Rep. Carolyn Eslick

Maddy summaryHB 1293 aims to reduce litter and plastic waste across Washington State, affecting individuals and retail establishments. The bill enhances penalties for littering, reclassifying offenses and establishing mandatory clean-up restitution payments based on the volume of litter. It also delays the requirement for reusable plastic carryout bags to be thicker and increases the pass-through charge for these bags. Furthermore, the bill imposes a new penalty on retailers for selling thicker plastic bags, directing these funds to a waste reduction and litter control account.

Maddy summaryHB 1651 establishes formal frameworks for teacher residency and apprenticeship programs in Washington state. It defines a teacher residency as a preparation model integrating a full year of collaborative classroom teaching with academic coursework, requiring partnerships between schools and approved teacher preparation programs. Residents must receive at least 900 hours of clinical practice, and both residents and their preservice mentors receive funding or stipends. The bill also defines teacher apprenticeships as programs providing 2,000 hours of on-the-job mentored teaching experience, approved by both the state apprenticeship and training council and the professional educator standards board. These programs aim to provide structured, hands-on training for aspiring teachers.

Maddy summaryHB 1912 establishes a system for tracking and reporting sales of fuel used for agricultural purposes, which are exempt from the state's Climate Commitment Act. Fuel sellers, including retail stations and suppliers, can register with the Department of Ecology to track and report these exempt sales. Registered sellers must make exempt fuel available at a differential rate or credit purchasers to reflect the absence of associated compliance costs under the climate act. This ensures the agricultural exemption is properly applied and monitored, affecting fuel sellers, suppliers, and agricultural users starting January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1648 modifies the professional qualification requirements for licensed child care providers in Washington state. The bill extends the deadline for providers to comply with professional education requirements, such as certificates or community-based training, from 2026 to August 1, 2032. It also introduces a new pathway for providers to qualify by demonstrating experience-based competency after working in a licensed child care setting for at least five years. Additionally, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families will convene a stakeholder group to identify strategies for improving staff qualification requirements and verification processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HB 1351) adjusts the eligibility requirements for children to access Washington's Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP). It clarifies that an eligible child must be at least three years old by August 31st of the school year and not yet age-eligible for kindergarten. The bill updates income thresholds for families, shifting from federal poverty levels to state median income percentages over time. Additionally, it expands eligibility to include children experiencing homelessness or those who have participated in other specific early childhood support programs.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1023 adopts the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, creating a new multistate licensing program for cosmetologists. This compact allows licensed cosmetologists to practice in any participating member state with a single license issued by their home state, aiming to reduce licensing burdens and enhance mobility for professionals, including military spouses. It establishes a commission to set uniform requirements and facilitate cooperation among states for licensure, investigations, and discipline. The bill's purpose is to improve public access to, and safety of, cosmetology services while addressing workforce shortages. Washington State's adoption of this compact will become effective on June 1, 2028.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1271 amends the criteria for deploying state fire service resources during emergencies in Washington. It expands the definition of "mobilization" to allow for the early deployment of resources when an emergency is *predicted* to exceed local capabilities, rather than only after local resources have already been overwhelmed. This change enables a more proactive response from fire departments, fire districts, and regional fire protection service authorities to potential large-scale incidents. The bill also clarifies that these mobilized resources cannot be used to assist law enforcement during civil protests or demonstrations, but can still provide medical aid and firefighting services.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1009 adjusts the membership structure of the Washington State Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission, which oversees pharmacy practice in the state. The bill expands the commission from 15 to 16 members. It decreases the number of pharmacist members from ten to nine, while increasing pharmacy technician members from one to two. Additionally, it creates a new position for a pharmacy owner, operator, or officer who may not be licensed as a pharmacist or pharmacy technician.

Maddy summaryHB 1432 aims to improve access to mental health and substance use disorder services for individuals in Washington state. The bill updates mental health parity laws, requiring health insurance carriers to base medical necessity determinations on generally accepted standards of care and recommendations from nonprofit health care provider associations. It defines "medically necessary" to align with these standards, ensuring services address patient needs and are clinically appropriate. The legislation also expands the definition of covered mental health services over time, including prescription drugs and updated diagnostic categories for health plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 1460 enhances the "protection order hope card" program for individuals protected by court orders, such as victims of domestic violence or stalking, and aids law enforcement. It mandates that these cards be in a scannable electronic format, where feasible, containing critical details like the names of protected and restrained individuals, the order's specifics, and crucially, information about any firearm prohibitions and compliance status. The bill allows protected individuals to request a card when the order is first issued or later, without a fee, and ensures the scannable codes can link to a digital record of the entire case history, including firearm relinquishment details. The hope card holds the same legal authority as the underlying protection order, and the program now explicitly includes extreme risk protection orders.