Mar 13, 2025  -  Uncategorized | Events | Projects | Business

SOUTH SOUND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LEGISLATIVE COALITION 2025 WEEKLY BILL REPORT (PRE HOUSE OF ORIGIN CUT OFF) – March 7, 2025

 

We are halfway through the session and five days away from the deadline for bills to be out of the House of Origin in order to be considered alive.  They have churned through most of the non-controversial bills (with a few controversial ones sprinkled in) and are now going to spend a lot of time in caucus being strategic about what moves next.

 

Today we expect the Senate to vote on SB 5041 – UI for striking workers.  Since they didn’t have the votes for the underlying bill (yay team!), an amendment is being offered to cap the benefit at 12 weeks and sunset the whole law after 10 years.  We are going to see if we can get an amendment to cap at 4 weeks but want the grassroots to remain opposed to the bill.

 

I have highlighted the bills that have passed the deadline already so you can review and determine if we need to take action as the SSCCLC.

Next Week’s Hearings (so far)

 

Finance (House) - HHR A and Virtual JLOB - 3/13 @ 1:30pm

• SSB 5431 - Public Hearing - Modifying tax and revenue laws in a manner that is not estimated to affect state or local tax collections. (Remote Testimony Available). (Monitoring)

 

Local Government (Senate) - SHR 3 and Virtual JACB - 3/13 @ 1:30pm

• HB 1054 - Public Hearing - Concerning county ferry maintenance and repair contracts. (Remote Testimony Available). (High) SIGN IN SUPPORT

• ESHB 1135 - Public Hearing - Ensuring that local government planning complies with the growth management act. (Remote Testimony Available). (Monitoring)PLEASE REVIEW

 

Health Care & Wellness (House) - HHR A and Virtual JLOB - 3/14 @ 8:00am

• SB 5084 - Public Hearing - Concerning health carrier reporting. (Remote Testimony Available). (Monitoring)

 

Labor & Workplace Standards (House) - HHR D and Virtual JLOB - 3/14 @ 10:30am

• SSB 5104 - Public Hearing - Protecting employees from coercion in the workplace based on immigration status. (Remote Testimony Available). (Concerns/Medium)

• SSB 5501 - Public Hearing - Concerning employer requirements for driving. (Remote Testimony Available). (Low)

 

Local Government (House) - HHR E and Virtual JLOB - 3/14 @ 10:30am

• ESSB 5184 - Public Hearing - Concerning minimum parking requirements. (Remote Testimony Available). (Oppose/High). PLEASE REVIEW – DO WE STILL OPPOSE?

 

 

 

Budget and Taxes

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

Property tax exemption

Increasing the personal property tax exemption.

H Rules R

Leavitt

Support

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 (SB 5167)

Operating budget

Making 2025-2027 fiscal biennium operating appropriations.

H Approps

Ormsby

 

Monitoring

Urban area tax preferences

Concerning targeted urban area tax preferences.

H Rules R

Barnard

 

Monitoring

Capital gains tax prepayment

Concerning the prepayment of capital gains taxes six months prior to the due date.

H Rules R

Orcutt

 

High

Sales tax sourcing impact

Authorizing funding tools to mitigate the impact of sales tax sourcing in certain cities that host industrial and warehousing industries.

H Rules R

Stearns

Support

High

2SHB 1614(SSB 5314)

Capital gains tax

Modifying the capital gains tax.

H Rules R

Thai

 

Monitoring

Airport projects/local REET

Concerning the addition of airport capital projects as an allowable use of local real estate excise tax revenues.

H Rules R

Dent

 

Monitoring

Public utility tax, counties

Authorizing counties to impose a public utility tax.

H Rules R

Wylie

Oppose

Medium

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.

H Passed 3rd

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

 

Monitoring

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

SB 5167 (HB 1198)

Operating budget

Making 2025-2027 fiscal biennium operating appropriations.

S Ways & Means

Robinson

 

Monitoring

SSB 5314(2SHB 1614)

Capital gains tax

Modifying the capital gains tax.

H Finance

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

Tax and revenue laws

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

H Finance

Schoesler

 

Monitoring

SSB 5768 (HB 1214)

Working families' tax credit

Expanding eligibility for the working families' tax credit to everyone age 18 and older.

S Rules 2

Saldana

 

Monitoring

Investment/LTSS accounts

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

S 2nd Reading

Braun

 

Medium

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 2

Robinson

Oppose

High

Childcare

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

HB 1582 (SSB 5655)

Child care centers/buildings

Concerning child care centers operated in existing buildings.

