Rep. Gerry Pollet

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Washington's Department of Health to collaborate with the Department of Social and Health Services to integrate certification testing into home care aide training programs by July 1, 2028. It mandates that exams include both skills demonstrations and knowledge tests, be administered in applicants' preferred languages, and be offered through facility-based or community training programs. The law affects home care aides seeking certification, their training programs, and the departments overseeing testing standards. It also specifies that testing must be conducted fairly and accessible to all applicants, with annual reviews of language-specific exam results.

Maddy summaryHB 1334 modifies Washington State's rules for limiting annual growth in local property tax revenue, directly affecting cities, counties, and other taxing districts. The bill replaces the previous inflation measure with the Western Region Consumer Price Index and sets the growth limit at 100% plus population change and inflation (capped at 103%), while small districts (under 10,000 population) remain limited to 101%. It repeals a prior provision allowing some districts to use a 101% limit factor and requires new calculations for tax limits starting in 2026. These changes aim to adjust how property tax revenue growth is calculated for local government funding.

Maddy summaryHB 1992 requires Washington state and local governments to integrate pedestrian, bicycle, and equestrian infrastructure into highway planning and construction. It mandates preserving existing trails when highways are built, providing replacement routes if trails are severed, and incorporating active transportation facilities into highway designs where they align with adopted plans. The bill directly affects state and local transportation agencies, highway planners, and trail users by changing how infrastructure projects must consider non-motorized travel. Key mechanisms include amending highway codes to prioritize trail connections, requiring safety-focused traffic control at trail crossings, and authorizing funding for trail maintenance from existing transportation budgets.

Maddy summaryHB 1146 requires Washington County auditors, jails, and state hospitals to create joint voting plans by 2026 to improve voting access for people incarcerated in jails or hospitalized at state facilities. The bill mandates specific support, including voter registration assistance, access to ballots eight days before elections, nonpartisan candidate information, and accommodations for people with disabilities. Jails and hospitals must designate voting coordinators, provide materials for registration and ballot completion, and document voting-related requests. Violations can be enforced by the Attorney General, with courts awarding $25,000 penalties for intentional breaches starting in 2030.

Maddy summaryHB 1523 establishes the Essential Worker Health Care Program to provide nursing home workers in Washington with access to high-quality, affordable health coverage through their employers. Participating nursing home operators receive supplemental funding to support multiemployer health plans, while committing to maintain or increase their spending on employee health benefits (adjusted for inflation) and use funds to supplement, not replace, existing coverage. Employers must document prior health care spending, allocate funds through certified health plans, and report annually on benefit improvements. The program targets workforce instability in nursing homes - where many workers are women of color and immigrants - by aiming to reduce turnover and improve care quality through better health care access.

Maddy summaryHB 2046 imposes a tax of $8 for every $1,000 in market value on Washington residents' financial intangible assets (like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds) exceeding $50 million in value. It exempts assets such as private company ownership, pensions, retirement accounts, and the first $50 million of holdings. Revenue from this tax will fund K-12 schools, early learning programs, child care, and higher education through the Education Legacy Trust Account. The bill targets high-value financial investments held by residents while excluding common retirement and private business assets.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows qualifying Washington counties to impose a 0.1% sales tax to fund behavioral health diversion programs. The tax must be used exclusively for initiatives that prevent individuals with behavioral health needs from entering or remaining in the criminal justice system - such as diverting people facing up to class C felony charges, reducing repeated competency evaluations, and creating county-wide strategies for housing and support. Counties must first have a state-approved behavioral health diversion plan before implementing the tax. The law is contingent on another bill (HB 1218) being enacted by August 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1137 establishes consistent rules for disciplinary actions and administrative segregation in Washington state correctional facilities. It standardizes procedures for handling inmate misconduct, defines key terms like "contraband" and "physical restraint," and requires individual reentry plans for incarcerated people. The bill directly affects inmates facing disciplinary hearings, correctional staff implementing policies, and facility operations. Key mechanisms include uniform criteria for segregation placement, clearer definitions to prevent arbitrary decisions, and linking privileges (like work programs) to documented "good conduct" and "good performance." This replaces inconsistent local practices with statewide standards under state law.

Maddy summaryHB 1785 imposes a surcharge on Washington-based publicly traded companies with CEO pay at least 50 times the median employee wage. The surcharge is 10% for ratios of 50-149:1 and 25% for ratios of 150:1 or higher, applied to state corporate taxes starting January 1, 2026. Companies must disclose their executive pay ratio to the SEC (per Dodd-Frank Act); failure to report triggers the 25% rate. All revenue from the surcharge funds the state general fund.

Maddy summaryHB 1113, known as the public SAFE-T Act, creates a pathway for individuals charged with certain simple or gross misdemeanors in Washington state to have their charges dismissed. Under this bill, a court may agree to dismiss a misdemeanor charge if the defendant waives their right to a speedy trial and substantially complies with court-ordered conditions and programs for up to 12 months. Full restitution is a required condition for dismissal, although inability to pay due to indigence is not a barrier if progress is made. However, the bill explicitly excludes a wide range of specific offenses, such as domestic violence, DUI-related charges, and certain assault or firearm offenses, from this dismissal process.