2024 Legislative Update: Week 2
Weekly Legislative Report: Week 2
Week two of the 2024 legislative session began with Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Typically, this is a day at the Legislature when campus is bustling with lobby days and children visiting the Capitol. Keeping with tradition, both chambers celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with resolutions, HR 4653 and SR 8649. Week 2 continued at a fast pace with full agendas in committee hearings as well as floor action in both chambers. However, by later in the week, bill introductions started to slow. We are halfway to house of origin policy cutoff, and we are almost a quarter of the way through the 60-day session.
The House Finance committee heard HB 2276, a proposal that would adjust the state’s real estate excise tax and dedicate some of the funding to affordable housing. This is one of the proposals the Legislature will consider this session aimed at the housing and homelessness crisis. Other proposals in this area include Transit Oriented Development and a cap on rent hikes. TVW’s Legislative Review covers HB 2276’s hearing here. The Senate Ways & Means committee heard SB 5770, a proposal to raise the local property tax increase limit from 1 to 3 percent. It will allow a county government to adjust their property taxes based on the local needs of the community. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Pedersen framed the bill as a public safety bill, funding essential basic services like criminal justice, law enforcement and everything in between.
Given the tight timelines in the 60-day session, budget teams have started meeting to begin work on the supplemental operating, capital, and transportation budgets. Deadlines for members and advocates to submit funding requests are quickly approaching, starting within the next week. The transportation budget is in a particularly challenging position due to the costs of projects rising and the slowdowns in delivery, largely caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, workforce issues, and the concrete strike. This episode of Inside Olympia includes an interview with Senate Transportation committee chair, Sen. Marko Liias and ranking member, Sen. Curtis King. They discuss the transportation budget, the CCA initiative, and traffic safety.
This coming week is the last full week ahead of house of origin policy cutoff, January 31st. Bills must be voted out of their policy committee by cutoff to continue in the legislative process. The bills are otherwise considered dead.
Looking Ahead – This week will see more public hearings and movement of bills out of committee.
Upcoming Dates:
• January 31st – House of Origin Policy Cutoff
• February 5th – House of Origin Fiscal Cutoff
• February 13th – House of Origin Floor Cutoff
• February 21st – Opposite House Policy Cutoff
• February 26th – Opposite House Fiscal Cutoff
• March 1st – Opposite House Floor Cutoff
• March 7th – Sine Die
Upcoming Events Report
Human Services (Senate) – SHR 2 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 1/22 @ 10:30am
SB 6189 – Public Hearing – Concerning transparency, public safety, and independent oversight of the city, county, and regional jail system in Washington state. (Remote Testimony Available).
Labor & Commerce (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 1/22 @ 10:30am
SB 5793 – Exec Session – Concerning paid sick leave.
SB 6272 – Exec Session – Dedicating the state share of cannabis excise tax revenue to counties and cities.
Law & Justice (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 1/22 @ 10:30am
SB 6181 – Public Hearing – Concerning law enforcement officer definition. (Remote Testimony Available).
Housing (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 1/22 @ 1:30pm
HB 2308 – Public Hearing – Concerning housing affordability tax incentives for existing structures. (Remote Testimony Available).
HB 2321 – Public Hearing – Modifying middle housing requirements and the definitions of transit stop. (Remote Testimony Available).
Appropriations (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 1/22 @ 4:00pm
2SHB 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.
Ways & Means (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 1/22 @ 4:00pm
SB 6242 – Public Hearing – Concerning law enforcement training. (Remote Testimony Available).
Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs (Senate) – SHR 3 and Virtual JACB – 1/23 @ 8:00am
SB 6150 – Public Hearing – Extending the comprehensive plan revision schedule for select local governments. (Remote Testimony Available).
SB 6152 – Public Hearing – Requiring certain counties to measure the gap between estimated existing housing units and existing housing needs. (Remote Testimony Available).
SB 6230 – Public Hearing – 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. (Remote Testimony Available).
