Transcript Highlights:

• It went to many, but not all, state agencies, the public universities, local governments, and school
• We appreciate the increased flexibility it gives to cities and owners of public facilities to address
• Construction Assistance Program, or SCAP, facility support for on-base schools.
• But having public school districts available for military kids is super important, and in Clover Park
• But having public school districts available for military kids is super important, and in Clover Park

Bills: HB2470, HB2353, HB2420, HB2338

Keywords: HB2470, school construction assistance, capital budget, school facilities, on-base schools, military base schools, military installations, public school construction, school plant projects, state funding assistance, superintendent of public instruction, OSPI, school capital funding, instructional space, school district construction, alternative learning experience, ALE, free and reduced-price meals, special housing burden, district growth

Summary: The committee held public hearings on three capital-related bills. HB 2353 would raise the pre-design threshold for state-funded capital projects from $10 million to $15 million and require annual inflation adjustments beginning in 2027. Staff and the prime sponsor said the change would reduce delays and costs for projects, with testimony from Steve DuPont supporting the bill as a way to avoid unnecessary pre-design work and construction escalation. The hearing on HB 2420 covered increases to the Small Works Roster threshold for public works contracts, with a proposed substitute delaying the first increase to January 1, 2027. Representative Zahn and several stakeholders, including universities, cities, ports, counties, and water districts, testified in support, saying the bill would reduce administrative burden, speed projects, and better reflect current construction costs. The committee also heard HB 2470, which would change School Construction Assistance Program rules for school facilities located on military bases. Staff explained that on-base instructional space would be excluded from district inventory calculations, increasing eligibility, and that state assistance would be based on project cost minus federal funding. Representative Leavitt said the bill would help districts like Clover Park and Medical Lake better serve military families. OSPI, Clover Park School District, and the Veterans Legislative Coalition testified in support, though OSPI noted it was working on an amendment to replace a federal-funding backfill with a 15% increase in the SCAP funding assistance percentage to comply with federal law. In executive session, the committee moved HB 2338, which would make community-scaled projects eligible under the Department of Commerce low-income weatherization program, out of committee with a due-pass recommendation by a 17-0 vote, with two members excused. The committee then held a work session with the Recreation and Conservation Office on its competitive grant programs, including the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, youth athletic facilities, community forests, aquatic lands, boating, firearms and archery ranges, and federal trail and conservation programs. Members asked about demand, ADA compliance, match requirements, geographic distribution, and outreach to underserved communities; RCO said it uses advisory committees, regional allocation methods in some programs, and technical assistance to broaden access and improve distribution.

Transcript Highlights:

• It excludes school instructional facilities located on military bases from a district's inventory of
• It excludes school instructional facilities located on military bases from a district's inventory of
• It's a secure facility.
• costs on the Clover Park School District helps get our ability to educate our kids in modern facilities
• survival school, Air Force School.

Bills: HB2295

Keywords: Washington capital budget, supplemental capital budget, capital appropriations, state building construction account, taxable building construction account, climate commitment account, natural climate solutions, housing trust fund, affordable housing, supportive housing, homelessness, manufactured home communities, mobile home parks, school construction, school modernization, school seismic safety, healthy schools, school electrification, SCAP, behavioral health facilities

Transcript Highlights:

• They are the backbone of public safety and stability.
• I'm testifying today as a member of the public.
• only school building designed by Marcus Pritika.
• North Beach School District and Hoquiam.
• Beach School District and Hoquiam.

Bills: HB2295

Keywords: Washington capital budget, supplemental capital budget, capital appropriations, state building construction account, taxable building construction account, climate commitment account, natural climate solutions, housing trust fund, affordable housing, supportive housing, homelessness, manufactured home communities, mobile home parks, school construction, school modernization, school seismic safety, healthy schools, school electrification, SCAP, behavioral health facilities

Transcript Highlights:

• This program supports districts where it can be difficult to modernize or replace school facilities.
• Schools Program.
• Schools Program.
• Carson Elementary is 78 years old, and the Stevenson High School facility is 72 years old.
• Thank you for your public school service. I think Representative Waters has a question for you.

