Rep. Nicole Macri

Maddy summaryHB 1313 requires businesses with 100 or more employees in Washington to provide 60 days' written notice before mass layoffs (50+ employees in 30 days), relocations (100+ miles), or terminations. The notice must include specific details like the reasons for the action, alternatives considered (e.g., reduced hours or transfers), and supporting data on operations or market conditions. Employers must notify affected workers, the state employment department, local governments, workforce councils, and unions. Exceptions exist for businesses seeking capital (with strict documentation) or facing natural disasters, but the law aims to increase transparency and give workers more time to prepare for job loss.

Maddy summaryHB 1914 updates fees for Washington State Parks' Discover Pass and day-use permits, raising the annual Discover Pass from $30 to $45 and day-use permits from $10 to $15. It requires the Office of Financial Management to review and adjust these fees every four years to account for inflation, ensuring they keep pace with rising costs of maintaining parks. The bill directly affects all visitors and residents using Washington's state parks by vehicle or for day visits. These changes implement the original 2011 law's provision for periodic fee adjustments due to inflation.

Maddy summaryHB 1062 requires all health plans in Washington (including commercial plans, public employee coverage, and state Medicaid) to cover biomarker testing starting January 1, 2026. This applies to tests that measure biological markers in tissue or blood (like gene mutations) when used for diagnosis, treatment, or monitoring of a patient’s condition, provided the test is supported by FDA approvals, Medicare guidelines, clinical practice standards, or expert consensus. Plans must ensure coverage without causing unnecessary disruptions, such as requiring multiple biopsies. The bill mandates this coverage uniformly across all plan types under specific evidence-based criteria.

Maddy summaryHB 1725 requires health plans in Washington to streamline access to biosimilar medicines (safe, effective, lower-cost alternatives to brand-name biologics) by mandating clear exception processes for coverage denials. It directly affects patients, doctors, and health insurance companies by requiring health plans to: (1) post plain-language exception rules online, (2) approve exceptions meeting specific medical criteria (like drug ineffectiveness or adverse reactions), and (3) follow strict timelines (1-3 business days) for urgent/non-urgent requests. The bill eliminates barriers by ensuring health plans must cover biosimilars when clinical evidence supports them, with automatic approval if deadlines are missed. This aims to reduce prescription drug costs without altering drug approval standards.

Maddy summaryHB 1350 updates Washington's child care subsidy reimbursement rates to better match the actual cost of high-quality care. It requires the state to use a new "cost of quality" rate model that covers full provider costs - including living wages, benefits, staff training, and materials - instead of relying solely on the current 85th percentile market rate. This directly affects licensed child care providers serving families in the Working Connections Child Care program and aims to stabilize the child care workforce. The bill maintains the existing baseline reimbursement rate but mandates future rate recommendations must reflect these updated cost calculations.

Maddy summaryHB 1674 requires Washington state primary care health care entities to offer hepatitis B and hepatitis C screening during annual visits, wellness checkups, or a new patient's first visit, following CDC guidelines. It allows entities to comply through direct patient offers, EHR prompts, or patient mailers, with exceptions for emergencies, prior screening, or lack of patient consent. If screening is positive, providers must offer follow-up care or referrals per clinical guidelines, and all providers must complete required hepatitis training by January 1, 2026. The bill emphasizes culturally appropriate screenings and clarifies it doesn’t change existing provider responsibilities or impose licensure penalties for non-compliance.

Maddy summaryHB 2068 prohibits the sale of all flavored tobacco and nicotine products (including menthol cigarettes, flavored vapes, cigars, and hookah) and entertainment vapor products with gaming features. It increases taxes on all tobacco products to reduce youth access and addiction, directly affecting retailers who must stop selling these items and youth who use them. The bill targets products marketed with kid-friendly flavors like cotton candy or bubble gum, which the legislature cites as driving youth initiation. Key provisions include banning flavored products, raising tobacco excise taxes, and requiring retailers to verify ages for all tobacco sales.

Maddy summaryHB 1639 requires Medicare Advantage insurance providers operating in Washington to disclose three specific details to current and potential enrollees: their claims denial rate (as a percentage), the percentage of denied claims later approved on appeal, and the appeals process. These disclosures must be provided before enrollment and upon request after enrollment. The bill states that failing to provide these disclosures violates Washington’s Consumer Protection Act (Chapter 19.86 RCW), classifying such failures as unfair or deceptive practices. This legislation directly affects Medicare Advantage entities serving Washington residents, aiming to increase transparency in coverage decisions.

Maddy summaryHB 2082 aims to increase funding for public K-12 education, early learning, child care, and higher education in Washington state. The bill proposes to do this by modifying the state's capital gains tax and estate tax. It introduces an additional 2.90% excise tax on an individual's Washington capital gains that exceed $1,000,000, effective January 1, 2025. For the estate tax, it increases the exclusion amount to $3,000,000 for estates of decedents dying on or after January 1, 2025, and intends to raise the top-tier rates up to 35 percent. Revenues generated from these changes would be dedicated to the education legacy trust account.

Maddy summaryHB 1189 modifies Washington state school policies regarding parental volunteers with criminal convictions. It requires schools to inform parents about submitting rehabilitation documents (like expungements or certificates of rehabilitation) and prohibits denying volunteer applications based solely on past convictions if such documents are provided. For parents without these documents, schools must consider factors like time since conviction, whether minors were involved, and other relevant details before denying applications, and must provide written reasons for denials within five days. Parents denied access can appeal to the superintendent of public instruction, with specific appeal procedures to be established by that office. The bill directly affects parents seeking school volunteer roles who have criminal histories, aiming to balance safety considerations with opportunities for parental involvement.