Rep. Mia Gregerson

Maddy summaryHB 2041 concerns postpartum health care coverage for residents of Washington state. Until June 30, 2026, the bill requires the state to provide 12 months of continuous postpartum health care coverage to individuals with incomes up to 210% of the federal poverty level. After this date, the continuous postpartum coverage period will be six months, maintaining the 210% income threshold. The bill also directs the state to prioritize maximizing federal funding for eligible individuals and mandates annual reporting from managed care organizations on maternal health services.

Maddy summaryHB 1632 prevents medical debt from being reported to credit bureaus without specific contract terms, directly affecting consumers with medical bills, healthcare providers, and collection agencies. The bill requires all new medical debt contracts to include a clear statement prohibiting credit reporting, and any contract lacking this term becomes unenforceable. If a provider or collector reports medical debt to credit bureaus despite this requirement, the debt is void and cannot be collected. This policy change aims to stop medical debt from unfairly damaging credit scores by removing a key barrier to financial stability for affected consumers.

Maddy summaryHB 1344 adds respite care to Washington's "basic plus waiver" program, allowing people with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their primary caregivers to access respite care funding more easily. The bill requires the state to seek federal approval to include respite care as an "aggregate service" (meaning funds can be used flexibly without extra approval after annual hours are exhausted), with respite care limited to 30% of the waiver's aggregate budget. It directly affects individuals relying on waiver services for community living and their unpaid caregivers, who often need breaks to maintain their own well-being. The state must submit a federal waiver amendment by September 1, 2025, and update the program upon federal approval. This changes how existing waiver funds can be used for respite care, not creating new funding.

Maddy summaryHB 1475 suspends $5,000 annual bonuses for certificated instructional staff (teachers) who hold National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification, effective for the 2025-26 through 2028-29 school years. The bill halts payments that would otherwise be made under existing law, which previously provided these bonuses (adjusted for inflation) to certified teachers, plus an additional $5,000 for those working in high-poverty schools meeting specific criteria. This suspension applies to all eligible teachers regardless of school poverty designation during the specified years. The change does not alter the underlying bonus structure or eligibility rules but temporarily stops payments for four consecutive school years.

Maddy summaryHB 1512 establishes a grant program to help low-income drivers address nonmoving traffic violations (like registration or insurance issues) through nonpunitive solutions such as repair vouchers, helmet programs, or community education, rather than fines. It directly affects low-income road users - defined as those on public assistance, WIC, Medicaid, or earning 125% of the federal poverty level - by providing alternatives to financial penalties. The bill also requires police to report detailed stop data (including race, age, and reason for stops) starting in 2026 and clarifies that stops for nonmoving violations can only be secondary to primary offenses like speeding or impaired driving. These provisions aim to reduce racial disparities in traffic enforcement while improving road safety compliance.

Maddy summaryThis House Joint Memorial (HJM) requests the Washington State Transportation Commission extend the existing name "Martin Luther King, Jr. Way" to two specific road segments: State Route 900 (from Renton's western city limits to milepost 10) and State Route 515 (between I-405 and SR 516). It does not create new policy or affect residents or businesses, but rather formally updates road signage to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy. The request is procedural, seeking to align the naming with the commission's authority over state highway designations. The resolution is currently pending in the House Rules Committee, with no legislative action taken yet.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes Washington's unemployment insurance rules for part-time workers, effective August 3, 2025. It revises the definition of "suitable work" for part-time workers (those who earned wages in at least 40 base-year weeks with an average of under 35 weekly hours) to require them to seek work matching their historical average hours, rather than the previous 17-hour limit. It also adds protections: workers needing to care for family members or address domestic violence/stalking may not lose benefits for seeking at least 20-hour workweeks instead of full-time. The policy directly affects part-time workers who qualify under these new base-year criteria.

Maddy summaryHB 1826 requires mobility equipment manufacturers to provide independent repair providers and device owners with necessary parts, documentation, software, and tools at fair prices. It directly affects Washington residents who use mobility devices like power wheelchairs, scooters, and manual wheelchairs with power assists, addressing current repair delays averaging 4-7 weeks. The bill mandates that manufacturers make these resources available without unreasonable restrictions or costs, ensuring more repair options beyond manufacturer-authorized services. This aims to reduce delays that impact users' safety, employment, education, and daily living.

Maddy summaryHB 1623 prohibits employers from deducting credit card processing fees from employee tips. It requires that when customers pay tips via credit card, employees receive the full amount indicated on the credit card slip, without any reduction for transaction fees charged by the credit card company. This law directly affects tipped workers in Washington, such as servers and bartenders, and applies to all employers accepting credit card tips. The bill amends state law to ensure tips paid by credit card are paid in full to employees, eliminating employer deductions for processing costs.

Maddy summaryHB 1380 establishes standards for local governments to regulate public space use, specifically addressing ordinances that restrict sitting, lying, sleeping, or keeping warm and dry in public areas for people experiencing homelessness. It requires such laws to be "objectively reasonable" by considering public safety, availability of shelter, impact on homeless individuals, and proportionality - prohibiting excessive measures. The bill allows individuals to challenge unreasonable ordinances in court through injunctive or declaratory relief, while protecting local governments from monetary lawsuits. It applies to all cities, towns, and code cities in Washington, aiming to balance public safety with housing access during the homelessness crisis.