Transcript Highlights:

• During a 23-year military career, he served in a variety of flying, teaching, and command assignments
• , including as commander of the first Special Operations Squadron at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Base
• As a Sandy pilot and on-scene commander, Harding helped direct combat search-and-rescue missions to recover
• We must build a system that creates opportunities for those communities most harmed by the failed policy
• An address so unanimous and firm from the officers commanding 2,800 men, consisting of such substantial

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then received communications recalling it for voting session and referring gubernatorial nominations and a series of Senate and House bills and resolutions to standing committees. Leaves of absence were granted, and the chamber recessed briefly for committee meetings and party caucuses before reconvening. On the floor, the Senate unanimously agreed to House Bill 1102 and later passed Senate Bill 1133 and Senate Bill 1303 by 50-0 votes. Several measures were set aside to their proper place in the calendar or re-referred, including Senate Bill 1182 and House Bill 928 to Appropriations. The Senate also adopted multiple amendments to Senate Bill 1372, including a technical amendment from Senator Brooks, an amendment offered on behalf of Senator Loughlin, and Senator Fontana’s amendment requiring carbon monoxide detectors in child care facilities; after amendment, Senate Bill 1372 was held over. The chamber adopted Senate Resolution 326 urging a posthumous Medal of Honor for Major Richard Winters. During petitions and remonstrances, Senator Tartaglione urged action to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage, noting it has been 20 years since the last increase. Senator Dush honored Colonel James C. Harding on his birthday, highlighting his military service and decorations. Senator Street introduced a discharge resolution to force consideration of adult-use cannabis legalization, arguing the issue has bipartisan support and should receive a vote. Senator Dush also delivered extended remarks on the Founders, John Adams, religion, and the Constitution. Committee reports followed, including Appropriations reporting Senate Bills 1061, 1182, and 1303 as committed and House Bill 2400 as amended, and Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure reporting House Bill 2426 as committed. The Senate then considered supplemental calendars, adopting an amendment to Senate Bill 1182 and passing Senate Bill 1303 on final passage, both by 50-0 votes. The chamber was also notified of upcoming committee meetings, and it recessed until June 30, 2026, at 11 a.m., unless recalled sooner.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> are connected to the E911 system. are connected to the E911 system.
• </c> trying to make the system better. trying to make the system better.
• </c> present systems present systems and<00:15:11.120><c> we</c><00:15:11.480><c> ask</c><00:15:11.880
• </c> help with the automation of the system. help with the automation of the system.
• We now have two systems.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• access and being able to find ways with all the members here to actually optimize our health care system
• Cleveland Clinic and Mayo, for example, could have their command centers for hospital-at-home anywhere
• that it's approximately $572 million, again, more than half a billion dollars spent by the health system
• in Florida due to the treatment of illegal aliens in hospital systems.
• So what we've done this time for quality measures is it's a tiered system.

