Bills: SB5109, SB5835, SB6065

Keywords: mortgage lending, fraud, prosecution, financial regulations, consumer protection, retirement, lump sum payment, benefits, pension, financial security, SB 6065, school district transportation, transportation vehicle fund, pupil transportation, school buses, electric school buses, zero-emission buses, bus fleet electrification, charging stations, vehicle replacement

Summary: The Appropriations Committee held a public hearing on several bills. Senate Bill 5109 would raise the deed-of-trust surcharge that funds the mortgage lending fraud prosecution account from $1 to $5 and remove the current sunset date. Staff said the change would generate additional revenue for county auditors and the Department of Financial Institutions to contract with prosecutors on mortgage fraud cases. Testimony from King County and the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys supported the bill, arguing the current funding has eroded and the increase would help sustain prosecutions; no opposition was heard. The committee also heard Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5500, which would require DCYF’s biennial child care report to include a current cost-of-quality study based on a model developed with the early educator design team, in addition to the market rate survey. Child care advocates, providers, and a Ballmer Group representative supported the bill, saying the market rate survey alone does not capture the real cost of high-quality care and that the measure would improve future funding decisions. The fiscal note estimated a small ongoing general fund cost for DCYF to add survey questions and analysis. Several retirement and human services bills were also heard. Substitute Senate Bill 5834 would broaden use of pension fund interest earnings for fund-protection expenses such as fraud prevention, audits, cybersecurity, and related legal costs, with no fiscal impact reported. Senate Bill 5835 would raise the threshold for DRS to pay a benefit as a lump sum from $50 to $250 per month, with a small systems cost and no actuarial impact. Engrossed Senate Bill 5872 would create the Pre-K Promise Account to receive gifts, grants, and donations for ECAP expansion; supporters from rural health coalitions, Snohomish County, and the Ballmer Group backed the public-private funding mechanism, while DCYF estimated staffing costs to track and administer the account. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 6007, directing WSIPP to study DCYF’s child welfare screening tools and their effects on outcomes, with a projected state cost of about $234,000, and Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6019, which would revise home care rate-setting to ensure a larger share of Medicaid rates goes to direct care wages and limit administrative portions to 20 percent. SEIU 775 and a home care worker testified in support, saying the bill would close a loophole and improve caregiver pay. Finally, Senate Bill 6065 would allow school districts in binding conditions or enhanced financial oversight to use transportation vehicle funds more flexibly, including temporary loans or permanent transfers with approval; a rural education advocate supported it as a limited tool for distressed districts. No votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after public testimony on all bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Contractor-owned buses have a similar but separate depreciation system, which considers the category
• As a consequence, we have minimal pay raises and zero retention.
• As a consequence, we have minimal pay raises and zero retention.
• So, consequence, we have minimum pay raise, zero retention.
• The first program that I'll cover is related to methane emissions from municipal solid waste landfills

Bills: HB2689, SB5832, SB5922, SB5944, SB5988, SB6151

Keywords: Working Connections Child Care, child care subsidy, subsidized child care, Washington DCYF, Department of Children, Youth, and Families, low-income families, child care providers, licensed child care centers, family child care, market rate survey, subsidy rates, income eligibility, state median income, SNAP, Basic Food, collective bargaining, provider reimbursement, daily payment, half-day care, partial-day care

Transcript Highlights:

• covered by the Climate Commitment Act, along with information about their greenhouse gas emissions.
• Ecology's costs include staff time to work with EITEs on their plans to reduce emissions, provide other
• That would be for Ecology's contracted report on the risk of emissions and job leakage from EITEs.
• Sound policy really requires accurate data, and examining both emissions and employment impacts helps
• It has zero fiscal impact on our budget while ensuring that there will always be a Governor's Cabinet

Bills: SB5420, SB5877, SB5868, SB5109, SB5832, SB5922, SB5944, SB5988, SB6065, SB6103, SB6151

Keywords: veterans, military spouses, service members, uniformed services, National Guard, reservists, active duty, qualifying discharge, veterans preference, hiring preference, public employment, state benefits, license renewal, professional licensing, retirement service credit, pension, public retirement system, Washington RCW, military leave, reemployment rights

Transcript Highlights:

