Maddy summarySenate Joint Memorial 8008 officially withdraws all prior applications made by the Washington State Legislature to the United States Congress for a constitutional convention. The memorial explicitly rescinds, repeals, and cancels any and all such past requests, regardless of their original scope (limited or general) or the completeness of their historical records. This action ensures that Washington's previous calls for a convention are nullified. The state communicates this decision to federal officials, requesting that Washington no longer be counted among the states seeking a constitutional convention until a future legislature passes a new application. It primarily affects the State of Washington's official position regarding the process for amending the U.S. Constitution under Article V.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySenate Resolution 8640 is a commemorative resolution that honors Senator Karen Lynn Keiser for her nearly 30 years of service in the Washington State Legislature. It commends her for her work on health care reform, establishing the Washington Health Benefit Exchange and Paid Family and Medical Leave program, and championing policies for working families.
Maddy summaryThis is a symbolic Senate Resolution (not a law) honoring the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people in Washington state. It recognizes the disproportionate violence they face, acknowledges Washington's high rate of such cases, and expresses the Senate's solidarity with affected families, tribal nations, and advocates. The resolution does not create new legal requirements or funding but aims to raise awareness and support ongoing efforts to address this crisis. It was adopted by the Senate on April 14, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 5316 modifies Washington's unclaimed property laws specifically for prearrangement funeral service contracts. It establishes a new 3-year abandonment period for these funds, starting from the beneficiary's death (or their 107th birthday, or 50 years after contract signing), after which the funds must be reported as unclaimed property to the state. Funeral businesses (holders) must now follow these updated timelines and reporting procedures for funds held in trust, with the state's Department of Revenue handling the transferred property. The bill also clarifies key terms like "contract beneficiary" and "apparent owner" to streamline the process. It became law on April 8, 2025, and takes effect July 27, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 5106 amends Washington state law to formally recognize Eid al-Fitr (first day of the tenth Islamic month) and Eid al-Adha (tenth day of the twelfth Islamic month) as designated days of cultural observance. The bill adds these dates to the list of recognized days in RCW 1.16.050, which are not automatically paid holidays but may be requested as unpaid religious holidays under existing provisions. State employees who observe these days can request them as unpaid days off for religious reasons, following the same process as other faith-based requests under RCW 1.16.050(3). The law does not change the paid holiday structure but ensures these dates are formally acknowledged in state statutes. It became effective July 27, 2025, after Governor approval.
Maddy summarySB 5209 amends Washington state law to explicitly include the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) in the legal definition of a "limited authority Washington law enforcement agency." This change directly affects L&I officers, clarifying their status under existing law without granting them new enforcement powers. The bill adds L&I to a list of state agencies (like the Department of Natural Resources) that have authority to enforce specific laws related to their limited subject areas. It makes no policy changes to L&I's current responsibilities or enforcement capabilities.
Maddy summarySB 5141 requires Washington's experience-rated group disability insurers to include all applicable rating factors and credibility formulas in their rate filings with the insurance commissioner. This directly affects insurers selling group disability plans where premiums are based on a specific group's historical claims data. The law mandates detailed filings so the commissioner can verify if a group's claims experience is credible and replicate premium calculations using that group's data. It aims to increase transparency in how these rates are determined. The bill became law on April 8, 2025, and takes effect July 27, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 5118 updates Washington's licensing rules to create a specific pathway for international medical graduates (IMGs) seeking clinical experience. The bill establishes a time-limited "clinical experience license" allowing IMGs who don’t yet qualify for full licensure to work under supervision at approved healthcare facilities, meeting requirements like English proficiency and passing specific exams. This directly affects IMGs aiming to complete required clinical training before obtaining full medical licensure in Washington. The license permits practice only within approved training programs and terminates after one year unless renewed, requiring continuous progress toward full licensure. The bill became law on April 4, 2025, and takes effect July 27, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 5006 updates Washington State's corporation laws by clarifying rules for corporate equity awards and board committees. It specifies that boards of directors can set restrictions on who may exercise stock options or warrants (e.g., preventing certain shareholders from acquiring shares) and prohibits officers from self-designating for equity awards. The bill also refines how board committees operate, requiring board approval for their creation, limiting committees from approving distributions or filling board vacancies, and adding rules for alternate committee members. These changes directly affect corporations operating under Washington law, their boards, and officers managing corporate governance. The bill became law on April 4, 2025, and takes effect July 27, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 5457 modifies Washington State's business tax for radio and television broadcasters. It requires broadcasters to calculate tax based on gross income minus specific advertising revenues, directly affecting FCC-licensed radio and TV stations operating in Washington. The key provision allows broadcasters to exclude national/regional ad revenue either through a standard deduction (based on U.S. Census data) or by itemizing out-of-state audience revenue using defined signal strength contours. This change, effective July 2025, adjusts how taxable income is calculated for broadcasters under the existing 0.484% business tax rate.