Summary: The Health Care Budget Subcommittee met to organize the new term, take roll, and hear introductory presentations from the six agencies under its jurisdiction: the Agency for Health Care Administration, Agency for Persons with Disabilities, Department of Children and Families, Department of Elder Affairs, Department of Health, and Department of Veterans’ Affairs. The chair outlined the committee process, including assigning members to review agencies and make budget recommendations. Each agency head gave a high-level overview of their budget, staffing, major programs, and priorities, with recurring themes including Medicaid, long-term care, disability services, child welfare, mental health, aging services, public health, and veterans’ health care. Several agency leaders highlighted recent initiatives and funding priorities. AHCA emphasized Medicaid managed care, provider regulation, Hope Florida, hospital-at-home, and cancer-related efforts; APD discussed iBudget services, Hope Florida, a managed-care pilot, online applications, and forensic care costs; DCF focused on child protection, foster care, adult protective services, food/cash/medical assistance, mental health, and opioid treatment; Elder Affairs highlighted Alzheimer’s services, community-based senior care, guardianship, ombudsman services, and disaster outreach; DOH covered cancer innovation, maternal telehealth, cybersecurity, HIV/hepatitis/syphilis screening, and school nursing; and Veterans Affairs described benefits and health care access for veterans, long-term care, and federal reimbursement. Several speakers also raised concerns about rising costs, provider rates, disaster response, and access to services. The committee heard two public comments from disability advocates about Medicaid redeterminations affecting iBudget waiver recipients and provider payment delays. In response, AHCA and APD said they were coordinating on data sharing, early outreach, escalation processes, and efforts to reduce disenrollments and make recertification smoother. Members then asked questions about provider rates, opioid settlement spending, managed care quality measures, pediatric rare disease grants, group home transparency, senior outreach, ABA services moving into managed care, annual Medicaid recertification, veterans’ service utilization, waiting lists for elder services, and prevention spending. No formal votes were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• They don't have that at the commander level, at the forward level.
• When I was a commander, I had that NJP. It was called Captain's Mast.
• the legal system.
• I had a couple of DUIs when I was commander.
• This actually makes it so that our system can do a secure electronic records transfer.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the journal, then received several Senate messages and committee reports. A number of bills were introduced or advanced, including measures on health care, elections, schools, water districts, crime victims, and animal protection, along with several resolutions and memorials. The House also took up a constitutional resolution on parental rights in education, but House Joint Resolution 9 failed because it did not receive the required two-thirds vote, finishing at 44 ayes and 25 nays. The chamber then considered and passed several bills on third reading. House Bill 585 would impose a 48-hour deadline for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing inspections and allow refunds and third-party inspections if the deadline is missed; members disclosed Rule 80 conflicts because of permit-related businesses, and the bill passed 69-1. House Bill 736 lowered the voter threshold for ballot rotation requirements to expand rotation to more elections and passed 68-1. House Bill 626 changed county impact-fee language from “may” to “shall,” House Bill 749 addressed annexation-related septic system costs, House Bill 650 affirmed federalism principles, House Bill 788 created a pilot incentive for medical preceptors, House Bill 738 added an LLC filing option using a commercial registered agent address, House Bill 685 added a sentencing enhancement for crimes committed while masked, House Bill 696 updated prison sexual-contact language, House Bill 686 created a narrow nepotism exception for small towns, House Bill 670 clarified urban renewal/fire district opt-out rules, House Bill 734 fixed a wind/geothermal tax distribution formula, and House Bill 570 increased penalties for reckless driving in active construction zones. Most of these bills passed with comfortable majorities, though House Bill 685 passed narrowly at 38-31 and House Bill 570 passed 68-1. Later, the House passed House Bill 561 on flag displays by government entities, despite debate that it was aimed at restricting certain local flags; it passed 58-11. The House also passed House Bill 692 on foster-care court proceedings and House Bill 575 on centralized civil asset forfeiture reporting, both after debate about transparency and court procedure. Additional bills passed included House Bill 562, extending the notice period for insurance nonrenewals to 60 days; House Bill 810, setting residency requirements for legislative candidates with exemptions for military service and missions; House Bill 593, repealing obsolete waste-management and Big Payette Lake provisions; House Bill 714, updating hazardous waste siting law; and House Bill 507, revising Idaho National Guard military justice procedures to restore non-judicial punishment authority. The House recessed and later returned to continue business, with several bills transmitted to the Senate after passage and no title corrections on the measures considered.

Transcript Highlights:

• Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District Commander Colonel Catherine Sanborn, and Skykomish Mayor Henry
• Invest in our infrastructure, make our tax system more fair, and continue...
• Invest in our infrastructure, make our tax system more fair, and continue our progress on addressing
• Our system takes too much in taxes from hard-working families and not enough from the wealthy.
• So let's seize this opportunity this session to make our tax system more fair.

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The joint session of the Washington Legislature convened to receive Governor Bob Ferguson’s State of the State address, with the House and Senate roll called and a quorum confirmed. The chamber recognized Supreme Court justices, statewide elected officials, tribal leaders, consular corps members, and other guests before the Pledge of Allegiance, the national anthem by the Wapato High School Choir, a prayer by Reverend Indiana Driver Gimmer, and a poem by State Poet Laureate Derek Sheffield. The governor opened by thanking those present and highlighting recent flooding as a major test of the state’s resilience, praising first responders, National Guard members, WSDOT crews, and local leaders for their response and recovery efforts. In his address, Ferguson said Washington’s economy remains strong but argued the state must make major investments in transportation, ferries, housing, and affordability. He proposed more than a billion dollars for bridge repairs, $164 million for road paving this summer, another billion dollars for three new ferries, and a $244 million housing investment. He also called for a millionaire’s tax to fund expanded Working Families Tax Credit benefits, tax relief for small businesses, more K-12 funding, and affordability measures such as utility bill credits and expanded energy assistance. He criticized federal immigration enforcement tactics and changes at the CDC, urged action on a bill limiting masked law enforcement, and said Washington should rely on science-based public health guidance through state-led efforts. The governor also highlighted several bills and proposals he said he would support, including expanded early learning for military families, modular housing standards, reckless driving changes, improved crash data access, wildfire air support for local fire departments, fee refunds when agencies miss processing deadlines, and a campaign to improve FAFSA completion rates. He said his administration has already reduced processing times for several licenses and wants government to be more responsive. After the address, the joint session was dissolved by motion and vote, and the House then adjourned until January 14 at 10:30 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:59:42.400><c> saying</c> being short Changed by the system saying being short Changed by the
• system saying tens<00:59:42.960><c> of</c><00:59:43.160><c> thousands</c><00:59:43.559><c> of</c><00:
• The one case that I had as a commander was I had a person that had been in the Air Force for 12 years
• The one case that I had as a commander was I had a person that had been in the Air Force for 12 years
• The one case that I had as a commander was I had a person that had been in the Air Force for 12 years

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Deep systemic racism.
• for Education, the California Statewide Assignment Accountability System, the Accreditation Data System
• System, the Child Development Management Information System, and the Preschool Language and Information
• We, like many systems, have robust systems in place to assess accuracy and bias concerns from the AI,
• somewhere who made the AI system.

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on privacy, accessibility, labor, and public safety. AB 1798 by Assemblymember Wilson would bar life and disability insurers from using non-diagnostic genetic information, including direct-to-consumer test results, in underwriting. Supporters argued the bill would protect privacy and encourage genetic testing, while insurers opposed it as unnecessary and said genetic data should be treated like other predictive health information. The bill passed the committee on a 7-0 vote and was held open for absent members. AB 2190 by Assemblymember Wallace would create website accessibility standards based on WCAG guidelines and add affirmative defenses intended to reduce serial litigation while improving access for people with disabilities. Disability advocates supported the measure as a needed civil-rights update, while business groups warned it could increase liability and create unclear compliance obligations. The bill passed 9-0 and was sent to Appropriations. AB 2721 by Assemblymember Carrillo would require hotels to post notice when they know or should know that U.S. Customs and Border Protection or ICE are using the premises, with supporters saying workers and guests deserve transparency and safety. Hotel and business groups opposed it, citing privacy, liability, and concerns about interfering with federal operations. The committee voted 6-2 to pass the bill to Appropriations, with the roll left open. AB 2027 by Assemblymember Ward would restrict employers from using worker data to train AI systems that replace workers and limit sharing of worker data for automation; labor groups supported it and business and public-sector groups opposed it as too broad. The bill passed 7-2 to Appropriations, with the roll left open. The committee also heard AB 1837 by Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez, which would extend and tighten privacy rules for transit agencies’ use of forward-facing cameras to enforce bus-lane violations; supporters said the cameras improve transit flow and safety, and the bill was presented with amendments, though no final vote is reflected in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• The system Majority Leader Garcia moves, and Mr.
• This bill also requires the establishment of a system-wide policy that addresses course grades...
• This system provides vital information needed to treat, prevent, and cure cancer.
• This bill requires a private fire protection resource to coordinate with the acting incident commander
• She grew up just a few blocks from where this incident occurred.

Summary: The Assembly convened, established a quorum after a roll call, observed a moment of silence for John Burton, and proceeded with the Pledge of Allegiance and routine procedural motions. Members approved a rule suspension to allow floor amendments on SB 271 and SB 67, and several committee notices and bill referrals were handled. The chamber then moved through a long third-reading file, with many bills passed and a number of items temporarily passed or retained on file. Among the major measures approved were bills on civil rights and public safety (SB 477, SB 19, SB 36, SB 571, SB 580), health care and coverage (SB 257 on pregnancy as a qualifying life event, SB 530 on Medi-Cal access standards, SB 660 on health data exchange, SB 754 on menstrual product contaminant disclosure), housing and disaster recovery (SB 610, SB 655), transportation and climate (SB 533 on EV charging payments, SB 30 on diesel locomotives, SB 71 on CEQA exemptions for transit, SB 263 on tariff impacts), and natural resources/energy (SB 283 on battery storage safety, SB 88 on biomass emissions, SB 427 extending the Habitat Conservation Fund). The Assembly also passed urgency measures including SB 864 on tribal gaming compacts, SB 663 on wildfire-related property tax relief, SB 471 expanding DDS ombudsman authority, and SB 497 on privacy protections for legally protected health services. Several bills drew notable debate. SB 41 on pharmacy benefit managers saw opposition over concerns about moving ahead before broader PBM data and licensing reforms take effect, but it still passed. AB 1340, a concurrence item on gig worker collective bargaining rights, prompted extended debate over labor rights, consumer costs, and union influence. Other concurrence items included AB 671 on restaurant permitting, which passed without opposition. The Assembly also took up SB 640 on direct admission to CSU, SB 702 on demographic reporting for appointees, SB 710 preserving a solar property tax exclusion, and SB 793 on counterfeit lighter safety, all of which passed. The session ended with the Assembly continuing through the file, including concurrence votes and additional bill actions, with most measures approved by substantial margins.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> How do you track that chain of command How do you track that chain of command on<00:14:19.360><c
• That becomes difficult unless there's a system of record that we're using for valuation, whether that
• I'm out of ways to cheat the system.<01:00:52.640><c> Thank</c><01:00:52.799><c> you.
• out of it you take the propulsion system out of it and<03:21:28.239><c> to</c><03:21:28.399><c> go</
• We've seen crazy incidents where trails.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Because what happens when these Planned Parenthood centers close is that the entire system is left to
• The rest of the system does not have the capacity to absorb 25,000 visits per week.
• The rest of the system does not have the capacity to absorb 25,000 visits per week.
• That approach does nothing to strengthen rural health systems. It only weakens them.
• We must recommit ourselves to advancing policies that confront systemic racism, protect civil rights,

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, completed the roll, and opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several guest introductions recognizing visitors, students, and a long-serving committee secretary, Tabitha Volga-Sang, who was honored for 32 years of service. Members also took up a procedural motion by Assembly Member DeMaio to immediately consider ACA 14, the Taxpayer Protection Act, without reference to file; that motion failed on a 14-44 vote. The main policy debate centered on SB 106 by Senator Laird, a budget appropriation to provide $90 million in one-time funding for Planned Parenthood and related women’s health and family planning services after federal cuts. Assembly Member Tangipa offered amendments arguing the money should be directed more broadly to women’s health and hospitals, but the Assembly voted 41-13 to lay the amendments on the table. Supporters, including Gabriel, Sharp-Collins, Gibson, Krell, Bonta, and others, said the bill was needed to preserve access to cancer screenings, contraception, STI testing, and reproductive care, especially in rural and underserved communities, and to offset the effects of federal defunding. Opponents, including Johnson, DeMaio, Patterson, and Tangipa, criticized the bill as lacking transparency, favoring a politically connected organization, and diverting attention from hospital funding and other health needs. After extended floor debate, SB 106 passed the Assembly 55-10 and was transmitted immediately to the Senate. The chamber then took up H.R. 84, a resolution condemning racism after President Trump circulated racist imagery depicting former President Obama and Michelle Obama. Members from the Black, LGBTQ, Latino, AAPI, Jewish, Native American, and other caucuses spoke in support, saying the post normalized dehumanization and had real-world consequences; Assembly Member Tangipa also stated the post was wrong and apologized on the record. The transcript ends during continued debate on H.R. 84, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• But then there's a federal system.
• But then there's a federal system.
• Recently in Rock Springs, we had Border Patrol Commander Bevino stop by, spent the night in a protest
• Recently in Rock Springs, we had Border Patrol Commander Bevino stop by, spent the night in a protest
• </c><00:57:19.440><c> of</c> result, as the operations commander of result, as the operations commander

Bills: HB0130, HB0095, HB0096, HB0097, SF0101, SF0106, SF0067, SF0123

Keywords: Second Amendment, firearms, state rights, federal regulation, law enforcement, civil penalties, government liability, concealed carry, public colleges, university facilities, weapons legislation, self-defense, campus safety, weapons, age requirement, permits, HB0097, Wyoming firearms privacy, merchant category code, MCC

