Summary: The committee approved the May minutes by roll call vote and then received brief updates from the Attorney General’s office and the Office of the State Actuary. The AG’s office said it would handle legal analysis related to the committee’s work, while the actuary reported that staff were at capacity this summer due to annual valuation work, experience studies, and other retirement system projects, but would have more capacity in the fall. Members also requested access to fiscal note and actuarial materials related to the LEOFF 1 study and related legislation. The main discussion focused on the LEOFF 1 study, including actuarial funding, a proposed merger/termination/restatement approach, and the possibility of a permanent COLA for Plan 1 members. Several members supported keeping COLA recommendations in the committee’s work, while others raised concerns about whether merging or restating plans could affect benefits, legal status, or IRS tax treatment. The actuary explained that the temporary pause in certain funding rates reflected prior overfunding buffers and assumptions about future investment returns, and said future base-rate funding could still be needed depending on experience. Members also discussed constituent correspondence, which staff said largely fell into four categories: the LEOFF 1 study, Plan 1 benefits and COLAs, fossil fuel divestment, and ESSB 5357. The committee agreed that divestment concerns are more appropriately directed to the State Investment Board, not this committee. In reviewing the draft interim work plan, members added or adjusted several topics for future meetings, including a July educational briefing on LEOFF 1 history and tax/IRS issues, a September discussion of COLAs, and a December placeholder for excess compensation/pension spiking, pending coordination with the LEOFF 2 Board. The committee then approved the July agenda and adjourned.

Summary: The meeting opened with attendance and technical setup, including bringing a remote member into the session. The chair also made brief remarks about public service in light of recent violence against public officials, and a member shared condolences related to a colleague’s death. The committee then approved the minutes and noted no employment disclosure forms were filed. The main business was an update on digitizing committee files. Staff reported that the archival scanning estimate had been reduced and that a DocuSign contract would be sent for the chair’s signature. Members also discussed whether the work could be completed before the end of the biennium and whether existing funds could be used or prepaid. The committee then reviewed a long list of remaining advisory opinions and, on motion, approved staff recommendations to retain some opinions and retire or partially retire others based on changes in law or usefulness of the opinions. Topics included special privileges, frequent flyer miles, state contracts involving legislators, tours sponsored by lobbying entities, conflicts of interest, confidentiality of drafting requests, election-year brochures, and recusal/firewall issues. After a separate discussion about an older election-related outreach opinion, members agreed they likely still intended to apply the same factors outside the election-year context and asked staff to revisit whether that opinion should be unretired or revised. The public portion of the meeting was then adjourned, with the committee preparing to move into executive session.

Summary: The Joint Committee on Water Supply During Drought opened its 2025 meeting by electing new leadership. After brief discussion of the committee’s membership and the usual practice of alternating leadership between chambers and parties, members unanimously elected Senator Ron Mazzal as chair and Representative Christine Reeves as vice chair. The outgoing chair, Representative Ybarra, continued presiding for the remainder of the meeting at Senator Mazzal’s request. The committee then heard a presentation from Sage Park of the Rosa Irrigation District on the severe 2025 water year. Park said Rosa is facing very low reservoir levels, declining water supply forecasts, and an earlier-than-planned end to the irrigation season. She described the district’s conservation and drought response measures, including canal shutdowns, pump-backs, leased water, on-farm fallowing and water pooling, emergency well permits, and long-term investments in piping, sealant, drip irrigation, and storage. Park also urged continued emergency drought funding, more efficient state lease funding processes, and support for water releases that benefit fish during drought conditions. Urban Eberhard then presented on the Kittitas Reclamation District and the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan. He described widespread on-farm conservation, reduced acre allocations, early shutoffs expected in late summer, and ongoing infrastructure work such as piping, lining, telemetry, and the Springwood reservoir project. He emphasized that these projects are intended to improve water delivery, support fish flows, and provide future storage, including possible hydroelectric generation as part of feasibility work. In response to a question, he said the districts are monitoring aquifer impacts from canal lining and are working on managed aquifer recharge to direct conserved water to beneficial groundwater areas. No additional votes or formal actions were taken after the leadership elections.

Summary: The committee began with introductions of members and staff, then approved the minutes from the previous meeting and approved a step increase for Code Advisor Kathy Buckley. Staff reported on publication sales and distribution, noting that 2024 paper and paid sales were down from prior years, while online access and reduced demand for printed copies continued to trend downward. Members discussed the continuing role of printed RCWs and session laws, with staff explaining that libraries and counties remain the main paper purchasers and that some specialized titles are still produced in print and electronic formats. The committee then reviewed a table of “multiple actions” affecting RCW sections from the 2025 session. Staff explained that 153 sections had multiple amendments or related actions, but most could be merged through editorial authority; about 10 sections would likely need future legislative cleanup. The committee approved the table, allowing staff to proceed with merging where possible. Financially, staff reported the office was on track to return about $542,000 to the state, though that amount may decrease slightly because of end-of-year purchases, including a shared printer for LSS. They also noted a slight budget reduction for the next fiscal year, but said staffing adjustments and existing coverage should prevent problems. The committee discussed upcoming rulemaking to align the office’s public records procedures with House and Senate practices, including designating a public records officer and updating language to reflect current legislative structure. Staff said the process would follow standard APA rulemaking and could take roughly six months. Members also heard about a prior “video auditor” incident at the office and the office’s response and training. Finally, staff provided a building update: the office is scheduled to move back into the renovated Pritchard building on September 14, 2026, with furniture selection underway. At the end of the meeting, staff shared session statistics, including 424 session law chapters, 1,305 House bills introduced, 1,082 Senate bills introduced, 238 House bills passed, and 193 Senate bills passed, and the committee adjourned.

Summary: At the June 4, 2025 JLARC I-900 Subcommittee hearing, the State Auditor’s Office presented a performance audit on Washington’s child support insurance intercept law. The audit reviewed the mandatory reporting system for insurance claims tied to past-due child support, noting that collections increased after the law took effect in 2022, but that some eligible claims still are not being reported. Auditors said DCS learns about roughly 1 in 10 claims through other channels, and that insurers may miss reporting because they are unaware of the law, make administrative errors, or misunderstand the $500 threshold and timing requirements. The audit recommended that the Office of the Insurance Commissioner help educate insurers by adding information to its website and sharing insurer contact contacts with DCS, and also recommended that the Legislature amend the law to create monitoring and enforcement authority. The auditor said neither DCS nor OIC currently has authority to monitor compliance or take action against noncompliant insurers, though other states use insurance regulators or market conduct exams for this purpose. Committee members asked about possible coordinated enforcement between DSHS and OIC, which the auditor said was beyond the scope of the audit but could be considered by the Legislature. An OIC representative said the commissioner is willing to help educate insurers, post information on the OIC website, and share contact information with DSHS, and that the agency is open to further discussion. No public testimony was offered, and no votes or formal committee actions were taken at the hearing.

Summary: The committee held a work session on tort liability and parole, with the chair explaining that the topics were linked because criminal justice reform and state liability often intersect, especially in cases involving child welfare and corrections. Staff first outlined Washington’s tort liability framework, including the state’s broad waiver of sovereign immunity, statutes governing mandatory reporting and investigation of abuse, the childhood sexual abuse statute of limitations, and the lack of caps on non-economic damages. Staff and presenters also compared Washington to other states and noted that Washington remains among the broadest states for state liability and childhood sexual abuse claims. Presenters from the Attorney General’s office, Washington State Association for Justice, DCYF, DSHS, and DOC discussed how tort exposure has grown, especially in claims involving DCYF, historical child abuse, juvenile rehabilitation, vulnerable adults, employment discrimination, medical negligence, and negligent supervision. DCYF and AG staff said claims and payouts are rising, with many claims tied to older abuse and new theories of liability, while defense counsel emphasized the human harm behind the claims and argued that tort cases have historically driven accountability and reform. Agency witnesses said they face large volumes of old claims with limited records, rising verdicts and settlements, and staffing and systems challenges, and they highlighted efforts such as early resolution programs, electronic health records, medication-assisted treatment, and improved incident review processes. The committee then shifted to parole. Sentencing experts reviewed Washington’s move from indeterminate sentencing to the current determinate sentencing system under the Sentencing Reform Act, and explained how parole could be integrated with sentencing guidelines through different models used in other states. They also summarized Criminal Sentencing Task Force recommendations related to a determinate-plus approach for three-strikes and persistent offender laws and a second-chance review process, noting there was no consensus on those ideas. Judges from the Minority and Justice Commission and the Superior Court Judges Association said a parole system could support rehabilitation and reduce disparities if it includes data collection, fairness, transparency, due process, and meaningful judicial review; they also pointed to research suggesting parole and structured reentry can reduce recidivism and costs, while warning that access and outcomes can vary by geography and other factors.

