Apr 03, 2025  -  Uncategorized | Events | Projects | Business

SOUTH SOUND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LEGISLATIVE COALITION 2025 WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE – March 28, 2025

 

April 2nd is the next cut off date.  Bills will have to be out of the opposite house policy committee to continue to be “alive” for session.  April 8th is the next cut off date – where bills have to be out of their opposite house fiscal committee.  April 16th is the cut of for policy bills to have passed the opposite house. After than it is a countdown to the end of session on April 27th and the scurry for reconciliation of amendments and passage of the budget.

 

Both the House and Senate have moved their budgets out of committee and will be voting on the budgets on the respective floors in the next four or five days.  Then, as you can see, they will start the hearings on the tax proposals.  (Information on the budgets and tax proposals was sent to you all earlier this week).

 

On the transportation side, SSCCLC is joining up with our Puget Sound Gateway partners once again to make sure that the funding is right for completing the project without compromising future tolling revenue.

 

We also have joined in with other business groups to oppose repeal of tax preferences that would impact cargo.  In SB 5794 – a bill dealing with tax preferences.  Sections 101 and 701 of that bill would impose a new Public Utility tax of 1.926% on the shipment of interstate goods.  Sections 102 and 103 of the bill would eliminate the preferential B&O rate for stevedoring services that would increase taxes in this sector fivefold.

 

We have also been actively working with the business community to stop HB 1213 – expansion of the paid family and medical leave act, along with stopping a change to SB 5292 that would increase the amount of taxes allowed under the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act.  We also continue to work to stop SB 5041 – UI for Striking Workers.

 

HB 1217, the Rent Stabilization bill remains in Ways and Means at this point in time.

 

Upcoming Events

 

Transportation (Senate) - SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg - 3/31 @ 4:00pm

 HB 1537 - Public Hearing - Expanding access to funding from the multiuse roadway safety account for eligible cities and for the Washington state departments of natural resources and fish and wildlife for maintenance and guidance of motorized recreation on green dot roads. (Remote Testimony Available). (High)

 

Ways & Means (Senate) - SHR 4 and Virtual JACB - 3/31 @ 4:00pm

 SB 5797 - Public Hearing - Enacting a tax on stocks, bonds, and other financial intangible assets for the benefit of public schools. (Remote Testimony Available). (High)

 SB 5796 - Public Hearing - Enacting an excise tax on large employers on the amount of payroll expenses above the social security wage threshold to fund programs and services to benefit Washingtonians. (Remote Testimony Available). (High)

 SB 5798 - Public Hearing - Concerning property tax reform. (Remote Testimony Available). (High)

 SB 5794 - Public Hearing - Adopting recommendations from the tax preference performance review process, eliminating obsolete tax preferences, clarifying legislative intent, and addressing changes in constitutional law. (Remote Testimony Available). (High)

 SB 5795 - Public Hearing - Reducing the state sales and use tax rate. (Remote Testimony Available). (High)

Transportation (Senate) - SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg - 4/1 @ 4:00pm

 ESHB 1902 - Public Hearing - Convening a work group regarding the streamlining of permitting for transportation projects. (Remote Testimony Available). (Support/Medium)

Appropriations (House) - HHR A and Virtual JLOB - 4/2 @ 4:00pm

 SSB 5253 - Public Hearing - Extending special education services to students with disabilities until the end of the school year in which the student turns 22. (Remote Testimony Available). (Support/High)

 

Finance (House) - HHR A and Virtual JLOB - 4/3 @ 8:00am

 HB 2045 - Public Hearing - Investing in Washington families by restructuring the business and occupation tax on high grossing businesses and financial institutions. (Remote Testimony Available). (High)

 HB 2046 - Public Hearing - Creating fairness in Washington's tax by imposing a tax on select financial intangible assets. (Remote Testimony Available). (High)

 HB 2049 - Public Hearing - Investing in the state's paramount duty to fund K-12 education and build strong and safe communities. (Remote Testimony Available). (High)

 

Transportation (House) - HHR B and Virtual JLOB - 4/3 @ 1:30pm

 SSB 5773 - Public Hearing - Concerning alternative procurement and delivery models for transportation projects. (Remote Testimony Available). (High)

 

Ways & Means (Senate) - SHR 4 and Virtual JACB - 4/3 @ 1:30pm

 2SHB 1273 - Public Hearing - Improving student access to dual credit programs. (Remote Testimony Available). (Support/Medium)

 2SHB 1587 - Public Hearing - Encouraging local government partner promise scholarship programs within the opportunity scholarship program. (Remote Testimony Available). (Support/High)

