Rep. Mari Leavitt

Maddy summaryHB 2236 clarifies that Washington's Housing Finance Commission cannot compete with private lenders by offering home loans to individual buyers for single-family homes. The bill explicitly prohibits the Commission from originating or making residential mortgage loans for owner-occupied housing (except for down payment assistance programs), redirecting its focus to multifamily and nonowner-occupied housing financing. It amends existing law to ensure the Commission acts as a financial conduit for affordable housing projects without replacing private mortgage services. The changes aim to streamline financing for rental housing while preserving the role of licensed lenders in the residential mortgage market.

Maddy summaryHJM 4012 is a Washington State House Joint Memorial urging Congress to pass the Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 2102), which would amend federal law to extend "full concurrent receipt" benefits to combat-injured veterans regardless of their years of service. Currently, veterans with less than 20 years of service who are medically retired due to combat injuries receive less federal disability compensation than those with 20+ years, creating inequity. The memorial requests Congress schedule a vote on H.R. 2102 to resolve this disparity and fulfill the nation's obligation to all combat-injured veterans. This is a procedural request to the federal government, not a state law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance carriers in Washington to spend at least 90% of premium revenue on medical care (not administrative costs) for plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2028. It directly affects health insurance companies operating in the state, mandating they adjust their spending to meet this ratio. Carriers must also submit detailed reports to the state commissioner about how they calculate this ratio, including payments to affiliated providers and incentive programs. The requirement aligns with federal standards and does not change existing rate review processes.

Maddy summaryHB 2401 establishes the Washington State Boys and Men Commission to address systemic challenges faced by boys and men, particularly those who are boys of color, in rural areas, identifying as LGBTQ+, or socioeconomically disadvantaged. The commission will identify needs, recommend policy changes, and coordinate with state agencies on issues like mental health access, education pathways, and vocational opportunities. Crucially, the commission’s creation is contingent on securing non-state funding (grants or private contributions) sufficient to cover operational costs through December 2029, with the Office of Financial Management required to identify funding needs by June 2026. It will consist of nine appointed members (including tribal representation and a majority identifying as male) and operate under an executive director appointed by the governor. The commission’s duties include serving as a policy information hub and producing biennial reports with recommendations to the legislature and governor.

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 2185 creates a new Office of Homeless Youth Prevention and Protection Programs within Washington's state agency responsible for youth services. The office must coordinate statewide efforts to reduce youth homelessness by collecting data, developing strategies to address root causes, and improving permanency rates for homeless youth. It requires a 12-member advisory committee - including youth representatives, advocates, law enforcement, service providers, and individuals with lived experience - to guide the office's work on funding, policy, and practice gaps. The office must be operational by January 1, 2016, with the advisory committee holding its first meeting by March 1, 2016.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 1834 requires businesses providing online services likely accessed by minors (under 18 in Washington) to estimate users' ages with reasonable accuracy or apply full minor protections to all users. It prohibits using collected personal information for age estimation beyond that purpose and bans retaining such data longer than needed. The bill defines "addictive feeds" (algorithm-driven content streams) and "dark patterns" (manipulative interfaces) to restrict how platforms design features targeting minors. It also sets standards for determining if a service is "likely accessed by minors," including audience composition and design elements appealing to children. These provisions aim to limit data collection and addictive features on platforms used by Washington's youth.

Maddy summaryHB 1343 would repeal existing state law (RCW 28B.10.281) that allowed students to lose financial aid for certain activities. This bill directly affects Washington state college students receiving financial aid by removing a specific eligibility restriction. The key mechanism is the deletion of the provision that tied aid loss to particular student conduct, replacing it with a broader, undefined standard. The bill does not create new requirements but eliminates a specific cause for aid termination. (Note: The bill did not pass, as indicated by "Minority; do not pass" on its legislative record.)

Maddy summaryHB 1160 clarifies how local governments in Washington handle design reviews for development projects. It defines key terms like "administrative design review," allowing planning directors to approve or deny permits based on objective standards without a public hearing, unless exceptions apply (e.g., historic districts or required public input). The bill specifically affects project permits for developments like subdivisions, site plans, and environmental permits, but excludes comprehensive plan updates. It streamlines the process by distinguishing administrative reviews from required public hearings, aiming to reduce delays in routine permit decisions.