SB 6231 – Public Hearing – Prohibiting the use of hostile architecture elements for publicly accessible buildings or real property. (Remote Testimony Available).
Civil Rights & Judiciary (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 1/23 @ 10:30am
HB 1877 – Public Hearing – Improving the Washington state behavioral health system for better coordinationand recognition with the Indian behavioral health system. (Remote Testimony Available).
HB 2088 – Public Hearing – Extending liability protections for responders dispatched from mobile rapid response crisis teams and community-based crisis teams. (Remote Testimony Available).
Labor & Commerce (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 1/23 @ 10:30am
SB 6192 – Public Hearing – Addressing additional work and change orders on public and private construction projects. (Remote Testimony Available).
SB 5935 – Exec Session – Concerning noncompetition covenants.
Law & Justice (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 1/23 @ 10:30am
SB 5792 – Public Hearing – Concerning the definition of multiunit residential buildings. (Remote Testimony Available).
Local Government (House) – HHR E and Virtual JLOB – 1/23 @ 10:30am
HB 2252 – Public Hearing – Allowing small business establishments in residential zones. (Remote Testimony Available).
Consumer Protection & Business (House) – HHR C and Virtual JLOB – 1/23 @ 1:30pm
HB 2437 – Public Hearing – Incentivizing retirement savings options for Washington businesses and their employees. (Remote Testimony Available).
Environment & Energy (House) – HHR C and Virtual JLOB – 1/23 @ 4:00pm
HB 2039 – Exec Session – Modifying the appeals process for environmental and land use matters.
HB 2201 – Exec Session – Facilitating linkage of Washington’s carbon market with the California-Quebec carbon market.
Housing (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 1/23 @ 4:00pm
HB 2270 – Public Hearing – Creating a Washington state department of housing. (Remote Testimony Available).
HB 2113 – Exec Session – Concerning compliance with the housing element requirements of the growth management act.
Transportation (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 1/23 @ 4:00pm
SSB 5383 – Public Hearing – Concerning pedestrians crossing and moving along roadways. (Hearing is on the Proposed Second Substitute.) (Remote Testimony Available).
Environment, Energy & Technology (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 1/24 @ 8:00am
SB 5826 – Public Hearing – Requiring customer charges to be listed on utility billing statements if the charges are a result of implementing the Washington climate commitment act. (Remote Testimony Available).Cadena Consulting
Labor & Workplace Standards (House) – HHR D and Virtual JLOB – 1/24 @ 8:00am
HB 2097 – Exec Session – Assisting workers in recovering wages owed.
Local Government (House) – HHR E and Virtual JLOB – 1/24 @ 8:00am
HB 2343 – Public Hearing – Concerning reimbursement by property owners for street, road, and water or sewer projects. (Remote Testimony Available).
HB 2354 – Public Hearing – 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. (Remote Testimony Available).
Housing (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 1/24 @ 10:30am
SB 6175 – Public Hearing – Concerning housing affordability tax incentives for existing structures. (Remote Testimony Available).
SB 6199 – Public Hearing – Requiring housing authorities to use notification methods designed to provide evidence of delivery. (Remote Testimony Available).
SB 5118 – Exec Session – Concerning modifying the multifamily property tax exemption to promote development of long-term affordable housing.
SB 5961 – Exec Session – 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.
SB 6136 – Exec Session – Reestablishing a business and occupation tax on the privilege of providing property for rent and supporting access to affordable rental property by exempting from tax landlords participating in a rent stabilization program.
SB 6173 – Exec Session – Encouraging investments in affordable homeownership unit development.
Consumer Protection & Business (House) – HHR C and Virtual JLOB – 1/24 @ 1:30pm
HB 2329 – Public Hearing – Conducting a study of the insurance market for housing providers receiving housing trust fund resources. (Remote Testimony Available).
Health Care & Wellness (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 1/24 @ 1:30pm
HB 2245 – Exec Session – Establishing co-response services and training as an essential component of the crisis care continuum.
