Sen. T'wina Nobles

Maddy summarySB 5370 allows port districts in Washington state to extend the terms of their port commissioners from four years to six years. This change can be initiated by a resolution from port commissioners or a petition signed by at least 10% of the district's voters. The proposal must then be approved by a simple majority vote of the district's voters in a general election. If approved, the commissioner elected at that specific election will serve a six-year term, with subsequent commissioners also serving six-year terms. This measure does not apply to certain port districts required to maintain four-year terms or those with five commissioners.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 5077 expands voter registration services provided by various government agencies in Washington state. It grants the Governor the discretion, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to decide which state agencies, including those providing public assistance or services to persons with disabilities, will implement automatic voter registration. The bill also allows for similar decisions regarding consenting local, federal, or tribal agencies. Additionally, it directs the state's Health Benefit Exchange to provide applicant information to the Secretary of State for voter registration, potentially through an opt-out process for verified citizens. The Secretary of State may also obtain digital signatures from the Department of Licensing for voter registration purposes.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 5394 aims to manage and reduce the Developmental Disabilities Administration's (DDA) "no-paid services caseload," affecting individuals eligible for DDA services. The bill mandates the hiring of two full-time employees to regularly review and maintain this caseload, identifying eligible individuals and their interest in paid services, with annual reporting to the legislature. It also changes the provision of limited case resource management services for clients on this caseload from mandatory to discretionary for the department. Additionally, inactive clients on the no-paid services caseload will no longer receive these case resource management services.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 5516 modifies the property tax exemption for community centers. It expands the definition of "community center" to include properties deemed surplus by a university, not just local school boards. If a nonprofit organization acquires such university surplus property and converts it into community facilities for nonresidential services, it becomes eligible for a property tax exemption. This specific exemption applies to property taxes levied for collection between 2026 and 2035. The bill also clarifies that these community centers may rent or loan out space within their facilities.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 5769 renames "transitional kindergarten" to "transition to kindergarten programs" and formally establishes them in state statute. The program aims to assist eligible children, at least four years old, who need additional preparation to succeed in kindergarten. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction will administer these programs, setting rules for eligibility, funding, and minimum standards, including requiring a local early learning needs assessment. School districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools will operate these programs, prioritizing enrollment for low-income families and children most in need, and cannot charge tuition for state-funded participants.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 5390 updates the cost of the Discover Pass, which is required for vehicle access to Washington state-owned recreation sites like state parks and lands managed by the departments of Fish and Wildlife and Natural Resources. The bill increases the annual Discover Pass fee from $30 to $45. It also directs the Office of Financial Management to review the pass cost every four years and recommend adjustments to account for inflation. Additionally, the bill modifies the distribution of funds collected from Discover Pass sales, increasing the initial revenue threshold for allocation to state agencies from $71 million to $85 million per fiscal biennium.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the formula for allocating state funding to support basic education in Washington state school districts. It outlines how funds are distributed based on the resources needed for "prototypical" elementary, middle, and high schools. The formula specifies minimum staffing levels for classroom teachers, including average class sizes for various grades and subjects, and allocations for other essential school staff like principals and support personnel. Additionally, it mandates the Superintendent of Public Instruction to report per-pupil allocations for different programs to enhance transparency, while generally allowing districts flexibility in how they use these funds.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 5595 allows local authorities to designate certain nonarterial highways as "shared streets," which are areas where pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles share the roadway. On these designated streets, vehicular traffic must yield to pedestrians, bicyclists, and micromobility devices, and bicyclists/micromobility users must yield to pedestrians. The bill also permits local authorities to establish a maximum speed limit of 10 miles per hour on shared streets without requiring an engineering study. Additionally, local authorities must publish annual reports on traffic accidents, speeding, and DUI violations occurring on these shared streets.

Maddy summarySB 5556 modernizes Washington's adopt-a-highway program, affecting volunteer groups, businesses, and sponsors who participate in roadside clean-up and maintenance. The bill explicitly links the program's operation and recognition efforts to specific legislative appropriations, emphasizing fiscal limitations. It expands adoptable locations to include rest areas and park-and-ride lots, and clarifies that activities can include planting pollinator-friendly vegetation and graffiti removal. Additionally, it requires the Department of Transportation to submit annual reports on program participants and prohibits politically active organizations from participating.

Maddy summarySB 5435 reorganizes existing statutes related to public employees' collective bargaining by adding subchapter headings to Chapter 41.56 RCW. The bill aims to simplify navigation of these laws without making any substantive changes to the legal provisions themselves. It recodifies numerous sections and repeals two outdated sections within the chapter.