H Rules R

Caldier

 

Monitoring

Child care qualifications

Modifying child care provider qualifications.

H Passed 3rd

Dent

 

Monitoring

Child care licensing fees

Eliminating child care licensing fees.

S Ways & Means

Wilson

 

Medium

ESSB 5509(SHB 1212)

Child care center siting

Concerning the siting of child care centers.

S Passed 3rd

Alvarado

 

Medium

Energy and Climate Change

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

Energy labeling/residential

Concerning energy labeling of residential buildings.

H Rules R

Duerr

Oppose

Medium

2SHB 1303(SB 5380)

Environmental justice

Increasing environmental justice by improving government decisions.

H Rules R

Mena

Oppose

Medium

SHB 1543(SSB 5514)

Clean buildings standard

Increasing compliance pathways for the clean buildings performance standard.

S Environment, En

Doglio

 

Monitoring

SHB 1610 (SB 5582)

Critical energy infra./PRA

Concerning the disclosure of critical energy infrastructure information.

H 2nd Reading

Hunt

 

Monitoring

Energy standard/comply cost

Regarding the costs of compliance with the state energy performance standard.

H Passed 3rd

Dye

 

Monitoring

Transmission capacity

Increasing transmission capacity.

H 2nd Reading

Barnard

 

Monitoring

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.

H Rules R

Fitzgibbon

Concerns

Medium

SSB 5359 (HB 1328)

Clean energy development

Accelerating the development of clean energy and transmission.

S Ways & Means

Shewmake

 

Monitoring

Environmental crimes

Concerning environmental crimes.

H Env & Energy

Trudeau

 

Medium

SSB 5514(SHB 1543)

Clean buildings standard

Increasing compliance pathways for the clean buildings performance standard.

S 2nd Reading

Shewmake

 

Monitoring

Health Care

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

Health technology assessment

Concerning the health technology assessment program.

H Rules R

Walen

 

Monitoring

SHB 1123(2SSB 5083)

Health carrier reimbursement

Ensuring access to primary care, behavioral health, and affordable hospital services.

H Rules R

Macri

 

Monitoring

HB 1379 (SB 5084)

Health carrier reporting

Concerning health carrier reporting.

H Rules R

Lekanoff

 

Monitoring

SHB 1392 (SB 5372)

Medicaid access program

Creating the medicaid access program.

H 2nd Reading

Macri

Oppose

Medium

2SHB 1589(SB 5588)

Health carriers & providers

Concerning the relationships between health carriers and contracting providers.

H 2nd Reading

Bronoske

 

Monitoring

2SSB 5083(SHB 1123)

Health carrier reimbursement

Ensuring access to primary care, behavioral health, and affordable hospital services.

S Rules 2

Robinson

 

Monitoring

SB 5084 (HB 1379)

Health carrier reporting

Concerning health carrier reporting.

H HC/Wellness

Robinson

 

Monitoring

SSB 5331 (HB 1199)

Insurance code violations

Strengthening consumer protection through increased insurer accountability for violations of the insurance code.

H ConsPro&Bus

Cortes

 

Monitoring

2SSB 5387(HB 1675)

Corp practice of health care

Concerning the corporate practice of medicine.

S Rules 2

Robinson

Oppose

High

Hospital price transparency

Concerning hospital price transparency.

S 2nd Reading

Riccelli

 

Monitoring

Housing Attainability

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

Rental income/property tax

Concerning rental income received by people eligible for certain property tax exemption programs.

H Rules R

Doglio

 

Monitoring

County REET admin. fees

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

H Rules R

Wylie

Oppose

Medium

Affordable housing financing

Expanding housing supply by supporting the ability of public housing authorities to finance affordable housing developments.

S Housing

Walen

 

Monitoring

Solicited real estate

Establishing consumer protections for owners of solicited real estate.

S Business, Fin S

Donaghy

 

Monitoring

Lot splitting

Increasing housing options through lot splitting.

H Passed 3rd

Barkis

Support

High

SHB 1098 (SB 5544)

County local roads

Concerning county local roads.

H Rules R

Low

 

Monitoring

Housing cost task force

Creating a task force on housing cost driver analysis.

H 2nd Reading

Klicker

Support

High

Local government planning

Ensuring that local government planning complies with the growth management act.

S Loc Gov

Duerr

 

Monitoring

2SHB 1195 (SB 5497)

Housing & shelters

Concerning compliance with siting, development permit processes and standards, and requirements for permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, indoor emergency housing, or indoor emergency shelters.

H 2nd Reading

Peterson

 

Medium

2SHB 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 2nd Reading

Alvarado

Oppose

High

Detached ADU limits

Establishing limitations on detached accessory dwelling units outside of urban growth areas.

H 2nd Reading

Low

Concerns

High

ADU self-certification

Establishing a self-certification program for accessory dwelling unit project permit applications.

S Housing

Ramel

 

Monitoring

Public property regulations

Allowing objectively reasonable regulation of the utilization of public property.

H Rules R

Gregerson

Oppose

High

Condominium construction

Simplifying condominium construction statutes.

H 2nd Reading

Taylor

 

Medium

Transit-oriented housing dev

Promoting transit-oriented housing development.

S Housing

Reed

 

Monitoring

Multiple-unit dwellings/tax

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

S Ways & Means

Ramel

 

Medium

Historic landmarks/cities

Concerning the designation of historic landmarks by cities.

H Rules R

Walen

 

Monitoring

Covenant homeownership prg.

Modifying the covenant homeownership program.

H Passed 3rd

Taylor

 

Monitoring

Comprehensive plan updates

Concerning the timing of updates for comprehensive plans and development regulations.

H 2nd Reading

Volz

 

Monitoring

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.

H 2nd Reading

Scott

 

Monitoring

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.

H Rules R

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 Civil R & Judi

Hasegawa

 

Medium

2SSB 5148 (HB 1235)

GMA housing element

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

S 2nd Reading

Bateman

 

Monitoring

ESSB 5184(HB 1299)

Minimum parking requirements

Concerning minimum parking requirements.

H Local Govt

Bateman

Oppose

High

Local government planning

Ensuring that local government planning complies with the growth management act.

S Rules 2

Salomon

 

Monitoring

ESSB 5232(SHB 1263)

Essential needs program uses

Updating eligible uses for the essential needs and housing support program.

H EL & Human Svc

Wilson

 

Monitoring

Intensive rural dev. areas

Concerning residential development in limited areas of more intensive rural development.

S Rules 2

Lovelett

 

Monitoring

Rental housing market

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

S Rules 2

Salomon

 

Monitoring

Detached ADUs

Establishing limitations on detached accessory dwelling units outside urban growth areas.

S 2nd Reading

Goehner

 

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 Housing

Goehner

 

High

2SSB 5496 (HB 1732)

Home buying by entities

Preserving homeownership options by limiting excessive home buying by certain entities.

S 2nd Reading

Alvarado

 

Medium

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.

S 2nd Reading

Gildon

Support

High

Kit homes/building codes

Concerning the creation of building codes for kit homes.

H Local Govt

Wilson

 

Monitoring

Growth management plans

Concerning growth management comprehensive plans.

H Local Govt

Goehner

 

Monitoring

UGA subdivision process

Streamlining the subdivision process inside urban growth areas.

H Local Govt

Lovelett

 

Monitoring

SSB 5576 (HB 1763)

Affordable housing funding

Providing state funding for essential affordable housing programs.

S Rules 2

Lovelett

 

Monitoring

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.

S 2nd Reading

Cleveland

 

Medium

Land use permitting workload

Streamlining and clarifying local governments' land use permitting workloads.

S Rules 2

Salomon

 

Monitoring

Residential development

Concerning the development of clear and objective standards, conditions, and procedures for residential development.

S 2nd Reading

Salomon

 

Monitoring

Impact fees

Concerning impact fees.

S 2nd Reading

Salomon

 

Monitoring

Affordable housing/REET

Providing a real estate excise tax exemption for the sale of qualified affordable housing.

S Rules 2

Alvarado

 

Monitoring

Housing shortage/local share

Eliminating each local government's proportional share of Washington's housing shortage.

S 2nd Reading

Goehner

 

Monitoring

Housing permitting

Encouraging construction of affordable housing by streamlining the permitting process.

S Passed 3rd

Gildon

Support

High

Housing opportunity zones

Concerning housing development opportunity zones.

S 2nd Reading

Wilson

 

High

SSB 5770 (HB 2024)

Primary residence/tax

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

S Rules 2

Robinson

 

Monitoring

SSB 5771 (HB 2025)

WFTC increase/tenants

Increasing the working families' tax credit to reflect the economic impact of property taxes incorporated into rental amounts charged to residential tenants.

S Rules 2

Robinson

 

Monitoring

Public Safety

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

Pretrial release

Concerning pretrial release.

H 2nd Reading

Davis

Support

High

2SHB 1399(SB 5364)

Sheriffs, chiefs, etc.