HB 2102 – Exec Session – Establishing requirements for the disclosure of health care information for qualifying persons to receive paid family and medical leave benefits.
State Government & Tribal Relations (House) – HHR E and Virtual JLOB – 1/24 @ 1:30pm
HB 2250 – Public Hearing – Increasing representation and voter participation in local elections. (Remote Testimony Available).
Education (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 1/25 @ 8:00am
HB 1956 – Exec Session – Addressing fentanyl and other substance use prevention education.
Housing (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 1/25 @ 8:00am
HB 2308 – Exec Session – Concerning housing affordability tax incentives for existing structures.
HB 2321 – Exec Session – Modifying middle housing requirements and the definitions of transit stop.
Law & Justice (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 1/25 @ 8:00am
SB 5917 – Exec Session – Concerning criminal penalties for bias-motivated defacement of private or public property.
SB 5796 – Exec Session – Concerning common interest communities.
SB 6181 – Exec Session – Concerning law enforcement officer definition.
SB 5792 – Exec Session – Concerning the definition of multiunit residential buildings.
SB 6090 – Exec Session – Creating a law enforcement hiring grant program.
Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs (Senate) – SHR 3 and Virtual JACB – 1/25 @ 10:30am
SB 5834 – Exec Session – Concerning urban growth areas.
SB 5901 – Exec Session – Concerning co-living housing.
Capital Budget (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 1/25 @ 1:30pm
SHB 2160 – Public Hearing – Promoting community and transit-oriented housing development. (Remote Testimony Available).
Finance (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 1/25 @ 1:30pm
HB 2063 – Public Hearing – Providing an exemption from the real estate excise tax for transfers of property to qualifying low-income first-time homebuyers. (Remote Testimony Available).
HB 2219 – Public Hearing – Providing tax relief for nonprofit development of affordable housing. (Remote Testimony Available).
HB 2375 – Public Hearing – Including an accessory dwelling unit under property that qualifies for the senior citizens property tax exemption. (Remote Testimony Available).
Transportation (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 1/25 @ 4:00pm
SB 6277 – Public Hearing – Creating a new statutory framework for the use of public-private partnerships for transportation projects. (Remote Testimony Available).
Ways & Means (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 1/25 @ 4:00pm
SB 6249 – Public Hearing – Providing housing safety, security, and protection by creating the homeowner relief property tax exemption. (Remote Testimony Available).
SB 6191 – Public Hearing – Increasing the supply of affordable and workforce housing. (Hearing is on the Proposed Substitute.) (Remote Testimony Available).
Consumer Protection & Business (House) – HHR C and Virtual JLOB – 1/26 @ 8:00am
HB 2430 – Public Hearing – Waiving business licensing handling and delinquency fees for eligible businesses. (Remote Testimony Available).
Environment, Energy & Technology (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 1/26 @ 8:00am
SB 6058 – Exec Session – Facilitating linkage of Washington’s carbon market with the California-Quebec carbon market.
Health Care & Wellness (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 1/26 @ 8:00am
HB 2271 – Exec Session – Promoting access to information regarding the long-term services and supports trust program.
Civil Rights & Judiciary (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 1/26 @ 10:30am
HB 1877 – Exec Session – Improving the Washington state behavioral health system for better coordination and recognition with the Indian behavioral health system.
HB 2088 – Exec Session – Extending liability protections for responders dispatched from mobile rapid response crisis teams and community-based crisis teams.
Labor & Workplace Standards (House) – HHR D and Virtual JLOB – 1/26 @ 10:30am
HB 1991 – Exec Session – Concerning paid sick leave.
Local Government (House) – HHR E and Virtual JLOB – 1/26 @ 10:30am
HB 2252 – Exec Session – Allowing small business establishments in residential zones.
HB 2343 – Exec Session – Concerning reimbursement by property owners for street, road, and water or sewer projects.
HB 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.
HB 2211 – Exec Session – Granting local taxing authority to fund criminal justice.
