Washington Bills

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5342: Providing access for legislators to facilities owned and operated by the state.

SB 5342 requires Washington state agencies (like corrections, child welfare, and social services departments) to make reasonable efforts to arrange visits for legislators to state-run facilities upon written request. It mandates agencies to provide prompt written explanations if a visit can't be scheduled as requested, and specifies that visits may include facility tours or meetings with constituents residing in those facilities. The bill directly affects current state legislators and state agencies managing secure facilities, while ensuring all visits follow facility safety protocols. It does not change policy but establishes a procedural framework for legislative access.

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1197: Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium second supplemental operating appropriations.

HB 1197 is a supplemental appropriations bill funding state court operations and specific programs for the 2023-2025 fiscal biennium. It allocates funds primarily to state courts (e.g., $28.6 million for the Court of Appeals in FY 2025) and counties for juvenile justice services ($7 million annually for truancy and youth case management), court security in rural areas ($1 million), and an equity dashboard program ($1.35 million for data collection on justice disparities). The bill directs specific funding streams for court-appointed attorneys, lactation spaces in courthouses, and opioid settlement fund uses. These appropriations directly affect state courts, county juvenile programs, and local court facilities across Washington.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1306: Establishing preceptorship and hardship pathways to medical practice for international medical graduates.

HB 1306 creates two pathways for international medical graduates (IMGs) to obtain full medical licenses in Washington without completing standard U.S. postgraduate training. The primary pathway requires 48 months of supervised clinical practice under a licensed physician, followed by assessments and documentation to demonstrate competence. A hardship pathway also allows waivers for specific situations like refugee status or persecution, though it excludes failures in standard exams. The bill directly affects IMGs seeking to practice in Washington, modifying existing licensing rules to accommodate their credentials. It does not change requirements for U.S.-trained physicians but provides alternative routes for qualified IMGs.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Immigration

Julia Reed (D) · 17 co-sponsors

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HJR 4206: Amending the Constitution to require a two-thirds majority vote of the legislature to raise taxes.

HJR 4206 proposes amending Washington's Constitution to require a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate to raise taxes. It defines "raises taxes" broadly as any legislative action increasing state tax revenue deposited into any fund or account, regardless of where the funds go. The amendment would prevent tax increases from passing with a simple majority, requiring broader legislative consensus. It also maintains the existing process allowing tax increases to be referred to voters via referendum. This bill directly affects how the legislature passes tax-related measures.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1204: Concerning senior shared housing in manufactured home communities.

HB 1204 requires manufactured home park landlords to include specific written disclosures in rental agreements for all tenants, including clear closure notices in bold text and historical rent data. It directly affects seniors aged 55+ by prohibiting park rules that block them from having roommates in shared housing arrangements - such as exchanges of services for room and board - while banning entrance/exit fees. The bill also restricts rent increases during closure periods to no more than 1% above the U.S. consumer price index and prohibits fees for guest parking or towing without prior notice. These changes aim to increase housing stability and affordability for seniors in manufactured home communities by standardizing tenant protections.

Topics ✓ Housing

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HJM 4005: Rescinding prior applications for a constitutional convention to propose amendments to the Constitution of the United States.

Washington State's HJM 4005 formally cancels all previous state applications to Congress for a constitutional convention to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution. It directly affects Washington's standing in the national process, removing its historical applications (dating to 1901, 1903, 1909, 1911, and 1963) from official records. The bill's key mechanism is a direct resolution stating the legislature "rescinds, repeals, cancels, nullifies, and supersedes" all prior applications, regardless of their scope or historical record. This is a procedural measure, not a policy change, aimed at ensuring future Washington legislatures must explicitly reapply if they wish to pursue a constitutional convention.

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5709: Concerning county property tax levies for public health clinic purposes.

Washington State bill SB 5709 allows counties to levy an additional property tax of up to 5 cents per $1,000 of assessed value annually, specifically for public health clinics. This tax can only fund clinic operations, maintenance, and capital expenses, and is exempt from certain existing property tax limits in state law. The bill defines "public health clinic" broadly to include services like primary care, dental, reproductive health, disease prevention, and behavioral health. It directly affects Washington counties (which may choose to adopt this tax) and public health clinics (which would receive dedicated funding). The bill amends existing tax code sections to explicitly include public health clinic funding as an exception to general tax levy restrictions.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5107: Concerning underinsured motorist coverage for local government employees.

This bill requires Washington state local governments (like cities, counties, and special districts) to provide underinsured motorist coverage for their employees. Specifically, it mandates that when employees are operating or riding in a government-owned vehicle for work, the coverage must protect them if they suffer injury or property damage from an accident involving an underinsured driver, hit-and-run vehicle, or "phantom vehicle." The coverage must have minimum limits of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident, and can be provided through private insurance, self-insurance, or other authorized methods. It does not cover non-employee passengers in government vehicles.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Transportation

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5310: Concerning child care subsidy rates.

SB 5310 increases Washington state child care subsidy rates to cover 75% of the market rate for licensed or certified providers, starting July 1, 2025. It requires the state to develop a cost model to eventually cover the full cost of quality child care, considering factors like location and cost of living. The bill directly affects licensed child care centers, family home providers, and outdoor nature-based providers receiving state subsidies. It also mandates bargaining with family child care home providers over implementation and declares an emergency to expedite the change. The policy aims to align subsidies with actual provider costs while maintaining current bargaining rights.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1808: Creating an affordable homeownership revolving loan fund program.

HB 1808 creates a state-funded revolving loan program to support permanently affordable homeownership for low-income households. The program provides loans (up to 50% of project costs) to nonprofit developers building housing that remains affordable for at least 99 years through long-term restrictions on resale and ownership. Loans carry interest rates between 1% and 2.5%, with repayments recycled into the fund to finance new projects. This directly affects low-income homebuyers (defined as households earning ≤80% of local median income) and nonprofit developers who build housing meeting specific affordability standards.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

Janice Zahn (D) · 17 co-sponsors

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1629: Concerning restrictions on the placement of inmates of different biological sexes in correctional facilities.

HB 1629 prohibits housing inmates in shared cells or rooms with someone of a different biological sex if the inmate has a prior conviction or current charges for a sex offense, violent offense, or domestic violence against a victim of the same sex as the potential roommate. This rule directly affects inmates in Washington state correctional facilities and the staff managing housing assignments. The bill defines "history of sexual or physical violence" as current charges or prior convictions for offenses listed in RCW 9.94A.030. It creates a new requirement for correctional facilities to follow this placement policy.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1040: Concerning rental income received by people eligible for certain property tax exemption programs.

HB 1040 allows people eligible for Washington’s property tax exemption programs (for seniors or disabled residents) to exclude up to $6,000 annually in rental income from their primary residence when calculating income eligibility for the exemption. This applies only to long-term rentals (not short-term rentals like Airbnb, which must still be reported as taxable income). The bill amends existing tax code to include rental income as part of "combined disposable income" calculations, adjusting how income thresholds are applied. It directly affects low-income homeowners in qualifying exemption programs who rent out space in their primary home.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

Bill results