Bills: HB2295

Keywords: Washington capital budget, supplemental capital budget, capital appropriations, state building construction account, taxable building construction account, climate commitment account, natural climate solutions, housing trust fund, affordable housing, supportive housing, homelessness, manufactured home communities, mobile home parks, school construction, school modernization, school seismic safety, healthy schools, school electrification, SCAP, behavioral health facilities

Summary: The House Capital Budget Committee opened its first hearing of the session, reviewed committee procedures and deadlines, and then heard a presentation from OFM Senior Budget Advisor Jen Masterson on Governor Ferguson’s proposed supplemental capital budget. Masterson said the proposal uses about $396 million in new appropriations, leaving $5.4 million in bond capacity, and emphasized housing, urgent state facility needs, targeted grant programs, climate-related investments, and K-12 and higher education projects. She highlighted $237 million for housing, including $225 million for the Housing Trust Fund, plus funding for state facilities, juvenile rehabilitation, clean energy, salmon recovery, parks, trust land transfer, school seismic safety, small district modernization, lead pipe remediation, and higher education minor works. Public testimony was largely supportive of the governor’s housing, education, climate, and community project investments, with many speakers asking for additional funding or preservation of specific items. Housing advocates backed the Housing Trust Fund, affordable homeownership, manufactured housing preservation, and transit-oriented developments; tribal, conservation, and climate speakers supported salmon recovery, community forests, the Green Bank, and natural resource projects; and education representatives supported school modernization, seismic safety, lead remediation, community college, and university capital projects. Several local governments and infrastructure groups urged the committee to reject the proposed $75 million sweep from the Public Works Assistance Account, warning it would jeopardize already-awarded loans and raise costs for sewer, flood control, and other local infrastructure projects. Committee members asked follow-up questions about Rainier School, juvenile rehabilitation funding, and the status of Public Works Assistance Account obligations. OFM said Rainier School was on the planning grant list and juvenile rehabilitation funding included flexible capacity funding and facility improvements. The hearing ended without any votes or formal action, after the chair thanked participants and closed the public hearing on HB 2295.

Transcript Highlights:

• For our public hearings, all testifiers are called upon to provide testimony.
• With that, I would like to open the public hearing for Substitute House Bill 2236.
• administer the Public Works Board's programs.
• construction assistance program support for on-base schools.
• This is attempting to change the limits that Public Works contracts can be, limits that public works

Bills: HB2273, SB5188, HB2353, HB2420, HB2470

Keywords: embodied carbon, building materials, sustainability, construction, environment, broadband, infrastructure, loan assistance, economic development, technology access, HB 2353, predesign thresholds, capital construction, capital budget, major capital projects, Office of Financial Management, OFM, Washington state, state agencies, infrastructure planning

Summary: The Capital Budget Committee heard public testimony on Substitute House Bill 2236, which would update the Washington State Housing Finance Commission’s statutes. Staff explained that the bill would authorize the commission to make direct mortgage loans for multifamily housing, clarify that it is not a retail mortgage lender, extend bond counsel terms, remove notice requirements before bond issuance, and repeal outdated provisions including the housing finance program and housing finance plan requirement. The sponsor and commission representatives said the changes would modernize the agency, improve efficiency, and give it more flexibility to provide gap financing for affordable housing without using state general funds. Testimony was generally supportive, with some questions focused on housing access for communities of color, the effect of higher interest rates, and the possible role of longer mortgage terms; the commission emphasized its down payment assistance programs and work with banks and developers. The hearing on SHB 2236 was then closed. The committee then heard House Bill 2273 on reducing embodied carbon emissions in buildings and building materials. Staff described requirements for the State Building Code Council to adopt embodied-carbon reduction standards for large projects, phased implementation, reporting, a public database and website through the Department of Commerce, and random audits. The prime sponsor said the bill responds to rising energy demand and would help lower emissions and potentially reduce costs by encouraging innovation and allowing embodied-carbon savings to count in future energy-code tradeoffs. Supporters from environmental justice and architecture groups said the bill would address pollution upstream, align Washington with other jurisdictions, and could be cost-neutral on many projects. Opponents, including the Washington Aggregate and Concrete Association and Washington Citizens Against Unfair Taxes, argued the bill could raise costs, create sourcing and timeline problems, and questioned the school construction exemption. The hearing on HB 2273 was then closed. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5188, which would allow the Public Works Board to issue loans for broadband infrastructure repair and replacement under the broadband service expansion program, with priority for areas that would become unserved without the work. Staff noted operating and capital costs in the fiscal note and said an updated note had been requested. The Association of Washington Cities testified with concerns that expanding the program could signal further sweeps from the Public Works Assistance Account and undermine confidence in funding for other infrastructure needs, while a committee member raised whether the program should instead be handled through the Curb Board. The hearing was closed after no further testifiers appeared. In executive session, the committee reviewed House Bill 2353, House Bill 2420, and House Bill 2470. HB 2353, which raises the predesigned threshold for capital construction projects from $10 million to $15 million and indexes it to inflation, was passed out of committee by voice vote with an 18-0-1 result. The committee then adopted a proposed substitute for HB 2420, which increases the small works roster contract limit to $530,000 and changes the effective date to January 1, 2027; it also passed 18-0-1. Staff also briefed HB 2470, including a proposed substitute that would increase state funding assistance for on-base school construction projects by 15% and remove a federal-funding offset requirement, but no vote on that bill occurred in the transcript. The chair announced another hearing and executive session for Friday and asked members to submit amendments by 10 a.m. the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• to construct new schools and modernize existing facilities.
• But it's really the school district, the Clover Park School District, that operates the facilities on
• But it's really the school district, the Clover Park School District, that operates the facilities on
• Public Schools District.
• I'm a parent of public school students and I serve as a school board director. Ms.

