SB 5197 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

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

SB 5197 establishes a 45-day process for the state board to review whether counties or cities comply with Washington's Growth Management Act after missed deadlines. If noncompliant, local governments must fix their plans before being declared compliant. The board can either refer cases to the Department for technical assistance or recommend penalties to the Governor. This law streamlines enforcement by requiring timely hearings and clear compliance pathways.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 12, 2026 Last action Jan 12, 2026

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What changed between versions

Bill → Substitute Bill · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was renumbered from S-0424.1 to S-1345.1 and updated to reflect its status as a Substitute Bill. The scope of the act was narrowed by removing the amendment to RCW 36.70A.302, which previously allowed the state board to declare parts of local comprehensive plans invalid. The remaining text focuses on RCW 36.70A.330, clarifying that the board cannot issue a compliance finding unless the local government has already amended the non-compliant portions of their plan.

Scope change

The bill's scope was reduced by removing provisions related to the initial determination of plan invalidity, leaving only the procedures for determining compliance after an order has been issued.

TECHNICAL

The bill number was changed from S-0424.1 to S-1345.1 to reflect its status as a substitute bill.

The bill title was updated from 'SENATE BILL 5197' to 'SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5197'.

SCOPE

The amendment to RCW 36.70A.302, which defined the criteria for declaring local plans invalid, was removed entirely.

REQUIREMENT

The amendment to RCW 36.70A.330 was renumbered from Sec. 2 to Sec. 1.

Subsection (2) of RCW 36.70A.330 was split into four subsections (a) through (d) to clarify that a compliance finding requires the local government to first amend the non-compliant plan.

TIMELINE

The deadline for issuing a compliance finding was updated from 'forty-five days' to '45 days'.

Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jan 12, 2026

Introduced

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Local Government at 1:30 PM.

upper

Jan 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Local Government at 1:30 PM.

upper

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors