Sen. Perry Dozier

Maddy summarySB 6268 requires Washington's Superintendent of Public Instruction to maintain a free, public online record of all final decisions from special education complaints. This record must be accessible to anyone online for 20 years after a complaint is resolved, including historical decisions if available. The bill directly affects parents, students with disabilities, and school districts by increasing transparency around special education dispute outcomes. It ensures that final complaint decisions - covering issues like service access or program eligibility - are publicly available without cost, supporting informed decisions and accountability.

Maddy summaryWashington State's SB 5886 establishes a property right in an individual's name, voice, signature, photograph, and "forged digital likeness" that survives death. It defines a "forged digital likeness" as a digitally altered image or audio that misrepresents a person and could deceive others into believing it is genuine. The law requires written or oral consent for using these rights in commercial goods, advertising, or fundraising - applying to businesses, nonprofits, and organizations regardless of profit motive. This directly affects creators of digital content, advertisers, and fundraisers who might use AI-generated representations of living or deceased individuals (including those with commercial value to their likeness) without permission.

Maddy summarySB 6149 updates Washington state's definition of "rural county" to determine eligibility for a dedicated sales tax funding public facilities. A county qualifies as rural if it has fewer than 100 people per square mile, lacks any city over 45,000 residents, or is smaller than 225 square miles. Rural counties can then impose a sales tax (up to 0.09%, or 0.04% for certain counties) to fund public facilities supporting job creation, affordable workforce housing, or economic development offices. Funds must be used for specific projects listed in economic development plans and reported annually to ensure alignment with job growth and housing goals.

Maddy summarySB 6087 provides legal liability protection for individuals and organizations donating baby items (like clothes, car seats, or strollers) that are less than five years old to charities or public health agencies. It defines "donor" to include those giving such items directly or contributing space for storage/distribution, and clarifies that distributing organizations (e.g., nonprofits or public health agencies) are covered under this protection. The bill amends Washington state law to explicitly shield donors from liability claims related to these donations, as long as items meet the age requirement. This directly affects donors, charities, and public agencies handling baby item distributions, without changing how items are distributed or requiring new processes.

Maddy summarySB 5825 authorizes the Washington State Leadership Board to accept gifts, grants, and endowments from public or private sources to support its existing programs. The board, which administers initiatives like Washington World Fellows (a college readiness fellowship) and Boundless Washington (an outdoor leadership program for youth with disabilities), can now use these funds to expand its mission of fostering youth leadership and civic engagement. The bill explicitly states that private donations must supplement, not replace, state appropriations and must be used for programs not previously funded by the legislature. It requires the board to publicly report all funds received and expenditures on its website.

Maddy summarySB 5552 aims to create a new category of building codes specifically for "kit homes" to increase affordable housing options. The bill defines kit homes as residential structures 800 square feet or smaller, built from prefabricated walls, floors, and roofs assembled on-site. It directs the State Building Code Council to establish these specific building codes for kit homes by December 31, 2025. This initiative is intended to provide more affordable small homes for homebuyers of modest means.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution honors Senator Matt Boehnke for his distinguished service to the people of Washington state and the 8th Legislative District. The resolution formally recognizes his career progression from the Kennewick City Council to the State House and Senate, highlighting his work on technology innovation, workforce development, and energy policy. It also acknowledges his military service as a lieutenant colonel in the Army aviation branch and his current role as a cybersecurity professor at Columbia Basin College. The Senate expresses gratitude for his leadership and commits to sending a copy of the resolution to Senator Boehnke and his family as a token of appreciation.

Maddy summarySB 6006 would exempt food banks from paying Washington's retail sales tax on qualifying services they purchase to operate their programs. The bill amends state tax law (RCW 82.04.050) to create a specific exemption for food banks, removing the tax burden on services like food distribution, storage, or administrative support. This directly reduces operational costs for food banks statewide, allowing them to redirect resources toward serving communities. The change applies only to services directly used in food bank operations, not general retail purchases.

Maddy summarySB 6013 updates Washington's legal terminology for winter sports facilities by replacing outdated terms like "ski lift" and "rope tow" with modern equivalents such as "aerial lift" and "surface lift" throughout safety and operational rules. It directly affects ski area operators (requiring $1 million liability insurance) and skiers (updating safety rules like not throwing objects or crossing tracks improperly). Key provisions clarify safety responsibilities, including skiers' duty to control speed, avoid collisions, and follow posted instructions while using lifts. The bill standardizes language across state law to reflect current winter sports equipment and practices without changing underlying safety requirements.

Maddy summarySB 6297 exempts temporary staffing services purchased by nonprofit behavioral health entities from Washington state's retail sales tax. This directly affects nonprofits providing mental health, substance use, or similar behavioral health services that rely on temporary staff. The bill amends state tax law to exclude these specific staffing costs from taxable "retail sales," reducing operational costs for qualifying organizations. The change applies only to services used directly by the nonprofits in their behavioral health operations, not to general business expenses.