Bills: SB5901, SB5860, SB5956, SB5574, SB5922, SB5858

Keywords: school construction, school facilities, capital budget, school plant project, state funding assistance, school construction assistance program, on-base schools, military base, Department of Defense school, military families, public school facilities, instructional space, Superintendent of Public Instruction, SIP, school district capital funding, school housing burden, rapid growth, enrollment growth, free and reduced-price meals, alternative learning experience

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 5901, which would change the school construction assistance program so that instructional space on military bases is excluded from a district’s available space inventory when calculating state construction aid. Staff said the bill would help districts such as Clover Park and Medical Lake, where on-base schools can reduce eligibility for state funding even though that space is not available to the broader district. Senator Christian and supporters from OSPI and the affected districts said the measure would prevent local taxpayers from bearing extra costs and could unlock significant renovation funding; no opposition was presented during the hearing. The committee then held an executive session on two bills. Senate Bill 5922, concerning transfers from transportation vehicle funds when districts reduce their fleets, was recommended “do pass” to the Rules Committee. Senate Bill 585, concerning pupil transportation safety net awards for excess costs serving special passengers, was recommended “do pass” to the Ways and Means Committee. Both motions passed by voice vote subject to signatures. Next, the committee heard Senate Bill 5860 on school board compensation and training. The bill would raise director pay from $50 to $100 per day, increase the annual cap, allow child care costs to be reimbursed for meeting attendance, require periodic review of compensation levels, and direct WASDA to provide fiscal and finance training for directors. Supporters argued the current compensation is outdated and that higher pay and child care support would broaden participation and improve board diversity; opponents and some testifiers raised concerns about using levy funds, the added cost, and whether the training should be mandatory, while others said financial training is important for board oversight. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 5956 on artificial intelligence, student discipline, and surveillance, and Senate Bill 5574 on instruction in Asian American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Latino American, and Black American history. SB 5956 would bar schools from using automated decision systems or surveillance technology as the sole basis for discipline or risk scoring, limit biometric and law-enforcement data sharing, and require updated OSPI guidance and a WSSDA model policy; testimony largely supported guardrails to prevent bias and misuse. SB 5574’s substitute would require districts to include those histories in required social studies courses on a timeline tied to the state standards review cycle, with annual reporting beginning in 2030; many educators, students, and community members testified in support, saying the bill would make curriculum more complete, reduce bullying and exclusion, and better reflect Washington’s diverse communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• For background, each student graduating from a public high school and earning a high school diploma must
• on to a public high school and dropped out when I was 17 years old to enlist in the Army.
• Public Schools, which has a board composed of seven members.
• Public Schools, which has a board composed of seven members.
• school board had a meeting after the public hearing.

Bills: SB6078, SB6089, SB5859, SB5861, SB6065, SB5956, SB5901

Keywords: SB 6078, child care, childcare, daycare, licensed child care provider, Department of Children, Youth, and Families, DCYF, prelicensing, licensing support, resource guide, child care center, family home child care, family home provider, outdoor nature-based child care, school-age child care, early learning, provider application, local permit notice, city permit, county permit

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several education-related bills. SB 6078 would expand pre-licensing supports for prospective child care providers by directing DCYF and the State Patrol to offer consultations and resource guidance, with testimony from the sponsor, DCYF, and a community nonprofit emphasizing that the bill would reduce fragmented licensing barriers and help open more child care sites. SB 6089 would create a public-private structure to coordinate Washington’s P-20W education and workforce system and develop a public-facing data dashboard; supporters from education, nonprofit, and student groups said it would improve alignment, transparency, and equity, while WEA and OSPI raised concerns about private influence, duplication, and the use of a non-state entity for the dashboard. SB 5859 would expand competency-based assessment options within graduation pathways, with supporters saying it would give students more flexible ways to demonstrate learning, and the State Board of Education and school principals cautioning that the board’s ongoing Future Ready review should finish before new pathway changes are made. SB 5861 would require more school board directors to be elected from director districts in larger districts; supporters argued it would improve community representation, while some districts and WSSDA warned about costs, loss of local control, and implementation burdens. SB 6065 would allow districts in binding conditions or enhanced financial oversight to use transportation vehicle funds for temporary loans or permanent transfers with OSPI approval, and rural district advocates said it could help distressed districts stabilize without new state spending. The committee then moved into executive session and acted on two bills. It adopted the proposed substitute for SB 5956, which limits the use of automated decision systems, surveillance technology, biometric data, and facial recognition in student discipline and school safety decisions, and sent the bill to Rules with a do-pass recommendation. It also adopted the proposed substitute for SB 5901, which changes how state funding is calculated for school construction projects on military bases, and sent that bill to Ways and Means with a do-pass recommendation. Both measures passed subject to signatures.