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:52.879><c> um</c> do, it's not about command um do, it's not about command um commodering<
• It's not a commandeering in that faction.
• Um, certainly my own personal feeling is that I don't want to use the new system to go to the new system
• I don't think we want to use the new system to elect to go to the new system.
• </c> and the state voter registration system and the state voter registration system on<00:27:48.559>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:13:34.959><c> energy</c> from our phones, defense systems, energy from our phones, defense systems
• </c> incidents since 2019. incidents since 2019.
• </c><07:45:07.440><c> of</c> is our system of is our system of healthcare.<07:45:10.000><c> Speaking<
• </c><07:58:35.520><c> for</c> do to improve the system for do to improve the system for everyone<07:58
• </c> system like the Affordable Care Act. system like the Affordable Care Act.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, April 28, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the commander of the 142nd Military Police... ...commander of the 142nd Military Police Brigade.
• largest logistics command in the United States National Guard.
• I'm the commander of the 62nd Troop Command, which is in Opalika, Alabama.
• Sorry, that's the high school, but he formerly commanded the group up in Birmingham.
• As soon as he left command about this time last year, he got selected to go and command the NATO command

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As I progress through my career, I had the honor of being the training commander for the Hanu Police
• </c><00:08:42.159><c> in</c> my upper ranks I was a uh commander in my upper ranks I was a uh commander
• um for the being the training Commander um for the hanu<00:09:19.320><c> police</c><00:09:19.600><c>
• I also came out of retirement to be able to collaborate in moving this system forward.
• I also came out of retirement to be able to collaborate in moving this system forward. Thank you.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees met on February 19, 2025, to hear advice-and-consent nominations, beginning with GM 645/GM 650 for Mike Lambert as Director of the Department of Law Enforcement. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support from state officials, community leaders, nonprofit representatives, and others, who praised Lambert’s collaboration with communities, communication skills, and practical approach to public safety. Several speakers highlighted his work on homelessness, game rooms, community policing, and his ability to work across public health and law enforcement lines. Lambert told the committee he has 22 years of law enforcement experience, including patrol, community policing, training, narcotics/vice, and work on fentanyl, internet crimes against children, and ghost guns, and said his priorities would include building community trust, improving training and discipline, and addressing fireworks and firearms enforcement. Senators asked about fireworks, federal collaboration, ports and airport screening, recruitment, pay parity, and whether the department should expand into a more formal state police force; Lambert said he would need time to learn the new port/shipping environment and would support a state police class and expanded enforcement capacity. The committee did not take a final vote in the portion of the transcript provided. The committee then heard GM 567 for Jean Dello Jr. as chairperson of the Hawaii Paroling Authority. Supporters, including Hawaii Friends of Restorative Justice and Hawaii Paroling Authority staff, described him as honest, ethical, fair, and experienced in balancing public safety with rehabilitation and re-entry. Dello said he came out of retirement in 2021 to serve on the board, and that his background in federal probation and state corrections led him to favor evidence-based practices over simple compliance monitoring. He emphasized the need to weigh public safety with giving inmates a real opportunity to transition successfully back into the community. No final action or vote was announced in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because what happens when these Planned Parenthood centers close is that the entire system is left to
• The rest of the system does not have the capacity to absorb 25,000 visits per week.
• That approach does nothing to strengthen rural health systems. It only weakens them.
• a sister, a daughter, a niece, or someone who they love who depends on a functioning health care system
• We must recommit ourselves to advancing policies that confront systemic racism, protect civil rights,

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But that's the only material that our school systems have.
• that are currently trying to model their systems based on the system that we have, which we are actively
• So, I think that is system-wide, North Dakota Tribal College system, if it's something that we can look
• First, it forces an inefficient, fragmented system of care.
• We developed our incident command team because of the MMIP after the third person went missing, and we

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I have with me here this morning my command sergeant major, Command Sergeant Major Shane Cook, and we
• have our legislative liaison, Chris Thomas, who is also the 184th Expeditionary Sustainment Commander
• I have with me here this morning my command sergeant major, Command Sergeant Major Shane Cook, and we
• have our legislative liaison, Chris Thomas, who is also the 184th Expeditionary Sustainment Commander
• I think it's important for us to make sure as this goes through the system that while recruitment is

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 15 January, 2026; 9:30 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But that's the only material that our school systems have.
• So, you know, I think that is system-wide, North Dakota Tribal College system, if it's something that
• First, it forces an inefficient, fragmented system of care.
• I also work as a public defender within our tribal court system.
• We developed our incident command team because of the MMIP after the third person went missing, you know

Summary: The committee met at Spirit Lake Tribe and first heard welcoming remarks and introductions from tribal leaders and program directors. Chairwoman Street and other tribal representatives outlined a range of concerns and requests for state action, including taxation of reservation lands, support for non-beneficiary students at the tribal school, homelessness funding, Indian-managed health care, gaming and e-tabs, Feather Alert improvements, industrial farming near waterways, tourism, and better state-tribal consultation. Committee members responded that the meeting was intended to improve understanding and communication, and several members suggested future legislation or resolutions could be used to advance some of the issues. The tribe also offered to provide training on treaties, IHS 638, and compact services to legislators and staff. A major portion of the discussion focused on Spirit Lake fish and wildlife jurisdiction and the lake boundary. Tribal representatives asked for an MOU or co-stewardship agreement with the state to clarify hunting and fishing rights, recognize tribal licenses, and reduce recurring disputes over “gray areas” on the reservation and lake. Committee members discussed whether to draft a bill or resolution directing the executive branch and state agencies to negotiate such an agreement, and asked that North Dakota Game and Fish be invited to a future meeting. Related concerns included aquatic nuisance species prevention, with both sides agreeing that more aggressive boat inspection and cleaning measures would be beneficial. The committee also discussed taxation and county relations. Tribal leaders raised concerns about county resistance to fee-to-trust transfers and about property and vehicle taxation affecting members living on or near reservation lands. Committee members and tribal counsel reviewed federal treaty principles and court cases, and one member noted that the committee had previously taken no formal action on similar issues. Later, Benson County’s tax equalization director explained how the county values taxable land, handles inundated land applications, and tracks land coming off the tax rolls when the tribe repurchases acreage. The discussion ended with a presentation from the president of Sisseton Wahpeton College, who described the college’s programs, economic impact, and funding needs, followed by an HHS presentation on 1115 Medicaid waivers and the IMD exclusion as the committee moved to its next topic.

Transcript Highlights:

• about our international education work with students in our state's outstanding community college system
• Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District Commander Colonel Catherine Sanborn, and Skykomish Mayor Henry
• Invest in our infrastructure, make our tax system more fair, and continue our progress on addressing
• Our system takes too much in taxes from hard-working families and not enough from the wealthy.
• So let's seize this opportunity this session to make our tax system more fair.

Summary: The joint session of the Washington Legislature convened to receive Governor Bob Ferguson’s State of the State address, with the House and Senate, Supreme Court justices, statewide elected officials, tribal leaders, consular representatives, and other guests formally introduced. The meeting also included the Pledge of Allegiance, a performance by the Wapato High School Choir, a prayer by Reverend Indiana Driver Gimmer, and a poem by State Poet Laureate Derek Sheffield. In his address, Governor Ferguson said the state remains strong economically but faces major challenges from recent historic flooding, aging transportation infrastructure, ferry reliability problems, the housing shortage, and affordability concerns. He proposed major budget priorities including more than a billion dollars for bridge and road maintenance without raising taxes, another billion dollars for ferries, and a record housing investment. He also called for a millionaire’s tax to fund expanded Working Families Tax Credit benefits, tax relief for small businesses, and more support for K-12 education, along with utility assistance and early learning expansion funded in part by a large private gift. The governor also criticized federal immigration enforcement practices and changes at the CDC, urged action on a bill to prohibit masked law enforcement and require identifying information, and backed shifting vaccine recommendations to the state health department. He highlighted several bipartisan proposals he said he would sign, including expanded early learning for military families, modular housing standards, reckless driving changes, crash review access to medical information, wildfire air resources for local fire departments, and fee refunds for missed agency deadlines. After the governor’s remarks, the joint session was dissolved by motion and the House adjourned until the next legislative day.