Summary: The Select Committee on Pension Policy executive committee met to approve the November minutes, which were adopted by voice vote. The committee then received an update from the Attorney General’s Office on two ongoing cases, Fowler and Joel Lynn, with briefing and oral argument timelines still pending. Michael Harbour of the Office of the State Actuary provided an actuarial update focused on ESSB 5357, explaining that the bill raised the assumed investment return from 7% to 7.25%, suspended UAL contribution rates for four years, and changed amortization for past benefit improvements; members asked for clarification on how those changes would affect long-term funding and contribution rates, especially for Plan 1 systems. A substantial portion of the meeting was devoted to committee discussion of interim priorities and the need for more analysis of recent pension legislation. Members emphasized the importance of understanding the fiscal impacts of ESSB 5357 and related pension changes before the September economic experience study, and several asked staff to provide a more preliminary walkthrough of the bill’s effects. The committee also discussed the LEOFF 1 study and broader questions about overfunding, including when a plan should be considered overfunded and whether overfunding should be addressed through merger or closure proposals. One member suggested reviewing the operating budget’s excess compensation proviso during the interim as well. Staff reviewed the draft 2025 interim work plan, proposing June topics including election of officers, a presentation on SB 5357 and its actuarial implications, and an initial LEOFF 1 study kickoff based on SB 5085 and HB 2034. The committee also placed excess compensation and demographic experience study items in a parking lot for possible later scheduling. The June agenda was adopted by roll call vote, with three ayes and three members absent or excused, and the meeting adjourned after no further business.

Summary: The committee met for its final session before submitting a report to the governor and legislature, with introductions from state officials, legislators, advocates, providers, and facilitators. Staff explained that the meeting would focus on finalizing the committee’s strategic priorities and recommendations for a five-year behavioral health plan centered on prevention, early intervention, and community-based services. Members reviewed the draft overarching priorities, including the need for a statewide behavioral health vision and an executive-level role to coordinate behavioral health across agencies, and discussed how those priorities should reflect people with lived experience, families, and community voice. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on the draft recommendations and how they should be organized and worded. Members raised concerns that the document was too aspirational and not specific enough, and several suggested moving more detailed actions under the broader priorities rather than leaving them in a separate section. There was also discussion about the use of the term “evidence-based,” with tribal representatives and others asking for language that also recognizes practice-based evidence, promising practices, cultural specificity, and flexibility in funding and implementation. Members also discussed clarifying “early intervention,” adding examples such as universal screening, outpatient access, primary care integration, and home visiting, and ensuring the plan reflects accountability and community feedback. Other edits included clarifying credentialing recommendations to distinguish between licensure and payer credentialing, adding mentorship as a workforce retention strategy, and broadening Medicaid-centric language to include carriers and insurers more generally. Staff noted the report would be revised and sent back out for review by May 22, with comments due by May 27, in order to meet the June 1 submission deadline. No public comment was offered, and the meeting ended with thanks to members and facilitators for their work.

Summary: The I-900 Subcommittee held a public hearing on the State Auditor’s performance audit, Community Engagement During Contaminated Site Cleanups. Auditors said Ecology directly conducts or supervises cleanup at only about 8% of active contaminated sites, while most sites are handled by third parties or have no cleanup plan yet. The audit found that Ecology generally met legal requirements at the sites it oversees, but community engagement varied, was not consistently tailored to local needs, and lacked a systematic “lessons learned” process. Auditors also found inconsistent coordination between Ecology and the Department of Health, and limited guidance for staff on when to collaborate. Tribal feedback was mixed: some tribes said engagement met their needs, while others wanted earlier and more tailored outreach. Committee members pressed the auditors on why many third-party-managed sites appeared to have little or no public involvement, and whether Ecology has broader authority to require public engagement and oversight. The auditors responded that their review focused on community engagement requirements, not the full cleanup permitting process, and said the gap they identified was the lack of required oversight for third-party engagement. Members also asked about tribal engagement, exposure scenarios, and the meaning of “active” and “planless” sites. Ecology officials said they agreed with many of the findings, were already taking steps to improve community research, lessons-learned reviews, tribal guidance, and coordination with Health, and had recently launched a public email notification system for site status changes. They also said some recommendations would require additional funding or staff resources. Public testimony supported stronger community engagement and more resources for Ecology. Washington Conservation Action said contaminated sites disproportionately affect communities of color and low-income communities, praised the audit for highlighting the need for better site-specific engagement, and urged full funding for MTCA-related work. The hearing ended with the chair inviting written comments and adjourning the meeting.

Summary: At the May 14, 2025 JLARC meeting, members approved the January 9 minutes and adopted the 2025–27 biennial work plan with a minor typo correction. Staff reviewed the new work plan studies, including a drug take-back program fee/expenditure review due in December 2025 and a state energy performance standard compliance review due in June 2027, and noted JLARC’s recent session activity, including several bills passed related to JLARC work and recommendations. The committee then heard a preliminary cannabis market study showing Washington businesses likely produced two to three times more cannabis than retailers sold in 2023. Staff and RAND said LCB’s data systems are incomplete and unreliable, limiting regulation, tax verification, and diversion tracking; they recommended that LCB submit a plan by year-end for collecting accurate data by the end of 2026. Members and LCB discussed the long timeline for a new traceability system, the causes of missing sales and weight data, overproduction, diversion, and the social equity program’s effect on producer licenses. JLARC also presented a preliminary hospital oversight report concluding that the Department of Health is late on many hospital inspections, does not verify third-party inspection standards, does not review adverse health event correction plans, and could make hospital data more accessible. The committee discussed fee funding, language access, and inspection timing, and DOH said it would work on a strategic plan and continue coordinating with JLARC. Members also heard a preliminary report on the public records survivor exemption, which found agencies are using it but need more guidance; JLARC recommended keeping the exemption and having the Attorney General provide additional training. Finally, the committee approved the DDA processes and staffing final report for distribution, which recommended performance metrics, stronger data quality controls, and workforce planning; DDA concurred. JLARC also introduced proposed study questions for a future DCYF juvenile rehabilitation review focused on safety, security, programs, staffing, education, and contraband, and the meeting adjourned after members asked about scope and facility conditions.

Summary: The Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences met on May 7, 2025, with quorum present. The commission approved the October 22, 2024 meeting minutes and then received its annual open government refresher from the Attorney General’s office, which reviewed key requirements under the Public Records Act and Open Public Meetings Act, including record retention, response deadlines, exemptions, and meeting notice rules. Staff then provided a 2025 legislative session update, noting that the legislature passed 23 tax-preference-related bills, with several signed by the governor and others pending. Highlights included bills that extended or repealed certain preferences, added reporting requirements for newspaper and digital content exemptions, authorized JLARC to adjust its work plan when data is unavailable, and created a new exemption for zero-emission buses. The commission approved updates to the 2026 tax preference review schedule, which includes eight preferences in seven reviews, and approved unchanged testimony questions for 2025. The commission also received the 2025 expedited preference review report covering 52 tax preferences, presented as an interactive table drawing on prior JLARC reviews and Department of Revenue studies. Staff then outlined the process for developing the next 10-year review schedule for 2027-2036, including surveying the legislature, incorporating new and repealed preferences, and considering a possible rolling 10-year schedule. No public comment was registered. The meeting ended with acknowledgments of Ron Buing’s long service on the commission and an announcement that the next meeting would be held August 6, 2025.

Summary: The committee approved the minutes as corrected and noted there were no employment disclosure forms. It then discussed a draft advisory opinion on legislative stickers, pens, business cards, and similar items. Members agreed the opinion should identify historically provided items as presumptively within normal legislative conduct, but add clearer language that such items still cannot be used in a campaign-related way or otherwise conflict with ethics rules on use of public resources. Staff said Legislative Support Services and administration would be the main points of review for questionable requests, and the draft would be revised for board review. The committee also reviewed a second advisory opinion request about legislative and caucus staff interacting with caucus social media posts. The discussion focused on whether staff may like or engage with posts about legislation or policy positions. Members generally agreed that liking or otherwise engaging with caucus posts could be viewed as support and could create ethics problems, especially because social media content remains online and could later be tied to legislation. The draft was to be revised to draw clearer lines for compliance. Members then discussed a long-running project to review and either retain or retire older advisory opinions, and agreed to continue and complete that review process. They also discussed the recently passed ethics bill and supported issuing an ethics alert summarizing major changes, including concerns about a House amendment affecting social media and website references during the election year activity period. Finally, the committee approved spending about $19,171 to digitize archived case files into searchable format, with members expressing support for moving away from paper records. After public business ended, the committee adjourned the public session and planned to reconvene in executive session.