Transcript Highlights:

• Orange County Public Schools, Marquis McMiller, waves in support.
• Orange County Public Schools, Marquis Miller, waving in support.
• Marquise McMillar of Orange County Public Schools is waving in support.
• Marquise McMillar of Orange County Public Schools is waving in support.
• Broward County Public School principals. Yeah, I just got a text.

Bills: S0564, S1062, S1340, S1646, S1718

Keywords: student volunteers, polling locations, election administration, community service, Florida statutes, speech education, debate, high school, Florida Debate Initiative, civics, competitive teams, student participation, educational advancement, dyslexia, dyscalculia, education, screening, intervention, student support, educational facilities

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education Pre-K through 12 met with a quorum present and heard several education-related bills. The committee first considered CS/SB 1062 on speech and debate, which would create a Speech and Debate Hall of Fame, designate Speech and Debate Week, authorize a teacher endorsement, require FLVS to establish an institute for speech and debate, direct development of related coursework and credentials, and require annual district reporting. Supporters, including a parent and representatives of the Florida Debate Initiative and school groups, emphasized the academic and civic benefits of debate and the need for funding for travel and training. The committee adopted a delete-all amendment and then reported the bill favorably. The committee also heard and reported favorably SB 1718 on educator preparation and certification, with testimony from an Orange County principal and others supporting a proposal to let educators bank professional learning hours, and SB 1646 on educational facilities, which revises how facility funding is calculated and prioritized, including safety and planning considerations. The committee then took up CS/SB 564 on student volunteers at polling locations. An amendment clarified that high school students who are registered or pre-registered to vote may volunteer at polling places and count the service toward graduation or postsecondary financial aid requirements. Testimony from a county supervisor of elections and civic groups supported the bill as a way to engage students in elections and expand volunteer opportunities, while clarifying it would not conflict with existing election funding rules. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. Finally, the committee heard SB 1340 on coordinated screening and progress monitoring, which requires school districts to screen students for characteristics of dyslexia and dyscalculia, place identified students on support plans, and use evidence-based interventions, with State Board of Education rulemaking to implement the process. The sponsor and a supporting parent group stressed early identification and intervention. The committee reported the bill favorably. The committee also recommended confirmation of Laila Collins to the State Board of Education, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Texas public schools.
• Without removing the outdated arbitrary cap on public charter schools... facilities funding, charter
• It updates the allow- Use of public charter schools facilities funding to include some of the allowable
• The state caps facilities funds. at $60 million to be shared across all public charter schools statewide
• Now for public charter schools that means a new we look at the cap on facilities funding.

Bills: SB451, SB762, SB1490, SB1262, SB1459, SB1750, SB1962, SB2252, SB2253, SB2365

Keywords: instructional materials, public schools, Education Code, adoption, rejected materials, local funds, open educational resources, Texas Education Code, school districts, open enrollment charter schools, funding restrictions, environmental regulation, business compliance, local authority, economic development, state preemption, local control, open education resources, SB 762, Texas public schools

Transcript Highlights:

• Texas Public Schools.
• Have increased without removing the outdated arbitrary cap on public charter schools. facilities funding
• funding to student attendance growth it updates the Use of public charter schools facilities funding
• Charter schools are public schools.
• Now for public charter schools that means a new we look at the cap on facilities funding.

Bills: SB451, SB762, SB1490, SB1262, SB1459, SB1750, SB1962, SB2252, SB2253, SB2365

Keywords: instructional materials, public schools, Education Code, adoption, rejected materials, local funds, open educational resources, Texas Education Code, school districts, open enrollment charter schools, funding restrictions, environmental regulation, business compliance, local authority, economic development, state preemption, local control, open education resources, SB 762, Texas public schools

Transcript Highlights:

• Hearing none, members, we're open to questions. relating to public school land relating to public school
• </c> relating to public school land transfer. relating to public school land transfer.
• Uh, my name is Gary Kamorei, a product of Maui public schools, a parent of current public school students
• </c> schools, a parent of current public schools, a parent of current public school<01:57:07.920><c>
• </c> of my life to Hawaii's public schools. of my life to Hawaii's public schools.

