Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 5167: Making 2025-2027 fiscal biennium operating appropriations.

SB 5167 establishes the operating budget for the state of Washington for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium. It appropriates funds for the salaries, wages, and operational expenses of various state agencies and offices, directly affecting all state government functions and the services provided to Washington residents. The bill outlines specific allocations, such as for the House of Representatives and the Senate, and includes conditions and limitations on how funds can be spent. For example, it allocates funds for the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee to conduct performance audits, including a review of juvenile rehabilitation programs. These appropriations cover the period from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2027.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes operating budget appropriations for state agencies, funding essential government operations and services per fiscal biennium requirements.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 20, 2025

HB 1958: Concerning the interstate bridge replacement toll bond authority.

HB 1958 authorizes Washington State to issue up to $2.5 billion in bonds to fund the design, construction, and replacement of the aging I-5 bridge across the Columbia River, in partnership with Oregon. The bonds would be repaid solely from toll revenue collected on the bridge and specific excise taxes on fuel and vehicle-related fees, not general state funds. The bill establishes that tolls and these taxes must continue to cover bond payments, with the legislature pledging to maintain these revenue streams. It also requires legislative approval for bond issuance and specifies that proceeds can only be used for the bridge project, bond costs, or related financing. This law, effective July 2025, provides a dedicated financing mechanism for the bridge replacement without creating direct state debt.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes bonds funded by tolls and excise taxes (fuel/vehicle fees), avoiding general state funds, demonstrating fiscal responsibility in project financing.90% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationAuthorizes $2.5B in bonds for I-5 bridge replacement, funded by transportation-related tolls/taxes, directly advancing infrastructure maintenance and safety.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 5194: Concerning state general obligation bonds and related accounts.

SB 5194 authorizes the state of Washington to issue nearly $4.7 billion in general obligation bonds. These bonds will finance various state capital projects outlined in the 2023-2025 and 2025-2027 fiscal biennia and future biennia. The proceeds are deposited into state building construction accounts and then transferred to specific accounts, including those for outdoor recreation, habitat conservation, farm and forest preservation, and early learning facilities. The state pledges its full faith and credit for repayment, using general state revenues to cover the principal and interest on these bonds.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes $4.7B in bonds to fund capital projects including recreation, conservation, and education facilities, advancing state budget priorities through targeted appropriations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds early learning facilities, a direct educational infrastructure investment under bond proceeds for state capital projects.85% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentFunds habitat conservation, farm/forest preservation, and outdoor recreation accounts from bond proceeds, directly advancing environmental protection priorities.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 19, 2025

HB 1498: Concerning domestic violence co-responder programs.

HB 1498 establishes a grant program to help cities and counties create and operate domestic violence co-responder programs. These programs deploy domestic violence victim advocates alongside law enforcement to provide on-scene support, resources, and care navigation for victims and their families. The bill creates a dedicated state treasury account, funded primarily by an additional $100 fee on marriage licenses, to support this initiative. The Office of Crime Victims Advocacy will administer these grants, also providing technical assistance and support for billing health insurance for services.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates new $100 marriage license fee (tax) to fund domestic violence co-responder programs, directly allocating tax revenue to public safety services.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds victim advocates alongside law enforcement for domestic violence response, improving victim support and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 19, 2025

HB 1848: Concerning services and supports for individuals with traumatic brain injuries.

House Bill 1848 aims to enhance services and supports for individuals living with traumatic brain injuries and their families in Washington State. The bill seeks to rebalance funding priorities to better support in-person support groups and community integration programs, which the legislature identified as underfunded. To generate additional revenue for these services, it increases a specific fee assessed on traffic infractions from $5 to $10. This increased revenue will be deposited into the state's traumatic brain injury account.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases traffic infraction fee from $5 to $10 to fund brain injury services, directly generating revenue for public programs.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 19, 2025

HB 2015: Improving public safety funding by providing resources to local governments and state and local criminal justice agencies, and authorizing a local option tax.

HB 2015 establishes a new grant program to improve public safety by providing direct financial support to local and tribal law enforcement agencies. These grants are intended to help agencies with hiring, retaining, and training law enforcement officers, as well as peer counselors and behavioral health personnel for co-response teams. To qualify for funding, agencies must meet specific requirements, including implementing state policies on use of force and de-escalation, participating in mandated trainings, and demonstrating compliance with data collection standards. Grant funds can cover up to 75 percent of entry-level salaries and benefits for new officers and support costs for required officer training.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes local option tax to fund public safety grants, increasing budget allocation for law enforcement services and personnel training.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds law enforcement hiring/training and behavioral health co-response teams with de-escalation requirements, advancing accountability and public safety reform.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · Senate May 19, 2025

SB 5662: Concerning the waiver of municipal utility connection charges for certain properties.

SB 5662 allows municipal utilities to waive connection charges for properties developed by certain non-profit organizations, public authorities, or local agencies that provide emergency shelter, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, or affordable housing. Generally, these waivers must be funded by general funds, grants, or other identified revenue streams. However, in large counties east of the Cascade mountains, waivers can be granted without explicit funding if the developer records a covenant. This covenant restricts the property's use to the specified affordable housing purposes and requires repayment of the waived charges if the property's use changes or no longer meets eligibility requirements.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates waivers be funded by general funds/grants, directing budget allocation toward affordable housing programs, aligning with funding essential services.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill waives utility connection fees for affordable housing projects, reducing development costs for non-profits and public agencies providing housing solutions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 19, 2025

HB 1207: Concerning superior court clerk fees.

House Bill 1207 modifies the fees collected by superior court clerks, impacting individuals and entities filing various documents in civil actions, appeals, probate proceedings, and certain criminal cases. It introduces new surcharges on many of these filing fees, with the collected funds distributed to state accounts for judicial stabilization, public defense support, court interpreter services, and library-archives, while a portion is retained by counties. The bill establishes a county clerk administrative assistance fund, which the clerk can manage for office operations without county legislative appropriation, and creates dedicated state accounts for public defense and court interpreter support. Notably, it sets a lower initial filing fee for unlawful detainer actions and exempts indigent criminal defendants from certain fees upon conviction.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIntroduces surcharges on court filings to fund judicial stabilization, public defense, and court services, directly increasing revenue for essential public programs.85% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAllocates surcharges from criminal case filings to public defense support, directly funding a key criminal justice reform component per indicators.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 19, 2025

HB 1392: Creating the medicaid access program.

House Bill 1392 establishes the Medicaid Access Program in Washington state, directly affecting health carriers and Medicaid managed care organizations. The bill implements an annual "covered lives assessment" on these entities, with specific per-member-per-month rates, to fund the program. Implementation of these assessments and the program is conditional upon federal approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, along with state appropriation certifications and contract amendments.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImplements annual assessment on health carriers to fund Medicaid program, increasing state revenue for essential healthcare services.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates Medicaid Access Program funded via assessments on health carriers to expand coverage, directly advancing healthcare access and funding as per summary.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 17, 2025

HB 1109: Concerning public facilities districts.

House Bill 1109 modifies the regulations for public facilities districts concerning their authority to impose sales and use taxes. It extends the maximum period for collecting these taxes from 40 years to 55 years when used to finance or refinance regional centers and related parking facilities. The bill also specifies the conditions under which certain public facilities districts are eligible to impose these taxes and allows them to increase their tax rates to mitigate documented revenue losses from past legislative changes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExtends tax collection period and allows rate increases to address revenue shortfalls for public facilities districts, enabling sustained funding for infrastructure projects.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes