2024 Legislative Update: Week 6
The 2024 session is two-thirds done. Both chambers convened for floor action on Monday and Tuesday leading to house of origin cutoff on Tuesday, February 13th. The last bill the House took up before floor cut-off was HB 2114, rent regulation. It was anticipated the floor debate would last into the night, but many of the amendments to the bill were withdrawn and floor debate ended a little after an hour with the bill passing with a 54-43 vote count.
Bills not passed off the floor in the chamber in which they were introduced (house or origin) by Feb 13th are now considered dead unless they are deemed necessary to implement the budget. There are 532 bills that made it past house of origin cutoff this year.
Bills that passed out of their house of origin, have moved over to their opposite chamber policy committee. There are very tight timelines to pass bills in the last few weeks of the session. Wednesday was a busy day with attention shifting back to committees where hearings were held on bills sent over from the opposite chamber and the release of the economic and revenue forecast. Policy committees have just over a week to hear and pass bills until the next cutoff this Wednesday, February 21st. There is a quick turn before opposite house fiscal cutoff on Monday, February 26th. It is anticipated that both the House and Senate are scheduled to work on Saturday, February 25th.
The economic and revenue forecast showed total revenues since the November forecast have come in stronger than expected but remain modest. When compared to the last quarterly forecast that was released in November 2023, the forecast of funds subject to the budget outlook is projected to increase by $122 million in the 2023-25 biennium and $215 million in the 2025-27 biennium. The Spring Quarterly Economic & Revenue Forecast is what the House and Senate will use to base their respective budget proposals on. The Senate has already released their proposed capital budget. The Senate will release their operating budget on Sunday, February 18th at 4pm and the House will release all three budgets (operating, capital, and transportation) on Monday, February 19th at noon. The Senate Transportation budget will be released on Tuesday, February 20th.
Late Friday afternoon, Sen Billig and Speaker Jinkins issued a press release stating the House and Senate will hold joint public hearing on I-2111 (state income tax), I-2081 (parental rights), and I-2113 (police pursuits) on February 27th and 28th. The lawmakers also confirmed I-2117 (repeal of the Climate Commitment Act), I-2109 (repeal of the capital gains tax), and I-2124 (opt-out of the long-term care program) will not receive hearings or floor action and will go directly to the November ballot.
Click here to watch TVW’s legislative review for this week.
Upcoming Events Report
Labor & Commerce (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/19 @ 10:30am
SHB 2467 – Public Hearing – Increasing access to the long-term services and supports trust. (Remote Testimony Available).
HB 1898 – Exec Session – Concerning unemployment insurance benefit charging.
SHB 2097 – Exec Session – Assisting workers in recovering wages owed.
Law & Justice (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 2/19 @ 10:30am
EHB 2088 – Public Hearing – Extending liability protections for responders dispatched from mobile rapid response crisis teams and community-based crisis teams. (Remote Testimony Available).
2SHB 1877 – Public Hearing – Improving the Washington state behavioral health system for better coordination and recognition with the Indian behavioral health system. (Remote Testimony Available).
Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry (House) – HHR D and Virtual JLOB – 2/19 @ 1:30pm
ESSB 5424 – Exec Session – Concerning flexible work for general and limited authority Washington peace officers.
SSB 6301 – Exec Session – Concerning basic law enforcement academy.
Environment & Energy (House) – HHR C and Virtual JLOB – 2/19 @ 1:30pm
E2SSB 6058 – Public Hearing – Facilitating linkage of Washington’s carbon market with the California-Quebec carbon market. (Remote Testimony Available).
Housing (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 2/19 @ 1:30pm
E2SSB 6175 – Public Hearing – Providing a sales and use tax incentive for existing structures. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Concerning housing affordability tax incentives for existing structures.) (Remote Testimony Available).
SB 5792 – Exec Session – Concerning the definition of multiunit residential buildings.
ESSB 5796 – Exec Session – Concerning common interest communities.