Modernizing, harmonizing, and clarifying laws concerning sheriffs, chiefs, marshals, and police matrons.

H 2nd Reading

Goodman

 

Medium

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.

H 2nd Reading

Entenman

Support

High

2SSB 5060(HB 1435)

Law enforcement personnel

Creating a law enforcement hiring grant program.

S 2nd Reading

Holy

Support

High

Criminal justice trainings

Concerning training provided by the criminal justice training commission.

H Community Safet

Orwall

 

Monitoring

Public safety/local tax

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

S Rules 2

Slatter

Support

High

Supporting Small Business

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

PTSD/coroners & examiners

Recognizing posttraumatic stress disorder as an occupational disease for county coroners, examiners, and investigative personnel.

H 2nd Reading

Abbarno

Oppose

Medium

Work restrictions/age 16, 17

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

H 2nd Reading

McClintock

Support

Medium

SHB 1155(SB 5437)

Noncompetition agreements

Prohibiting noncompetition agreements and clarifying nonsolicitation agreements.

H 2nd Reading

Berry

Concerns

Medium

Maritime careers task force

Directing the statewide career and technical education task force to consider educational opportunities for careers in maritime professions.

S EL/K-12

Shavers

 

Monitoring

AI content notices

Informing users when content is developed or modified by artificial intelligence.

H Rules R

Shavers

 

Monitoring

2SHB 1213(SB 5539)

Paid family & medical leave

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

H Rules R

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 Labor & Comm

Scott

Oppose

Medium

SHB 1308(SB 5345)

Access to personnel records

Concerning access to personnel records.

H 2nd Reading

Reed

Oppose

High

Mass layoffs

Addressing mass layoffs, relocations, and terminations.

H Rules R

Scott

Concerns

Monitoring

Transp. network companies

Concerning transportation network companies.

H 2nd Reading

Obras

 

Medium

Job posting/driver's license

Concerning job postings requiring driver's licenses.

H 2nd Reading

Scott

 

Monitoring

ESHB 1483(SB 5423)

Digital electronics/repair

Supporting the servicing and right to repair of certain products with digital electronics in a secure and reliable manner.

S Environment, En

Gregerson

 

Monitoring

Isolated employees

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

S Labor & Comm

Obras

Concerns

Medium

SHB 1644(SB 5756)

Working minors

Concerning the safety and health of working minors. Imposes significant restrictions and penalties on employers' ability to get minor work permits - particularly variances.

H 2nd Reading

Fosse

 

Monitoring

HB 1747 (SB 5549)

Job applicants and employees

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

H Rules R

Ortiz-Self

 

Medium

2SHB 1788(2SSB 5548)

Workers' compensation

Concerning workers' compensation benefits.

S Labor & Comm

Richards

Oppose

High

AI grant program

Creating an artificial intelligence grant program.

S Environment, En

Keaton

 

Monitoring

HB 1843 (SB 5540)

Students/unemployment ins.

Concerning students' eligibility to receive unemployment insurance benefits.

H Rules R

Entenman

 

Monitoring

Sick leave/immigration

Allowing the use of paid sick leave to prepare for or participate in certain immigration proceedings.

H Passed 3rd

Salahuddin

 

Monitoring

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.

S 2nd Reading

Riccelli

Oppose

High

Public works wages

Requiring certain wages in public works contracts to be at least the prevailing wage in effect when the work is performed.

S Rules 2

Conway

 

Monitoring

Worker leave/hate crimes

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

H Labor & Workpla

Valdez

Concerns

Medium

Immigration status coercion

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

H Labor & Workpla

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.

S 2nd Reading

Nobles

 

Medium

SSB 5291(HB 1415)

Long-term services trust

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

S 2nd Reading

Conway

 

Medium

Family & medical leave rates

Concerning paid family and medical leave rates.

S Passed 3rd

Conway

NEUTRAL AFTER AMENDMENT

Medium

Isolated employees

Concerning protections for isolated employees.

S Rules 2

Orwall

Concerns

Medium

SB 5381 (HB 1275)

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 Rules 2

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

SSB 5492(SHB 1437)

Tourism promotion

Concerning sustainable state tourism promotion.

H Tech, Econ Dev 

Riccelli

 

Monitoring

Employee driving requirement

Concerning employer requirements for driving.

H Labor & Workpla

Stanford

 

Low

Layoffs

Concerning employment loss due to businesses closing or mass layoffs.

