committee: Senate Commerce

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the social stature of women, ...and friendship among college women, to improve the social stature of
• American Public Works Association, APWA, is a national organization that supports those who operate, improve
• Texas public workers maintain more than 55,000 bridges, over 680,000 miles of roads, 4,457 miles of sidewalks
• If you enjoy the fact that your taps run, your toilet flushes, and your roads work, you can attribute
• If you enjoy the fact that your taps run, your toilets flush, and your roads work, you can attribute

Bills: SJR36 , SB2

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with an invocation, dispensed with the reading of the previous day’s journal, and recognized several visiting groups and individuals. Senators Flores, Hinojosa of Hidalgo, and Campbell welcomed members of the Texas Police Chiefs Association, and Senator Nichols introduced Dr. Joshua Splinter as Doctor of the Day. The chamber then adopted several resolutions without objection. Senate Resolution 16 recognized Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and its South Central Region for Alpha Kappa Alpha Day at the Capitol, with remarks from Senators Miles and West highlighting the organization’s history, service, and Texas members. Senate Resolution 9 designated January 29, 2025, as American Public Works Association Day at the Capitol, and Senate Resolution 10 congratulated Heather Keister for being named Engineer of the Year by the South Plains Chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers. Senator Hinojosa of Nueces also recognized a Brownsville delegation, and additional resolutions, including Senate Resolutions 13 and 18, were adopted without objection. The Senate also approved a motion by Senator Zaffirini to suspend Senate Rule 11.13 so committees could meet during the reading and referral of bills. Announcements followed, including a Finance Committee reconvening at 12:45 p.m. and a Senate Democratic Caucus meeting upon adjournment. The chamber then recessed until 10 a.m. Monday, February 3, for reading and referral of bills, and after that process, adjourned until 11 a.m. Tuesday, February 4.

Transcript Highlights:

• what to look for, what to do, what might indicate that that animal would need to be seen down the road
• what to look for, what to do, what might indicate that that animal would need to be seen down the road
• The pet improves.
• We've kind of been down this road in House Bill 355.
• These bills will also improve cybersecurity... ...and support for the products that they sell.

Bills: S3082 , S3090 , H5425 , H5130 , H5114

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure

Keywords: animal telehealth, veterinary telemedicine, veterinary telehealth, veterinarian-client-patient relationship, VCPR, animal health, pet care, companion animal, livestock, remote veterinary care, synchronous audio-video, telemedicine, prescription drugs, antimicrobial drugs, controlled substances, xylazine, compounding pharmacy, veterinary practice, Massachusetts Controlled Substances Act, animal owner

Transcript Highlights:

• and a one-time $14 million federal appropriation for the Governor's initiative to support quality improvement
• This was a $14 million one-time federal fund appropriation for the Governor's initiative to improve child
• care capacity and support quality improvement activities within ICC.
• And I would say that I think that the department, we hope to get a little farther down the road with
• our capacity and availability of child care in the state, ...improving our capacity and availability

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee heard budget presentations from Legislative Services analyst Morgan Poloni and Department of Health and Welfare Director Juliet Sharon on the Division of Early Learning and Development, the Division of Public Health Services, and Family and Community Partnerships. Major topics included the Idaho Child Care Program (ICCP), the Idaho Home Visiting Program, the Idaho Immunization Assessment Fund, HIV and hepatitis prevention, ARPA-funded public health projects, kinship navigation services, and proposed agency reorganizations and transfer authority changes. Poloni explained that several divisions were recently reorganized, making year-to-year comparisons difficult, and outlined the governor’s and agency’s FY 2027 requests, including additional federal and dedicated funds for child care capacity, public health programs, and prevention services.

Transcript Highlights:

• :24.080><c> board</c> The county's transit improvement board The county's transit improvement board dissolved
• 20:03.840><c> also</c><00:20:04.160><c> shaped</c> transit improvement board also shaped transit improvement
• Roads, bridges, every whatever they want. Is that right? >> Mr.
• Roads, bridges, every whatever they want. Is that right? >> Mr.
• So that was to take them off the road.

Bills: HF4693

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Keywords: transportation, license plates, validation stickers, replacement fees, government fees, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It will feature Green Bush to Bor Road.
• </c> Upgraded adjacent city streets improving Upgraded adjacent city streets improving safety<01:17:19.280
• The improvements will significance.
• ,</c><01:22:30.239><c> and</c> million for expansion, improvement, and million for expansion, improvement
• ,</c> construction, acquisition, improvement, construction, acquisition, improvement, and<01:22:49.520

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• investing in an action plan and pre-engineering concept plan, we can effectively manage debris and improve
• My name is Dolan Everol, representing Rick Igot with the YK Key Beach Special Improvement District.
• </c><00:03:04.840><c> our</c> effectively manage debr and improve our effectively manage debr and improve
• Um, I live in Waimānalo back roads, and we've got the same problem. It's devastating.
• Senator decoy is excused Senator roads Senator decoy is excused Senator roads sen<01:58:22.480><c> r<

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees first heard SB 1146, which would appropriate funds to the University of Hawaiʻi to develop an action plan and pre-engineering concept plan for debris management and water quality control in the Ala Wai Watershed. Testimony was largely supportive from DLNR, a UH student, and a special improvement district representative, while one speaker suggested the work should be coordinated with existing efforts to avoid duplication. Committee discussion focused on the multi-jurisdictional nature of the watershed, existing debris-trap work that captures only about 20 to 30 percent of debris, the role of the university in capstone projects and recommendations, and the relationship to the existing Geni project and other community efforts. Members also asked about costs, tracking progress, and the difference between water-quality improvements and the larger debris problem. The committees then voted to pass SB 1146 with amendments, including blanking out the appropriation and deferring the effective date to July 31, 2050. The motion passed in both committees, with votes recorded in support and no opposition noted during the decision-making. The committees also heard SB 321, which would deem certain fee simple privately owned lands transferred to adjacent property owners or community associations if specified conditions are met. Testimony was in support from several individuals, but members raised concerns about the lack of input from counties and the state, and about how the bill might affect roads already used by the public or maintained by local governments. After discussion, the committees voted to advance SB 321 unamended to the next committees, with the measure adopted in both committees despite one recorded no vote in the Water and Land committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• to just get control of what is an unincorporated area or on the right-of-way of a public highway or road
• And we did what we could to feed the two road these Texas Navy warriors.
• And we did what we could to feed the two road these Texas Navy warriors.
• Committee substitute is a huge improvement. Okay, any questions?
• Justin, let's go through this because I think this substitute is hugely improved. Okay, I agree.

Bills: HB1532 , HB2731 , HB3483 , HB4308 , HB4580 , HB4582 , HB5509 , HB5663

Committee: Senate Local Government

Keywords: Lake Houston, dredging, maintenance district, flood control, environment, public works, HB 2731, roadside vendors, solicitors, county regulation, border counties, Mexico border, Transportation Code, unincorporated areas, right-of-way, public highway, parking lot, livestock sales, live animals, vendor regulation

