Bills: SB5834, SB5835, SB5883, SB5905, SB6151, SB6163, SB6177, SB6173

Keywords: Washington retirement systems, retirement trust funds, interest earnings, public employee retirement system, teachers retirement system, state patrol retirement system, judicial retirement system, judges retirement system, school employees retirement system, public safety employees retirement system, law enforcement officers and firefighters retirement system, PERS, TRS, LERS, legal expenses, medical expenses, administrative expenses, fraud prevention, overpayment recovery, trust fund protection

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met on January 20, 2026, for public hearings on several Senate bills and to move three bills out of committee. The committee heard first on SB 5834, which would make permanent a temporary expansion allowing retirement system trust funds to pay certain administrative expenses from interest earnings; DRS supported the bill and noted an actuarial note showing an indeterminate impact. The committee then heard SB 5835, which would raise the lump-sum retirement allowance threshold for Plan 2 members to match Plan 3 and allow annual adjustment; DRS described it as a technical consistency change with a small one-time systems cost. Both bills were heard only, with no action taken in the transcript. The committee then entered executive session and moved Substitute SB 5249, Substitute SB 5053, and Substitute SB 5203 without recommendation to the Rules Committee, subject to signatures. Staff summarized 5249 as allowing kit homes for emergency housing, 5053 as allowing certain counties to include school district boundaries when forming a public facilities district, and 5203 as directing state agencies to develop wildlife habitat connectivity strategy and creating related accounts. All three motions passed without recorded opposition. Back in public hearing, the committee heard SB 5883 on SEBB eligibility for school employees in their second school year of employment. Supporters, including labor representatives and individual school workers, said the current two-year look-back causes gaps in coverage and hardship for substitutes and paraeducators; opponents, including school district officials and administrators, argued it would create an unfunded mandate, increase district costs, and add administrative burden. The committee also heard SB 5905, which would exclude certain port workers already covered by federal railroad retirement or collectively bargained pension plans from PERS membership; ports, labor, and DRS supported the bill as a narrow technical fix, and the bill was heard without action. The committee then heard SB 6151, which would create dedicated accounts for Ecology fee revenue related to laboratory accreditation and landfill methane work; Ecology and county representatives supported it as a transparency and reinvestment measure. Finally, the committee heard SB 6163, which would require the Individual and Family Services waiver for developmental disability services to be funded at maintenance level and tied to the caseload forecast. Disability advocates said the bill would stabilize services and reduce wait lists, while the fiscal note discussion indicated increased general fund costs. The committee also heard SB 6177, which would require additional budget information on the LEAP fiscal website, and SB 6173, which would create an Apple Health employer assessment on certain large employers with Medicaid-enrolled workers after federal work requirements take effect. SB 6173 drew strong support from health advocates, labor, and patient groups as a way to protect Medicaid funding, and strong opposition from business, retail, hospitality, and hospital groups, who called it an unfair tax and raised administrative and legal concerns. No votes were taken on the public hearing bills in the transcript, and the meeting ended with a reminder that signature sheets would be held for 24 hours under Senate rules.

Transcript Highlights:

• it</c><00:12:48.240><c> so</c><00:12:48.480><c> it's</c><00:12:48.639><c> N9</c><00:12:48.920><c> lers
• </c><00:12:49.240><c> of</c><00:12:49.440><c> distilled</c> limited it so it's N9 lers of distilled limited
• it so it's N9 lers of distilled Spirits<00:12:50.360><c> N9</c><00:12:50.600><c> lers</c><00:12:50.880
• wine</c><00:12:52.000><c> um</c><00:12:52.240><c> three</c><00:12:52.480><c> cases</c> Spirits N9 lers
• of wine um three cases Spirits N9 lers of wine um three cases of<00:12:52.920><c> malt</c><00:12:53.920

