2025 Legislative Session: Week 4
We are quickly approaching the first cutoff of the 2025 legislative session. This is the point in session where it will be harder (but not impossible!) for a bill that hasn’t already been introduced to be heard and passed before the house of origin policy cutoff on the 21st. This is also the time that policy committees are starting to decrease the amount of time spent on bill hearings and are increasing the time they are spending holding executive session to vote bills out of committee.
After house of origin policy cutoff on February 21st, the focus will then shift to the fiscal committees for the next week. Bills that have already made it out of their respective policy committees are starting to have fiscal hearings. Bills that skip fiscal committee (bills with a minimal fiscal impact) will go to the respective Rules committee where they will await being pulled to the chamber floor for debate and vote.
So far this session there have been 1,700 bills and resolutions introduced (some of which are companion bills).
Looking Ahead
This week will see more public hearings and movement of bills out of committee. Follow where we are in the process by consulting the 2025 Session Cutoff Calendar.
Click here to watch this week’s TVW Legislative Review. Episodes are posted every day during session and are just 10 minutes long, providing highlights of the day in Olympia.
Budget
Proposed budget reductions from state agencies were due to the Office of Financial Management (OFM) on February 6th. As a reminder, state agencies were directed by OFM to propose new/updated operating and transportation budget reduction proposals. The proposed spending reductions are in addition to anything already included in Governor Inslee’s budget proposal that was released in December.
On the OFM website it says that after Feb. 6th they “will post agency submittals online after time for analysis. Governor Ferguson will work with OFM and agencies to finalize details of his reductions proposal and to provide his framework to legislative budget writers. The Legislature must pass a final budget for action by the governor.” With that, it is unclear what the timing is for the proposed spending reductions being made public.
Upcoming Events Report
Community Safety (House) – HHR D and Virtual JLOB – 2/10 @ 1:30pm
HB 1276 – Public Hearing – Concerning organized retail theft. (Remote Testimony Available).
Housing (House) – HHR C and Virtual JLOB – 2/10 @ 1:30pm
HB 1732 – Public Hearing – Preserving homeownership options by limiting excessive home buying by certain entities. (Remote Testimony Available).
Local Government (Senate) – SHR 3 and Virtual JACB – 2/10 @ 1:30pm
SB 5660 – Public Hearing – Making it possible for more properties to have access to water, storm drains, and sanitary sewage systems. (Remote Testimony Available).
Appropriations (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/10 @ 4:00pm
HB 1217 – 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. (Oppose)
Finance (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/11 @ 8:00am
HB 1334 – Public Hearing – Modifying the annual regular property tax revenue growth limit. (Remote Testimony Available).
HB 1040 – Exec Session – Concerning rental income received by people eligible for certain property tax exemption programs.
Labor & Commerce (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/11 @ 10:30am
SB 5578 – Public Hearing – Concerning labor standards. (Remote Testimony Available).
SB 5040 – Exec Session – Expanding the definition of uniformed personnel to all law enforcement officers employed by a city, town, or county.
SB 5528 – Exec Session – Concerning the installation of transportation electrification infrastructure.
Labor & Workplace Standards (House) – HHR D and Virtual JLOB – 2/11 @ 10:30am
HB 1672 – Public Hearing – Addressing technology used by employers in the workplace. (Remote Testimony Available).
Environment & Energy (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 2/11 @ 4:00pm
HB 1303 – Exec Session – Increasing environmental justice by improving government decisions.
Housing (House) – HHR C and Virtual JLOB – 2/11 @ 4:00pm
HB 1491 – Exec Session – Promoting transit-oriented housing development. (Concerns)
HB 1500 – Exec Session – Concerning resale certificates for units in common interest communities.
HB 1501 – Exec Session – Concerning inquiries into association governance or operations by unit owners in common interest communities.
HB 1687 – Exec Session – Concerning social housing public development authorities.
Local Government (House) – HHR E and Virtual JLOB – 2/12 @ 8:00am
HB 1135 – Exec Session – Ensuring that local government planning complies with the growth management act.
HB 1353 – Exec Session – Establishing a self-certification program for accessory dwelling unit project permit applications.
Early Learning & K-12 Education (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/12 @ 10:30am
SB 5655 – Public Hearing – Concerning child care centers operated in existing buildings. (Remote Testimony Available).
Housing (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 2/12 @ 10:30am
SB 5604 – Public Hearing – Promoting transit-oriented development. (Remote Testimony Available).
SB 5614 – Public Hearing – Concerning impact fees. (Remote Testimony Available).
SB 5615 – Public Hearing – Concerning project permit applications for residential housing units. (Remote Testimony Available).
SB 5496 – Exec Session – Preserving homeownership options by limiting excessive home buying by certain entities.
