Rep. Roger Goodman

Maddy summaryHB 2122 requires Washington hospitals to offer annual flu vaccinations to two specific patient groups: adults 65 or older, and any patient (regardless of age) with a chronic health condition. This applies each year from October 1 to March 1, beginning July 1, 2027, unless the vaccine is unavailable at the hospital or the immunization is medically unsafe for the patient. Hospitals are exempt during declared state emergencies or disasters, and critical access hospitals certified under federal law are also excluded. The law focuses on expanding access to flu shots for high-risk patients during peak flu season through a straightforward hospital offering requirement.

Maddy summaryHB 2651 allows Washington's Attorney General or county prosecutors to direct the state patrol to collect and securely retain digital evidence identifying federal agents accused of misconduct, such as location data, cell tower records, or facial recognition information. It applies to federal law enforcement officers and Department of Homeland Security contractors accused of misconduct like excessive force, assault, or constitutional rights violations. Complainants can only access this digital evidence through a court order in a related civil rights or criminal case. The bill establishes a clear process for gathering and limiting access to this data, focusing on factual evidence for accountability.

Maddy summaryHB 2643 protects peace officers from disciplinary action solely based on being listed on prosecutor-maintained "Brady and Giglio lists" (which flag officers with potential impeachment evidence). It requires law enforcement agencies to base discipline on the underlying misconduct, not the list placement itself. The bill grants officers a due process right to challenge their listing in superior court, where evidence is reviewed confidentially under seal, with a preponderance-of-evidence standard. This ensures officers can contest their inclusion without public disclosure, while preserving prosecutors' legal duty to share impeachment evidence under Brady/Giglio.

Maddy summaryHB 2362 lowers Washington's legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for driving from 0.08% to 0.05% for all drivers, effective upon enactment. The bill amends statutes governing impaired driving (RCW 46.61.502 and 46.61.504) to establish this new threshold, alongside setting a THC concentration limit of 5.00 for cannabis impairment. It maintains existing penalties for violations but adds defenses for drivers who consumed alcohol/cannabis *after* driving but before testing. The change directly affects all drivers in Washington, aligning state law with international standards adopted by 84% of the global population.

Maddy summaryHB 2633 requires mattress producers (including brands, manufacturers, and importers) to fund and manage recycling programs for discarded mattresses in Washington State through designated "producer responsibility organizations" (PROs). The bill creates a recycling system prioritizing reuse and recycling over landfill disposal, mandating PROs to track mattress collection, document environmental management practices, and ensure recyclers follow safety and documentation standards. It directly affects mattress producers, recyclers, and local waste management systems by shifting the financial and operational responsibility for mattress end-of-life handling from taxpayers to the industry. The law revises state recycling laws to reduce landfill waste, illegal dumping, and environmental harm while promoting recycling jobs.

Maddy summaryHB 2634 addresses the cleanup of a leaking radioactive waste landfill at Hanford, which is contaminating soil and groundwater flowing toward the Columbia River. The bill requires waste generators and nuclear reactor operators to cover investigation and cleanup costs (not state taxpayers) and prohibits adding new waste until the site is fully remediated. It mandates future disposal facilities in Washington must include liners and environmental safeguards, and requires tribal input in setting cleanup standards for sites affecting treaty rights of the Yakama Nation and Umatilla Indian Reservation. The law also establishes that cleanup levels must protect human health and tribal resources using tribal-approved exposure scenarios.

Maddy summaryHB 2630 requires state agencies to negotiate with employee organizations over job classifications and salary surveys for state employees, beginning January 1, 2028. The bill sets standards for classification plans, including simplicity, support for workplace diversity, and ensuring college degrees aren't required unless legally mandated for a role. It also changes collective bargaining rules to include negotiations over job classifications, promotional preferences, and health care spending per employee, using a coalition of all relevant employee organizations. This directly affects state employees in classified positions and their unions, as well as the state's financial management director.

Maddy summaryHB 2622 requires arbitrators to consider specific factors when resolving wage, hour, and working condition disputes for Washington Department of Corrections employees (excluding confidential staff and internal auditors) through interest arbitration. Key provisions mandate that arbitrators evaluate the department’s financial ability to pay, compare wages/hours/conditions to similar correctional workers in other western U.S. state employers and Washington local governments, assess retention needs, and review current total compensation (including benefits and paid time off). This law aims to standardize arbitration outcomes by focusing on regional pay benchmarks and operational realities. The bill amends existing law (RCW 41.80.200) to formalize these comparison requirements during dispute resolution.

Maddy summaryHB 2614 legalizes home cultivation of cannabis for Washington residents aged 21 or older, permitting up to six plants per person on their premises with a maximum of 15 plants total per housing unit. It sets specific possession limits (e.g., no more than half an ounce of useable cannabis) and requires cultivation to remain non-visible from public view to avoid penalties. Violations like exceeding plant limits or visible cultivation would result in civil penalties, not criminal charges. The bill does not affect medical cannabis programs or commercial cannabis businesses.

Maddy summaryHB 2260 requires signature gatherers (people collecting signatures for ballot initiatives) to sign a declaration on each petition sheet confirming they verified each signer's identity, address, and that no one was paid to sign. It also mandates matching petitioners' addresses to their voter registration records to prevent fraud. These changes aim to improve signature verification accuracy by ensuring addresses on petitions match registration data, reducing errors in validating signatures. The bill aligns with requirements in other states like Idaho and California and responds to issues where unsigned declarations and missing addresses led to potential signature validation errors.