Budget & Taxes

Senate Bill 5390 updates the cost of the Discover Pass, which is required for vehicle access to Washington state-owned recreation sites like state parks and lands managed by the departments of Fish and Wildlife and Natural Resources. The bill increases the annual Discover Pass fee from $30 to $45. It also directs the Office of Financial Management to review the pass cost every four years and recommend adjustments to account for inflation. Additionally, the bill modifies the distribution of funds collected from Discover Pass sales, increasing the initial revenue threshold for allocation to state agencies from $71 million to $85 million per fiscal biennium.

HB 1258 establishes a system for certain counties to share 911 emergency communication tax revenues with local governments. It requires counties east of the Cascade mountains with populations between 530,000 and 1,500,000 that operate regional 911 systems to transfer a portion of their collected 911 excise tax revenues. These transfers go to local governments that operate municipal public safety answering points or receive 911 calls transferred for dispatch. Quarterly transfers, calculated using a specified percentage, are scheduled to begin in calendar year 2026.

House Bill 1858 eliminates a specific exemption from two existing document recording fees for certain real estate transactions. Previously, assignments or substitutions of previously recorded deeds of trust were exempt from these charges. With this bill, individuals and entities recording these types of documents will now be subject to a $100 covenant homeownership program assessment and an additional $183 document recording surcharge. The collected funds from these fees contribute to various state and local housing initiatives, including affordable housing and homeless housing programs.

HB 1094 creates a property tax exemption for nonprofit organizations that loan, lease, or rent property to government entities (like cities, counties, or state agencies) for character-building, benevolent, protective, or rehabilitative social services - such as youth programs, homeless shelters, or community health initiatives. It directly affects qualifying nonprofits that provide these services and government agencies using their facilities. The key provision expands existing tax exemptions by allowing property used by government for these purposes to be exempt, even if owned by a nonprofit. This policy change aims to reduce costs for nonprofits and governments delivering essential community services, effective July 2025.