Washington Bills

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1770: Concerning the administration of vision benefits.

HB 1770 clarifies the definition of "vision benefit manager" within Washington state's health care administration rules. It specifies that vision benefit managers - entities managing vision care benefits for health plans - are now explicitly included under the broader definition of "health care benefit manager" in existing law. This affects how vision benefits are administered for employees covered by public employees' and school employees' health benefit programs. The bill adds specific language to define vision benefit managers' roles, such as processing claims and determining coverage for vision services, while excluding certain entities like public benefit boards from this classification.

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5266: Concerning the indeterminate sentence review board.

SB 5266 allows individuals convicted of crimes before turning 18 to petition the indeterminate sentence review board for early release after reaching age 24, provided they meet specific conditions (e.g., no recent convictions or serious infractions in the prior 12 months). The bill requires the department to assess offenders 5 years before eligibility, conduct dangerousness evaluations 180 days after a petition, and prioritize hearings for those under 25 or recently transferred from juvenile custody. It also mandates victim input during hearings, allows rental vouchers for housing upon release, and limits annual petitions to 70. The law aims to align with brain development research showing youth rehabilitation potential, while maintaining public safety through structured release conditions and supervision.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5059: Concerning Washington state ferries captains.

SB 5059 clarifies the operational authority of Washington state ferry captains while changing their labor union representation. It allows ferry captains to vote by August 31, 2025, to join the existing "masters, mates, and pilots" bargaining unit (instead of maintaining a separate captains-only unit), effective July 1, 2026. If they choose this option, future collective bargaining agreements for captains will be negotiated under the combined unit for the 2027-2029 budget period. The bill directly affects Washington state ferry captains' labor representation structure and contract negotiations.

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5274: Concerning body worn cameras within corrections agencies.

SB 5274 establishes a pilot program requiring the Department of Children, Youth, and Families to implement body worn cameras at Green Hill School by January 2026. It expands authorized users of body worn cameras to include officers from the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, the Department of Corrections, and personnel at jails and detention facilities. The bill also adds specific exemptions preventing public disclosure of body worn camera recordings when they contain sensitive information, such as medical details, intimate images, or the identity of victims in domestic violence or sexual assault cases. These changes aim to balance transparency with privacy protections for vulnerable individuals.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1844: Advancing the production and use of alternative jet fuels in Washington.

This bill establishes a state office to coordinate the development and deployment of alternative jet fuels and renewable hydrogen in Washington. It creates a competitive grant program to fund infrastructure like rail spurs, fuel handling equipment, and blending facilities - requiring public access to funded infrastructure and prohibiting land acquisition funding. The bill also mandates environmental reviews for related clean energy projects, assessing impacts on tribal resources, environmental justice communities, and wildlife habitats. These provisions directly affect state agencies (including Ecology and Transportation), private fuel developers, and tribes through new coordination requirements and funding mechanisms for hard-to-decarbonize sectors.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1011: Creating a school safety capital grant program.

HB 1011 creates a state grant program to fund physical school safety improvements like security vestibules, metal detectors, fencing, and lighting for public and tribal schools in Washington. Eligible schools must cover at least 100% of project costs with nonstate funds (reduced to 25% for schools with high poverty rates), and projects cannot exceed $1 million in total cost. Grantees must maintain control of the improved facilities for 10 years and use them solely for safety, with repayment required if they violate these terms. The program requires projects to follow safety-focused design principles and will operate through a competitive application process administered by the state superintendent's office.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1948: Reducing environmental and health disparities and improving the health of Washington state residents in large port districts.

HB 1948 requires Washington state port districts managing major airport operations (defined as those with significant capital projects over $8 million) to create environmental justice plans by 2026. These plans must include community engagement strategies, measurable goals to reduce health disparities, and methods to involve overburdened communities in decision-making. For major projects, ports must obtain University of Washington assessments of environmental impacts on vulnerable populations and publicly share mitigation plans. The law mandates accessible community input through language support, childcare, and outreach to ensure equitable participation. It applies specifically to ports with airport-related activities under RCW 53.54.010.

Topics ✓ Environment

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5062: Establishing a child care workforce standards board.

SB 5062 would create a Washington state Child Care Workforce Standards Board to establish minimum pay and working conditions for child care workers. The board, composed of six worker and employer representatives plus parent and state agency members, would set standards for wages, safety, and other employment terms affecting all licensed child care providers and their direct care staff (excluding administrative roles). Key mechanisms include public hearings on industry conditions, rulemaking authority for minimum standards, and protections against retaliation for workers participating in the process. The bill directly impacts over 40,000 child care workers and 1,400+ licensed providers across Washington State.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1883: Concerning the Washington customized employment training program.

HB 1883 extends the expiration date of a tax credit for businesses participating in Washington's customized employment training program from 2026 to July 1, 2031. The credit allows businesses to reduce their state tax bill by 50% of payments made to the training program. The bill requires the college board to submit a 2028 report detailing program outcomes, including employee training numbers, wage growth, retention rates, and geographic distribution. The legislature states that future extensions may be considered if 75% of businesses complete training and repay the allowance, based on the report's findings.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1428: Concerning the county criminal justice assistance account and municipal criminal justice assistance account.

HB 1428 establishes two state-funded accounts to support criminal justice services: one for counties and one for cities. It mandates annual transfers of $50 million (increasing by 50% starting in 2026) into these accounts, with county funds distributed based on population (20%), crime rate (30%), and criminal cases (50%). Municipal funds are distributed only to cities meeting a 125% statewide crime rate threshold, with 30% allocated to cities exceeding 175% of the average crime rate. The bill prohibits using these funds to replace existing local funding and restricts spending to criminal justice activities like domestic violence services and law enforcement support.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1655: Concerning provider contract compensation.

HB 1655 requires health carriers in Washington to annually increase compensation for independent health care providers (those not employed by hospitals or hospital affiliates) based on the consumer price index (CPI), starting January 1, 2026. This applies to health benefit plans covering medical services, ensuring provider payments keep pace with inflation. The bill prohibits health carriers from waiving this requirement or discriminating against providers to avoid it, though it excludes dental-only plans. The law aims to reduce pressure on independent providers to join hospital systems by making fairer compensation adjustments.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1908: Protecting developmentally disabled individuals and their families by maintaining the operation of existing state facilities with underutilized capacity and allowing new residents.

HB 1908 permanently maintains four state-operated residential facilities for developmentally disabled individuals - Lakeland Village (Spokane), Rainier School (Pierce), Yakima Valley School (Yakima), and Fircrest School (King) - by removing a provision that would have allowed Yakima Valley School to close under certain conditions. The bill repeals the closure trigger for Yakima Valley School and amends state law to ensure these facilities remain open to accept new residents, directly addressing a shortage of affordable care options. It specifically targets underutilized, well-regarded facilities to provide immediate relief to families with no other viable, cost-effective care alternatives. The bill does not create new facilities but expands capacity at existing, operational centers.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Bill results