Rep. Julia Reed

Maddy summaryHB 1689 requires Washington state to adopt California's existing emission standards for ocean-going vessels while docked at ports, directly affecting ports like Tacoma and Seattle and the surrounding communities disproportionately impacted by diesel pollution. The bill mandates the Department of Ecology to implement these standards, which require ships to use shore power instead of idling engines, reducing diesel particulate matter and greenhouse gases. Compliance would begin no earlier than January 1, 2028, with potential extensions of up to three years. This policy change aims to improve air quality in port communities, aligning with federal clean air act options and state funding for shore power infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHB 1415 strengthens Washington's WACares program by implementing recommendations from the Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Commission. It allows current WACares participants who move out of state to continue coverage if they worked in Washington for at least three years (500+ hours annually) and report income annually until age 67. The bill requires out-of-state participants to pay premiums and submit income documentation, while adjusting benefit units annually for inflation based on the Seattle CPI-W index. These changes directly affect current WACares participants who relocate outside Washington, ensuring continued access to long-term care services under updated reporting and funding rules.

Maddy summaryHB 1660 requires Washington’s child welfare department to submit annual reports starting in 2025, focusing on racial disparities in child welfare cases. The reports must include detailed, race-disaggregated data for the past five years on case types (like abuse/neglect intakes), placements, reunification rates, and prevention services. They also need to document the department’s efforts to address these disparities and propose policy or funding changes. This law directly affects the state’s child welfare agency and aims to inform legislative action on racial equity in the system.

Maddy summaryHB 1399 standardizes eligibility and certification requirements for sheriffs, police chiefs, and marshals across Washington state. It requires new appointees to obtain state peace officer certification within 12 months, mandates background checks before appointment, and limits volunteers from performing enforcement duties (like arrests or carrying weapons) without certification. The bill also repeals outdated provisions about "police matrons" and clarifies that sheriffs' core duty is enforcing state law. These changes aim to create consistent standards for all law enforcement executives, regardless of their election or appointment process.

Maddy summaryHB 1677 requires all public universities in Washington with student health centers to offer medication abortion services by the 2026-27 academic year, either directly or via telehealth referrals. For universities without student health centers, the bill mandates providing confidential referrals to abortion providers, telehealth support, and campus spaces for virtual appointments. It also requires all institutions to maintain a website with clear reproductive health resources, including academic accommodation options for pregnancy-related needs. The bill directly affects approximately 196,000 college students facing significant travel and wait-time barriers to abortion care, aiming to make services as accessible as possible within campus health systems.

Maddy summaryHB 1770 clarifies the definition of "vision benefit manager" within Washington state's health care administration rules. It specifies that vision benefit managers - entities managing vision care benefits for health plans - are now explicitly included under the broader definition of "health care benefit manager" in existing law. This affects how vision benefits are administered for employees covered by public employees' and school employees' health benefit programs. The bill adds specific language to define vision benefit managers' roles, such as processing claims and determining coverage for vision services, while excluding certain entities like public benefit boards from this classification.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state office to coordinate the development and deployment of alternative jet fuels and renewable hydrogen in Washington. It creates a competitive grant program to fund infrastructure like rail spurs, fuel handling equipment, and blending facilities - requiring public access to funded infrastructure and prohibiting land acquisition funding. The bill also mandates environmental reviews for related clean energy projects, assessing impacts on tribal resources, environmental justice communities, and wildlife habitats. These provisions directly affect state agencies (including Ecology and Transportation), private fuel developers, and tribes through new coordination requirements and funding mechanisms for hard-to-decarbonize sectors.

Maddy summaryHB 1655 requires health carriers in Washington to annually increase compensation for independent health care providers (those not employed by hospitals or hospital affiliates) based on the consumer price index (CPI), starting January 1, 2026. This applies to health benefit plans covering medical services, ensuring provider payments keep pace with inflation. The bill prohibits health carriers from waiving this requirement or discriminating against providers to avoid it, though it excludes dental-only plans. The law aims to reduce pressure on independent providers to join hospital systems by making fairer compensation adjustments.

Maddy summaryHB 1441 establishes a competitive grant and loan program to fund repair and replacement of existing public broadband infrastructure in unserved areas, directly affecting local governments, tribes, nonprofits, and broadband-focused businesses. The bill requires applicants to first contact existing broadband providers to verify no current service meets state standards and to demonstrate project benefits like household access, community support, and long-term sustainability. It amends existing law to explicitly include "repair and replace" projects in the funding criteria, streamlining the process for maintaining and upgrading current broadband systems. Applications must detail project locations, technical capabilities, community impact, and evidence that existing providers haven’t already committed to serving the area.

Maddy summaryHB 1664 requires Washington's long-term care ombuds program to submit annual funding recommendations by September 1 each year. The recommendations must ensure funding achieves a 1:2,000 ombudsman-to-resident ratio (per Institute of Medicine guidelines), account for projected facility bed growth, inflation, and administrative needs. This directly affects residents in licensed long-term care facilities by mandating sufficient resources to investigate complaints and protect their rights. The bill shifts the program from current underfunding to a structured, annually updated funding process.