Rep. Joe Timmons

Maddy summaryHB 1257 extends special education services for students with disabilities until the end of the school year in which they turn 22, instead of ending at age 21. This change directly affects students with disabilities aged 16-22 who require transition planning to move from school to postsecondary life. The bill amends state education statutes to align with a federal court ruling finding Washington’s prior policy violated the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It also requires state agencies to update transition planning by October 2026, ensuring services supplement rather than replace other support programs.

Maddy summaryHB 1658 redirects $1 of a $5 surcharge on recorded documents in Washington counties to fund history and heritage museums and historic preservation programs. It requires counties to establish a historic preservation fund using this revenue, which supports nonprofit museums (501(c)(3) organizations) and county preservation activities under state law. Fifty percent of the remaining surcharge revenue goes to a state-level "centennial document preservation" account for county historical document preservation, while the other half stays with counties for similar purposes. The bill directly affects county governments, local museums, and historic preservation programs by creating dedicated funding streams from existing document recording fees.

Maddy summaryHB 1292 establishes an ongoing annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for retirees in Plan 1 of Washington's Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) and Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), starting July 2026. The bill uses the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to calculate annual increases, capping the first adjustment at 3% and limiting yearly changes to no more than a 3% difference from the prior year. It consolidates the costs of past COLA increases over a 15-year period while requiring new benefit improvements to be paid over a 10-year amortization. The bill directly affects current and future retirees in both systems who qualify under Plan 1, excluding those covered by specific exception provisions.

Maddy summaryHB 1626 expands financial assistance for small school districts and small businesses in Washington state that participate in the paid family and medical leave insurance program. It provides two types of grants: up to $3,000 for hiring temporary workers during an employee’s 7+ day leave, or up to $1,000 to cover extra payroll costs from an employee’s leave. Eligible employers include small school districts (classified as "second class"), businesses with 51-150 employees, and those with 50 or fewer employees who pay all insurance premiums. Grants require documentation of the leave-related costs and are limited to 10 per year per employer, with a three-year premium assessment for businesses under 50 employees that receive a grant.

Maddy summaryHB 1047 exempts fire districts in rural counties from paying state sales and use taxes on equipment purchases. It applies to fire districts with populations under 10,000, defined as "rural counties" under existing law, and covers firefighting, emergency medical, and fire prevention equipment. To qualify, districts must apply for a certificate of exemption from the state department, which will publish an annual list of eligible districts. The exemption takes effect October 1, 2025, for all qualifying purchases and uses after that date.

Maddy summaryHB 1057 creates a state fund to help Washington communities secure federal economic development grants by providing matching dollars. It directly affects local governments, rural areas, tribes, nonprofits, and businesses seeking federal funds for projects like broadband, housing, infrastructure, and workforce training. Key mechanisms include establishing scoring criteria prioritizing rural counties and job creation, setting grant tiers (up to 100% matching for most entities), and requiring the state to provide a template letter supporting federal applications. The bill mandates annual reporting on fund usage and expands online resources to track available federal opportunities.

Maddy summaryHB 1085 strengthens school safety by increasing penalties for interference with school activities through force or violence, and for threatening intimidation, specifically targeting disruptions at athletic events. It requires schools to post clear signage at entrances and athletic fields explaining these penalties, including fines up to $1,000 or jail time for adults, and exclusion from school or events for 12-18 months. The bill directly affects students, athletes, spectators, and school staff (including athletic officials and volunteers), expanding protections previously limited to general school settings to cover extracurricular sports. These changes aim to prevent escalation of harmful behavior by making consequences explicit and enforceable.

Maddy summaryHB 1384 exempts Washington wineries selling fewer than 20,000 gallons of wine annually from most state wine excise taxes on their first 20,000 gallons of sales. This directly benefits small wineries, which often struggle with higher costs compared to larger producers due to limited economies of scale. The bill modifies existing tax rules to apply a reduced $0.0528 per liter tax rate on the first 20,000 gallons instead of the standard tax rate, while exempting them from other taxes under the section for that volume. The policy aims to support small winery growth and job creation in the industry.

Maddy summaryHB 1680 creates a new "oral preventive assistant" license in Washington, allowing trained professionals to perform specific preventive dental services under a dentist's supervision. It directly affects dental practices and patients seeking routine care by expanding who can provide services like cleanings (prophylaxis) and basic gum checks (periodontal probing) for patients with healthy mouths. The bill establishes training requirements, defines the scope of allowable tasks (such as dental assisting duties and non-invasive procedures), and mandates that dentists verify assistants' competency before assigning tasks. This aims to increase access to preventive dental care by adding a new tier of dental support staff, while maintaining dentist oversight for complex procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 1291 aims to reduce upfront costs for individuals receiving maternity services through their health plans in Washington State. Starting January 1, 2026, most health plans will no longer require enrollees to meet their deductible before covering in-network delivery services, such as vaginal or C-section births. Any out-of-pocket costs paid for these services will still count towards the enrollee's total deductible. For health plans linked to Health Savings Accounts, deductibles for delivery services will be set at the minimum level required to maintain the HSA's tax-exempt status.