Bills: SB2613, SB2147

Keywords: public school land transfer, Department of Education, DOE, land conveyance, fee simple title, tax map key, TMK, Act 307, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, Act 139, Board of Land and Natural Resources, BLNR, Department of Land and Natural Resources, DLNR, Kauai, Maui, Honolulu, Kaimuki Middle School, Wilcox Elementary School, school property

Summary: The committee heard SB 2613, a cleanup bill relating to public school land transfers under Act 307 (2022), which revises tax map key references and the conveyance process for properties transferred to the Department of Education. The Hawaii State Public Library System supported the measure, saying it would complete the long-unfinished separation of the library system from DOE property control and make future building projects more efficient and cost-effective. DOE also supported the bill and requested an amendment to remove TMK 43-62 parcel 10, the Wilcox Elementary School parcel, so that it could instead be transferred to the county for use with the adjacent park and tennis courts. Members focused heavily on why land transfers and construction approvals have been slow, especially the need for right-of-entry documents and an MOA for a library construction project. Library and DOE witnesses said the delays stemmed from site-control issues and confusion over property status, and that the bill would clarify which parcels are transferred by operation of law and remove the need for additional transactional documents in many cases. Several members questioned whether the bill actually changes authority or simply clarifies existing practice, and DOE said it wanted legislative clarity so the transfers are unmistakably effective on a date certain. The committee also discussed a separate section of the bill dealing with public use of school facilities after hours, including parking fees on property under DOE jurisdiction. DOE explained that any parking charges would apply only to property it controls, not county roads, and that fees are set through existing facility-use procedures. Members raised concerns about the pace of land transfers generally and urged DOE to move more expeditiously on pending parcels. The hearing then moved on to SB 2147, which would designate the first Friday in February as Love My Library Day; the library system testified in support as the committee began that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Open Public Meetings Act, or OPMA, establishes basic procedural and notice requirements for public
• Energy facilities that damage rivers, fish runs, cultural landscape, or actually facilities that damage
• Including the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council.
• As a public utility ratepayer, I'm greatly concerned about the potential authority my public utility
• Don't let nuclear promotion become public policy.

Bills: SB5821, SB6004, SB6010, SB5941

Keywords: nuclear energy, energy strategy, advanced technology, sustainability, state policy, renewable energy, public entities, electric generation, contracting, SB 6010, Washington energy siting, EFSEC, Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, tribal consultation, government-to-government consultation, federally recognized tribes, energy facility siting, RCW, clean energy, alternative energy

Summary: The committee heard Senate Bill 5821, which would direct the Department of Commerce, if funded through gifts or grants, to develop a nuclear power strategic framework to supplement the state energy strategy. The bill sponsor and supporters said Washington needs to keep all clean energy options on the table, including advanced nuclear, to address rising electricity demand, reliability, affordability, workforce needs, and potential economic benefits. Opponents, including the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Sierra Club, Columbia Riverkeeper, and others, argued the bill moves too quickly toward nuclear development, relies on private funding that could bias the process, and does not adequately address tribal consultation, waste, safety, or Hanford-related concerns. Supporters included Energy Northwest, Cowlitz PUD, Yakima County, and several nuclear advocates who said the bill is only a planning framework and that advanced nuclear could help meet future energy needs. No vote was taken on the bill in the transcript. The committee then held a work session with the Washington State Institute for Public Policy on its recent review of state policies supporting small modular reactors. WSIPP described 79 policies in 35 states and grouped them into categories such as feasibility studies, siting, workforce development, permitting, power purchase arrangements, and financial support. Members asked about water use, waste, land footprint, and how the report treated fission versus fusion; WSIPP said the assignment focused on fission and that some issues like waste and environmental impacts were not the main focus of the review. Senators also discussed the need to compare nuclear with other energy technologies over their full life cycle. The committee next heard Senate Bill 5941, which would exempt certain self-generation requirements from the state energy code for some commercial buildings. Supporters, including Vista and the Association of Washington Business, said the code requirement should not be imposed in all cases and that customers should not be forced into self-generation where it does not make sense. IBEW Local 46 opposed the bill, saying the state should protect and expand energy efficiency strategies instead of adding exemptions. The hearing then moved to Senate Bill 6010, which would change EFSEC tribal consultation rules by exempting most government-to-government consultations from the Open Public Meetings Act when there is no deliberation, requiring all EFSEC members to participate in consultation, and giving tribes a chance to review and correct the consultation summary before it goes to the governor. Yakama Nation, Washington Conservation Action, and Renewable Northwest supported the bill as a way to strengthen confidential, meaningful tribal consultation, while the Association of Washington Business opposed it as a possible source of delay unless timelines are added. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6004, which would update contracting statutes so cities, PUDs, and joint operating agencies can contract for renewable or non-emitting resources under CETA definitions rather than older qualified alternative resource definitions. Energy Northwest and the Washington PUD Association supported the bill as a modernization measure, while Sierra Club, ratepayer advocates, and others opposed it, warning it could shift financial risk to customers and encourage speculative nuclear projects. The meeting ended after the committee finished the remaining testimony on SB 5821, with supporters and opponents repeating their arguments about nuclear energy, costs, safety, waste, climate goals, and ratepayer risk.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then we will take the public hearing on 61.71. All right.
• It defines an emerging large energy use facility as a facility that has a maximum aggregate contract
• These energy shortages threaten public health and safety.
• So the new facilities or emerging facilities in the state are going to pay their costs.
• We've built a new high school along with improvements to every school building in the district.

Bills: SB6171, SB5965, SB5982, SB6004, SB6010, SB5941, SB6050

Keywords: energy facilities, large energy consumers, regulation, environment, sustainability, retail bags, pollution, customer impact, consumer-owned utilities, clean energy, port districts, market customers, energy transformation, renewable energy, public entities, electric generation, contracting, SB 6010, Washington energy siting, EFSEC

Summary: The committee first moved into executive session on Senate Bill 5941, which would direct the State Building Code Council to exempt certain small school districts from the Washington State Energy Code requirement for onsite renewable energy systems on large new commercial buildings or additions. An amendment narrowing eligibility from districts with 1,000 or fewer students to 500 or fewer students was adopted, and the bill was then advanced from committee with a due pass recommendation to the Rules Committee. The committee then held a public hearing on Senate Bill 6171, a proposed substitute bill addressing emerging large energy use facilities, primarily data centers. Staff described provisions requiring utilities to adopt tariffs or policies to prevent cost shifts, require long-term contracts and curtailment/demand-response terms, add reporting and sustainability requirements, impose renewable energy targets, change cap-and-invest allowance treatment, and create a fee to fund energy assistance, weatherization, and higher education. The sponsor said the bill is intended to protect ratepayers, preserve grid reliability, improve transparency, and ensure data centers pay their full costs while supporting affordability and workforce investments. Testimony was mixed. Supporters included community action organizations, environmental groups, some utilities, state agencies, and student advocates, who emphasized ratepayer protection, transparency, clean energy planning, and funding for low-income energy assistance. Opponents and some local governments, ports, utilities, and industry representatives argued the bill is too prescriptive, could harm economic development and competitiveness, may conflict with existing utility practices and contracts, and could create problems with the Climate Commitment Act and CETA. No vote was taken on SB 6171, and the hearing closed with the bill left pending further committee action.

Transcript Highlights:

• It does not mandate religious activity, prayer, or instruction in public schools.
• It does not mandate religious activity, prayer, or instruction in public schools.
• our only school board member who currently has young children in our public schools.
• I am a public school teacher."
• That was the first and last day my son ever attended public school.

Bills: S0824, S1170, S1620, S1738, S7036

Keywords: school district, real property, inventory, land use, education, video monitoring, safety, special education, parental rights, public education, school board rights, transparency, employment conditions, nondisclosure agreements, educational facilities, student safety, teacher accountability, physical plant, school design, construction standards

