Sen. Jeff Holy

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 8667 is a formal tribute honoring Monica Alexander upon her retirement as Executive Director of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission. The resolution recognizes her 20+ years of service with the Washington State Patrol - including being the first Black woman promoted to sergeant, lieutenant, and captain - and her leadership in expanding training facilities, reducing officer training wait times, and advancing policy initiatives like sexual assault kit funding. It does not create new laws or policies but celebrates her legacy in transforming law enforcement culture and increasing community representation. The Senate adopted this resolution on January 21, 2026, to acknowledge her contributions to Washington state.

Maddy summarySB 6236 modifies Washington state child dependency laws to strengthen emergency removal procedures and ensure timely court oversight. It requires specific evidence of imminent harm (including abuse, neglect, or high-potency opioid exposure) for immediate child removal and mandates a shelter care hearing within 72 hours to determine if a child can safely return home. The bill also clarifies parent notification requirements, ensures access to legal counsel for indigent parents, and prioritizes child safety as the court's paramount consideration. These changes directly affect child protective services, courts, parents, and children in dependency cases.

Maddy summaryWashington's SB 5821 directs the Department of Commerce to develop a nuclear power strategic framework by December 2026, assessing how advanced nuclear energy could support the state's clean energy goals. The framework must evaluate state objectives, development processes (including permitting and tribal consultation), challenges, and policy recommendations - such as streamlining site approvals at previously used nuclear or fossil fuel sites. This bill affects state agencies, utilities, and stakeholders involved in energy planning, aiming to integrate nuclear power as a reliable, clean energy source to meet Washington's 2045 emissions targets and growing electricity demand.

Maddy summarySB 6169 makes it a gross misdemeanor to sell, distribute, or give away nitrous oxide in canisters, devices, or flavored containers (like "whip-its"), directly affecting retailers and distributors of these products. Key exceptions include medical/dental use by licensed professionals, nitrous oxide in food propellants, manufacturing processes, and automotive applications. The bill defines "nitrous oxide" to include common terms like "laughing gas" but excludes these specified uses from the prohibition. It does not apply to sales for legitimate medical, food, industrial, or automotive purposes. The law aims to restrict recreational nitrous oxide access while preserving established commercial and medical uses.

Maddy summarySB 6107 clarifies when registered nurses in Washington can delegate tasks to nursing assistants or home care aides. It prohibits delegating medication administration (except for specific insulin injections under strict supervision), tasks requiring substantial skill, or procedures involving tissue piercing. Nurses must verify the delegatee's competency, assess patient stability, and ensure the patient has a "stable and predictable condition" before delegating. This directly affects nurses, nursing assistants, home care aides, and patients in home or community care settings (like assisted living or in-home care), but excludes acute care facilities.

Maddy summarySB 6092 creates a specific allowance for Washington State's only waste-to-energy facility under the climate cap-and-invest program. It grants the facility "no cost" emissions allowances equal to 100% of its greenhouse gas emissions for the first two compliance periods (starting 2027), then 97% for the third period, and declines by 3% each subsequent period. This policy directly affects only the state's single waste-to-energy plant, treating it equivalently to other waste management systems under the climate law. The allowances are calculated based on the facility's annual emissions reports and adjusted to ensure compliance with the state's climate program requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds Hanukkah, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur to Washington state's official list of recognized religious observances. It does not create new paid holidays but ensures these specific Jewish holidays are included in the state's list of days employees may reference when requesting two unpaid religious days under existing law (RCW 1.16.050(3)). State employees and political subdivisions (including schools and public institutions) may still request these days as unpaid time off for religious observance, subject to the same employer guidelines and "undue hardship" standards as other religious holidays.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment requiring Washington State's Senate to confirm the governor's appointments to fill Supreme Court vacancies. It mandates that any such appointment must receive a majority Senate vote for confirmation; if the Senate isn't in session, the appointee serves temporarily for up to 30 days after the next session begins. If the Senate fails to confirm the appointment within that period, the nomination becomes void, and the governor must submit a new candidate for confirmation. The amendment would directly affect the governor, the Senate, and the process for filling Supreme Court vacancies.

Maddy summarySB 6040 amends Washington State's lottery rules to permit electronic submission of nonwinning lottery tickets for second chance drawings, which are promotional entries offering additional prize opportunities. This change allows players to submit entries online instead of through physical methods, making participation more accessible. The Washington State Lottery Commission must now adopt rules explicitly including electronic processing for these entries. The bill does not alter standard lottery game rules but specifically updates procedures for promotional entries.

Maddy summarySB 5830 clarifies Washington state's hate crime law to explicitly include political affiliation as a protected characteristic, alongside race, religion, gender, and other identities. It amends statutes to define hate crime offenses as acts committed "because of their perception of another person's... political affiliation," and specifies that certain actions - like cross-burning targeting African Americans, displaying swastikas against Jewish people, or defacing religious property - automatically create a legal inference of hate motivation. The bill also renames "malicious harassment" as "hate crime offense" and creates a working group to improve hate crime response protocols. This change directly affects victims of bias-based attacks targeting political views and expands the legal framework for prosecuting such crimes.