Summary: The committee heard and discussed several local-government-related bills, mostly with committee substitutes. House Bill 2731 would let certain border counties regulate roadside vendors selling live animals in unincorporated areas and along public rights-of-way; the substitute narrowed the bill to live animal sales only and excluded livestock and other roadside commerce. House Bill 3483 would streamline TCEQ review of special utility district revenue bonds by removing tax-bond requirements that do not apply to SUDs. House Bill 4308 would create a county industrial development district framework, limited in the substitute to certain counties including Fort Bend County, to help finance industrial sites and related infrastructure. House Bill 5663 would create a Wood County Hospital District memory-care-focused district with no taxing power, intended to help pursue grants and other funding for a new facility. House Bill 4582 addressed attainable housing in Dallas and Tarrant counties, allowing local reimbursement tools for developers under a uniform, optional framework. House Bill 5509 would let municipalities suspend or revoke a hotel’s certificate of occupancy if law enforcement and a criminal court both find probable cause of human trafficking, with the substitute adding due-process protections. House Bill 1532 created a Lake Houston dredging and maintenance district funded by revenue from dredged material sales and revenue bonds, with no taxing authority or eminent domain. House Bill 23, heard as pending business, would revise the process for local governments to rescind development documents and adjust third-party reviewer liability and eligibility rules. House Bill 4580, concerning property tax exemptions for charitable organizations such as the Houston Rodeo, was amended to remove language about exempting revenue from property use and instead focus on land used for agricultural, youth, and educational support. Public testimony was generally supportive on the bills heard, with witnesses including county officials, utility and water association representatives, hotel industry representatives, and housing developers. Several speakers emphasized the need for faster financing or permitting tools, flood mitigation, housing affordability, anti-trafficking enforcement, or local economic development. Some members raised concerns about scope, precedent, consultation with affected senators, and due process, particularly on House Bill 4582 and House Bill 5509, but the committee largely accepted the committee substitutes as improvements. No public testimony was offered on several bills, and most measures were left pending before later being voted out. The committee took recorded votes on multiple pending bills and reported them favorably, often with committee substitutes adopted in lieu of the filed versions. House Bills 1532, 2731, 3483, 5509, 5663, and 4580 were reported out, with 1532 and 5663 passing unanimously and 3483, 2731, and 5509 also receiving favorable votes despite one present-not-voting on 3483. House Bill 23 and House Bill 4582 were left pending subject to call of the chair. The committee then recessed until adjournment or later.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, hopefully we get you back on the road before rush hour.
• Next, we're going to go to Kelsey Road.
• My name is Kelsey Road, and I worked in the House of Representatives between 2020 and 2022.
• I will be discussing why I think this is necessary to improve the working conditions of staff.
• Ten days is a major improvement, but only if the rule is followed.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused on several labor-related bills, especially proposals to give legislative employees the right to organize and collectively bargain, close a prevailing wage loophole for off-site prefabrication work, and strengthen enforcement against wage theft. Committee chairs opened the hearing by explaining the hybrid format and asking witnesses to keep testimony brief. Multiple legislators testified in support of the legislative staff union bill, saying staff deserve the same bargaining rights as other public employees and that unionization would improve pay, benefits, retention, and workplace dignity. Witnesses also discussed how the bill would likely be structured, with separate House and Senate bargaining arrangements or locals, and emphasized that it would only create the option to unionize, not require it. A second major topic was the prevailing wage bill addressing off-site fabrication and prefabrication in construction. Union leaders, contractors, and workers described how more work is being shifted from job sites into shops, especially in sheet metal, HVAC, electrical, and pipefitting work, and argued that the law should treat that work the same as on-site construction when it is part of a public project. They said the current loophole lets some contractors underbid by paying lower wages off-site, while responsible contractors already pay prevailing wages in their shops. Supporters argued the bill would protect workers, preserve apprenticeship and training standards, improve safety and quality, and make enforcement easier through certified payroll and clearer definitions. The committee also heard testimony on wage theft legislation. Representative Dan Donahue, the Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division, AFL-CIO representatives, and carpenters’ union witnesses described wage theft, misclassification, labor brokers, and tax fraud as widespread problems that hurt workers, honest contractors, and public revenues. They supported giving the Attorney General stronger enforcement tools, adding contractor accountability up the subcontracting chain, and protecting workers from retaliation and from delays that can cause claims to expire. A separate witness supported a bill to extend the statute of limitations for Wage Act cases while AG investigations are pending, and another supported changes to help hospital workers enforce timely payment rights. No votes were taken during the hearing; witnesses repeatedly asked for favorable reports on the bills.