Rep. Liz Berry

Maddy summaryHB 2332 regulates how Washington state and local agencies use automated license plate reader (ALPR) systems to protect driver privacy. It requires all agencies using ALPRs to register systems with the Attorney General, limits their use to specific purposes (like checking stolen vehicles or missing persons), and prohibits collecting data near healthcare facilities, schools, or places of worship. The bill mandates detailed audit trails tracking every system access and explicitly bans using ALPRs for immigration enforcement or stopping vehicles based solely on a system match. Agencies must develop policies for ALPR use and obtain independent reasonable suspicion before stopping a vehicle, ensuring privacy rights under state and federal law.

Maddy summaryHB 2279 requires Washington's Department of Agriculture to evaluate the use of PFAS chemicals (known as "forever chemicals") in agricultural fertilizers and pesticides. By December 2026, the department must establish criteria to assess these chemicals, and starting in December 2027, it will review new fertilizer and pesticide registrations against these standards. Products containing PFAS that fail to meet the criteria may be refused or canceled for registration. This directly affects fertilizer and pesticide manufacturers, as well as farmers who rely on these agricultural products. The bill does not ban PFAS outright but creates a new review process for future product registrations.

Maddy summaryHB 2237 requires the Washington State Fire Marshal's Office (SFMO) to set deputy state fire marshal salaries competitive with local fire departments, using a specific salary survey. It mandates the Office of Financial Management to compare compensation (including base pay, premiums, education, and longevity pay) against seven major local agencies like Seattle and Spokane fire departments, updating this comparison every four years starting September 2026. The bill also directs the State Fire Service Policy Board to examine whether the SFMO should operate independently from the state patrol, reporting by December 2026. This aims to address staffing shortages caused by lower SFMO pay compared to local departments.

Maddy summaryHB 2102 eliminates certain unenforceable legal financial obligations (LFOs) for offenders in Washington State, including costs, fees, and accrued interest on restitution or other debts. It automatically voids these debts after the bill’s effective date, prohibits courts from accepting payments for them, and allows judges to waive uncollectible portions of LFOs upon offender request. The bill also stops interest accrual on criminal fines and fees as of June 7, 2018, and updates collection procedures for existing debts. This directly affects individuals with outstanding criminal or civil LFOs, particularly those deemed uncollectible. The law clarifies that courts may not enforce or collect these specific debts while preserving mechanisms for individual court-based relief.

Maddy summaryHB 2148 creates Washington's "pay it forward" program to help graduate students cover tuition and fees at public universities. The program provides funding for up to four years of study (or 125% of a program's length), minus any existing state financial aid, for students at University of Washington, Washington State University, regional universities (Western, Central, Eastern), or The Evergreen State College. Participants repay the program after graduation by contributing a percentage of their income (3.5% for regional universities/state college, 5% for state universities) for up to 15 years, with payments tied to the credits taken during their studies. Funding comes from state appropriations, participant contributions, and private donations, held in a dedicated trust fund managed by the Student Achievement Council.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial House resolution (not a policy bill) introduced on January 19, 2026, by multiple Washington State Representatives. It formally recognizes Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life, legacy of nonviolent activism, and contributions to civil rights, including his role in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. The resolution expresses the House's commitment to upholding Dr. King's ideals of equality, justice, and opportunity for all. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws, allocate funds, or affect any specific individuals or groups.

Maddy summaryHB 2096 would allow Washington's Department of Licensing to issue special confidential identification cards (like drivers' licenses or identicards) **only to investigators working for the Attorney General's office** during undercover or covert civil or criminal law enforcement operations. These cards would have standard expiration dates but could **only be used while the investigator is actively assigned to an undercover operation**. The bill also gives the Department's director authority to create rules for applying for and using these confidential IDs. It specifically restricts this special identification to Attorney General investigators, not general law enforcement officers.

Maddy summaryHB 2137 expands the definition of "uniformed personnel" under Washington state law to include correctional officers working in specific facilities (jails in counties over 70,000 population, correctional facilities under RCW 70.48.095, or detention facilities in counties over 1.5 million population). This change directly affects correctional officers in those facilities by granting them eligibility for interest arbitration - a process where unions and employers negotiate terms like wages and working conditions. The bill amends RCW 41.56.030 to add correctional employees to the existing list of personnel covered under "uniformed personnel," which previously included law enforcement officers, firefighters, and security forces. This is a technical policy change to align correctional officer bargaining rights with other public safety roles.

Maddy summaryWashington State's HB 2233 prohibits retail stores from providing single-use plastic carryout bags made of film plastic (under 10 mils thick) starting January 1, 2021. Instead, stores must offer compliant paper bags containing recycled content or nonwood renewable fiber (like wheat straw), with a pass-through charge for these bags to encourage reusable bag use - exempting customers using state assistance programs. The bill directly affects retail establishments (including grocery stores, farmers markets, and online vendors) and their customers who purchase bags. Its goal is to reduce plastic waste, litter, marine pollution, and resource burdens by shifting to more sustainable bag options.

Maddy summaryHB 2494 updates Washington’s asbestos worker and supervisor certification requirements under RCW 49.26.110. It mandates that certified asbestos workers complete a four-day training course and supervisors a five-day course, both approved by the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). The bill explicitly limits L&I’s rulemaking authority to adopting rules only "specifically required" to meet federal standards for asbestos work, preventing stricter state rules than federal law. This directly affects asbestos workers, supervisors, and contractors needing certification for state-regulated asbestos removal or encapsulation projects.