 SHB 1392 - Public Hearing - Creating the medicaid access program. (Remote Testimony Available). (Oppose/Medium)

 2SHB 1788 - Exec Session - Concerning workers' compensation benefits. (Oppose/High)

 HB 1494 - Exec Session - Concerning the property tax exemptions for new and rehabilitated multiple-unit dwellings in urban centers. (Medium)

 SHB 1791 - Exec Session - Increasing the flexibility of existing funding sources to fund public safety and other facilities by modifying the local real estate excise tax. (High)

 

Finance (House) - HHR A and Virtual JLOB - 4/4 @ 8:00am

 SB 5315 - Public Hearing - Standardizing notification provisions relating to local tax rate changes and shared taxes administered by the department. (Remote Testimony Available). (Support/Medium)

 ESB 5529 - Exec Session - Amending the county population threshold for counties that may exempt from taxation the value of accessory dwelling units to incentivize rental to low-income households. (Support/High)

 

 

BILL STATUS

Budget and Taxes

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

County REET admin. fees

Concerning county fees for administration of the real estate excise tax.

H Rules R

Wylie

Oppose

High

HB 1126 (SB 5315)

Local tax rate changes

Standardizing notification provisions relating to local tax rate changes and shared taxes administered by the department.

S Loc Gov

Walen

Support

Medium

HB 1198 (SSB 5167)

Operating budget

Making 2025-2027 fiscal biennium operating appropriations.

H Exec Action

Ormsby

 

High

Wealth tax

Enacting a wealth tax on the ownership of stocks, bonds, and other financial intangible property.

H Finance

Street

Oppose

High

Property tax revenue growth

Modifying the annual regular property tax revenue growth limit.

H Finance

Pollet

 

High

Firearms tax

Imposing a new tax on firearms, firearm parts, and ammunition.

H Finance

Thai

 

High

Digital equity

Furthering digital equity and opportunity in Washington state.

S Environment, En

Gregerson

 

High

Local real estate excise tax

Increasing the flexibility of existing funding sources to fund public safety and other facilities by modifying the local real estate excise tax.

S Ways & Means

Paul

 

High

Children services/local tax

Creating a local sales and use tax to fund services for children and families that enhance well-being, promote mental health, and provide early interventions.

H Rules R

Tharinger

 

High

Advanced computing surcharge

Increasing the investments in our workforce by amending the advanced computing surcharge.

H Finance

Reed

 

High

Deed of trust assignment/fee

Eliminating the exemption for assignments or substitutions of previously recorded deeds of trust from the document recording fee and the covenant homeownership program assessment.

S Ways & Means

Scott

 

High

Affordable housing REET

Allowing counties or cities to impose a real estate excise tax for the purpose of developing affordable housing, subject to the will of the voters.

H Rules R

Ramel

 

High

HB 1907 (SB 5711)

Self-service storage/tax

Defining the rental or lease of individual storage space at self-service storage facilities as a retail transaction for the imposition of business and occupation and sales and use taxes.

H Finance

Peterson

 

High

HB 1914(ESSB 5390)

Discover pass, day-use cost

Concerning the discover pass and distributions. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Concerning access to recreation sites or lands.)

H Approps

Doglio

 

High

HB 1921 (SB 5726)

Transportation revenue

Establishing new sources of transportation revenue based on motor vehicle use of public roadways.

H Transportation

Fey

Concerns

High

Behavioral health diversion

Authorizing a qualified county to impose a tax for the funding of behavioral health diversion from the criminal justice system.

H Rules R

Farivar

 

High

Public safety funding

Improving public safety funding by providing resources to local governments and state and local criminal justice agencies, and authorizing a local option tax.

S Law & Justice

Entenman

Support

High

HB 2020 (SB 5777)

Payment card processing/tax

Creating a business and occupation tax deduction and increasing the rate for persons conducting payment card processing activities.

H Exec Action

Berg

 

Medium

HB 2024 (SSB 5770)

Primary residence/tax

Providing housing safety, security, and protection by creating the primary residence property tax exemption.

H Finance

Berg

Oppose

High

Business and occupation tax

Investing in Washington families by restructuring the business and occupation tax on high grossing businesses and financial institutions.

H Finance

Fitzgibbon

 

High

Intangible assets tax

Creating fairness in Washington's tax by imposing a tax on select financial intangible assets.

H Finance

Berg

 

High

K-12 education funding

Investing in the state's paramount duty to fund K-12 education and build strong and safe communities.

H Finance

Bergquist

 

High

HJR 4204 (SJR 8203)

Principal residence/tax

Amending the Constitution to allow for a property tax exemption for a principal place of residence.

H Finance

Berg

Oppose

High

SSB 5167 (HB 1198)

Operating budget

Making 2025-2027 fiscal biennium operating appropriations.

S 2nd Reading

Robinson

 

High

SSB 5314(2SHB 1614)

Capital gains tax

Modifying the capital gains tax.

H Approps

Stanford

 

High

SB 5315 (HB 1126)

Local tax rate changes

Standardizing notification provisions relating to local tax rate changes and shared taxes administered by the department.

H Finance

Gildon

Support

Medium

ESSB 5390(HB 1914)

Discover pass

Concerning the discover pass and distributions. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Concerning access to recreation sites or lands.)

H Approps

Stanford

 

High

SSB 5400 (HB 1836)

Local news journalism

Supporting local news journalism.

S Ways & Means

Liias

 

High

Tax and revenue laws

Modifying tax and revenue laws in a manner that is not estimated to affect state or local tax collections.

H Exec Action

Schoesler

 

Medium

SB 5711 (HB 1907)

Self-service storage/tax

Defining the rental or lease of individual storage space at self-service storage facilities as a retail transaction for the imposition of business and occupation and sales and use taxes.

S Ways & Means

Bateman

 

High

SB 5777 (HB 2020)

Payment card processing/tax

Creating a business and occupation tax deduction and increasing the rate for persons conducting payment card processing activities.

S Ways & Means

Robinson

Support

Medium

State employee compensation

Concerning temporary compensation reductions for state government employees during the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium.

S Ways & Means

Robinson

 

High

Tax preferences

Adopting recommendations from the tax preference performance review process, eliminating obsolete tax preferences, clarifying legislative intent, and addressing changes in constitutional law.

S Ways & Means

Salomon

 

High

Sales and use tax rate

Reducing the state sales and use tax rate.

S Ways & Means

Krishnadasan

 

High

Payroll expense tax

Enacting an excise tax on large employers on the amount of payroll expenses above the social security wage threshold to fund programs and services to benefit Washingtonians.

S Ways & Means

Saldana

 

High

Property tax

Concerning property tax reform.

S Ways & Means

Pedersen

 

High

SB 5799 (HB 2038)

Youth behavioral health acc.

Establishing the youth behavioral health account and funding the account through the imposition of a business and occupation additional tax on the operation of social media platforms.

S Ways & Means

Wilson

 

High

Investment/LTSS accounts

Amending the Constitution to allow the state to invest moneys from long-term services and supports accounts.

H Rules R

Braun

Support

High

SJR 8203 (HJR 4204)

Principal residence/tax

Amending the Constitution to allow for a property tax exemption for a principal place of residence.

S Rules X

Robinson

Oppose

High

Childcare

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

Child care qualifications

Modifying child care provider qualifications.

S Rules 2

Dent

 

Medium

ESSB 5509(SHB 1212)

Child care center siting

Concerning the siting of child care centers.

H Approps

Alvarado

 

Medium

Energy and Climate Change

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

Clean fuels program

Concerning the clean fuels program.

S Environment, En

Fitzgibbon

Oppose

Medium

Climate commitment act

Amending the climate commitment act by adjusting auction price containment mechanisms and ceiling prices, addressing the department of ecology's authority to amend rules to facilitate linkage with other jurisdictions, and providing for market dynamic analysis.

S Environment, En

Fitzgibbon

Support

Medium

Environmental crimes

Concerning environmental crimes.

H Env & Energy

Trudeau

Oppose

Medium

Health Care

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

SHB 1392 (SB 5372)

Medicaid access program

Creating the medicaid access program.

S Ways & Means

Macri

Oppose

Medium

Universal health care

Concerning Universal Health Care.

H Rules R

Hasegawa

Oppose

High

Housing Attainability

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

County REET admin. fees

Concerning county fees for administration of the real estate excise tax.

H Rules R

Wylie

Oppose

High

Lot splitting

Increasing housing options through lot splitting.

S Rules 2

Barkis

Support

High

Housing cost task force

Creating a task force on housing cost driver analysis.

S Rules 2

Klicker

Support

High

E2SHB 1217(SSB 5222)

Residential tenants

Improving housing stability for tenants subject to the residential landlord-tenant act and the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act by limiting rent and fee increases, requiring notice of rent and fee increases, limiting fees and deposits, establishing a landlord resource center and associated services, authorizing tenant lease termination, creating parity between lease types, and providing for attorney general enforcement.

H Passed 3rd

Alvarado

Oppose

High

Condominium construction

Simplifying condominium construction statutes.

S Rules 2

Taylor

 

High

Transit-oriented housing dev

Promoting transit-oriented housing development.

S Ways & Means

Reed

 

High

Multiple-unit dwellings/tax

Concerning the property tax exemptions for new and rehabilitated multiple-unit dwellings in urban centers.

S Ways & Means

Ramel

 

Medium

Deed of trust assignment/fee

Eliminating the exemption for assignments or substitutions of previously recorded deeds of trust from the document recording fee and the covenant homeownership program assessment.

S Ways & Means

Scott

 

High

Affordable housing REET

Allowing counties or cities to impose a real estate excise tax for the purpose of developing affordable housing, subject to the will of the voters.

H Rules R

Ramel

 

High

Project permit definition

Concerning the definition of project permit and project permit application.

S Rules 2

Duerr

Support

Medium

Eminent domain purchase back

Providing owners of real estate taken through eminent domain by school districts, or sold under threat of eminent domain, the opportunity to purchase the real estate back when it is not put to intended public use.

H Rules R

Hasegawa

 

Medium

E2SSB 5148(HB 1235)

GMA housing element

Ensuring compliance with the housing element requirements of the growth management act.

H Exec Action

Bateman

 

High

ESSB 5184(HB 1299)

Minimum parking requirements

Concerning minimum parking requirements.

H Rules R

Bateman

Oppose

High

Rental housing market

Prohibiting algorithmic rent fixing and noncompete agreements in the rental housing market.

H Approps

Salomon

 

High

ESB 5471 (HB 1840)

Middle housing

Authorizing middle housing in unincorporated growth areas and unincorporated urban growth areas, certain limited areas of more intensive rural development, and fully contained communities.

H Rules R

Goehner

 

High

ADU tax exemptions

Amending the county population threshold for counties that may exempt from taxation the value of accessory dwelling units to incentivize rental to low-income households.

H Finance

Gildon

Support

High

Kit homes/building codes

Concerning the creation of building codes for kit homes.

H Local Govt

Wilson

 

High

Affordable housing dev.

Concerning affordable housing development in counties not closing the gap between estimated existing housing units within the county and existing housing needs.

H Approps

Cleveland

 

Medium

Housing permitting

Encouraging construction of affordable housing by streamlining the permitting process.

H Local Govt

Gildon

Support

High

Housing opportunity zones

Concerning housing development opportunity zones.

H Local Govt

Wilson

 

High

Public Safety

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

Behavioral health diversion

Authorizing a qualified county to impose a tax for the funding of behavioral health diversion from the criminal justice system.

H Rules R

Farivar

 

High

Public safety funding

Improving public safety funding by providing resources to local governments and state and local criminal justice agencies, and authorizing a local option tax.

S Law & Justice

Entenman

Support

High

Public safety/local tax

Expanding local taxing authority to fund public safety and community protection focused programs and services.

H Finance

Slatter

Support

High

Supporting Small Business

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

Work restrictions/age 16, 17

Concerning restrictions on the working conditions and hours of sixteen- and seventeen-year olds.

S Labor & Comm

McClintock

Support

Medium

E2SHB 1213(SB 5539)

Paid family & medical leave

Expanding protections for workers in the state paid family and medical leave program.

S Labor & Comm

Berry

Oppose

High

HB 1275 (SB 5381)

Self-insurer withdrawal

Establishing department authority to ensure payment is received from the self-insured employer after a self-insured group or municipal employer has their self-insurer certification withdrawn.

S 2nd Reading

Scott

Oppose

Medium

SHB 1308 (SB 5345)

Access to personnel records

Concerning access to personnel records.

S Labor & Comm

Reed

Oppose

High

Transp. network companies

Concerning transportation network companies.

S Labor & Comm

Obras

 

Medium

Isolated employees

Concerning workplace standards and requirements applicable to employers of isolated employees.

S 2nd Reading

Obras

Concerns

Medium

EHB 1747 (SB 5549)

Job applicants and employees

Expanding protections for applicants and employees under the Washington fair chance act.

S Labor & Comm

Ortiz-Self

 

Medium

2SHB 1788(2SSB 5548)

Workers' compensation

Concerning workers' compensation benefits.

S Ways & Means

Richards

Oppose

High

ESSB 5023(HB 1561)

Domestic workers

Providing labor market protections for domestic workers.

H Labor & Workpla

Saldana

Concerns

Medium

Unemp ins/strikes & lockouts

Concerning unemployment insurance benefits for striking or lockout workers.

H Approps

Riccelli

Oppose

High

Worker leave/hate crimes

Expanding access to leave and safety accommodations to include workers who are victims of hate crimes or bias incidents.

H Rules R

Valdez

Concerns

Medium

Immigration status coercion

Protecting employees from coercion in the workplace based on immigration status.

H Approps

Hasegawa

Concerns

Medium

Pregnancy accommodations

Expanding pregnancy-related accommodations for all employers. Only impact for construction would be the provisions requiring payment for break or leave time if accommodations not made that can adapt in a way that works during work time. Changes this piece to a wage and hour issue.

H Approps

Nobles

 

Medium

ESSB 5291(HB 1415)

Long-term services trust

Implementing the recommendations of the long-term services and supports trust commission.

H Exec Action

Conway

 

Medium

Family & medical leave rates

Concerning paid family and medical leave rates.

H Rules R

Conway

Oppose

Medium

SSB 5408 (HB 1831)

Wage and salary disclosures

Allowing for corrections to wage and salary disclosures.

H Labor & Workpla

King

Support

Medium

Layoffs

Concerning employment loss due to businesses closing or mass layoffs.

H Labor & Workpla

Cleveland

 

Medium

Transportation

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

County ferry contracts

Concerning county ferry maintenance and repair contracts.

S 2nd RdConsCal

Leavitt

 

High

HB 1227 (SSB 5161)

Transportation budget

Making transportation appropriations for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium.

H Exec Action

Fey

 

High

Ferry system salaries

Concerning the salaries of ferry system collective bargaining units.

S Transportation

Fey

Support

High

Clean fuels program

Concerning the clean fuels program.

S Environment, En

Fitzgibbon

Oppose

Medium

Roadway safety account use

Expanding access to funding from the multiuse roadway safety account for eligible cities and for the Washington state departments of natural resources and fish and wildlife for maintenance and guidance of motorized recreation on green dot roads.

S Transportation

Barkis

 

High

Transp. project permitting

Convening a work group regarding the streamlining of permitting for transportation projects.

S Transportation

Richards

Support

Medium

HB 1921 (SB 5726)

Transportation revenue

Establishing new sources of transportation revenue based on motor vehicle use of public roadways.

H Transportation

Fey

Concerns

High

Passenger-only ferries

Increasing the availability of passenger-only ferries by establishing the mosquito fleet act.

S Transportation

Nance

Support

High

Transportation resources

Concerning transportation resources.

H Transportation

Fey

Concerns

High

SSB 5160 (HB 1226)

Transportation budget, supp.

Making supplemental transportation appropriations for the 2023-2025 fiscal biennium.

S Rules 2

Liias

 

High

SSB 5161 (HB 1227)

Transportation budget

Making transportation appropriations for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium.

S 2nd Reading

Liias

 

High

Toll rate setting process

Streamlining the toll rate setting process at the transportation commission.

H Transportation

Ramos

 

Medium

Transportation procurement

Concerning alternative procurement and delivery models for transportation projects.

H Transportation

Liias

 

High

Transportation resources

Concerning transportation resources.

S Transportation

Liias

 

High

 

Rebalancing statutory fund transfers and revenue dedications for transportation.

S Transportation

Liias

 

High

Workforce Education

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

Dual credit program access

Improving student access to dual credit programs.

S Ways & Means

Paul

Support

Medium

Financial education

Making financial education instruction a graduation requirement in public schools.

S EL/K-12

Rude

Support

Medium

CTE careers work group

Improving access to career opportunities for students.

S Rules 2

Connors

 

High

Partner promise scholarships

Encouraging local government partner promise scholarship programs within the opportunity scholarship program.

S Ways & Means

Bergquist

Support

High

SSB 5253(SHB 1257)

Special education services

Extending special education services to students with disabilities until the end of the school year in which the student turns 22.

H Approps

Cortes

Support

High

Special education funding

Concerning special education funding.

H Approps

Pedersen

Support

High

2SSB 5358(HB 1280)

Career & tech. ed./6th grade

Concerning career and technical education in sixth grade.

H Approps

Braun

Support

Medium

Higher education funding

Increasing state funding to expand access to higher education.

S Ways & Means

Hansen

 

High

Uncategorized Bills

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

Intangible assets tax

Enacting a tax on stocks, bonds, and other financial intangible assets for the benefit of public schools.

S Ways & Means

Frame

 

High

 

Bill Status & Upcoming Events Report
March 28, 2025
Page 1 of 2

Share
Tweet
Share