Summary: The Education Pre-K-12 Committee considered several K-12 bills and resolutions. SJR 1104, by Senator Massullo, would place on the ballot a proposed constitutional amendment protecting voluntary religious expression in public schools; supporters said it simply codifies existing law and protects student and employee rights, while opponents warned it could entrench religious pressure and exclusion. The resolution was reported favorably. The committee also heard SB 1738, by Senator Yarborough, on educational facilities; an amendment removed crime-prevention-through-environmental-design language and adjusted transparency/safe-space provisions, and the bill was reported favorably as amended. SB 824, by Senator Truenow, was amended into a transparency measure requiring districts to submit annual reports on unimproved land holdings to DOE, and it was reported favorably. Appointments in tabs 7 and 8 were recommended for confirmation. The committee then took up SPB 7036, a comprehensive education package by Chair Simon. The bill would expand educational emergency triggers, adjust Title I withholding uses, align charter school rules with school improvement processes, update safety and early learning provisions, expand literacy and math interventions, and revise educator pipeline policies. Members raised concerns about a provision that could allow the state to develop instructional materials; Simon said that section was still being considered and would need guardrails. The committee adopted a motion to submit the bill as a committee bill, and it was reported favorably. SB 1620, by Senator Leak, proposed a “school board members’ bill of rights” giving board members direct access to district documents and staff, limiting district attorneys’ dual representation, strengthening nepotism rules, and prohibiting nondisclosure agreements. Volusia County school board members and others testified both for and against the bill, with supporters citing transparency and accountability and opponents warning about confidentiality, staff pressure, and undermining the superintendent’s authority. The bill was reported favorably. Finally, SB 1170, by Senator Calatayud, as amended, would allow parents of students in self-contained ESE classrooms to request cameras, with district policies governing review, notice, timelines, and appeals. Parents, advocates, and educators testified strongly in support, while one witness opposed it as an unfunded mandate. The committee reported the bill favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• This kind of public facilities district, or PFD, can fund and operate a regional center.
• Because I'm assuming this kind of aquatic and public sports facility is never going to go away.
• So we'll suspend the public hearing on 2530 and open the public hearing on 2459 concerning citing schools
• A county would also be authorized to extend public facilities and services to such a school despite a
• The need for a public swimming facility in Olympia is not new.

Bills: HB2459, HB2480, HB2530, HB2129, HB2223

Keywords: school siting, urban growth, education policy, zoning regulations, community planning, residential development, commercial zones, mixed-use zoning, urban planning, state regulations, public facilities district, regional aquatics, sports facilities, local government, infrastructure, agritourism, agriculture, tourism, economic development, local businesses

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several local government bills, with most of the discussion focused on HB 2480, which would allow residential development in commercial and mixed-use zones for larger GMA-planning cities and limit local governments’ ability to require ground-floor commercial or mixed-use conditions. The bill sponsor and supporters, including the Lieutenant Governor, Governor’s Office, Commerce, builders, business groups, Microsoft, housing advocates, and several city officials, said the bill would help address the housing shortage by unlocking underused commercial land and reducing costly zoning barriers. Opponents and some cities, including Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Des Moines, Bellingham, Lynnwood, Lacey, Pasco, and others, warned it could undermine walkable centers, reduce retail and tax revenue, harm small businesses, and interfere with local planning; several asked for narrower exemptions or amendments. A proposed substitute was described that would expand the bill to mixed-use zones, add exemptions, and require some height flexibility where mixed-use or ground-floor commercial requirements remain. The committee also heard HB 2223, which would create a conflict-of-interest exception allowing irrigation district directors to have a spouse employed under a contract with the district if disclosure and recusal requirements are met, similar to an existing exception for public hospital district commissioners. The sponsor and the Washington State Water Resources Association said the change would help irrigation districts recruit volunteer board members in rural areas. No vote was taken. HB 2530 would extend the deadline for forming a public facilities district for regional aquatics and sports facilities from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2028. Supporters from Olympia and Tumwater said the extension would give local governments more time to form a district and pursue a long-sought aquatic center; one testifier said removing the deadline would not slow the effort. The committee also heard HB 2459, which would expand authority to site schools outside urban growth areas and extend utilities to them beyond the current Pierce County-specific allowance. Supporters, including the sponsor, Tahoma School District, and school advocates, said it would let districts use land they already own to address overcrowding; opponents, including Futurewise, argued it would weaken Growth Management Act planning and should remain a local or regional issue. Finally, HB 2129 on agritourism drew support from farm interests and some county representatives for helping farms diversify income and preserve farmland, while counties and Futurewise asked for more work on definitions and implementation and raised concerns about unintended regulatory effects. The hearings were suspended and reopened multiple times to accommodate testimony, but no final committee action or votes were taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Ben Barton, and I am the superintendent of Princeton Public Schools.
• I am the proud superintendent of Princeton Public Schools.
• As I was introduced, I'm Megan Reyes, elementary school counselor here in Rochester Public Schools and
• <00:31:11.000><c> to</c> in Rochester Public Schools and a mom to in Rochester Public Schools and a mom
• Paul Public Schools.

