Rep. Hunter Abell

Maddy summaryHB 2166 amends Washington State law to grant state employees two unpaid religious holidays per year for observance of faith-based practices. It specifically adds a provision allowing employees to select two days annually for religious observance (e.g., Hanukkah, Eid al-Fitr, Passover) after consulting with employers, unless the absence would cause undue hardship. The bill does not create new paid holidays but expands existing unpaid holiday options for state workers, including those in schools and public institutions. It reaffirms existing state legal holidays while listing additional recognized days (like Hanukkah and Eid) that are not legally designated as paid holidays.

Maddy summaryHJM 4008 is a non-binding legislative memorial urging collaboration among Washington's legal institutions to promote existing legal education programs. It requests law schools, bar associations, prosecutor offices, public defense agencies, and courts to jointly encourage law students to participate in current programs like the Rule 6 law clerk program, Rule 9 licensed legal intern program, and rural legal partnerships. The memorial specifically asks these entities to educate students about these opportunities and support their participation during the final year of law school. This aims to address staffing needs in public defense and prosecution while developing students' practical legal skills.

Maddy summaryHB 2130 repeals specific tax provisions from Senate Bill 5814 (2025 session) that imposed new taxes. It removes sections of Chapter 422, Laws of 2025 (including codified sections 101, 201, 301 and uncodified sections 1, 401-404) that affected taxpayers. The repeal takes effect April 1, 2026, and is declared an emergency to preserve public finances. This bill directly reverses the tax changes enacted by ESSB 5814.

Maddy summaryHB 1454 appropriates $7 million from the state general fund for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to create a grant program for multijurisdictional drug task forces in Washington State. The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs will administer the grants, requiring recipients to follow peer review and reporting standards identical to those used for Edward Byrne grant recipients as of January 1, 2023. The program allows the administering association to retain up to 5% of the funds for administrative costs. This funding directly supports local law enforcement task forces tackling drug-related crimes across multiple jurisdictions.

Maddy summaryHB 1929 requires Washington's Senate to confirm the governor's appointments to vacancies on the Court of Appeals. It mandates a two-thirds Senate vote for confirmation, with specific deadlines for votes during legislative sessions or the next session if the legislature is adjourned. This directly affects the governor (who makes appointments), the Senate (which must confirm), and Court of Appeals judges (who fill vacancies until the next general election). The bill also prohibits reappointing rejected candidates for two years and clarifies that this process does not apply to other judicial vacancies covered by separate law.

Maddy summaryHB 1700 grants Washington cities and counties a six-month extension to update their comprehensive land use plans and development regulations, addressing delays caused by staffing shortages and new requirements. It also creates an opt-out option for very small cities (under 500 people meeting specific population and location criteria) to conduct partial updates instead of full reviews, requiring them only to revise critical areas and transportation elements. The bill amends state law to adjust review timelines while maintaining core requirements for land use planning consistency. This affects all local governments responsible for zoning and growth management under Washington’s Growth Management Act.

Maddy summaryHB 1324 redirects revenues from Washington's Climate Commitment Act (CCA) auction system to fund major state transportation projects, including the I-5 Columbia River bridge replacement and the US 395 North Spokane corridor. The bill amends existing law to require that CCA auction proceeds - previously restricted from road projects - be allocated specifically to highway and bridge infrastructure, rather than solely to climate or environmental programs. Key provisions mandate that funds support projects improving freight movement (like the Gateway freight project) and reducing congestion, which the bill states contributes to lower greenhouse gas emissions. This reallocation changes how CCA revenue is spent but does not alter the underlying auction system or funding amounts.

Maddy summaryHB 1335 adds "military spouse status" to Washington's anti-discrimination law, making it illegal for employers to discriminate against military spouses in hiring, firing, or employment conditions. The bill explicitly includes military spouses as a protected class under existing laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, gender, disability, and other factors. It amends Washington’s civil rights statute (RCW 49.60) to guarantee military spouses the right to "obtain and hold employment without discrimination" and provides legal recourse for violations. This change directly affects military spouses in Washington and all employers covered by the state’s anti-discrimination law.

Maddy summaryHB 1442 allows Washington counties with established gray wolf populations to collaborate with the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) on localized wolf management, rather than maintaining state endangered species protections. It triggers this shift when the state meets a recovery goal of 15 statewide breeding pairs for three years *and* a specific county has at least three breeding pairs. Counties meeting these criteria must form interlocal agreements with DFW and tribes to develop regional plans within six months, requiring input from ranchers, conservation groups, and tribes. These plans must address minimizing livestock conflicts, improving response times for wolf-related issues, and maintaining stable wolf populations while protecting ranching interests. The bill directly affects rural counties, ranchers, tribes, and DFW, shifting management from state-level to collaborative, community-specific approaches.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits foreign adversaries (defined as entities designated by U.S. Commerce Department for national security threats) from acquiring or holding agricultural land in Washington after July 1, 2025. Any such acquisition is invalid, automatically transferring ownership to the state without compensation, and bars the foreign adversary from claiming restitution. It also requires the Washington Department of Agriculture to publish annual reports tracking foreign ownership of farmland, including trends and recommended policy changes. The law defines agricultural land broadly to include farms, ranches, and forests (excluding small plots under $1,000 annual revenue), applying to direct purchases and indirect ownership through entities.