Washington Bills

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5704: Concerning material changes to the operations and governance structure of participants in the health care marketplace.

SB 5704 requires health care entities in Washington to notify the attorney general and health care authority about major mergers, acquisitions, or contracting arrangements. This aims to prevent anticompetitive outcomes that could reduce access to affordable, quality care - particularly for reproductive, end-of-life, gender-affirming, and rural health services. The law mandates review of these transactions to ensure communities maintain or improve access to essential services, with specific protections for marginalized groups affected by past consolidation. It supplements federal antitrust rules by expanding reporting requirements for transactions below federal thresholds.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1022: Creating a homes for heroes program.

HB 1022 creates a pilot program providing no-interest down payment and closing cost loans (up to $25,000) to essential workers in Washington state who meet income limits. It directly affects firefighters, nurses, police officers, emergency medical technicians, mental health professionals, social workers, child care providers, and veterans with household income below 100% of the state median. Loans require no repayment until the home is sold, rented, or refinanced, and the program is capped at $15 million in funding through June 2027. The bill mandates reporting on program outcomes to the legislature by 2026 and 2027.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing ✓ Veterans

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1762: Prohibiting institutions of higher education from requiring students to live on campus.

HB 1762 prohibits Washington state's public colleges and universities from requiring students to live in on-campus housing or university residence halls. This bill directly affects public higher education institutions (like the University of Washington or community colleges) and their students. The key provision adds a new legal restriction to state law, making it illegal for these public schools to mandate residential living as a condition of enrollment. The bill focuses solely on eliminating this requirement, without changing other housing policies or financial aspects.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1259: Concerning supervision requirements for behavioral health professionals in elementary and secondary public schools.

HB 1259 establishes new standards for supervision requirements that behavioral health professionals must meet to work in Washington state public schools. It requires collaboration between the Student Achievement Council, institutions offering behavioral health programs, and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to create these standards. The bill specifically affects licensed professionals including advanced clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and mental health counselors working in elementary and secondary schools. These standards will help ensure these professionals meet licensing and certification requirements while providing services in schools.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5487: Authorizing agricultural employers to select 12 weeks a year to employ workers for up to 50 hours a week before overtime applies.

SB 5487 modifies Washington's overtime law to allow agricultural employers to select 12 weeks per year during which workers may work up to 50 hours weekly without triggering overtime pay. This directly affects agricultural workers and employers by creating a seasonal exemption from the standard 40-hour overtime rule, specifically addressing the time-sensitive labor needs of crop harvesting and planting seasons. The bill aims to help farms manage peak labor demands without reducing worker hours or earnings, as seen in California's similar overtime policy. It amends RCW 49.46.130 to add this temporary exemption while maintaining overtime protections for most workweeks.

Topics ✗ Labor & Employment

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1745: Ensuring election integrity at the county level.

HB 1745 requires Washington counties to conduct mandatory manual audits of election results after each election. It mandates that counties select an independent auditor through a joint process by Democratic and Republican party leaders (using a coin toss if they disagree), and audit at least 5% of ballots across randomly selected precincts through hand-counting physical ballots. The audit must compare machine results to manual counts, allow public observers throughout the process, and require a December 31 report to the legislature. This applies to all counties for the 2024 general election and future elections.

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5359: Accelerating the development of clean energy and transmission.

SB 5359 directs Washington's Department of Commerce to accelerate clean energy project development and transmission planning. It establishes the department as the lead agency to provide information, support tribes and communities, develop community benefit tools, and address siting challenges for projects like battery storage systems. The bill directly affects clean energy developers, local governments, tribes, and communities hosting projects by creating a state coordination framework for faster permitting and equitable benefits. Key provisions include requiring a 2026 report on battery storage best practices and developing guidance for community agreements to ensure local economic benefits.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1693: Providing an exemption for women, infants, and children program staff to perform hematological screening tests.

HB 1693 exempts WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) program staff from standard medical licensing requirements to perform specific blood tests. The bill allows WIC clinic staff to conduct hematological screening tests using heel-stick, toe-stick, or finger-stick methods directly at clinics. This change enables WIC staff to quickly screen for conditions like anemia in infants and mothers without needing separate medical licenses, streamlining access to routine health evaluations. The exemption applies only to these limited, non-invasive tests within the WIC program's scope.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1489: Adjusting implementation dates for programs related to early childhood education and child care.

HB 1489 adjusts implementation timelines and eligibility thresholds for Washington state's early childhood education and child care programs. It delays full implementation of the Early Learning Program from 2026-27 to 2030-31 and phases in expanded income eligibility for Working Connections Child Care over several years: increasing the upper income limit from 60% to 75% of state median income by 2029, then to 85% by 2031. The bill directly affects families with children under 13 (or up to 19 with special needs) whose household income falls within the new thresholds, and child care providers serving these families. Key mechanisms include phased funding distribution for the Early Learning Program and structured income eligibility increases for Working Connections Child Care, all while maintaining existing requirements like no citizenship status checks for children.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1849: Expanding the drugs eligible for the unexpired prescription drug donation program.

HB 1849 expands Washington's unexpired prescription drug donation program by removing the requirement that donated drugs must have more than six months until expiration. This change allows pharmacies to accept a wider range of eligible drugs, directly affecting donors (like patients or healthcare providers), pharmacies participating in the program, and individuals receiving donated medications. Key provisions include updated safety checks by pharmacists, mandatory recall notifications for all parties involved, a prohibition on reselling donated drugs, and clarification that donated drugs cannot be reimbursed by health insurers. The bill aims to increase access to unused medications while maintaining safety standards through revised expiration timing and enhanced recall protocols.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1168: Increasing transparency in artificial intelligence.

HB 1168 requires commercial developers of generative AI systems (like text or image tools) to publicly document the data used to train their systems by January 1, 2026. This includes disclosing sources, types, and handling of training data - such as whether personal information or artificially created data was used - before releasing the AI to Washington users. Developers must post this documentation on their websites, with exemptions for AI focused solely on security, aircraft operations, or national defense. Violations carry $5,000 daily fines enforceable by the state attorney general, aiming to increase public awareness of AI development practices.

Topics ✓ Technology

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5479: Providing tax relief for certain incidental uses on open space land.

SB 5479 clarifies that certain incidental uses - like wetlands preservation - on agricultural land do not disqualify the land from tax relief, as long as these uses don’t exceed 20% of the classified land. It affects Washington farmers and landowners who qualify as "farm and agricultural land" under existing tax classification rules. The bill amends definitions to explicitly include compatible incidental activities (e.g., habitat protection) alongside farming operations, ensuring these uses don’t trigger higher property taxes. This change prevents unintended tax increases for landowners maintaining conservation practices integral to farming. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment

Bill results