Rep. Gloria Mendoza

Maddy summaryHB 1435 creates a state grant program to help local and tribal law enforcement agencies hire more officers. It provides up to 75% of entry-level salaries and benefits (capped at $125,000 per officer position) for 36 months, requiring a 25% local cash match. Grants cannot cover non-salary costs or fund officers recently hired by the same agency. The program requires agencies to apply through a formal process, report on hiring impacts, and includes a $100 million appropriation for fiscal year 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1997 reduces Washington State's statewide property tax revenue by 10% for calendar years 2026 through 2028, directly affecting all property taxpayers across the state. It modifies existing tax laws to set new levy limits for state property taxes, requiring a 10% reduction from the "highest lawful levy" amounts for those years. The bill explicitly prohibits shifting the tax burden to other taxpayers or revenue sources, maintaining the same total tax revenue level without increasing other taxes. This change applies only to state-level property taxes for common schools and related programs, not local property taxes. The measure is limited to the 2026-2028 timeframe, with tax levies reverting to standard rules after 2028.

Maddy summaryHB 1625 creates a grant program to provide funding for back country search and rescue (SAR) organizations and volunteers in Washington state. The program directly supports groups that respond to emergencies in remote, rugged terrain, where specialized skills and equipment are required to locate and rescue individuals. The bill amends state law to establish this grant mechanism, enabling these organizations to maintain operations and services. This policy change offers concrete financial resources to enhance SAR capabilities in backcountry areas.

Maddy summaryHB 1908 permanently maintains four state-operated residential facilities for developmentally disabled individuals - Lakeland Village (Spokane), Rainier School (Pierce), Yakima Valley School (Yakima), and Fircrest School (King) - by removing a provision that would have allowed Yakima Valley School to close under certain conditions. The bill repeals the closure trigger for Yakima Valley School and amends state law to ensure these facilities remain open to accept new residents, directly addressing a shortage of affordable care options. It specifically targets underutilized, well-regarded facilities to provide immediate relief to families with no other viable, cost-effective care alternatives. The bill does not create new facilities but expands capacity at existing, operational centers.

Maddy summaryHB 1777 streamlines the state approval process for apprenticeship programs that already have federal approval, directly affecting program sponsors (including tribal and nontribal organizations) and employers seeking to expand training opportunities. It requires the apprenticeship council to expedite reviews of federally-approved programs by limiting state-specific scrutiny to unique requirements, while reforming competitor objections: objections must be filed within 30 days of provisional approval, and frivolous objections can trigger penalties like attorney fee payments or $10,000 fines. The bill also mandates annual reports comparing Washington’s program approval rates to federal standards and other states, including details on pending applications and denial reasons. These changes aim to reduce current delays - where 4 of 17 2024 applications remained pending after federal approval - without altering apprenticeship content or creating new training slots.

Maddy summaryHB 1885 removes an exemption that previously allowed legislative communications to be excluded from Washington's Public Records Act. It explicitly defines internal legislative deliberations - including preliminary drafts, recommendations, and internal communications about bills - as public records subject to disclosure. This change directly affects legislative staff and members by requiring transparency in their internal communications regarding proposed legislation. The bill amends the Public Records Act to ensure all such records, including those held by legislative offices, are accessible to the public unless specifically exempted by law.

Maddy summaryHB 1691 extends the deadline for securing permits and funding for water supply projects under Washington's Yakima River Basin Integrated Plan from 2025 to 2035. This change affects the Department of Ecology and the Yakima River Basin water management program, which aims to provide 214,000 acre-feet of water annually for environmental, agricultural, and municipal uses. The bill amends specific state codes to update the milestone date and related funding review expiration, without altering the plan's core requirements. It provides additional time to complete projects while maintaining existing water rights and conservation goals.

Maddy summaryHB 1534 raises the minimum age to purchase tobacco, alternative nicotine, and vapor products from 18 to 21 in Washington State. It requires retailers to verify customers' ages using specific photo ID with signature (e.g., driver's licenses, tribal ID cards) and imposes stricter penalties for sales to minors. Violations now carry fines starting at $1,500 for first offenses and up to $15,000 for repeated violations, with license suspensions or revocations for repeated breaches. The bill directly affects retailers selling these products, targeting underage access through enhanced enforcement mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHJR 4205 proposes a constitutional amendment to cap Washington's total property tax levies at 1% of a property's true value annually. This would affect all Washington property owners by limiting annual tax rates, with specific exceptions allowing school/fire districts to exceed the cap for up to 4-6 years for facility projects, and taxing districts to exceed it for bond payments on capital projects. The amendment requires voter approval at the next general election and would replace the current constitutional tax limit in Article VII, section 2. It does not change current tax rates but sets a new annual ceiling for all property taxes combined.

Maddy summaryHB 1729 reduces Washington's state property tax levies for schools by reversing $4 billion in excess revenue collected since 2018 due to faster-than-expected property value growth. It directly lowers taxes for homeowners by setting specific annual dollar amounts ($2.79 billion for Part I and $1.32 billion for Part II) for 2026-2028, replacing percentage-based rates. This adjustment prevents future over-collection by basing levies on actual past revenue shortfalls, not outdated growth assumptions. After 2028, levies return to standard calculation methods under state law.