H Labor & Workpla

Cleveland

 

Medium

SB 5540 (HB 1843)

Students/unemployment ins.

Concerning students' eligibility to receive unemployment insurance benefits.

S Rules 2

Hasegawa

 

Low

2SSB 5548(2SHB 1788)

Workers' compensation

Concerning workers' compensation benefits.

S 2nd Reading

Shewmake

Concerns

High

SSB 5600(HB 1951)

TNCs/large-scale events

Concerning regulation of transportation network companies during large-scale events.

S Rules 2

Alvarado

 

Monitoring

SB 5649 (HB 1860)

Supply chain competitiveness

Creating a Washington state supply chain competitiveness infrastructure program.

S Rules 2

Liias

 

Monitoring

Transportation

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

Commute trip reduction

Extending the commute trip reduction tax credit.

H Rules R

Wylie

 

Monitoring

County ferry contracts

Concerning county ferry maintenance and repair contracts.

S Loc Gov

Leavitt

 

High

HB 1227 (SB 5161)

Transportation budget

Making transportation appropriations for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium.

H Transportation

Fey

 

High

Ferry system salaries

Concerning the salaries of ferry system collective bargaining units.

S Transportation

Fey

 

Medium

Clean fuels program

Concerning the clean fuels program.

H Rules R

Fitzgibbon

 

Medium

PTBA governing body members

Adding two voting members that are transit users to the governing body of public transportation benefit areas.

S Transportation

Timmons

 

Monitoring

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. improvement board

Modifying transportation improvement board provisions.

H 2nd Reading

Low

 

Monitoring

SHB 1837 (SB 5667)

Intercity passenger rail

Establishing intercity passenger rail improvement priorities.

H Rules R

Reed

 

Monitoring

Transp. project permitting

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

H Rules R

Richards

Support

Medium

Passenger-only ferries

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

H 2nd Reading

Nance

Support

High

SB 5161 (HB 1227)

Transportation budget

Making transportation appropriations for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium.

S Transportation

Liias

 

High

Transportation/tribal rep.

Including tribal representation in certain transportation activities.

S Rules 2

Kauffman

 

Monitoring

SSB 5466(SHB 1673)

Electric transmission system

Improving reliability and capacity of the electric transmission system in Washington state.

S 2nd Reading

Shewmake

 

Monitoring

Transp. electrification

Concerning the installation of transportation electrification infrastructure.

H Labor & Workpla

Liias

 

Monitoring

SB 5581 (HB 1992)

Safe system approach strat.

Implementing safe system approach strategies for active transportation infrastructure.

S Rules 2

Shewmake

 

Monitoring

SSB 5601 (HB 1844)

Alternative jet fuels

Advancing the production and use of alternative jet fuels in Washington.

S Ways & Means

Liias

 

Monitoring

Toll rate setting process

Streamlining the toll rate setting process at the transportation commission.

S 2nd Reading

Ramos

 

Medium

Transportation procurement

Concerning alternative procurement and delivery models for transportation projects.

S Rules 2

Liias

 

High

Workforce Education

 

Bill #

Abbrev. Title

Short Description

Status

Sponsor

Position

Priority

Dual credit program access

Improving student access to dual credit programs.

H 2nd Reading

Paul

Support

Medium

Postsecondary ed protections

Providing postsecondary education consumer protections.

H 2nd Reading

Pollet

 

Monitoring

Financial education

Making financial education instruction a graduation requirement in public schools.

S EL/K-12

Rude

Support

Medium

Public school survey info.

Gathering survey information to improve the public school system.

H 2nd Reading

McClintock

 

Monitoring

School operating costs

Concerning school operating costs.

H Rules R

Berg

Support

Medium

Special education funding

Providing special education funding and support for inclusionary practices.

H Rules R

Stonier

Support

High

Commencement/cultural exp.

Providing public school students with opportunities for cultural expression at commencement ceremonies.

S EL/K-12

McEntire

 

Monitoring

CTE careers work group

Improving access to career opportunities for students.

H Rules R

Connors

 

High

HB 1556 (SB 5542)

HS completers/CTC tuition

Expanding tuition waivers for high school completers at community and technical colleges.

S Higher Ed & Wor

Entenman

 

Monitoring

Higher ed. accreditation

Modifying higher education accreditation standards.

H Rules R

Pollet

 

Monitoring

Partner promise scholarships

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

H 2nd Reading

Bergquist

Support

High

Secondary career education

Reviewing state restrictions affecting students participating in secondary career and technical education programs and other state-approved career pathways.

