Maddy summarySB 5404 establishes a new funding structure for Washington state public defense services, requiring the state to cover 50% of costs starting in 2026 based on a five-year average of county expenditures. Counties and cities that save funds due to this state contribution must redirect those savings toward specific alternatives like pretrial diversion programs, reentry services, or public defense infrastructure (e.g., IT, staffing). The bill mandates annual reporting of caseloads, attorney hours, and service quality metrics to the Office of Public Defense, which will use this data to review case categorization standards. It also allows low-population counties to transfer public defense responsibilities to the state office, with the state retaining their pro rata funding share for service delivery.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 5090 updates Washington's Professional Engineers' Registration Act by modernizing definitions and board composition. It removes outdated language and clarifies terms like "practice of engineering" and "significant structures" (e.g., defining hazardous facilities and large buildings). The bill requires board members to have at least 10 years of active practice in engineering or land surveying, including five years immediately prior to appointment. This affects the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors and the professionals they regulate, without changing core registration requirements for engineers or land surveyors.
Maddy summarySB 5430 requires Washington electric utilities to submit detailed wildfire mitigation plans to the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) for approval, with updates every three years. The UTC must review these plans within 120 days (for initial submissions) or 90 days (for updates), holding public workshops and meetings, and can approve plans with conditions to balance wildfire risk reduction with cost to consumers. The bill repeals outdated provisions and directs the UTC to adopt rules including input from fire districts, landowners, and customer groups on vegetation management, power shutoffs, and fair compensation. This directly affects all electric utilities operating in Washington, ensuring their wildfire plans are reviewed transparently and cost-effectively.
Maddy summarySB 5247 transfers ownership of the Naselle Youth Camp property from the State of Washington to the Chinook Indian Nation by October 1, 2025. The tribe must agree to maintain ownership for at least 10 years and use the property for tribal government purposes. This bill updates state law to remove "Naselle Youth Camp" from definitions of state-operated youth facilities, reflecting the property transfer. The change directly affects the Chinook Indian Nation, which gains ownership of the land, and the state, which no longer holds title to the property. No new operational policies for youth camps are created.
Maddy summarySB 5246 sets strict timelines and procedural requirements for Washington's Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council to review energy project applications. It mandates a public hearing within 60 days of application receipt, requires the council to issue recommendations to the governor within 12 months (or 180 days for certain clean energy projects), and adds steps for applicants to revise proposals based on environmental concerns. The bill directly affects energy project developers, the council, and local governments reviewing land use compliance. Key mechanisms include standardized public hearing schedules, written explanations for environmental significance determinations, and structured review processes to reduce delays in project approvals.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes specific 2035 targets for Washington's Amtrak Cascades intercity rail service to improve travel times, frequency, and reliability. It requires the state transportation department to prioritize these goals: reducing Seattle-Portland travel to 2.5 hours with 14 daily roundtrips, Seattle-Vancouver (BC) to 2.75 hours with 5 daily roundtrips, and achieving 88% on-time performance. The department must annually report progress to lawmakers, explain barriers preventing target achievement, and propose modifications if constraints are unavoidable. These changes directly affect Amtrak Cascades passengers and guide state planning for rail infrastructure investments.
Maddy summarySB 5504 would allow Washington Medicaid to pay family caregivers (parents, guardians, or close relatives) for providing complex medical care to children under 18 with high medical needs, as part of existing private duty nursing coverage. To qualify, caregivers must complete 75+ hours of training from an accredited home health agency, receive RN supervision, and work through a licensed home health agency. The bill requires the state health authority to seek federal approval for this payment change by December 2025 and report on feasibility by January 2026. It expires December 31, 2026, and directly affects families caring for medically fragile children covered by Medicaid.
Maddy summaryThis bill would allow Washington counties to impose a local tax on utility companies (like water, electricity, and gas providers) based on their gross income from services within the county. Counties could set a tax rate up to 3%, which utilities would add to customer bills and clearly label. The tax would apply to businesses (e.g., factories, data centers) but not residential customers unless businesses also get exemptions. Counties must follow specific rules for when to start the tax and cannot create general residential exemptions. This is a proposed revenue tool for local governments, not yet law.
Maddy summarySB 5054 exempts Washington wineries selling fewer than 20,000 gallons of table wine or cider annually from the standard wine tax on those initial sales. This change modifies existing tax code (RCW 66.24.210) to remove the $0.0528-per-liter tax for the first 20,000 gallons of wine/cider sold each year, directly benefiting small wineries. The bill aims to reduce financial barriers for small producers who lack economies of scale and face challenges like economic downturns and climate impacts. This policy change takes effect upon passage, altering how wineries calculate and pay state wine excise taxes.
Maddy summarySB 5488 protects youth in state care from having their personal benefits (like Social Security) used to pay for their care. Starting January 1, 2026, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) cannot apply benefits to reimburse care costs for youth aged 14-17, and starting 2028 for all other youth in care (under 14 or over 17). The bill requires DCYF to screen youth for Social Security benefits, apply for them on their behalf, and manage approved funds in special accounts (like ABLE accounts) to avoid affecting eligibility. DCYF must also provide financial literacy training to youth aged 14+ who may receive benefits and transition account management to them or their parents when they leave care.