Providing oversight of state agency tortious conduct through legislative hearings.

SB 5144 requires legislative hearings when Washington state agencies pay $1 million or more in settlements or judgments for negligence (tortious conduct) causing harm to citizens. The hearings, to be held within 12 months of the payment, involve the Senate and House committees reviewing reports from the attorney general, risk management, and the agency about the incident and legal context. The goal is to examine how future harm could be prevented through policy changes, without disclosing privileged legal information. This bill directly affects state agencies that make large tort payments and the legislative committees conducting the oversight. It does not change liability laws but adds a review process for significant cases.