H 2nd Reading

Connors

 

Monitoring

HB 1796(2SSB 5095)

School construction debt

Concerning school districts' authority to contract indebtedness for school construction.

H Rules R

Callan

 

Monitoring

2SSB 5095(HB 1796)

School construction debt

Concerning school districts' authority to contract indebtedness for school construction.

S Rules 2

Dhingra

 

Monitoring

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.

S Passed 3rd

Cortes

Support

High

Special education funding

Concerning special education funding.

S 2nd Reading

Pedersen

Support

High

2SSB 5358(HB 1280)

Career & tech. ed./6th grade

Concerning career and technical education in sixth grade.

S Passed 3rd

Braun

Support

Medium

SB 5542 (HB 1556)

HS completers/CTC tuition

Expanding tuition waivers for high school completers at community and technical colleges.

S Passed 3rd

Boehnke

 

Monitoring

CTC online course offerings

Establishing a virtual campus for all Washingtonians.

H Postsec Ed & Wk

Slatter

 

Monitoring

SB 5682 (HB 1883)

Employment training program

Concerning the Washington customized employment training program.

S 2nd Reading

Warnick

 

Monitoring

Student enrollment

Calculating student enrollment for local effort assistance.

S Rules 2

Hansen

 

Monitoring

 

Bill Status & Upcoming Events Report
March 7, 2025
Page 1 of 2

On behalf of our chambers in South King and Pierce County, we are urging the Legislature to pass housing policies that protect tenants, prevent predatory economic evictions, while still creating the essential incentives necessary to build a million new housing units in the next two decades.  

We also urge the Legislature to avoid hard and fast rent caps and instead adopt policies to target predatory increases, while considering market factors for increasing rents.  This is essential because the current framework in HB 1217/SB 5222 will have the unintended consequence of stifling the housing development we all want to build.  

The current market is one of the most difficult financing markets in history.  It is standard for developers to borrow up to 70% at the outset of a project to build housing. Housing experts, developers, the underwriters, and lenders from all across our state – and particularly in the South Sound region - all agree that rent caps will upend the current precarious balance and prohibit the building of new housing. This is a result of the uncertainty that any gains from a housing project will keep up with expenses including inflation, taxes, interest rates, and building costs. Rent stabilization does not account for these market-based costs at all. 

The solution we seek does not mean accepting economic evictions and predatory rent increases; in fact, it is the opposite. The Legislature can and must pursue a solution to the housing crisis while also helping tenants. Such solutions could include replacing the current rent cap with aframework targeting predatory rent increases and allowing housing providers to justify the increases based on market factors in court. If housing providers know that they will have to justify rent increases based on market factors or else face penalties, good faith housing providers who are operating in a difficult market will be helped. The target will be on the bad actors who try to squeeze tenants out of money and home. 

We have time to get this right and we MUST get this right. We can build housing AND protect against predatory rent increases. Doing so will stabilize the market because addressing the supply will create more competition among providers and drive down rents, thus protecting tenants against predatory, out of control rent increases.

The State of Washington faces a historic budget deficit and has no funds to build housing. We ask the State to continue to work with those who do build housing to provide the supply we desperately need. Passing polices THIS YEAR that increase housing supply, remove rent caps and protect tenants from predatory rent increases will help us out of the housing crisis and help our State flourish for years to come.

 

