Rep. Sharon Wylie

Maddy summaryHB 2547 requires county and municipal jails in Washington to have a written contract with the U.S. government before holding individuals transferred from federal custody. The contract must cover all costs of confinement and include a fee for the jail’s expenses; if federal funds aren’t received as agreed, the jail must stop holding those individuals. The bill also prohibits jails from contracting to hold people transported across state lines, except when a valid judicial warrant exists. This directly affects local jails that currently house federal detainees and ensures financial accountability for federal custody arrangements.

Maddy summaryHB 2502 removes sales tax exemptions for certain products and services that currently only exclude state sales tax but not local sales tax. This change will increase revenue for local governments (cities and counties) by requiring these items to pay both state and local sales taxes. The bill specifically targets exemptions listed in the tax code that previously allowed businesses to avoid paying local taxes on qualifying purchases. As a result, local governments will gain additional funding to support essential services like roads, public safety, and community programs.

Maddy summaryHB 2504 prepares Washington for a future legal interstate cannabis market by establishing requirements that would apply once federal law allows interstate cannabis trade. It mandates that cannabis entering Washington from other states or countries must be distributed through state-licensed processors and undergo third-party testing before retail sale. The bill also specifies that Washington cannot accept out-of-state cannabis until federal law changes and the state’s cannabis board authorizes such transactions. This legislation affects licensed cannabis processors and retailers, setting a framework for compliance if and when interstate commerce becomes legal. The bill does not change current state laws but creates a pathway for future implementation.

Maddy summaryHB 2106 requires health insurance carriers to provide healthcare providers and facilities with clear, 90-day advance notice of major contract changes that affect payments or services. The notice must detail the specific financial impact, exact language of the change, and allow providers to accept or reject it without disrupting their existing contracts. If carriers fail to follow these rules, the proposed changes become void, and providers can reject modifications without penalty. This bill directly affects insurers and healthcare facilities by mandating transparency for significant changes like payment rate cuts, new billing rules, or service restrictions.

Maddy summaryHB 2358 requires counties to consider critical aquifer recharge areas (areas that replenish groundwater) when revising urban growth areas (UGAs), which are designated zones for future development. This directly affects counties and cities with UGAs needing boundary revisions under Washington's growth management laws. The key provision mandates that any expansion of UGAs must avoid encroaching on critical aquifer recharge zones, protecting groundwater sources from development pressure. Counties must ensure revisions comply with this requirement during their scheduled plan reviews.

Maddy summaryHB 2371 transfers Washington's Imagination Library program from the Department of Children, Youth, and Families to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The bill requires the superintendent to select a Washington-based nonprofit organization to manage the program, which provides free monthly books to children from birth through age five. The nonprofit would cover 50% of book costs while local affiliate programs cover the remaining costs, with no new state funds mandated. The program will continue partnering with a national nonprofit foundation for book distribution. This is an administrative transfer, not a policy change creating new benefits or funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates supplemental funding for school districts that have extra costs transporting homeless students (per federal McKinney-Vento law) and foster youth (per federal Every Student Succeeds Act) beyond what's already covered by other funding sources. Districts must report verified excess costs and specific services creating those costs to qualify. Funding covers only the documented excess transportation expenses for eligible students, with awards limited to specific time periods (semester or school year) and not exceeding the state's annual appropriation. Charter schools and tribal education compact schools are explicitly included as eligible recipients.

Maddy summaryHB 2097 would allow Washington counties to impose a business and occupation tax to fund local services like public safety and waste management, directly affecting businesses operating within county jurisdictions. Counties must adopt a standardized model ordinance developed with business stakeholder input, including a minimum $20,000 annual gross income threshold for small businesses and provisions to prevent double taxation with city taxes. Before implementing or raising the tax, counties must hold a voter referendum requiring signatures from at least 15% of registered voters. The law specifies that existing tax classifications under state law remain exempt and mandates uniform reporting and penalty rules for all counties using this tax.

Maddy summaryHB 2163 amends Washington state law to require counties and cities to adopt specific standards for public defense services, directly affecting local jurisdictions that provide legal representation to indigent defendants. The bill mandates that these standards include clear case load limits for attorneys, compensation details, attorney qualifications, handling of expert witness fees, and procedures for monitoring and evaluating service quality. It removes previous language requiring local standards to follow Washington State Bar Association guidelines, instead making those guidelines optional references. The law aims to clarify minimum requirements for public defense systems while allowing jurisdictions to align with court rules where possible.

Maddy summaryHB 2181 allocates $690 million in excess climate commitment auction revenue to repair transportation infrastructure damaged by the December 2025 atmospheric river and winter storm event. It specifically funds cleanup, repairs, and restoration of Interstate 90, State Routes 2, 167, and 410, and other critical transportation systems affected by the emergency. The funding comes directly from the Climate Investment Account, as authorized by the Climate Commitment Act, and is tied to emergency proclamation 25-07. This bill uses existing climate revenue for immediate infrastructure recovery, without creating new taxes or altering broader climate program requirements.