Washington Bills

in committee · Washington · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 6233: Concerning penalties for sale of covered animal species.

SB 6233 makes it illegal to sell, trade, or distribute parts or products of covered animal species (like ivory or turtle shell) without specific exceptions. Exceptions include antique items over 100 years old (with less than 15% animal part), educational/scientific use, inheritance, or musical instruments containing minimal animal parts. Violations are classified as a gross misdemeanor for items under $250 or a class C felony for higher-value items ($250+), repeat offenses, or within five years of prior convictions. Convicted individuals must pay a $4,000 penalty (doubled for felonies), which funds wildlife enforcement and research at the University of Washington.

Topics ✓ Environment

in committee · Washington · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 6074: Reinstituting parole.

SB 6074 establishes a 9-member work group to develop recommendations for reinstating parole in Washington state. The group includes representatives from the parole board, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, victim advocates, and the state department, and must create parole eligibility criteria by October 2027. This bill does not restore parole immediately but sets up a process for studying and designing a new system. The work group expires December 31, 2027, and its final report will be submitted to legislative committees.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Washington · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 6089: Increasing coordination and alignment throughout the P20W system.

SB 6089 creates a new "P20W public-private partnership account" managed by the state treasurer to improve coordination between Washington's education and workforce systems (from early learning through K-12, postsecondary, and careers). It requires contracting a nonprofit organization to help align state and private funding, develop recommendations for better data sharing, and convene a diverse advisory committee. The bill directly affects state agencies, educational institutions, and private donors by establishing a formal process to coordinate efforts and update performance metrics across the education-to-workflow system. It does not mandate state funding but provides a structure for leveraging philanthropic resources to strengthen existing initiatives. The focus is on creating a transparent system for tracking progress toward shared goals like equitable access and workforce readiness.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

in committee · Washington · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 6130: Celebrating national voter registration day.

SB 6130 requires Washington public high schools to hold voter registration events for students on "National Voter Registration Day" (the third Tuesday of September, or the next Tuesday if it conflicts with a major religious holiday). It directs schools to coordinate these events in history/social studies classes for all high school students aged 16+ - with paper and online registration options - during the school day, aiming for 50,000 new youth registrations annually. County auditors may assist, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction must distribute materials, track registrations, and report yearly progress to the legislature. The bill directly affects high school students in Washington state, focusing on early voter registration sign-ups before they turn 18, not on actual voting. This is a proposed legislative measure that passed its committee review in February 2026.

in committee · Washington · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 6052: Establishing a statewide digital transcript data-sharing environment.

SB 6052 creates a secure, statewide digital platform for schools and colleges to share student transcripts electronically. It requires all Washington public K-12 schools, charter schools, tribal education schools, and public colleges to use this system, eliminating the need for separate data-sharing agreements between institutions. The platform mandates that students or their parents must give express, revocable permission before transcripts are shared, ensuring privacy control. Private four-year colleges in Washington may choose to participate but are not required to join the system.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Technology

in committee · Washington · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 6319: Concerning the extension of time for certain child welfare cases for children under the age of four.

SB 6319 requires Washington's child welfare department to create a community-based referral system for families with children under four where parental use of high-potency synthetic opioids is a factor in a child welfare case. The bill mandates that families receive referrals to substance use treatment, peer navigators, and other support services within seven days of a risk assessment, with services available for six months regardless of case status. Participation in these services must be voluntary, requiring written consent from parents or guardians. The department must develop this system by January 2027 and report on its implementation and impact by November 2027. This bill directly affects vulnerable families in child welfare cases involving opioid use, focusing on connecting them to community resources rather than altering court timelines.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Washington · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 6282: Requiring state registered apprenticeships in the building and construction trades to provide behavioral health and wellness training.

SB 6282 requires state-registered apprenticeships in the building and construction trades (specifically targeting plumbing apprenticeships in the bill text) to include up to four hours of approved behavioral health and wellness training annually. This training must cover topics like destigmatizing mental health, recognizing distress, suicide prevention, substance use awareness, and connecting to resources. The bill amends existing plumbing certification rules (RCW 18.106.070) to integrate this requirement into continuing education hours for apprentices. It directly affects apprentices in plumbing and construction trades by mandating this wellness training as part of their certification renewal process. The policy change is factual and non-partisan, focusing on concrete training requirements within current licensing frameworks.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Washington · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 6256: Concerning tax exemptions for unoccupied property used for affordable housing that is owned by a nonprofit entity.

SB 6256 creates a property tax exemption for unoccupied real estate owned by nonprofit entities that will be used for affordable housing within three years. It directly affects nonprofits planning to develop or renovate housing for households earning at or below 50% of the area median income (as defined by HUD). Key provisions require nonprofits to secure financing from specified sources (like state housing programs or affordable housing levies) and maintain at least 75% occupancy by qualifying households to qualify for full exemption. Partial exemptions apply if occupancy falls below 75%, calculated based on the proportion of qualifying units. The bill expands existing exemptions to cover unoccupied properties during development or renovation, ensuring tax relief aligns with future affordable housing use.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

in committee · Washington · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 6253: Concerning public transportation benefit area governing bodies.

SB 6253 requires public transportation benefit area governing bodies in Washington to grant full participation rights to labor representatives who currently serve in nonvoting roles. It adds two new voting members to each governing board: one who regularly uses public transit for transportation, and one representing a community-based organization that uses transit. The bill also mandates that governing body meetings be scheduled at times and locations accessible by public transit to support these new members' participation. These changes apply to all public transportation benefit areas with governing boards, affecting how local transit decisions are made and ensuring broader community input.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Transportation

in committee · Washington · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 6172: Eliminating preferential treatment related to a coal-fired electric generating plant.

SB 6172 eliminates special exemptions for coal-fired power plants in Washington State's emissions reporting system. It removes preferential treatment by requiring coal plants to follow the same reporting rules as other large emitters (those exceeding 25,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent annually), repealing prior provisions that created separate standards. The bill amends Washington’s emissions law (RCW 70A.65.080) to apply consistent reporting thresholds to all covered entities, including coal plants, waste-to-energy facilities, and railroads. This change ensures coal plants are subject to the same compliance requirements as other major emitters without special exemptions. The policy directly affects coal-fired power plants and other large emitters that previously operated under different rules.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

in committee · Washington · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 6211: Creating uniformity for the process by which cities planning under the growth management act implement real estate excise taxes.

SB 6211 standardizes how Washington cities and counties under the Growth Management Act can impose a 0.25% real estate sales tax to fund capital projects. It directly affects local governments by requiring them to use tax revenue exclusively for specific capital projects like streets, parks, airports, and affordable housing/homeless facilities, as defined in the bill. Key mechanisms include mandating voter approval for new taxes in certain areas, restricting fund use to projects in comprehensive plans, and allowing up to 25% of funds for affordable housing initiatives through established collaborations. The bill also preserves existing commitments for pre-1992 debt or projects while requiring documentation of future capital project funding.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

in committee · Washington · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 6085: Concerning the transparency in expenditures from the institutional welfare account.

SB 6085 requires Washington’s Department of Corrections to create a formal process for gathering feedback from incarcerated individuals and their families about how funds in the institutional welfare account are spent. The bill mandates regular opportunities for inmates to share input on services and programs, annual surveys of affinity groups, and annual public reports detailing facility-specific expenditures and how feedback influenced spending decisions. These reports must be published online starting December 31, 2026, and include the feedback collection process. The bill directly affects the Department of Corrections, incarcerated individuals, and their families by making spending decisions more transparent and informed by those impacted. It does not change what the account funds (e.g., visitation, recreation, reentry services) but adds transparency requirements.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill results