Zane Potter — Zane Potter of JLARC introduced the audit findings and then responded to committee questions about the Department of Health's oversight of hospital data reporting, inspections, and complaints. He explained the various ways complaints can be submitted, including email, phone, staff handouts, hospital postings, and the DOH website, and noted that the current standard is based on an average, suggesting that a maximum time requirement might be clearer.
Judy Warnick — A member raises questions about a recommendation related to inspections, specifically whether a maximum amount of time should be specified. The discussion continues in the same vein with follow-up remarks on the same issue, despite transcript inconsistencies in the speaker’s name.
Judy Warnick — The chair is thanked by the speaker; the name appears to be a transcription error for the chair's name.
Lacey Fairmbach — Lacey Fairmbach introduces herself as the Chief of Prevention, Safety, and Health at the Washington State Department of Health and explains that the department is appearing to present its preliminary strategic management plan in response to the report.
Ramito Cantu — Ramito Cantu, Director of the Office of Health Systems Oversight, is introduced as the speaker who will present a preliminary draft of the strategic plan and provide an update on progress the department has already made, including efforts to meet timelines more efficiently.
Susanna Pratt — Susanna Pratt, a committee staff member, introduced the cannabis market study update and then concluded the presentation by inviting questions from the committee.
William Lekele — William Lekele, the LCB director, is brought forward to testify and provide an update.
Mark Webster — Mark Webster is introduced multiple times in quick succession as the agency’s Legislative Director/Director of Legislative Relations, accompanying the director during the update and present for the discussion.
David Kuhn — David Kuhn is introduced as the manager of IT.
Will Luekella — Identified himself as the agency director for the Liquor and Cannabis Board and said the agency would update the committee on acquiring a cannabis traceability system.
David Coon — David Coon is introduced as the Information Technology Product and Portfolio Manager accompanying the agency director, then takes the floor to explain that he participated in the JLARC study and to describe improvements and limitations in CCRS.
LCB director / speaker (unnamed in this excerpt) — Explains the goal of having relative assurance about the actual crop being produced and points to page 7 of the decision package on serialization and traceability.
April Berg — Representative April Berg asks for the top-line cost of the decision package and whether projected revenue from reduced leakage and improved tax collection is included. She then follows up to clarify whether the $9 million figure includes the tax system or only traceability, and the chair acknowledges her questions while noting time for one last question.
April Berg — Representative April Berg was identified as a co-proposer/co-submitter of a committee comment related to the agricultural crop protection products tax preference review.
Rebecca Connolly — Introduces herself as committee staff and begins the briefing.
Liz Thomas — Identified as committee staff presenting with Rebecca Connolly.
Eric — Rebecca asks listeners to contact her or Eric with suggestions or feedback for the page, naming Eric as a point of contact.
Geneva — Introduced as a presenter for the annual public records briefing report.
Geneva — Closed the presentation and offered to return next year with 2025 data.
Geneva — Explained that nonresponding school districts are included in the compliance dashboard using annual operating expenditures.
Geneva — Named as working with Ryan on guidance to simplify reporting on three metrics.
Ryan — Introduced as a presenter for the annual public records briefing report.
Ryan — Named as working with Geneva on guidance to simplify reporting on three metrics.
Stephanie Seto — Introduced herself as committee staff and presenter of the proposed final report on OPDP.
Francisco Santa Marina — Identified as Stephanie Seto's colleague who presented the preliminary report in September.
Katie Ruckel — Introduced herself as the state's chief privacy officer and director of the Office of Privacy and Data Protection.
Katie Ruckel — Thanked for joining the committee today.
Chipalo Street — The transcript says 'Thanks, Chiplett,' likely referring to Chair Chipalo Street.
Pete Van Morsell — Introduces himself as JLARC staff and begins the presentation on the proposed final report.
Aline Mezzanah — Named as a JLARC colleague assisting with the presentation.
Jeff Cunningham — Named as a JLARC colleague assisting with the presentation.
Eric Whitaker — Named as a JLARC colleague assisting with the presentation.
Jeff — Someone addressed as Jeff asks for the speaker to move closer; likely a staff member or committee participant.
Mark Schoesler — The transcript appears to contain a questionable reference to 'Senator Gaynor'; likely a mis-transcription, but no confident correction can be made from context.
Kristine Reeves — Cited as a co-submitter of the comment, though not seen online.
Bob Hasegawa — Called during roll call.
Liz Lovelett — Called during roll call.
Stephanie McClintock — Called during roll call.
Stephanie McClintock — Questioner identified as 'Senators Bernard'; likely intended to be Representative Stephanie Barnard.
Ed Orcutt — Marked here during roll call.
Ed Orcutt — Ed Orcutt is referenced and then speaks on the handling of Initiative 900 in the meeting process. He argues that I-900 should remain visible because it was created by a vote of the people, and he asks whether the opening statement about Initiative 900 would still be read during meetings, indicating concern about preserving public awareness of the initiative.
Shelly Short — Called during roll call.
Shelly Short — Provides the second to the motion.
Shelly Short — Senator Short is called on and then recognized to ask a follow-up question about why the department had been on time through 2015 but later fell behind, specifically asking what changed before COVID and how the timing of inspections was affected by the public health emergency.
Shelly Short — Senator Short questioned whether the $100,000 reporting threshold was statutory and followed up by asking why the reported numbers seemed low, specifically whether the presence of many small school districts in his area could be affecting the results compared with larger districts.
Shelly Short — Identified as the next questioner.
Keith Wagoner — Marked present during roll call.
Keith Wagoner — Keith Wagoner is referenced as one of the legislators expected to introduce legislation to remove the biennial report from statute, then he moves to suspend the lodging tax expenditure report, specifically moving to approve suspension of the 2026 lodging tax expenditure report.
Stephanie Barnard — Called during roll call.
Stephanie Barnard — Asked whether the lodging tax reporting has a sunset or deadline.