Rep. Lauren Davis

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1484 allows courts to impose exceptional sentences, meaning sentences above the standard range, for defendants convicted of rape when the offense results in the victim's pregnancy. The bill amends RCW 9.94A.535, adding this specific outcome as an aggravating circumstance that a jury can consider. This legislative change provides a mechanism for judges to impose longer sentences in these particular cases.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1486 adds a student member to the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, increasing its total membership from nine to ten. This change ensures that a student currently enrolled in a community or technical college will have a voice in the board's decisions. The student member will serve a one-year term and must be at least 18 years old. They will participate in discussions and policy development, though they will be excluded from voting on matters related to hiring, discipline, personnel, or pending litigation.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1385 modifies the state's laws concerning fingerprint background checks for individuals working with vulnerable populations. The bill clarifies and expands definitions for who is considered an "applicant" requiring a background check, explicitly including prospective employees, volunteers, or contractors who will have access to children, the elderly, or individuals with disabilities. It also broadens the types of organizations and services covered under these background check requirements. These changes aim to refine the scope of the National Child Protection Act and Volunteers for Children's Act program.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1174 updates Washington state law regarding court interpreters, aiming to secure the rights of persons with limited English proficiency in legal proceedings. It redefines key terms, including replacing "non-English-speaking person" with "person with limited English proficiency" and emphasizing "credentialed interpreters." The bill mandates the appointment of credentialed interpreters for these individuals, but allows for non-credentialed interpreters if "good cause" is found, such as their unavailability. In such cases, the judicial officer must determine the interpreter's ability to interpret accurately and ensure they will abide by the code of professional responsibility. The legislation also expands the scope of "legal proceeding" to cover a broader range of court and administrative hearings.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1414 aims to improve career access for 16 and 17-year-old students involved in preparatory secondary career and technical education (CTE) programs. The bill expands the statewide career and technical education task force within the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. This task force is directed to review existing laws, rules, and state agency policies that create age-based barriers for students to begin coursework, test for licenses, or work in professions after completing CTE programs. The task force will then develop recommendations, including draft legislation, to remove these restrictions and enhance work-integrated learning opportunities and career entry for these students.

Maddy summaryHB 1112 removes the requirement that judges pro tempore (temporary judges) in municipal courts must reside in the city where the court operates. It specifically applies to cities with populations exceeding 400,000 people, directly affecting judges appointed to fill temporary court vacancies in those jurisdictions. The bill amends state law to state that judges pro tempore "need not be a resident of the city" while maintaining other qualifications like being a licensed attorney and state elector. This change takes effect July 27, 2025, after the bill was signed by the Governor on April 11, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1556 expands tuition waivers at Washington community and technical colleges for students who need to complete high school while attending college. It directly affects high school completers (including nonresidents), children and surviving spouses of fallen or disabled law enforcement officers, firefighters, or state patrol officers, and up to 40% of students in deaf education programs. Key provisions require colleges to waive all tuition and fees for eligible high school completers and first responder families (with a 10-year enrollment window), and allow partial waivers for nonresidents in high school completion programs. The law, effective July 2025, also mandates annual reporting on waiver costs to the legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 1457 requires courts to impose electronic monitoring with real-time tracking, exclusion zones, and tamper alerts for sexually violent predators granted conditional release to a less restrictive setting. It mandates a 500-foot buffer zone between the person’s residence and schools/kindergarten facilities, along with individualized conditions like treatment participation, contact restrictions, and GPS supervision. The bill directs courts to collaborate with providers to tailor conditions ensuring community safety while requiring the Department of Corrections to investigate and recommend placement. It also includes fair share principles to prevent disproportionate grouping of such individuals in specific counties.

Maddy summaryHB 1024 amends state law to allow the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission to lease specific properties at St. Edward State Park for up to 62 years - instead of the standard 80-year limit - under strict conditions. The lease applies only to the main seminary building, pool building, gymnasium, two designated parking lots, and adjacent land, and requires the Commission to first confirm no viable public or nonprofit use exists for those properties. This change modifies existing statutes (RCW 79A.05.025 and 79A.05.030) to create a targeted exception for St. Edward, ensuring leases align with the Commission’s mission. It directly affects future lessees of these properties and the Commission’s leasing decisions at this specific park.

Maddy summaryHB 1135 requires counties and cities to fix planning errors that violate Washington's Growth Management Act within 45 days of a noncompliance finding. It creates a formal process where a state board must hold a hearing, determine if local governments have corrected violations, and issue findings within 45 days. If local governments fail to comply, the board can recommend sanctions to the governor or refer the issue to the state department for technical help. The law directly affects local governments that miss deadlines for updating land-use plans to align with state growth management rules.