Appropriations (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/19 @ 4:00pm
HB 2104 – Public Hearing – Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations. (Hearing is on the proposed substitute bill.)
Transportation (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 2/19 @ 4:00pm
HB 2134 – Public Hearing – Making supplemental transportation appropriations for the 2023- 2025 fiscal biennium. (Hearing is on the proposed substitute bill).
Ways & Means (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 2/19 @ 4:00pm
SB 5949 – Exec Session – Concerning the capital budget.
SB 5950 – Public Hearing – Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations. (Hearing is on the Proposed Substitute.)
Business, Financial Services, Gaming & Trade (Senate) – SHR 2 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/20 @ 8:00am
SHB 1870 – Public Hearing – Promoting economic development by increasing opportunities for local communities to secure federal funding. (Remote Testimony Available).
SHB 2329 – Public Hearing – Conducting a study of the insurance market for housing providers receiving housing trust fund resources. (Remote Testimony Available).
SHB 1870 – Exec Session – Promoting economic development by increasing opportunities for local communities to secure federal funding.
SHB 2329 – Exec Session – Conducting a study of the insurance market for housing providers receiving housing trust fund resources.
Capital Budget (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 2/20 @ 8:00am
HB 2089 – Public Hearing – Concerning the capital budget. (Hearing is on the proposed substitute bill).
Health & Long Term Care (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 2/20 @ 8:00am
SHB 2102 – Exec Session – Establishing requirements for the disclosure of health care information for qualifying persons to receive paid family and medical leave benefits.
Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs (Senate) – SHR 3 and Virtual JACB – 2/20 @ 8:00am
ESHB 2474 – Public Hearing – Concerning compliance with siting requirements for transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, indoor emergency shelters, and indoor emergency housing. (Remote Testimony Available).
2SHB 2071 – Exec Session – Concerning residential housing regulations.
SHB 2252 – Exec Session – Allowing small business establishments in residential zones.
SHB 2428 – Exec Session – Allowing cities to voluntarily share certain sales and use tax revenue.
ESHB 2474 – Exec Session – Concerning compliance with siting requirements for transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, indoor emergency shelters, and indoor emergency housing.
E2SHB 2354 – Exec Session – Creating an option for impacted taxing districts to provide a portion of their new revenue to support any tax increment area proposed within their jurisdiction and clarifying that a tax increment area must be dissolved when all bond obligations are paid.
E2SHB 2160 – Exec Session – Promoting community and transit-oriented housing development.
EHB 1468 – Exec Session – Concerning impact fee deferrals.
Labor & Commerce (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/20 @ 10:30am
SHB 2467 – Exec Session – Increasing access to the long-term services and supports trust.
Labor & Workplace Standards (House) – HHR D and Virtual JLOB – 2/20 @ 10:30am
ESSB 5793 – Exec Session – Concerning paid sick leave.
Law & Justice (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 2/20 @ 10:30am
3SHB 1579 – Exec Session – Establishing a mechanism for independent prosecutions within the office of the attorney general of criminal conduct arising from police use of force.
EHB 2088 – Exec Session – Extending liability protections for responders dispatched from mobile rapid response crisis teams and community-based crisis teams.
2SHB 1877 – Exec Session – Improving the Washington state behavioral health system for better coordination and recognition with the Indian behavioral health system.
Local Government (House) – HHR E and Virtual JLOB – 2/20 @ 10:30am
SB 6173 – Public Hearing – Encouraging investments in affordable homeownership unit development. (Remote Testimony Available).
ESSB 5334 – Exec Session – Providing a local government option for the funding of essential affordable housing programs.
ESSB 6291 – Exec Session – Streamlining the state building code council operating procedures by establishing criteria for statewide amendments to the state building code.
Consumer Protection & Business (House) – HHR C and Virtual JLOB – 2/20 @ 1:30pm
E2SSB 5838 – Public Hearing – Establishing an artificial intelligence task force. (Remote Testimony Available).
Environment, Energy & Technology (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/20 @ 1:30pm
HB 1976 – Exec Session – Changing the incentive structure for tier 1 and tier 2 buildings.