Fiscal impact on GFS/NGFO - 250k+ in a biennium Updated 3/6 1:30pm
Association of Washington Business cash receipts expenditures
Bill # Abbrev. Title Short Description Sponsor 2025-27 2027-29 2025-27 2027-29
SHB 1037 PFD formation Concerning public facilities district formation. Dent 0 0 446,400 427,300
SHB 1043 Commute trip reduction Extending the commute trip reduction tax credit. Wylie -5,451,000 -6,031,000 0 0
SHB 1066 Regulated substance use data
Creating a data dashboard to track use of regulated substances.
 Reeves 0 0 304,689 211,600
2SHB 1096 Lot splitting Increasing housing options through lot splitting. Barkis 0 0 1,875,190 47,285
SHB 1110 DUI conviction vacation Vacating convictions for driving under the influence. Ortiz-Self 0 0 587,588 260,670
SHB 1119 Supervision compliance Concerning supervision compliance credit.  Goodman 0 0 -497,000 -994,000
SHB 1125 Sentence modification
Providing judicial discretion to modify sentences in the interest of justice.
 Simmons 0 0 2,240,000 3,750,000
SHB 1127 Unclaimed property
Modifying provisions of the revised uniform unclaimed property act.
 Walen 4,558,000 6,166,000 0 0
SHB 1144 Superior court judge/Skagit
Adding an additional superior court judge in Skagit county.
 Lekanoff 0 0 485,185 494,184
SHB 1150 Solid waste management Improving Washington's solid waste management outcomes. Berry 2,310,000 3,320,000 87,470 323,693
2SHB 1154 Solid waste handling
Ensuring environmental and public health protection from solid waste handling facility operations.
 Duerr 0 0 0 340,664
SHB 1162 Health care work violence Concerning workplace violence in health care settings. Leavitt 0 0 552,000 540,000
SHB 1163 Firearm purchase
Enhancing requirements relating to the purchase, transfer, and possession of firearms.
 Berry 0 0 13,718,536 0
SHB 1170 AI content notices
Informing users when content is developed or modified by artificial intelligence.
 Shavers 0 0 1,246,000 757,000
SHB 1180 Sex offender failure to reg.
Implementing certain recommendations from the sex offender policy board concerning the criminal offense of failure to register.
 Farivar 0 0 -282,000 -1,203,000
SHB 1183 Building codes
Concerning building code and development regulation reform.
 Duerr indeterminate indeterminate 342,812 112,812
2SHB 1195 Housing & shelters
Concerning compliance with siting, development permit processes and standards, and requirements for permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, indoor emergency housing, or indoor emergency shelters.
 Peterson 0 0 1,637,264 1,277,482
2SHB 1217 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.
 Alvarado 0 0 1,089,366 140,207
SHB 1218 Competency eval. & restor.
Concerning persons referred for competency evaluation and restoration services.
 Farivar 0 0 1,043,000 1,164,000
2SHB 1232 Private detention facilities Concerning private detention facilities. Ortiz-Self 0 0 542,000 1,294,000
SHB 1248 Juvenile justice programs
Improving the effectiveness of juvenile justice programs by providing ongoing evaluations and clarifying juvenile diversion practices.
 Couture 0 0 470,758 436,206
SHB 1272 Children in crisis program
Extending the program to address complex cases of children in crisis.
 Callan 0 0 6,497,000 0
SHB 1273 Dual credit program access Improving student access to dual credit programs. Paul 0 0 2,127,200 1,426,200
SHB 1274 Juvenile convictions/score
Concerning retroactively applying the requirement to exclude certain juvenile convictions from an offender score regardless of the date of the offense.
 Stearns 0 0 7,236,500 3,880,000
SHB 1285 Financial education
Making financial education instruction a graduation requirement in public schools.
 Rude 0 0 475,000 107,000
SHB 1303 Environmental justice
Increasing environmental justice by improving government decisions.
 Mena 0 0 20,825,348 20,992,248
SHB 1308 Access to personnel records Concerning access to personnel records. Reed 0 0 1,819,706 1,797,706
HB 1309 Burrowing shrimp
Addressing the impacts of burrowing shrimp on bottom culture shellfish farming through integrated pest management research.
 McEntire indeterminate indeterminate 262,022 206,622
SHB 1322 Juvenile offenses
Improving outcomes for individuals adjudicated of juvenile offenses by increasing opportunities for community placement options and refining procedural requirements.
 Goodman 0 0 1,557,000 1,442,000
HB 1338 School operating costs Concerning school operating costs. Berg 0 0 700,184,000 813,060,000
HB 1355 Tax compacts/capital invest.
Modifying retail taxes compacts between the state of Washington and federally recognized tribes located in Washington state by increasing the revenue-sharing percentages when a compacting tribe has completed a qualified capital investment.
 Berg 0 -37,000,000 0 155,400
HB 1357 Special education funding
Providing special education funding and support for inclusionary practices.
 Stonier 0 0 168,013,000 195,522,000
SHB 1359 Criminal insanity