Appropriations (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/12 @ 4:00pm
SHB 1096 – Public Hearing – Increasing housing options through lot splitting. (Remote Testimony Available). (Neutral)
SHB 1195 – Public Hearing – Concerning compliance with siting, development permit processes and standards, and requirements for permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, indoor emergency housing, or indoor emergency shelters. (Remote Testimony Available).
HB 1473 – Exec Session – Making expenditures from the budget stabilization account for declared catastrophic events.
Housing (House) – HHR C and Virtual JLOB – 2/13 @ 8:00am
HB 1808 – Public Hearing – Creating an affordable homeownership revolving loan fund program. (Remote Testimony Available).
HB 1757 – Exec Session – Modifying regulations for existing buildings used for residential purposes.
HB 1859 – Public Hearing – Expanding opportunities for affordable housing developments on properties owned by religious organizations. (Remote Testimony Available).
HB 1899 – Public Hearing – Concerning the homelessness point-in-time count. (Remote Testimony Available).
Early Learning & K-12 Education (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/13 @ 10:30am
SB 5670 – Public Hearing – Creating the fuel tax assistance grant program. (Remote Testimony Available).
Finance (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/13 @ 1:30pm
HB 1791 – Public Hearing – Increasing the flexibility of existing funding sources to fund public safety and other facilities by modifying the local real estate excise tax. (Remote Testimony Available).
HB 1867 – Public Hearing – Allowing counties or cities to impose a real estate excise tax for the purpose of developing affordable housing, subject to the will of the voters. (Remote Testimony Available).
Local Government (Senate) – SHR 3 and Virtual JACB – 2/13 @ 1:30pm
SB 5558 – Exec Session – Concerning growth management comprehensive plans.
SB 5559 – Exec Session – Streamlining the subdivision process inside urban growth areas.
SB 5509 – Exec Session – Concerning the siting of child care centers.
Appropriations (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/13 @ 4:00pm
HB 1858 – Public Hearing – Eliminating the exemption for assignments or substitutions of previously recorded deeds of trust from the document recording fee and the covenant homeownership program assessment. (Remote Testimony Available).
Transportation (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/13 @ 4:00pm
SB 5705 – Public Hearing – Improving traffic safety by modifying penalty amounts for certain traffic infractions. (Remote Testimony Available).
Ways & Means (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 2/13 @ 4:00pm
SB 5647 – Public Hearing – Providing a real estate excise tax exemption for the sale of qualified affordable housing. (Remote Testimony Available). (Oppose/High)
Consumer Protection & Business (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 2/14 @ 8:00am
HB 1516 – Exec Session – Conducting a study of insurance coverage options for permanently affordable homeownership units.
Early Learning & Human Services (House) – HHR D and Virtual JLOB – 2/14 @ 8:00am
HB 1385 – Exec Session – Concerning fingerprint background check on applicants.
HB 1582 – Exec Session – Concerning child care centers operated in existing buildings.
Health Care & Wellness (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 2/14 @ 8:00am
HB 1809 – Public Hearing – Professionalizing first responders and co-responders through training and reimbursement for behavioral health emergency response. (Remote Testimony Available).
HB 1811 – Public Hearing – Enhancing crisis response services through co-response integration and support. (Remote Testimony Available).
Labor & Commerce (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 2/14 @ 8:00am
SB 5501 – Exec Session – Concerning employer requirements for driving.
SB 5041 – Exec Session – Concerning unemployment insurance benefits for striking or lockout workers. (Oppose/High)
Housing (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 2/14 @ 10:30am
SB 5469 – Exec Session – Prohibiting algorithmic rent fixing and noncompete agreements in the rental housing market.
SB 5580 – Exec Session – Concerning the registration of certain corporations and trusts that own single-family homes and condominium units.
SB 5591 – Exec Session – Creating a sales and use tax remittance program for affordable housing.
SB 5613 – Exec Session – Concerning the development of clear and objective standards, conditions, and procedures for residential development.
SB 5659 – Public Hearing – Eliminating each local government’s proportional share of Washington’s housing shortage. (Remote Testimony Available).
SB 5661 – Public Hearing – Creating consistency in housing. (Remote Testimony Available).
SB 5678 – Public Hearing – Preparing for revisions to the residential landlord-tenant act by creating a task force and establishing a moratorium on new residential landlord-tenant regulations. (Remote Testimony Available).
Labor & Workplace Standards (House) – HHR D and Virtual JLOB – 2/14 @ 10:30am
HB 1622 – Exec Session – Allowing bargaining over matters related to the use of artificial intelligence.
Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans (House) – HHR C and Virtual JLOB – 2/14 @ 10:30am
HB 1671 – Exec Session – Protecting personal data privacy.
HB 1860 – Public Hearing – Creating a Washington state supply chain competitiveness infrastructure program. (Remote Testimony Available).