• Garrison Curton on greenhouse gas emissions. Provides $1 greenhouse gas emissions.
• </c> product transportation emission product transportation emission threshold.<00:40:48.280><c> What
• </c> emissions threshold is. emissions threshold is.
• establish a clean vehicle rebate program to provide rebates for the purchase or lease of new and used zero-emission
• establish a clean vehicle rebate program to provide rebates for the purchase or lease of new and used zero-emission

Bills: HB1986, HB1694, HB1695, HB2030, HB1673

Keywords: clean fuel standard, alternative fuels, carbon intensity, emission reduction, greenhouse gases, transportation, sustainable aviation fuel, tax credit, greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy, Hawaii, economic development, carbon footprint, aviation sector, renewable fuels, local production, energy resilience, agricultural innovation, job creation, clean vehicles

Summary: The committee on Energy and Environmental Protection heard testimony on three measures related to cleaner fuels. On HB 1986, which would require the Department of Transportation to adopt rules for a clean fuel standard by January 1, 2028 and include reporting and public informational sessions, testimony was largely supportive from state commissions, fuel companies, airlines, and other industry and advocacy groups. Supporters said the bill would create a long-term framework for reducing emissions and developing cleaner fuels in Hawaii. Opposition came from Energy Justice Network, which argued that so-called clean fuels are not carbon-free, would be costly, and could delay a needed transition to electrification. The department later said it was monitoring the bill and was concerned about costs. No vote or final action was taken in the hearing. The committee then heard HB 1694, a sustainable aviation fuel tax credit bill that would provide a per-gallon credit for SAF, cap annual credits at $20 million, require reporting, and sunset in 2035. The Department of Taxation testified on administration, while the Department of Transportation said it supported the measure as a short-term strategy to jump-start SAF until the clean fuel standard ramps up. Airlines, fuel companies, the Hawaii Food Industry Association, the Hawaii Renewable Fuels Coalition, and others supported the bill, saying it would send a market signal, help close the cost gap with conventional jet fuel, and encourage local production and investment. Opponents, including Energy Justice Network, Life of the Land, and Ted Metros, argued the bill would be expensive, could lock in a transitional fuel system, and would not produce enough fuel to meet demand. Committee members asked about the likely impact and the share of total fuel demand the credit could support; DOT said the supported gallons would be only a very small percentage of annual demand and that the credit was intended to work alongside the future clean fuel standard. Finally, the committee took up HB 1695 HD1 on renewable fuel, which expands the renewable fuels production tax credit. Testimony was again mixed but generally supportive from the Department of Transportation, Department of Taxation, Island Energy Services, airlines, the Tax Foundation, Pana Pacific, and the Hawaii Farm Bureau. Supporters said the measure would encourage local feedstock production, create agricultural opportunities, and help attract investment in renewable fuels. Pana Pacific requested an amendment to explicitly include camelina in the definition of renewable feedstocks. Opponents, including Energy Justice Network and Life of the Land, repeated concerns about cost, imported feedstocks, and the risk of undermining full electrification goals. The hearing transcript does not show any vote or final committee action on HB 1694 or HB 1695 HD1.

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, HB2487, SB5816, SB5919, SB5995, SB5831, SB6134, SB6136, SB6137, HB2689, SB5922, SB5944, SB5957, SB5988, SB5994, SB6011, SB6065, SB6103, SB6151, SB6244, SB5420, SB5868, SB6044, SB6132, SJM8002, HB2720, HB2073, HB2487, SB5816, SB5919, SB5831, SB6137, SB6244, SB5420, SB5868, SB6044, SB6132, SJM8002

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, insurance tax, state regulation, insurers, taxation, budget impact, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, there are 96 yeas, zero nays, two excused.
• Speaker, there are 96 yeas, zero nays, two excused.
• Speaker, there are 96 yeas, zero nays, two excused.

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, HB2487, SB5816, SB5919, SB5995, SB5831, SB6134, SB6136, SB6137, HB2689, SB5922, SB5944, SB5957, SB5988, SB5994, SB6011, SB6065, SB6103, SB6151, SB6244, SB5420, SB5868, SB6044, SB6132, SJM8002, HB2720, HB2073, HB2487, SB5816, SB5919, SB5831, SB6137, SB6244, SB5420, SB5868, SB6044, SB6132, SJM8002

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, insurance tax, state regulation, insurers, taxation, budget impact, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, there are 95 yays, zero nays, three excused.
• Speaker, there are 95 yays, zero nays, three excused.
• The House will be at ease for purpose of caucus and nourishment. zero nays, three excused.

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, HB2487, SB5816, SB5919, SB5995, SB5831, SB6134, SB6136, SB6137, HB2689, SB5922, SB5944, SB5957, SB5988, SB5994, SB6011, SB6065, SB6103, SB6151, SB6244, SB5420, SB5868, SB6044, SB6132, SJM8002, HB2720, HB2073, HB2487, SB5816, SB5919, SB5831, SB6137, SB6244, SB5420, SB5868, SB6044, SB6132, SJM8002

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, insurance tax, state regulation, insurers, taxation, budget impact, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, there are 94 yeas, zero nays, four excused.
• Speaker, there are 94 yeas, zero nays, four excused.
• Speaker, there are 94 yeas, zero nays, four excused.
• Speaker, there are 94 yeas, zero nays, four excused.
• Speaker, there are 94 yeas, zero nays, four excused.

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, HB2487, SB5816, SB5919, SB5995, SB5831, SB6134, SB6136, SB6137, HB2689, SB5922, SB5944, SB5957, SB5988, SB5994, SB6011, SB6065, SB6103, SB6151, SB6244, SB5420, SB5868, SB6044, SB6132, SJM8002

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, insurance tax, state regulation, insurers, taxation, budget impact, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives

Summary: The House received a Senate message that Substitute House Bill 1570 had passed the Senate, then moved several bills from Rules to the second reading calendar, including Substitute Senate Bill 5242 on anaphylaxis medications in schools and Senate Bill 6132 on Inland Port District debt. The chamber then took up several bills, beginning with Senate Bill 5988 on Department of Health accreditation fee authority for opioid treatment programs. Amendment 2336 to cap the fee at $17,000 was debated at length but rejected, and a separate amendment to add safe-injection-site language was ruled out of scope. Senate Bill 5988 then passed 62-34. Substitute Senate Bill 6309 on enhanced municipal permitting tools for high-capacity transit projects drew multiple amendments focused on Sound Transit’s authority. Amendments to require written consent from abutting property owners, to add flood-zone and seismic/critical-area protections, and to address public-records issues were either rejected or ruled beyond scope, though the local government committee amendment was adopted. The bill passed 56-38. The House also passed Substitute Senate Bill 5886 on digital personality rights and Senate Bill 6136 on transparency in workers’ compensation rate-setting, both with strong bipartisan support. Later, the House passed a series of additional bills: Substitute Senate Bill 6034 codifying the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs; Gross Second Substitute Senate Bill 5395 on prior authorization reform, with remarks emphasizing limits on AI in health care decisions; Substitute Senate Bill 6248 creating the Washington Travel Insurance Act; Substitute Senate Bill 5720 establishing uniform consumer debt default judgment procedures; Senate Bill 5995 on port modernization funding and labor considerations; Senate Bill 6103 affecting rural hospitals; Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6110 creating a work group on e-motorcycles; Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5156 allowing smaller elevators to support accessible, more affordable housing; Substitute Senate Bill 6269 updating motor fuel definitions to include hydrogen; Substitute Senate Bill 6189 giving Thurston County more time to pursue an aquatics public facilities district; and Senate Bill 6134 requiring unemployment applicants to acknowledge repayment obligations if retroactive union pay is received. Most of these bills passed with large margins, and the House adjourned after completing final passage votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, there are 96 yeas, zero nays, two excused.
• Speaker, there are 96 yeas, zero nays, two excused.
• Speaker, there are 96 yeas, zero nays, two excused.
• Speaker, there are 96 yeas, zero nays, two excused.
• Speaker, there are 96 yeas, zero nays, two excused.

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, HB2487, SB5816, SB5919, SB5995, SB5831, SB6134, SB6136, SB6137, HB2689, SB5922, SB5944, SB5957, SB5988, SB5994, SB6011, SB6065, SB6103, SB6151, SB6244, SB5420, SB5868, SB6044, SB6132, SJM8002

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, insurance tax, state regulation, insurers, taxation, budget impact, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives

Summary: The House took up a series of Senate bills and moved most of them quickly to third reading and final passage, often suspending the rules and adopting committee amendments without objection. Early action included Senate Bill 5944, which addresses compensation for interpreters working for L&I when appointments are canceled or missed; it passed 86-10. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5837, dealing with guardianship and supported decision-making, drew debate over a new right to counsel in guardianship cases and concerns about expanding civil legal obligations, but it passed 73-23. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6197, a plumbers enforcement/discipline measure tied to task force work on wages and the underground economy, passed unanimously. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6019, fixing a loophole in home care worker parity law, also passed unanimously, as did Senate Bill 6011, which extends authority for Court of Appeals bailiffs to assess threats against judges and staff, though members noted concerns about access to non-conviction data. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6058, aimed at improving Labor and Industries’ ability to address wage theft complaints and backlog, passed 96-0 after House amendments. Substitute Senate Bill 5923, allowing an island hospital in Skagit County to become a critical access hospital, passed 96-0 amid support for rural health care. Senate Bill 5994, which changes how timber tax revenue is distributed so school districts are not penalized when levies fail, also passed 96-0. Substitute Senate Bill 6076, streamlining public utility district procurement and raising spending thresholds, passed 95-1 after a capital budget amendment. The House then moved to second reading of Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5925, a major bill expanding the Attorney General’s authority to issue civil investigative demands in constitutional and discrimination-related matters. The bill prompted extensive debate over civil liberties, due process, and the potential for government overreach. Amendment 2160, which would have required clear and convincing evidence before a CID could issue, was rejected 38-48. Amendment 2149, creating a right to cure before a CID, was also rejected. Amendment 2150, requiring assistant attorney general approval and a reasonable suspicion standard, failed 38-48. Amendment 2151, requiring the Attorney General personally to approve CIDs in writing, failed as well. However, several narrowing amendments were adopted, including limits on scope and relevance (2288), a prohibition on CIDs to federal agencies (2289), a ban on sharing CID-derived information for criminal law enforcement purposes (2290), and a requirement that the Attorney General’s office consult with other agencies in certain overlapping investigations (2154 was rejected, but later amendments continued). Other proposed protections, such as fee-shifting for successful CID challenges and reimbursement when a CID produces no action, were debated at length but not adopted in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Speaker, there are 97 yeas, zero nays, one excused.
• Madam Speaker, there are 97 yeas, zero nays, one excused.
• And this is a little bit of flexibility that can help when it is found to be true that a fleet of buses
• problems of financial hardships in our schools, not allowing a complete shell game to be able to sell buses
• Madam Speaker, there are 97 yeas, zero nays, one excused.

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, HB2487, SB5816, SB5919, SB5995, SB5831, SB6134, SB6136, SB6137, HB2689, SB5922, SB5944, SB5957, SB5988, SB5994, SB6011, SB6065, SB6103, SB6151, SB6244, SB5420, SB5868, SB6044, SB6132, SJM8002

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, insurance tax, state regulation, insurers, taxation, budget impact, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and heard a prayer from Tammy Stamphley, a Presbyterian minister and hospital chaplain. After approving the previous day’s minutes and receiving a Senate message, the chamber moved to second and third reading of several bills, with multiple measures advanced under suspended rules. The first major vote was on Engrossed Senate Bill 5872, which establishes a pre-K-related account to support up to 10,000 additional early learning slots for three- and four-year-olds. Supporters emphasized the Balmer Group’s private funding commitment and the value of early learning and family support; the bill passed 97-0. Substitute Senate Bill 5834, a Department of Retirement Systems request bill changing the fund source for legal, medical, administrative, and fraud-prevention expenses using interest earnings from pension funds, also passed 97-0. Substitute House Bill 2689, dealing with the Working Connections Child Care program, drew the most debate. Supporters said it aligned attendance policy with federal rules, adjusted reimbursement rates, and helped balance the budget while preserving child care resources. Opponents argued it cut support in rural and underserved counties, would worsen child care deserts, and placed budget savings on the child care industry; it passed 53-44. The House then passed Senate Bill 5922, allowing school districts to transfer vehicle depreciation funds with OSPI approval, by 59-38, and Senate Bill 6065, a narrower bill for districts under enhanced financial oversight such as Prescott, by 97-0. The session ended with announcements that both caucuses would meet later in the day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, there are 94 yeas, zero nays, four excused.
• Speaker, there are 94 yeas, zero nays, four excused.
• Speaker, there are 94 yeas, zero nays, four excused.
• Speaker, there are 94 yeas, zero nays, four excused.
• Speaker, there are 94 yeas, zero nays, four excused.

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, HB2487, SB5816, SB5919, SB5995, SB5831, SB6134, SB6136, SB6137, HB2689, SB5922, SB5944, SB5957, SB5988, SB5994, SB6011, SB6065, SB6103, SB6151, SB6244, SB5420, SB5868, SB6044, SB6132, SJM8002

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, insurance tax, state regulation, insurers, taxation, budget impact, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives

Summary: The House received a Senate message announcing passage of Substitute House Bill 1570 and then moved several bills from Rules to the second reading calendar, including Substitute Senate Bill 5242 on anaphylaxis medications in schools and Senate Bill 6132 on Inland Port District debt. The chamber then took up a series of bills, beginning with Senate Bill 5988 on Department of Health accreditation fee authority for opioid treatment programs. An amendment to cap the fee at $17,000 was debated at length but failed, and a separate amendment was ruled beyond the scope of the bill. Senate Bill 5988 then passed 62-34. The House next considered Substitute Senate Bill 6309 on enhanced municipal permitting tools for high-capacity transit projects. Several amendments were offered to require written consent from abutting property owners, preserve setback and seismic/critical-area protections, and add transparency provisions, but the scope challenge to the transparency amendment was sustained and the other amendments failed. Supporters argued the bill would streamline permitting for Sound Transit and reduce taxpayer costs; opponents said it gave a large transit authority too much discretion and weakened property-rights and land-use protections. The bill passed 56-38. The House also passed Substitute Senate Bill 5886 on personality rights and digital likeness protections, and Senate Bill 6136 on workers’ compensation transparency, both with strong bipartisan support. After caucuses and a rule suspension to work past 10 p.m., the House took up additional second-reading bills. It passed Substitute Senate Bill 6034 to codify the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs, Gross Second Substitute Senate Bill 5395 on prior authorization and AI in health care, Substitute Senate Bill 6248 creating the Washington Travel Insurance Act, Substitute Senate Bill 5720 on uniform consumer debt default judgments, Senate Bill 5995 on port modernization funding with labor-related concerns, and Senate Bill 6103 affecting rural hospitals and enrollment status subject to appropriation. Later, the House passed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6110 on e-motorcycle regulation, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5156 allowing smaller elevators in some housing, Substitute Senate Bill 6269 updating motor fuel definitions to include hydrogen, Substitute Senate Bill 6189 extending time for Thurston County to pursue an aquatics public facilities district, and Senate Bill 6134 requiring unemployment applicants to acknowledge repayment if retroactive union pay is received. Most bills passed with large majorities, though some drew dissent over labor, property rights, transit governance, or regulatory scope.

Transcript Highlights:

• ... ...repeals the provisions that prohibited the Transportation Commission from exempting transit buses
• Chair, there are 27 aye, one nay, one excused, zero absent. Thank you.
• Chair, there are 16 aye, 12 nay, one excused, zero absent.

Bills: HB2306, HB2711

Keywords: transportation budget, capital budget, operating budget, appropriations, Washington State Department of Transportation, WSDOT, Washington State Patrol, Department of Licensing, ferry funding, state ferries, highway maintenance, road preservation, bridge replacement, tolling, express toll lanes, traffic safety, speed cameras, ignition interlock, transit grants, public transit

Transcript Highlights:

• And this obviously can help with greenhouse gas emission reductions and vehicle miles traveled reductions
• So in Washington, we currently have zero passenger EV incentives, despite this sector being our top source
• So does that mean that last year we took away the ability for transit buses to not pay tolls?
• Commission, but you're correct: it gives the Transportation Commission the authority to exempt transit buses
• The state of Montana is offering zero taxes through their Montana LLC.

Bills: HB2306, HB2711

Keywords: transportation budget, capital budget, operating budget, appropriations, Washington State Department of Transportation, WSDOT, Washington State Patrol, Department of Licensing, ferry funding, state ferries, highway maintenance, road preservation, bridge replacement, tolling, express toll lanes, traffic safety, speed cameras, ignition interlock, transit grants, public transit

Summary: The House Transportation Committee held public hearings on a proposed substitute supplemental transportation budget and on a transportation resources bill. Staff described the supplemental budget as increasing transportation spending by about $1.1 billion to $16.5 billion, largely through reappropriations and preservation/maintenance funding, while avoiding any new bond authority. The chair and ranking member emphasized caution because of declining revenue forecasts, uncertainty around major projects and future fish-passage costs, and the need to preserve flexibility for ferries, roads, and maintenance. Testimony on the budget was generally supportive of investments in rail, transit access, dredging, safety programs, local roads, flood response, and preservation, though several witnesses urged more long-term funding stability and some requested specific changes, such as shifting King County Metro electrification funds and restoring funding for a Kent freight corridor project. The committee then heard House Bill 2711, a follow-up to last year’s transportation resources law. Staff explained that the bill makes technical and administrative changes to fuel tax distribution, luxury vehicle/aircraft/recreational vessel taxes, the indigent tow reimbursement program, tire-fee language, and related reporting provisions. The proposed substitute would repeal the luxury aircraft tax, clarify peer-to-peer rental car tax administration, restore transit bus toll-exemption authority, waive certain penalties and interest for dealers complying with the luxury vehicle tax, allow installment payment of the luxury vehicle tax on leases, exempt certain sales to tribal members and nonresidents, change transfer timing between accounts, and create a Preserve Washington Account for highway preservation and maintenance. Questions from members focused on public availability of the substitute and on the transit-bus toll exemption. Public testimony on the resources bill was mixed. An RV dealer and an RV industry representative asked for a delay or repeal of the luxury vehicle tax, arguing it would worsen an already weak market and drive sales out of state. Other witnesses supported the dedicated preservation account and asked the committee to adopt Senate language increasing bid limits for highway maintenance work. The committee closed the public hearings and announced that executive action on the two bills, plus a wildlife safe passages bill, would occur Wednesday, with amendment requests due the next day.

Bills: HF1937, HF2407, HF1678, HF1477, HF2040, HF1840, HF257

Keywords: PACE, elderly, Medicaid, health services, long-term care, community-based services, support person, healthcare, patient rights, assisted living, community support, caregiver respite, financial eligibility, Minnesota Statutes, HF1477, residential program licensing, community residential setting, small group home, licensed capacity six or fewer, rental licensing

Transcript Highlights:

• This concerns money available to a port district allocated for the purchase of zero- and near-zero-emission
• - and near-zero-emission cargo handling equipment, and on the prohibition on those districts and authorities
• Madam Chair, there are six aye, zero nay, and one excused.
• Madam Chair, there are six aye, zero nay, and one excused.
• Madam Chair, there are six aye, zero nay, and one excused.

Bills: SB5820, SB5995, SB5467

Keywords: freight rail, rail corridor, short-line railroad, rail-dependent uses, industrial land use, growth management act, GMA, comprehensive plan, transportation element, land use planning, local government, county planning, city planning, critical areas, agricultural lands, forest lands, mineral resource lands, urban growth area, development regulations, notice on permits

Summary: The committee heard extensive public testimony on engrossed second substitute Senate Bill 6026, which would generally require cities and counties planning under the Growth Management Act to allow residential development in commercial and mixed-use zones and restrict local mandates for ground-floor commercial or mixed-use space, subject to multiple exemptions and a possible study-based off-ramp. The sponsor and supporters, including the Lieutenant Governor, the governor’s housing policy advisor, Commerce, developers, labor-adjacent housing groups, and major employers, argued the bill would unlock underused commercial land, reduce barriers to housing production, and help address the state’s housing shortage. They emphasized vacant strip malls and big-box sites, the need for more housing near existing infrastructure, and the bill’s flexibility through carve-outs for transit areas, historic districts, business improvement areas, and other designated places. Cities and local government groups testified in opposition or with concerns, saying the bill would override local planning, impose costly code changes and studies, and could undermine walkable, mixed-use downtowns and neighborhood centers. Representatives from Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Kent, Lakewood, Lacey, Bellingham, and the Association of Washington Cities said ground-floor retail requirements are sometimes needed to preserve small businesses, complete communities, and local tax bases, and asked for more exemptions or a clearer compliance path. Some witnesses also raised concerns about the study option’s timing and cost, while others asked for protections for affordable housing incentives and existing local flexibility. Before the hearing on SB 6026 resumed, the committee took executive action on several other bills. It advanced SB 5820 on freight rail dependent overlay planning after rejecting an amendment from Rep. Griffey that would have restored Clark County authority and added greenhouse-gas findings. The committee also passed SB 5995 on zero- and near-zero-emission cargo handling equipment, SB 5552 on kit home building codes, SB 5467 on water-sewer district surplus property sales, and SB 6189 on removing the deadline for forming a public facilities district for regional aquatics and sports facilities, all with do pass recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• - and near-zero-emission cargo handling equipment.
• - and near-zero-emission cargo handling equipment and related infrastructure for the use of the district
• We advocate for the transition to zero-emissions cargo equipment and shore power so ships can plug into
• Finally, nothing about this bill would stop our ports' ability to make the transition to zero-emissions
• This same equipment can easily be zero-emission or near-zero-emission machines.

Bills: SB5820, SB5467, SB5995

Keywords: freight rail, rail corridor, short-line railroad, rail-dependent uses, industrial land use, growth management act, GMA, comprehensive plan, transportation element, land use planning, local government, county planning, city planning, critical areas, agricultural lands, forest lands, mineral resource lands, urban growth area, development regulations, notice on permits

Summary: The House Local Government Committee heard several bills, with testimony largely focused on housing, local government property sales, freight rail land use, and port automation. On Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5552, which would direct the State Building Code Council to create building code rules for kit homes by March 31, 2027, the sponsor described the bill as a housing-supply option for small, assembled-on-site homes, and one supporter said it would add clarity without weakening safety or zoning standards. The chair postponed the public hearing on the bill after brief discussion. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5467, which would raise the thresholds for water-sewer districts to sell surplus personal and real property without notice or private-sale restrictions. The sponsor and district representatives said the bill simply updates outdated dollar limits to reflect inflation and improve efficiency. The bill drew no opposition in the hearing and was later closed out for public hearing. Senate Bill 5820, dealing with Clark County’s freight rail-dependent use overlay, drew the most divided testimony. Supporters argued the 2017 exemption has harmed agricultural and forest lands, created environmental and legal problems, and provided little or no local economic benefit, while opponents said the rail corridor supports freight mobility, carbon-efficient transportation, and economic development, and warned repeal would strand investments and contractual rights. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5995, which would remove the sunset on the prohibition against using public port funds for fully automated marine cargo handling equipment; labor witnesses supported it as a jobs-and-safety measure, while shipping industry representatives opposed it as premature and harmful to port competitiveness. No votes were taken in the transcript, and the chair adjourned after closing the hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I filed House Bill 5419, which is a zero-based budgeting bill to cut through the nonsense and the
• And I thank Representative Hinojosa, who brought up the idea of zero-based budgeting in a hearing that
• Zero-based budgeting is a conservative good government approach to efficiency in a state agency, and

Keywords: education funding, House Bill 5419, zero-based budgeting, public testimony, school safety, special education

Summary: State Representative Gina Hinojosa and a group of parents and education advocates testified in support of House Bill 5419, a zero-based budgeting proposal aimed at reviewing Texas Education Agency spending and redirecting more public education dollars to classrooms. Hinojosa argued that public schools are being weakened by chronic underfunding, teacher shortages, delayed special education services, and inadequate school safety funding, and said the bill would help cut bureaucracy, vendor contracts, and other non-classroom spending in favor of teacher pay, safety, and special education. Several witnesses, including self-identified Republicans and former GOP officials, backed the bill as a good-government measure and said they were crossing party lines because public schools need more direct investment. They criticized TEA growth, vendor contracts, public-private partnerships, and what they described as unfunded mandates from the state, including school safety requirements. One witness said rural districts are being forced into four-day school weeks, while others cited campus closures, deferred maintenance, and local tax increases tied to state funding shortfalls and recapture payments. The discussion also focused on the need for a systematic review of TEA spending and the lack of a sunset review for the agency since before 2005. Hinojosa and others said increasing the basic allotment would help districts, reduce recapture pressures, and prevent local tax hikes. The exchange was primarily a public hearing and advocacy session; no vote or formal committee action was described in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, they work for our busing system.
• In fact, they work for our busing system.
• Lake Washington operates a large fleet of school buses.
• These older buses also have the worst tailpipe emissions in the fleet.
• with these zero-emission buses.

