Labor & Employment

signed · Washington · House Apr 1, 2026

HB 2689: Concerning the working connections child care program.

HB 2689 expands Washington State's Working Connections Child Care program to help more working families afford quality child care. It gradually increases income eligibility thresholds: from 60% to 75% of state median income by 2029, and to 85% by 2031, while maintaining current rules for children under 13 or with special needs. The bill also raises subsidy rates to cover 75% of the market rate for licensed child care providers starting July 2026, and caps program enrollment at 33,000 households with prioritized access for families receiving temporary assistance or with special needs. These changes aim to increase access to affordable child care for low- and middle-income working families across the state.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands child care subsidies for working families, increasing access to employment by reducing a key barrier, thus strengthening workforce participation and benefits.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Washington · House Apr 1, 2026

HB 2034: Concerning termination and restatement of plan 1 of the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system.

HB 2034 terminates and restates Washington's LEOFF Plan 1 for law enforcement and firefighter retirement, effective June 30, 2029. The bill ensures all current benefits for retirees and survivors (over 6,000 beneficiaries) continue uninterrupted during the transition, while transferring sufficient assets to cover all future obligations. Any surplus assets - currently over $3.3 billion - will revert to the state after all liabilities are fully satisfied. The legislation directly affects only existing beneficiaries, as Plan 1 now has only four active members and has exceeded full funding for decades.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReturns $3.3B surplus to state budget after covering liabilities, promoting fiscal responsibility without tax changes.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEnsures uninterrupted retirement benefits for LEOFF retirees (6,000+ beneficiaries), protecting existing employment benefits without reducing coverage or obligations.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Washington · House Mar 30, 2026

HB 2411: Modifying shared leave provisions to authorize shared leave for victims of a hate crime and those whose absence is due to immigration enforcement actions against the employee or the employee's relative.

HB 2411 expands Washington state employees' shared leave eligibility to include victims of hate crimes and situations involving immigration enforcement actions affecting the employee or their relative. It adds two specific qualifying reasons to existing shared leave provisions: (1) being a victim of a hate crime, and (2) needing time off due to immigration enforcement actions like detention, deportation, or related family separation. The bill includes strict protections, requiring employers to accept written statements or documentation from advocates (not disclosing immigration status) and prohibiting the sharing of personally identifiable immigration information. This policy change directly affects state employees facing these specific circumstances, allowing them to use shared leave without pay while maintaining confidentiality about immigration status.

Topics ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationExpands shared leave for immigration enforcement impacts, protecting employees from job loss during family detention/deportation.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands shared leave eligibility for hate crime victims and immigration enforcement impacts, directly protecting workers' rights and broadening leave benefits under Labor & Employment.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Washington · House Mar 30, 2026

HB 2105: Concerning immigrant worker protections.

HB 2105 requires Washington employers to notify workers within 72 hours if federal agencies plan I-9 form or worker record inspections. It mandates posting notices in five common non-English languages at workplaces, sending written notices to workers' last known addresses, and sharing federal inspection results with affected workers. The law directly affects all Washington employers and immigrant workers who may face federal immigration verification checks. Key provisions include multilingual notice requirements, timelines for employer communication, and a template for compliance developed by the Attorney General. This bill creates a formal process for transparency during federal I-9 audits, aiming to protect workers' rights during inspections.

Topics ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationRequires employers to notify immigrant workers of federal I-9 inspections, mandates multilingual notices, and shares inspection results - directly protecting workers' rights and limiting surprise federal enforcement actions.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates employer notifications and multilingual notices for immigrant workers facing federal inspections, directly strengthening worker rights and access to information during I-9 checks.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Washington · House Mar 23, 2026

HB 1155: Prohibiting noncompetition agreements and clarifying nonsolicitation agreements.

HB 1155 prohibits all noncompetition agreements that restrict employees or independent contractors from working for competitors or starting their own businesses in Washington State, making such agreements void and unenforceable. It directly affects workers who were subject to these agreements, including those in industries like entertainment, and requires employers to notify affected workers by October 2026 that their noncompetition clauses are invalid. The bill clarifies that nonsolicitation agreements (prohibiting poaching customers or coworkers) remain legal but must be narrowly defined, while excluding confidentiality, trade secret, and franchise agreements from the prohibition. Violations by employers carry penalties of $5,000 per violation plus legal fees, ensuring workers can pursue enforcement without restrictive contracts.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits noncompetition agreements that restrict worker mobility, directly protecting employees' rights to change jobs or start businesses without legal barriers.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Washington · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 1570: Concerning collective bargaining for certain employees who are enrolled in academic programs at public institutions of higher education.