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Licensing and Occupations met on March 27, 2025, with a quorum present and first took up House Bill 255, relating to physical therapy. The bill sponsor and representatives of the Kentucky Board of Physical Therapy and APTA Kentucky said the measure is mainly a cleanup and modernization bill that updates outdated statutory language, changes PTAs from “certified” to “licensed,” gives the board authority to purchase liability insurance, moves fee and fine caps into regulation without changing current fees, renames temporary permits as provisional licenses, and creates a pathway to more easily recognize some internationally trained physical therapists already practicing in other states. Senators asked whether the bill changed training, scope of practice, Medicaid, or supervised practice standards; witnesses said it did not, and that supervised practice requirements remain in place with out-of-state practice accepted only when equivalent or more stringent. The committee approved HB 255 with favorable expression. The committee then considered House Bill 618, an alcoholic beverages measure with a Senate committee substitute. The bill was described as having three parts: allowing restaurants to buy limited quantities of alcohol from retail outlets to meet customer demand while keeping the three-tier system intact and requiring quarterly reporting; creating a temporary auctioneer license to auction previously retail-sold alcohol in original packaging, such as estate or bourbon collections; and giving quota bar license holders the same opportunity restaurants already have to sell barrel picks by the bottle. Testimony supported the bill as a way to help restaurants, auctioneers, and bars, while a senator raised a question about sales tax on auction sales and another noted that nonprofit or church-related alcohol auctions already require permits under existing law. One senator suggested future guardrails to encourage local purchasing, but no amendment was adopted. The committee passed HB 618 with favorable expression.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I did drop a bill today that seeks to address one of those issues with LER and being able to renew
• ><00:02:37.080><c> those</c><00:02:37.280><c> issues</c><00:02:37.680><c> with</c><00:02:38.160><c> ler
• </c><00:02:38.879><c> and</c> address one of those issues with ler and address one of those issues with
• ler and being<00:02:39.239><c> able</c><00:02:39.400><c> to</c><00:02:39.560><c> renew</c><00:02:39.879

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 23.319><c> history</c><00:37:23.680><c> real</c><00:37:23.880><c> quick</c><00:37:24.440><c> uh</c> ler
• just a little history real quick uh ler just a little history real quick uh Kentucky<00:37:25.119><c
• path</c> engineering or to the board about a path engineering or to the board about a path to to to ler
• <00:45:59.800><c> for</c><00:46:00.079><c> their</c><00:46:00.280><c> EAC</c> ler for their EAC ler for
• 37 on license uh ler and qualifications for for for practice<00:52:45.760><c> says</c><00:52:46.480>

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 46, which would allow lottery winners of $1 million or more to remain anonymous. After brief discussion and a motion with a second, the committee approved the bill unanimously and sent it to the House floor. Members then heard House Bill 54, a workforce and education measure aimed at aligning dual credit and project-based learning with licensed construction trades and other high-demand careers. The sponsor and witness said the bill is intended to help students meet both education and on-the-job training requirements, address labor shortages, and speed entry into the trades. Several members raised concerns about possible abuse of internships, the need for input from unions and other trade groups, and the amount of authority left to the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction to write regulations. The sponsor said the bill does not replace current hands-on training requirements and expressed willingness to continue discussions. The committee passed the bill, with some members explaining their votes as conditional or in hopes of further amendments. The committee also approved House Bill 261, which would let retired CPAs provide certain uncompensated services, such as nonprofit work, while retaining their CPA designation, and would create a retirement-based CPE waiver for those limited services. A question from Representative Donworth focused on how retired CPAs would disclose their status to nonprofits; the board representative said retired status is noted in board records, but there is currently no separate requirement governing use of the CPA designation. The bill passed. Finally, the committee considered House Bill 262, which would remove restrictions on small CPA firm names after an owner dies or retires. The sponsor said Kentucky is an outlier because current law requires the remaining owner to change the firm name. The bill passed unanimously. After that, the chair turned the gavel over to the vice chair and began presenting House Bill 306, which would change engineering education requirements for licensure, especially to help Eastern Kentucky University fire protection engineering technology graduates qualify for licensure in Kentucky rather than leaving the state. The sponsor and witnesses explained that the bill would not change the rest of the PE licensure pathway, only the education component, and said most other states already allow this route. Members noted that engineers may have concerns and encouraged continued discussions before the bill advances further.

Bills: SB6194, SB5963, SB5909, SB5826, SB5988, SB5872, SB5879, SB5834, SB5835, SB5905, SB5832, SB6177, SB5970, SB5994, SB6047, SB5647

Keywords: SB 6194, Washington Medicaid, medical assistance, fee-for-service, managed care, rural hospital, Indian reservation, tribal hospital, federally recognized Indian reservation, Indian Health, hospital reimbursement, Medicaid payments, inpatient services, outpatient services, psychiatric unit, health care access, rural health, tribal health, safety-net hospital, RCW 74.09

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held public hearings on several bills before moving into executive session. Substitute Senate Bill 6037 would change how city-created fire protection districts affect city property tax levies, replacing the current dollar-for-dollar reduction in a city’s actual levy with a reduction in the city’s statutory maximum rate; testimony was largely supportive from the Association of Washington Cities, fire officials, and the City of Everett, while the Association of Washington Public Hospital Districts opposed it over prorationing concerns. Senate Bill 6194 would extend cost-based Medicaid reimbursement to a rural hospital on a federally recognized Indian reservation, specifically Toppenish Hospital; hospital and community representatives supported the bill as a health equity measure, citing financial losses and service cuts, while no opposition was heard. Senate Bill 5963 would automatically make Passport to Careers students income-eligible for the Washington College Grant and route Passport funds into the state financial aid account; student advocates supported it as a way to improve access for former foster and homeless youth. Senate Bill 5909 would require public baccalaureate institutions to review and report low-enrollment undergraduate programs and consider discontinuing programs with fewer than 10 graduates on average over five years; Eastern Washington University supported the bill as accountability and efficiency reform, while faculty and student representatives from other universities opposed it as unnecessary, costly, and potentially politicized. Senate Bill 5826 would require public college student health centers to provide access to medication abortion or referrals and related web information; testimony was sharply divided between supporters framing it as essential student health access and opponents raising moral, safety, and budget objections. In executive session, the committee received staff briefings on a number of bills and then took action on most of them. It advanced Senate Bills 5872, 5879, 5834 (with a substitute amendment adopted), 5835, 5905 (with a substitute adopted), 5832, 6177, 5496, 5970, 5994, 6047 (with a Trudeau amendment adopted and rolled into a substitute), and 5647 (with a substitute adopted) to the Rules Committee with due pass recommendations, generally subject to signatures. The committee also heard briefings on other measures, including fee authority for opioid treatment accreditation, pension trust fund expense authority, LEAP website changes, restrictions on single-family home ownership by certain entities, a permanent senior center property tax exemption, timber tax distribution changes, capital project administration guidelines, and a real estate excise tax exemption for affordable housing. The meeting ended after caucus and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• very take questions along with my very very brilliant<00:03:38.760><c> colleagues</c><00:03:39.480><c> ler
• c><00:03:39.760><c> Murphy</c><00:03:40.400><c> um</c><00:03:41.040><c> we</c> brilliant colleagues ler
• Murphy um we brilliant colleagues ler Murphy um we heard<00:03:41.439><c> some</c><00:03:41.799><c>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Please stand and be recognized when I call your name: McKenzie Brammer, Alexis Fuentes, Ler P.
• Please stand and be recognized when I call your name: McKenzie Brammer, Alexis Fuentes, Ler P.
• Please stand and be recognized when I call your name: McKenzie Brammer, Alexis Fuentes, Ler P.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have next is Aaron Msky and then after that is Nigel Ler.
• c> Aaron Msky and then after that is uh Aaron Msky and then after that is uh Nigel<00:07:20.800><c> Ler
• <c> I</c><00:07:22.240><c> slaughtered</c><00:07:22.639><c> that</c><00:07:22.800><c> but</c> Nigel Ler
• I know I slaughtered that but Nigel Ler. I know I slaughtered that but go<00:07:23.039><c> ahead.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• One that's kind of on the horizon is the new School Readiness LER requirements.
• do have a question on the slide under challenges, where the second bullet point is School Readiness LER
• do have a question on the slide under challenges, where the second bullet point is School Readiness LER
• are part of a district system, and so there are contracts and negotiation elements because of that LER
• The LER requirement for early childhood teachers in 2028 means many of us will be facing new bargaining

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c><01:07:27.720><c> key</c><01:07:27.960><c> Pathways</c><01:07:28.359><c> the</c><01:07:28.480><c> ler
• The final section of this bill deals with two key pathways to LER, and I wanted to provide just some
• The final section of this bill deals with two key pathways to LER, and I wanted to provide just some
• It funds portfolio review because they need to have experts in the LER area review these portfolios.
• Then I pursued the LER via portfolio program.

Bills: HF1966, HF54, HF2043, HF1171, HF2741

Keywords: HF1966, Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs, STARS program, alternative education, alternative programs, education finance, general fund appropriation, student support services, career readiness, employment skills, academic skills, social skills, student conferences, training grants, Minnesota Department of Education, specialized education, at-risk students, nontraditional education, HF54, Silver Lake

Transcript Highlights:

• go ahead Senator ler thank you Mr<01:26:17.800><c> chair</c><01:26:18.320><c> members</c><01:26:19.320
• </c><01:29:28.199><c> uh</c><01:29:28.320><c> Senator</c> that uh wording Senator ler uh Senator that
• uh wording Senator ler uh Senator or<01:29:28.960><c> thank</c><01:29:29.119><c> you</c><01:29:29.719
• </c> thank you Mr chair thank you Senator ler thank you Mr chair thank you Senator ler for<01:38:25.719
• do you have a comment or I have I ler do you have a comment or I have I have<01:47:14.119><c> three<

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:51:26.920><c> very</c><00:51:27.079><c> burdensome</c><00:51:27.839><c> our</c><00:51:28.079><c> ler
• </c> are process is very burdensome our ler are process is very burdensome our ler has<00:51:28.640><
• 52:19.680><c> nothing's</c><00:52:20.079><c> changed</c><00:52:20.720><c> our</c><00:52:20.880><c> lers
• </c><00:52:21.319><c> has</c> and nothing's changed our lers has and nothing's changed our lers has actually

Keywords: Call to Order 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:35 SB 22 Discussion 00:01:20 SB 22 Vote 00:11:45 SB 100 Discussion 00:15:07 SB 100 Vote 00:38:53 SB 88 Discussion Only 00:42:11 Adjournment 01:03:52, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Licensing and Occupations met on February 18, 2025, and first took up Senate Bill 22 by Senator Reginald Thomas, which was presented as a cleanup measure following prior cosmetology reforms and a Legislative Oversight and Investigations report. The bill would allow cosmetologists to retake exams multiple times with a one-month wait, authorize the Board of Cosmetology to immediately close facilities that intentionally use unlicensed workers while preserving due process, give the board flexibility to hire an executive director based on qualifications rather than licensure, and recognize certain out-of-state or territorial cosmetology licenses. Board officials said the changes were intended to improve fairness, equality, and administrative due process. Senators asked about retesting fees and whether partial retests could dilute standards; Thomas clarified that the exam is cumulative and must be retaken in full. The committee approved SB 22 with all favorable votes, and Senator Meredith explained his support as a workforce and fairness issue. The committee then heard Senate Bill 100 by Senator Jimmy Higdon, as substituted, concerning tobacco, nicotine, and vapor product retail licensing and enforcement. Youth advocates from the University of Kentucky testified in support, describing youth nicotine use as a public health crisis and urging stronger enforcement, annual compliance checks, retailer licensing, and tougher penalties for illegal sales to minors. Higdon said the bill would create a Division of Tobacco, Nicotine, and Vapor Products Licensing within ABC, require licenses for retailers, authorize inspections and confiscation of contraband, impose escalating criminal and civil penalties for unlicensed sales and sales to minors, publish a list of licensed retailers, and dedicate fine revenue to enforcement and youth education. He said the measure targeted bad actors rather than responsible retailers. A retailer witness also supported licensing but raised concerns about contradictory product definitions that could sweep in hemp and medical marijuana vapor products, and asked that the bill be delayed until after an expected Supreme Court decision affecting federal vapor-product rules. The transcript ends during discussion of SB 100, before any committee vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Of note, Ben Franklin is in the metro area, and both Ler and New Almer are in the outstate area, so you
• Ben Franklin is in the metro area uh uh Ben Franklin is in the metro area uh both<00:36:57.839><c> ler
• 58.480><c> Almer</c><00:36:58.839><c> in</c><00:36:58.920><c> the</c><00:36:59.000><c> outstate</c> both ler
• and new Almer in the outstate both ler and new Almer in the outstate area<00:36:59.680><c> so</c><00

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Ler talked about generational wealth. We always say it, but we need to see it.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And committee, I ler in here. Next step will be presentative. Johns with House Senate bill 1772.

Bills: SB1213, SB1221, SB1636, SB1687, SB1772, SB1932, SB2062

Keywords: SB1213, earned credits, inmate credits, good time, sentence reduction, Department of Corrections, DOC, prison reform, corrections policy, inmate classification, class levels, rehabilitation credits, achievement credits, vocational training, educational credits, prison programs, public safety, violent offenders, violent crime exclusions, sex offense exclusions

Transcript Highlights:

• 00.240><c> cubic</c> I was trying to remember how many cubic I was trying to remember how many cubic lers
• 02.240><c> we</c><00:11:02.560><c> produce</c><00:11:04.000><c> because</c><00:11:04.320><c> of</c> lers
• of methane we produce because of lers of methane we produce because of the<00:11:04.640><c> organic<

Bills: SB2699

Keywords: fare-free transit, youth transportation, environmental tax, transit equity, public transit, Hawaii, 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee reconvened and first addressed SB 2699 on public transit/free transportation for young people. Members noted that the Committee on Transportation had already deferred the measure, and this committee said it would defer it as well before adjourning that brief reconvened session. The hearing then moved to SB 2373, which would establish a state goal to strengthen nature-based carbon emissions reduction solutions and authorize the Hawaii State Energy Office to develop methods to quantify carbon reductions from marine ecosystem restoration. The Energy Office said marine carbon sequestration was outside its expertise and asked to be removed from that portion of the bill, while DLNR and OPSD offered comments and said the work fit better with their areas, with DLNR saying it could take it on if properly resourced. Testimony included support from environmental groups, and committee discussion focused on which agency should lead and whether existing methodologies could be used. Next was SB 21001 on organic waste reduction and diversion. The Department of Health supported the intent but raised implementation concerns. Hawaii Farmers Union strongly supported the bill, arguing it would help build compost supply, improve soil health, and give counties time to develop infrastructure; they cited Vermont as a model and said the bill could extend landfill life and reduce methane. Members asked about the Vermont approach and the need for infrastructure before household-level diversion. The committee also heard SB 2905, which would increase the environmental response, energy, and food security tax and direct more revenue to the electric vehicle charging system subaccount. The Energy Office, PUC, and Tax Department offered comments; youth and clean transportation advocates strongly supported the bill as a way to expand charging access and meet EV adoption goals. A member questioned whether the proposed increase would outpace the state’s ability to deploy chargers, and PUC staff said the current annual appropriation is about $750,000 and that they could provide more data on an appropriate funding level. Additional measures were briefly taken up: SB 3231 on condominium maps and county zoning certification in A districts drew support from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and the Hawaii Farm Bureau; SB 2486 on climate change drew comments from the Energy Office, Climate Commission, and OPSD, who said it duplicated existing climate planning and should include adaptation language; and SB 2376 on the renewable fuels production tax credit drew support from industry and agricultural groups, while the Energy Office and Tax Department raised concerns about the rollover provision and the scale of the credit. No final votes were recorded in the excerpt beyond the earlier deferral of SB 2699.

Transcript Highlights:

• Green's question um representative Green's question please<00:21:18.240><c> Joe</c><00:21:18.480><c> ler
• thank</c><00:21:19.080><c> you</c><00:21:19.200><c> madam</c><00:21:19.400><c> chair</c> please Joe ler
• thank you madam chair please Joe ler thank you madam chair representative<00:21:21.200><c> um</c><00

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• about supporting alternative<01:09:02.920><c> Pathways</c><01:09:03.239><c> to</c><01:09:03.400><c> ler
• /c><01:09:03.920><c> so</c><01:09:04.040><c> I</c><01:09:04.159><c> did</c> alternative Pathways to ler
• so I did alternative Pathways to ler so I did want<01:09:04.400><c> to</c><01:09:04.600><c> provide<
• </c><01:09:10.640><c> via</c> data we currently use an online ler via data we currently use an online
• ler via portfolio<01:09:11.400><c> platform</c><01:09:11.759><c> called</c><01:09:12.000><c> prera</

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• alcohol and individuals can obtain um alcohol and drug<00:11:53.279><c> celor</c><00:11:53.880><c> ler
• </c> drug celor ler drug celor ler okay<00:11:56.440><c> all</c><00:11:57.040><c> I</c><00:11:57.160>
• board</c><01:29:22.719><c> has</c><01:29:22.920><c> hired</c><01:29:23.159><c> a</c><01:29:23.280><c> ler
• </c><01:29:23.800><c> super</c> alone the board has hired a ler super alone the board has hired a ler

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Presenting, ug ill ler, you're recognized for a question.

Bills: HB4423, HB3342, HB3645, HB3647, HB3887, HB4430, HB4431, HB2964, HB3834

Keywords: Oklahoma Health Care Authority, Medicaid, immigration verification, healthcare access, federal reporting, health care providers, auditing, patient rights, claims, protection from fraud, audit process, error correction, hospice care, physician determination, healthcare standards, symptom management, health information exchange, all-payer claims database, health care transparency, health care costs