Summary: The House considered several end-of-session measures. House Resolution 4662 was adopted to continue House operations during the interim, including standing committee work and the Chief Clerk’s Office. House Concurrent Resolution 4404 was also adopted to return bills that had not fully passed both chambers to the highest stage reached in their house of origin, and it was immediately transmitted to the Senate. Representative Fitzgibbon and Representative Corey spoke in support of both resolutions, and both passed by voice vote. The House then received messages from the Senate indicating action on Substitute Senate Bill 5195, Substitute Senate Bill 5161, House Concurrent Resolution 4404, and Senate Concurrent Resolution 8404. The Speaker signed several measures, including engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5161 and House Concurrent Resolution 4404, and later signed Senate Concurrent Resolution 8404, engrossed Senate Bill 5194, and engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5195. The House also suspended the rules to place Senate Concurrent Resolution 8404, which adjourns the legislature sine die, on the third reading calendar. Senate Concurrent Resolution 8404 was then adopted after brief remarks from Representatives Fitzgibbon and Corey, who urged support for adjournment sine die. The resolution was immediately transmitted to the Senate. After a brief recognition of staff and approval of the journal by consent, Representative Fitzgibbon moved that the 2025 regular session of the 69th Legislature adjourn sine die, and the motion was adopted by voice vote, ending the session.

Summary: The Senate received several messages from the House transmitting enrolled measures and actions on legislation, including Senate Bill 5161, Senate Bill 5194, Senate Bill 5195, Senate Concurrent Resolution 8404, and House Concurrent Resolution 4404. The President reported signing open session substitute Senate Bill 5194, substitute Senate Bill 5195, Senate Concurrent Resolution 8404, and House Concurrent Resolution 4404, and later the House reported the Speaker had signed Senate Bill 5194, Senate Bill 5195, and Senate Concurrent Resolution 8404. The chamber also approved the Senate Journal for the 105th day of the 2025 session and then, on motion, returned all measures on the floor calendar and those held at the desk to the Committee on Rules. No objections were raised to these procedural motions. At the close of the session, Senator Rochelle moved that the 2025 session of the 69th Legislature adjourn sine die. The motion was adopted without objection, and the Senate adjourned sine die.

Summary: House and Senate Democratic leaders held a post-sine-die press availability to describe a difficult 2025 session and the major budget and policy outcomes. They said the state faced a $16 billion operating shortfall and an $8 billion transportation gap, along with inflation, slowing revenue, federal uncertainty, and a new governor. Despite that, they said the chambers reached balanced operating and transportation budgets while trying to avoid harming vulnerable residents or overburdening working families. The leaders highlighted several priorities they said were advanced: increased school funding, including about $1.4 billion more for special education; housing measures such as rent stabilization, parking minimum reforms, lot-splitting, and middle-housing enforcement; and public safety funding, including a $100 million one-time law-enforcement appropriation requested by Governor Ferguson. They also discussed a community reinvestment approach and said local governments would have more flexibility to fund community safety. They acknowledged that balancing the budget required painful cuts and tradeoffs, including delays to child support pass-through payments and TANF benefits, reduced support for higher education and student aid, higher child-care copays and fewer child-care slots, closure of one prison and four reentry centers, and reductions in managed care payments. They also said the tax package included modest business tax increases, including a surcharge on some large businesses and sales tax changes for certain services, and that a wealth tax remained alive for future sessions even though it was not part of this year’s budget. Much of the discussion focused on the new governor’s role and whether there was tension over his review of the budget and bills. Leaders said communication with the governor and his staff had improved over the session, that they expected him to carefully review the legislation, and that they were not reading anything into his absence from the press conference. They repeatedly emphasized bipartisan and bicameral collaboration, and several speakers described the session as one of the most challenging they had experienced, citing the budget gap, federal uncertainty, and recent personal losses in the Legislature.