Rep. Lisa Parshley

Maddy summaryHB 2388 allows solar and small-scale wind energy projects to be built on agricultural lands without disrupting farming operations. It specifically defines "agrivoltaic facilities" (solar panels paired with crop production or grazing) and "pivot corner facilities" (solar next to irrigated fields) as acceptable uses, requiring projects to maintain soil productivity, allow farm machinery access, and not degrade land after decommissioning. The bill amends zoning laws to permit these projects on farmland while requiring counties to prioritize agricultural use and limit nonfarm development on suitable land. It directly affects farmers, landowners, and energy developers by creating clear rules for coexisting energy and agriculture.

Maddy summaryHB 2478 gives Washington’s Department of Labor & Industries more flexibility when enforcing wage laws. It limits wage enforcement actions to unpaid wages from the past three years (from when the department received violation information), requires prioritizing complaints based on worker harm and severity, and sets clear penalty rules for intentional violations (minimum $1,000 or 10% of unpaid wages, up to $20,000). The bill directly affects workers owed wages, employers who owe payments, and the department’s enforcement process. Key changes include standardized penalty calculations, a 60-day timeline for complaint resolutions, and provisions for waiving penalties if employers pay within 10 business days.

Maddy summaryHB 2134 requires regional transportation planning organizations (RTPOs) serving specific counties to include measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in their transportation plans. It applies only to counties meeting strict criteria: those with high population density (100+ people/sq mi, 200,000+ population), river-bordering counties with growth rates ≥1.65%, or counties west of the Cascades with ≥130,000 residents. The bill mandates RTPOs to develop integrated regional plans that prioritize cost-effective projects, coordinate across county lines, and include financial strategies, while requiring biennial plan reviews. These plans must balance regional mobility with climate goals, focusing on existing infrastructure efficiency and transportation demand management.

Maddy summaryWashington State's HB 2157 regulates high-risk artificial intelligence systems that make consequential decisions affecting major life areas like housing, employment, healthcare, loans, and education. It applies to developers (with over $100,000 annual revenue) and deployers operating in Washington who use AI systems for these decisions. The law prohibits algorithmic discrimination - unlawful bias based on protected characteristics - and requires systems to be designed and tested to prevent such outcomes, while excluding research activities and certain facial recognition uses.

Maddy summaryHB 2191 requires owners and direct contractors to jointly pay unpaid wages and benefits (including health insurance, retirement contributions, and tool reimbursements) to construction workers when subcontractors fail to pay. It creates a direct legal path for workers, their representatives, or the attorney general to sue owners or direct contractors for withheld payments, rather than only pursuing subcontractors. The bill establishes a rebuttable presumption that workers are employees (not independent contractors), prevents liability waivers for nonpayment, and sets a 3-year deadline for filing claims. This directly affects construction workers, subcontractors, and higher-tier contractors across all project tiers in Washington state.

Maddy summaryHB 2092 establishes a passenger rail advisory committee for Washington State's Amtrak Cascades route. Counties with rail stations will appoint committee members (three from counties with over 750,000 residents, two from other counties) to provide community input on rail service challenges to the state transportation department. The committee must include rail users, commerce representatives, and local government staff, meeting three times yearly to advise on passenger rail concerns. This procedural bill creates a formal channel for community feedback but does not change rail service, funding, or operations.

Maddy summaryHB 2176 exempts collaborative drug therapy agreements - written plans between pharmacists and physicians for managing patient medications - from public disclosure under Washington’s public records law. These agreements, which outline how pharmacists can independently adjust medications under physician supervision, would remain confidential unless used as evidence in disciplinary actions against a licensed healthcare provider. The bill specifically prohibits disclosure of personally identifiable information (like names or contact details) in these agreements, except when the agreement directly leads to a disciplinary finding. This change primarily affects pharmacists, physicians, and healthcare facilities using such agreements, ensuring their operational details stay private while maintaining transparency in disciplinary cases.

Maddy summaryHB 1819 aims to increase electric transmission capacity in Washington State. It exempts certain utility actions, such as upgrading existing powerlines and deploying grid-enhancing technologies within existing rights-of-way, from some environmental review requirements. Before these projects commence, utilities must notify the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation and tribal nations to protect archaeological and cultural resources. The bill also updates requirements for electric utilities' integrated resource plans, mandating that they assess opportunities to optimize existing transmission capacity through improved operating practices and grid modernization.

Maddy summaryHB 1443 would require Washington cities and counties to allow at least one mobile dwelling (such as tiny homes on wheels or recreational vehicles) on residential lots that already have an existing home, provided the lot is in an urban growth area and not in protected shorelines or critical areas. It mandates specific utility connections for these dwellings, including dedicated electrical circuits and plumbing links to the main home's systems, while prohibiting property associations (like HOAs) from banning them on qualifying lots. The bill applies to lots zoned for residential use and expires January 1, 2028. This directly affects local governments, property associations, and residents seeking to add mobile dwellings to existing residential properties.

Maddy summaryHB 1152 requires firearm owners in Washington to securely store firearms in vehicles and residences under specific conditions. In vehicles, unloaded firearms must be in a locked, concealed container (hard-sided for pistols, soft-sided with trigger locks for rifles/shotguns), with exemptions for farm vehicles, people living in vehicles, law enforcement, hunters, and military personnel. At residences, firearms must be locked or stored in a safe when not being carried or controlled by the owner or authorized user, with similar exemptions for antique firearms. The bill creates the Washington Office of Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention to coordinate prevention efforts and imposes penalties ranging from $1,000 civil fines to felonies if prohibited persons access firearms.