Bills: HF56, HF780

Keywords: HF56, Minnesota bonding bill, capital investment, state bonds, bond proceeds fund, Hutchinson Area Transportation Services, Hutchinson, McLeod County, transportation facility, vehicle storage, equipment storage, fueling facility, temperate storage, local infrastructure, public works, general obligation bonds, education finance, school funding, state aid, appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• There are so many barriers that, given those barriers, many schools, like Scottsdale public schools,
• a time when public schools in Arizona already face significant facility funding challenges and rely
• I talked to a member of the School Facilities Board or School Facilities Oversight Board.
• I talked to a member of the School Facilities Board or School Facilities Oversight Board.
• A public school teacher, principal, administrator, volunteer, or contractor of a public school, and a

Bills: HB2040, HB2142, HB2255, HB2379, HB2482, HB2575, HB2600, HB2764, HB4033, HCR2015

Keywords: public education, adoption, sex education, parental rights, student health information, school safety, resource officers, mental health, training, infrastructure improvements, Arizona Teachers Academy, teacher preparation, education funding, public schools, scholarships, teacher certification, community colleges, school district, governing board, training requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Lisa we're going to roll through public Lisa we're going to roll through public testimony<00:09:
• I do have one child in the public school system, and I also feel like I’m here representing several parents
• “I have one child in the public school system, and I also feel like I’m here representing several parents
• 00:26:44.880><c> and</c> the beginning of this school year and the beginning of this school year and
• schools and and you know kind of ask you schools and and you know kind of ask you with<01:20:31.639><

Bills: HF22, HF45

Keywords: parent's bill of rights, parental rights, minor consent, minors, parents, guardians, education rights, school records, home schooling, charter school, private school, health care consent, medical privacy, patient records, exam room access, biometric data, DNA samples, blood samples, mental health, physical health

Transcript Highlights:

• We have four bills up for public hearing today.
• I've toured it, and you're a great facility.
• do operate transfer facilities, waste facilities that take recycling, that take garbage, or consolidate
• do operate transfer facilities, waste facilities that take recycling, that take garbage, or consolidate
• One is the impact on the MRFs, the material recovery facilities, recycling facilities.

Bills: SB5965, SB6030, SB5975, SB5941

Keywords: environment, retail bags, sustainability, pollution, customer impact, plastic bags, retail, waste reduction, cookware safety, lead regulation, consumer protection, interstate trade, health standards, SB 5941, Washington State Energy Code, State Building Code Council, renewable energy, solar panels, school district exemption, public school construction

Summary: The committee first heard SB 5965 on retail bags, which would prohibit single-use plastic and reusable film plastic carryout bags, raise the paper bag pass-through charge from 8 cents to 20 cents, preserve exemptions for SNAP/WIC-related transactions, and add penalties for manufacturers and distributors. The sponsor and supporters argued the current law has led to thicker plastic bags that are not being reused as intended and are contributing to litter, microplastics, and ocean pollution. Environmental groups, local governments, health advocates, and some retailers supported the bill, while grocery, hospitality, retail, packaging, and manufacturing groups opposed it, saying the 20-cent paper fee is regressive, the plastic ban could create food-safety and delivery problems, and the state should wait for more data on the current 12-cent fee. The hearing ended with the chair noting 1,240 people chose not to testify, with 541 pro, 695 con, and 4 other sign-ins. The committee then heard SB 6030, a competing bag bill that would allow film plastic and paper carryout bags if they meet recycled-content standards, keep paper bags at 8 cents, and reduce the plastic bag fee from 12 cents to 8 cents while eliminating the reusable-bag thickness requirements. Staff explained that most of the prior carryout bag restrictions would be repealed, though recycled-content standards and the SNAP exemption would remain. There was no public testimony on the bill, and the chair noted 208 non-testifiers, with 192 pro, 11 con, and 5 other. Next, the committee took up SB 5975 on lead in cookware, which would narrow the covered cookware definition, delay the drop to a 10 ppm lead standard until 2030, and allow compliance through FDA or European testing methods. Supporters said the current law is hard to implement, lacks a clear test method, and should be aligned with practical enforcement standards; opponents from Ecology, Health, environmental groups, and consumer advocates said the bill would weaken Washington’s current protections, create broad exemptions, and allow high-lead cookware to remain on the market. The hearing ended with 609 non-testifiers, including 54 pro, 552 con, and 3 other. Finally, staff briefly introduced SB 5941, which would direct the Building Code Council to exempt certain small school districts in central and eastern climate zones from on-site renewable energy system requirements, and the sponsor said the bill is intended to provide flexibility rather than eliminate the code.

Transcript Highlights:

• For all underground facilities.
• Unlike gas, telecom, electric and other class A facilities, class B facilities, again, water and wastewater
• We have 23 current Class B facilities.
• Damage to these facilities These not only causes service disruptions, but it can also create public health
• Public water who are in storm, not private.

Bills: HB206, HB 1285, HB1335, HJR107, HB206

Keywords: pipeline, construction, cash bond, county authority, local government, HB 1285, Railroad Commission of Texas, RRC, drones, unmanned aircraft, UAS, drone inspections, oil and gas, pipeline inspection, surface mining, well sites, tank batteries, disposal wells, injection sites, natural resources