HB 1570 grants collective bargaining rights to student employees (those enrolled in academic or certificate programs) at Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Western Washington University, and The Evergreen State College. It defines specific bargaining topics, including tuition remission and waivers, while excluding issues like academic calendars, tuition amounts, student admissions, and termination based on academic performance. Compensation agreements must align with legislative budget limits, though institutions may offer additional pay beyond these limits. The bill applies only to employees not already covered by other collective bargaining laws at these institutions.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationGrants student employees bargaining rights for tuition remission/waivers at public universities, enhancing affordability and access to higher education.92% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentGrants collective bargaining rights to student employees, a core labor right, defining negotiable topics like tuition remission while excluding non-labor issues.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Washington · House Mar 17, 2026

HB 2249: Amending the state civil service statutes to include Washington technology solutions network and security systems employees.

HB 2249 expands an existing exemption in Washington's civil service rules to include employees of Washington Technology Solutions (WTS) who handle network security, systems integration, and IT management. This specifically affects WTS staff performing IT security, data center management, and network systems engineering duties. The bill amends RCW 41.06.070 to add these positions to a list of state employees already exempt from standard civil service regulations. As a result, these IT workers will not be subject to the same hiring, promotion, and personnel rules that apply to most other state employees.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentExempts IT security staff from civil service protections, removing standard employment safeguards like job security and fair hiring processes under RCW 41.06.070.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Washington · Senate Mar 17, 2026

SB 6106: Modifying the securing timely notification and benefits for laid-off employees act. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Concerning the laid-off employees act.)

SB 6106 updates Washington’s law on notifying laid-off employees by excluding Indian tribes from the definition of "employer," meaning tribal employers will no longer be subject to the law’s notice and benefit requirements. It also adds a new exemption protecting employee names and addresses from public disclosure under the state’s open records law. These changes amend specific sections of Washington law (RCW 49.45.010 and RCW 42.56.230) to clarify who must comply and strengthen privacy safeguards for affected workers. The bill directly impacts tribal employers (no longer covered) and all employees whose personal information is now shielded from public access in employment records.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentExcludes tribal employers from layoff notice/benefit requirements, reducing worker protections under the law.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyAdds exemption protecting employee names/addresses from public disclosure, strengthening data privacy under RCW 42.56.230, aligning with data privacy indicators.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

passed · Washington · House Mar 12, 2026

HB 1002: Recognizing posttraumatic stress disorder as an occupational disease for county coroners, examiners, and investigative personnel.

HB 1002 recognizes posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as an occupational disease for county coroners, medical examiner personnel, and investigative staff in Washington State. It amends workers' compensation rules (RCW 51.08.142) to allow these workers to file claims for PTSD-related injuries, which were previously excluded. The bill requires pre-employment psychological exams for some groups (like firefighters and law enforcement) hired after specific dates to confirm no preexisting PTSD. This change directly affects public safety workers in high-stress roles who develop PTSD from job-related trauma, expanding their eligibility for workers' compensation coverage.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands mental health coverage by allowing PTSD claims under workers' comp, removing prior exclusion and enabling treatment access for affected workers.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands workers' compensation coverage for PTSD claims, protecting county coroners and investigators by allowing injury claims previously excluded under workers' comp rules.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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passed both · Washington · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 2675: Concerning accounts.

HB 2675 repeals seven existing state accounts (including the Climate Resiliency Account and COVID-19 Unemployment Account) and creates a new "abandoned recreational vehicle disposal account" in the state treasury. This account funds reimbursements for registered tow truck operators and licensed dismantlers who remove abandoned recreational vehicles when owners cannot be located, covering up to 100% of reasonable costs per vehicle (capped at $10,000). Funds may also cover department administrative expenses (up to 15% of spending) and must be used solely for this purpose after appropriation. The bill directly affects tow operators, dismantlers, and state agencies managing vehicle removal programs, streamlining fund management by consolidating related accounts into a single dedicated fund.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentRepeals Climate Resiliency Account (defunding climate resilience efforts); new account unrelated to environment. No environmental protections advanced.90% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRepeals COVID-19 Unemployment Account, defunding unemployment benefits which directly weakens labor/employment support.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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