Reviewing laws related to criminal insanity and competency to stand trial.
 Thai 0 0 595,000 0
HB 1384 Winery tax exemption
Providing tax exemption for the first 20,000 gallons of wine sold by a winery in Washington.
 Wylie -3,657,104 -3,657,104 0 0
SHB 1391 Court alternatives/youth
Improving developmentally appropriate alternatives for youth outside the formal court process.
 Cortes 0 0 669,000 548,000
HB 1392 Medicaid access program Creating the medicaid access program. Macri 0 0 35,991,000 0
SHB 1399 Sheriffs, chiefs, etc.
Modernizing, harmonizing, and clarifying laws concerning sheriffs, chiefs, marshals, and police matrons.
 Goodman 0 0 598,255 276,990
HB 1402 Job posting/driver's license Concerning job postings requiring driver's licenses. Scott 0 0 730,323 878,738
SHB 1406 Associate development orgs Concerning associate development organizations. Barnard
missing fiscal note
missing fiscal note
missing fiscal note
 missing fiscal note
SHB 1414 CTE careers work group Improving access to career opportunities for students. Connors 0 0 359,300 0
SHB 1427 Peer support specialists Concerning certified peer support specialists. Davis 0 0 2,355,000 2,438,000
SHB 1443 Mobile dwellings Concerning mobile dwellings. Gregerson 0 0 261,580 104,730
SHB 1448 Local elections
Increasing representation and voter participation in local elections.
 Gregerson indeterminate indeterminate 586,000 292,000
HB 1460 Protection order hope cards Concerning protection order hope cards. Griffey 0 0 407,800 395,800
HB 1474 PERS/TRS 1 benefit increase
Providing a benefit increase to certain retirees of the public employees' retirement system plan 1 and the teachers' retirement system plan 1.
 Gregerson 0 0 32,800,000 32,800,000
SHB 1489 Childhood ed./impl. dates
Adjusting implementation dates for programs related to early childhood education and child care.
 Ormsby 0 0 -265,397,000 -468,624,000
2SHB 1491 Transit-oriented housing dev Promoting transit-oriented housing development. Reed 0 0 1,366,476 602,516
SHB 1497 Waste material management
Improving outcomes associated with waste material management systems.
 Doglio 0 0 583,912 651,446
HB 1509 Family reconciliation Concerning family reconciliation services. Taylor 0 0 15,012,000 15,012,000
SHB 1563 Prescribed fire claims
Establishing a prescribed fire claims fund pilot program.
 Bernbaum 0 0 878,800 742,400
SHB 1583 Traditional health/medicaid
Concerning medicaid coverage for traditional health care practices.
 Lekanoff 0 0 255,000 180,000
SHB 1607 Recycling & waste reduction Concerning recycling and waste reduction. Stonier 3,310,000 8,560,000 20,900 716,007
SHB 1614 Capital gains tax Modifying the capital gains tax. Thai indeterminate indeterminate 897,800 478,200
HB 1622 Collective bargaining/AI use
Allowing bargaining over matters related to the use of artificial intelligence.
 Parshley 0 0 2,487,154 2,487,154
SHB 1686 Health care entity registry Creating a health care entity registry. Bronoske 0 0 1,942,000 0
SHB 1710 Voting rights act compliance
Concerning compliance with the Washington voting rights act of 2018.
 Mena 0 0 6,528,000 6,894,000
SHB 1750 Voting rights act claims
Creating guidelines for voter suppression and vote dilution claims under the Washington voting rights act.
 Hill 0 0 1,879,000 942,000
HB 1769 Abandoned vehicle auctions
Concerning abandoned vehicles sold at auctions conducted by registered tow truck operators.
 Springer -1,379,000 -1,990,000 97,200 19,400
HB 1805 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.
 Tharinger 290,000 450,000 335,400 126,400
SHB 1819 Transmission capacity Increasing transmission capacity. Barnard 0 0 270,993 0
SHB 1834 Online services/minors Protecting Washington children online. Callan 0 0 470,000 428,000
HB 1841 Art purchase program Establishing the own your own art purchase program. Wylie 0 0 450,000 450,000
HB 1913 Public utility tax credit
Repealing the public utility tax credit for home energy assistance.
 Berg 3,500,000 5,000,000 96,900 0
HB 1923 Passenger-only ferries
Increasing the availability of passenger-only ferries by establishing the mosquito fleet act.
 Nance indeterminate indeterminate 1,327,800 1,046,200
SHB 1960 Renewable energy
Encouraging renewable energy in Washington through tax policy and investment in local communities.
 Ramel -280,000 -2,070,000 1,447,000 355,100
HB 1969 Law enf. aviation support
Concerning the law enforcement aviation support grant program.
 Burnett indeterminate indeterminate 1,542,200 0
HB 1983 Timberland definition/REET
Amending the definition of timberland for purposes of determining the real estate excise tax for a governmental entity.
 Tharinger -240,000 -285,000 60,200 0
HB 1996 Behavioral health diversion
Authorizing a qualified county to impose a tax for the funding of behavioral health diversion from the criminal justice system.
 Farivar 2,430,000 4,500,000 0 0
5,390,896 -23,037,104 782,791,027 648,210,360
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