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

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

Summary: The committee first suspended the five-day notice rule for Senate Bills 6260 and 6353, then held public hearings on several measures. Senate Bill 5808 would require nonprofit health carriers with excess surplus to pay 10% of that surplus to the state health care affordability account for Cascade Care Savings; staff said it could raise about $330 million one time, while supporters said it would redirect unneeded reserves to premium assistance and opponents argued it would weaken nonprofit insurers’ financial stability and competitiveness. House Bill 2254 would let administrative costs for the Partnership Access Line assessment be included in the assessment itself, shifting costs off the general fund; it drew support from HCA and Seattle Children’s. House Bill 2385 would extend the deadline for the Medicaid Access Program, which cannot currently be implemented because of federal restrictions, and was supported as preserving a future path to Medicaid rate increases. Substitute Senate Bill 6286 would impose escalating fines on private detention facilities that block Department of Health inspections and place the proceeds in a community repair account; supporters framed it as accountability and repair, while the fiscal note showed implementation costs to DOH. The committee also heard tax-preference bills. Senate Bill 6006 would exempt food banks from sales tax on certain services, with supporters from Northwest Harvest, Food Lifeline, and tribal representatives saying it would free up resources for food distribution. Senate Bill 6351 would exempt K-12 schools, before- and after-school care, arts and cultural nonprofit classes, and some related activities from the new sales tax on certain services enacted last session; school districts, arts groups, and PTA representatives supported it, though some asked for clarifying language. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1717 would let cities and counties create local sales tax remittance programs for affordable housing projects, and it drew support from builders, housing nonprofits, counties, and city officials as a local incentive to lower development costs. Senate Bill 6198, the annual accounts bill, would close obsolete accounts, adjust the abandoned recreational vehicle account’s administrative cap, and redirect certain deposits to the general fund; OFM supported it. In executive session, the committee took action on several bills. It adopted a substitute and passed Substitute Senate Bill 5949, which narrows a B&O tax exemption related to insurance premiums; a proposed amendment to remove retroactivity failed. It adopted amendments and passed Substitute Senate Bill 6129 on cigarette, tobacco, and nicotine taxes, including a change to avoid double taxation, while rejecting amendments that would have replaced the bill with studies or enforcement task forces. It passed Substitute Senate Bill 6228 repealing the preferential B&O rate for prescription drug resellers, and Substitute Senate Bill 6231 repealing data center sales tax exemptions, despite opposition that both would raise costs and harm competitiveness. It also adopted an amendment and passed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5965 on retail bags, removing the proposed ban on reusable film plastic bags and retaining a fee structure instead. The committee then began discussion of Senate Bill 6173, the Apple Health employer assessment, with a lengthy proposed substitute and multiple amendments described, but no final action on that bill was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, there are 93 ayes, zero nays, five excused.
• Speaker, there are 93 yeas, zero nays, five excused.
• Speaker, there are 93 yeas, zero nays, five excused.
• and greenhouse gas emissions policies.
• and greenhouse gas emissions policies.

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, SB5467, SB5820, SCR8406, HB2487, SB5816, SB5919, SB5995, SB6278, SB5831, SB5915, SB5963, SB6025, SB6046, SB6084, SB6134, SB6136, SB6137, SB6188, SB6291, HB2689, SB5922, SB5944, SB5957, SB5988, SB5994, SB6011, SB6065, SB6103, SB6151, SB6244

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, SB 5467, water-sewer district, water sewer district, surplus property, public property sale, local government, RCW 57, real property disposal, personal property, notice of intent to sell, public auction

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, SB5467, SB5820, SCR8406, HB2487, SB5816, SB5919, SB5995, SB6278, SB5831, SB5915, SB5963, SB6025, SB6046, SB6084, SB6134, SB6136, SB6137, SB6188, SB6291, HB2689, SB5922, SB5944, SB5957, SB5988, SB5994, SB6011, SB6065, SB6103, SB6151, SB6244

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, SB 5467, water-sewer district, water sewer district, surplus property, public property sale, local government, RCW 57, real property disposal, personal property, notice of intent to sell, public auction