E3SHB 1433 – Public Hearing – Concerning energy labeling of residential buildings. (Remote Testimony Available).
Postsecondary Education & Workforce (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 2/20 @ 1:30pm
ESB 6296 – Public Hearing – Establishing a retail industry work group. (Remote Testimony Available).
State Government & Elections (Senate) – SHR 2 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/20 @ 1:30pm
2E2SHB 1541 – Exec Session – Establishing the nothing about us without us act.
ESHB 1932 – Exec Session – Shifting general elections for local governments to even-numbered years to increase voter participation.
Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry (House) – HHR D and Virtual JLOB – 2/20 @ 4:00pm
ESSB 5299 – Exec Session – Concerning law enforcement officer protection.
SSB 5917 – Exec Session – Concerning criminal penalties for bias-motivated defacement of private or public property.
Environment & Energy (House) – HHR C and Virtual JLOB – 2/20 @ 4:00pm
E2SSB 6058 – Exec Session – Facilitating linkage of Washington’s carbon market with the California-Quebec carbon market.
Housing (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 2/20 @ 4:00pm
E2SSB 6175 – Exec Session – Providing a sales and use tax incentive for existing structures. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Concerning housing affordability tax incentives for existing structures.)
Environment, Energy & Technology (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/21 @ 8:00am
E3SHB 1433 – Exec Session – Concerning energy labeling of residential buildings.
ESHB 2039 – Exec Session – Modifying the appeals process for environmental and land use matters.
Local Government (House) – HHR E and Virtual JLOB – 2/21 @ 8:00am
SSB 5834 – Exec Session – Concerning urban growth areas.
ESSB 6061 – Exec Session – Concerning exemptions for housing development under the state environmental policy act.
SB 6173 – Exec Session – Encouraging investments in affordable homeownership unit development.
Consumer Protection & Business (House) – HHR C and Virtual JLOB – 2/21 @ 1:30pm
E2SSB 5838 – Exec Session – Establishing an artificial intelligence task force.
Postsecondary Education & Workforce (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 2/21 @ 1:30pm
ESB 6296 – Exec Session – Establishing a retail industry work group.
Transportation (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/21 @ 3:00pm
SB 5947 – Public Hearing – Making supplemental transportation appropriations for the 2023- 2025 fiscal biennium. (Hearing is on the Proposed Substitute.) (Remote Testimony Available).
Ways & Means (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 2/21 @ 3:00pm
SB 5950 – Exec Session – Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.
Appropriations (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/21 @ 4:00pm
HB 2104 – Exec Session – Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.
Transportation (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 2/21 @ 4:00pm
SSB 6277 – Public Hearing – Creating a new statutory framework for the use of public-private partnerships for transportation projects. (Remote Testimony Available).
HB 2134 – Exec Session – Making supplemental transportation appropriations for the 2023-2025 fiscal biennium.
Appropriations (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/22 @ 1:30pm
SB 6308 – Exec Session – Extending timelines for implementation of the 988 system.
Transportation (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 2/22 @ 1:30pm
SSB 6115 – Public Hearing – Concerning speed safety camera systems. (Remote Testimony Available).
Ways & Means (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 2/22 @ 1:30pm
ESHB 2114 – Public Hearing – Improving housing stability for tenants subject to the residential landlord-tenant act and the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act by limiting rent and fee increases, requiring notice of rent and fee increases, limiting fees and deposits, establishing a landlord resource center and associated services, authorizing tenant lease termination, creating parity between lease types, and providing for attorney general enforcement. (Remote Testimony Available).
Capital Budget (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 2/23 @ 8:00am
HB 2089 – Exec Session – Concerning the capital budget.
SSB 6192 – Public Hearing – Addressing additional work and change orders on public and private construction projects. (Remote Testimony Available).
Transportation (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/23 @ 1:30pm
SB 5947 – Exec Session – Making supplemental transportation appropriations for the 2023-2025 fiscal biennium.
