Maddy summarySB 5222 limits annual rent and fee increases for Washington tenants to 7% (with specific exemptions), requires landlords to provide written notice for increases, and bans excessive or arbitrary fees. It directly affects all renters under Washington’s residential and manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant acts, including households with children, seniors, and communities of color disproportionately impacted by rent hikes. Key provisions include allowing tenants to terminate leases without penalty if increases violate the cap, creating a landlord resource center for compliance support, and establishing parity between month-to-month and fixed-term leases. The bill also authorizes the Attorney General to enforce violations and recover damages for unlawful rent or fee charges.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 5376 clarifies and updates Washington state's animal cruelty laws by defining key terms like "necessary food," "shelter," and "space" with specific, measurable standards. It directly affects all animal owners and caretakers in Washington by requiring: species-appropriate food provided at suitable intervals, drinkable water easily accessible daily, shelter protecting against weather elements with bedding, and adequate space for exercise with proper lighting and sanitation. The bill amends existing statutes (RCW 16.52) to ensure consistent enforcement, excluding commercial livestock operations under accepted husbandry practices. These definitions help law enforcement and animal control agencies assess neglect cases based on concrete, observable standards.
Maddy summarySB 5344 establishes a state-funded program to provide nursing home workers in Washington with affordable, high-quality health care benefits through participating nursing home employers. The bill allocates supplemental funding to nursing home operators who commit to offering health care via "qualified health funds" (multi-employer plans), distributing funds based on Medicaid bed days and requiring employers to maintain or increase health care spending. Employers must use all funds to improve employee health benefits, provide transparency on spending, and avoid replacing existing health coverage. The program directly affects nursing home workers - primarily older women, women of color, and immigrants - who provide direct care, with eligibility covering all permanent employees in participating facilities.
Maddy summarySB 5668 requires Washington's state board of health to update newborn screening panels by July 2026 to align with the federal recommended screening panel, adding conditions like metabolic disorders within 12 months of federal updates. It mandates a feasibility review for new additions, assessing costs, available funding, treatment access, and screening technology before implementation. The bill directly affects newborns (through expanded screening), hospitals (which collect blood samples), and the Department of Health (which administers the program and fees). It also allows public petitions for new screenings if scientific evidence supports them, ensuring additions are evidence-based and timely. The law modifies existing statutes to streamline this process while maintaining parental opt-out rights for religious reasons.
Maddy summarySB 5413 sets new limits for detached accessory dwelling units (secondary housing units on the same property as a main home) outside urban growth areas in Washington County. It requires counties to enforce specific rules, including a 1,296-square-foot size limit for units, documentation of water/sewer capacity, placement within 150 feet of the main home, and restrictions on short-term rentals (requiring owner occupancy). Counties must also track permits annually, update land use plans to account for these units, and implement enforcement measures like double permit fees for unpermitted units or $1,000+ fines. The bill applies to rural properties outside designated urban boundaries and does not affect existing county ordinances or urban-area rules.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires taverns, nightclubs, hotels, and sports entertainment venues to offer drug testing devices for sale to customers in designated areas (excluding drink preparation zones). Businesses must ensure devices are within their expiration date, display clear signage about availability, and may charge only the wholesale cost (or offer them free). The law explicitly states venues are not liable for inaccurate test results, such as false positives or negatives. It applies to all licensees under Washington’s Liquor and Cannabis Board, effective January 1, 2026.
Maddy summarySenate Bill 5794 aims to improve how tax preferences are managed in Washington state. It implements recommendations from the state's tax preference performance review process, which evaluates the effectiveness of existing tax exemptions. The bill eliminates several tax preferences identified as obsolete or unused and clarifies the legislative intent behind others. This includes updating specific tax code sections and modifying effective or expiration dates for certain industries, such as manufacturing of seafood and dairy products.
Maddy summarySenate Bill 5217 expands pregnancy-related accommodations for employees in Washington state, now applying to nearly all employers. It defines "pregnancy" to include related health conditions and the need to express breast milk, requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations like flexible breaks, modified schedules, and assistance with manual labor. The bill prohibits employers from taking adverse action against employees requesting these accommodations and mandates paid break time for expressing breast milk for up to two years after childbirth. Additionally, it allows individuals with an infant under 12 months old to be excused from or delay jury service.
Maddy summarySB 5009 modifies the student transportation allocation system for school districts in Washington state. It encourages districts to use various vehicle types, including school buses and other vehicles like district-owned passenger cars, for student transportation if deemed safe and cost-effective. The bill updates reporting requirements for districts to include miles driven per vehicle type and directs the superintendent of public instruction (SPI) to calculate transportation allocations based on all vehicle types used. Additionally, the SPI will establish minimum categories and competitive specifications for all student transportation vehicles to guide reimbursement.
Maddy summarySenate Bill 5041 revises the eligibility rules for unemployment insurance benefits in Washington state for workers involved in labor disputes. The bill removes the disqualification for benefits for individuals whose unemployment is caused by an employer lockout. For workers unemployed due to a strike, the disqualification period now ends on the second Sunday after the strike begins, or when the strike terminates, whichever occurs first. However, benefits received due to a strike are capped at six calendar weeks, and the employer is notified of available mediation services.