Sen. Bob Hasegawa

Maddy summarySenate Bill 5628 regulates the lead content in aluminum and brass cookware, utensils, and their components sold in Washington state. Beginning January 1, 2026, manufacturers, retailers, and wholesalers are prohibited from selling these products if they contain more than 90 parts per million of lead. This limit will further decrease to 10 parts per million starting January 1, 2028. The bill aims to reduce potential lead exposure for consumers from these kitchen items, and the Department of Ecology may further lower the limit after 2030 if necessary for public health.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 5525 establishes requirements for employers in Washington state regarding business closings and mass layoffs. It mandates that employers with 50 or more employees provide 60 days' written notice to the Employment Security Department and affected employees, or their bargaining representatives, before such events. This applies to business closings or mass layoffs that result in employment loss for 50 or more employees, excluding part-time staff. The notice must include specific details, such as the expected date of employment loss and affected job titles, with certain exceptions for unforeseeable business circumstances or natural disasters.

Maddy summarySB 5445 encourages utility investment in local energy resilience throughout Washington State. The bill defines specific "distributed energy priorities," including solar energy on landfills or existing structures, agrivoltaic facilities, and small-scale wind energy. It provides greater incentives for electric utilities under the Energy Independence Act when they invest in these designated priority projects. The legislation also streamlines the development of certain small-scale solar energy generation projects by exempting them from some environmental review requirements. This aims to promote the development of decentralized energy sources, affecting utilities, clean energy developers, and local communities.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 5189 supports the implementation of competency-based education in Washington state public schools, affecting students, school districts, and state education agencies. It requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to adopt rules by September 1, 2025, to authorize full-time enrollment funding for approved competency-based programs. The bill directs the State Board of Education to develop a process for identifying schools implementing competency-based education and for creating competencies aligned with state learning standards. Additionally, it mandates the development of a competency-based high school transcript format and ensures equitable access to interscholastic activities for students in these programs.

Maddy summarySB 5142, known as the Houston eminent domain fairness act, provides former owners of real estate acquired by school districts through eminent domain or under threat of condemnation the opportunity to buy it back. If a school district does not use the property for its intended public purpose, such as school facilities, and decides to sell or transfer it, they must offer to sell it to the previous owner or their heirs. The repurchase price would be the original amount the school district paid for the property. This right is triggered under specific conditions, like the cancellation of the public use or lack of progress within 10 years, and it generally expires 15 years after the district acquired the property.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 5632 aims to protect the confidentiality of records and information related to protected health care services that are lawful in Washington state, specifically defining these as gender-affirming treatment and reproductive health care services. The bill prevents Washington state courts, law enforcement, and agencies from cooperating with other states' investigations or legal actions that seek to impose civil or criminal penalties for these services. It also prohibits Washington-based electronic communication service providers from knowingly sharing information or complying with out-of-state legal processes concerning these services, unless an attestation confirms the request is not for enforcing another state's law against lawful care. This legislation directly affects individuals seeking or providing such care, as well as state government entities and certain businesses operating in Washington.

Maddy summarySubstitute Senate Bill 5104 aims to protect employees in Washington state from workplace coercion based on their immigration status. The bill defines "coercion" as threatening to make an employee act against their legal rights, and "threat" as using an employee's or their family's immigration status to deter them from exercising their rights under state labor laws. It specifically addresses employers who use such threats to coerce employees regarding wage payment or labor condition requirements. This legislation amends existing law to include these protections and prescribes penalties for violations.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 5351 aims to ensure patient choice and access to dental care by regulating dental insurance practices. It prohibits dental-only plans from denying coverage solely because multiple procedures were performed on the same day, while still allowing denials for reasons like fraud or medical necessity. The bill also requires dental insurers to offer providers a fee-free alternative if they pay claims using credit cards. Additionally, it mandates annual public reporting of dental-only plan financial data and establishes a collaborative forum to study dental loss ratios and provider payment rates, with recommendations due by June 2026.

Maddy summarySubstitute Senate Bill 5714 defines new types of unprofessional conduct for licensed bail bond agents and bail bond recovery agents in Washington state. The bill prohibits these agents from using their position to enforce civil immigration warrants. Additionally, it makes it unprofessional conduct for agents to share a defendant's immigration status outside of their bail bond agency's business. These provisions aim to regulate the specific activities and information handling practices of bail bond professionals.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 5716 expands the definition of "unlawful transit conduct" to include actions occurring on Washington State Ferries. This bill amends existing law (RCW 9.91.025) to explicitly include the Washington State Ferries under the definition of a "transit authority." As a result, behaviors such as smoking, littering, playing loud music without headphones, or consuming alcohol without authorization are now considered unlawful conduct when on or at ferry facilities. Individuals who violate these provisions on Washington State Ferries can be found guilty of a misdemeanor.