The 2021 Legislative Session began on Monday, January 12, 2021 and is scheduled to end on Sunday, April 25, 2021.

February 15, 2021 was the last day for bills in the house of origin to pass out of policy committees.  If they did not move out of committee, they are DEAD for this 2021 session.

This past Monday, February 22, 2021 at 5 PM was the last day for any bill to be considered that was assigned to a fiscal committee to pass out to the house of origin’s Rules Committee.  If not, the bill is DEAD for this 2021 session

Tuesday, March 9, 2021 5 PM is the deadline to pass bills out of their house of origin.

Top Action of the Week:

Ranked Choice Voting

SUPPORT

HB 1156 Increasing representation and voter participation in local elections.

This is an avenue to truly fair elections. HB 1156 does the following:

It permits the use of ranked choice voting (RCV) in elections for offices in counties, cities, towns, school districts, fire districts, and port districts, and establishes certain requirements for RCV ballot design and vote tabulation.

It adds a cost-recovery provision to the Washington Voting Rights Act (Act) for those who file a notice alleging a violation of the Act, and

It permits the Secretary of State to provide grants to local governments to implement RCV or make changes to their electoral system in response to a notice filed under the Act, subject to appropriation.

Status:  HB 1156 is now in the House Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

Action:  Contact your representatives and let them know you support HB 1156 and that they vote YES when it comes to the floor.

If you can only do one thing, contact your representatives and ask for their support and passage HB 1156  out of the House by Tuesday, March 9, 2021.

You can contact your legislators by calling the Legislative Hotline at 1 800-562-6000.  You can also contact them by e-mail using this format:  firstname.lastname@leg.wa.gov.  If you need to look up your legislators, use the following link to find them: http://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/

Note:  Committee members for House and Senate Committees are listed at the end of this alert. 

We have also included hyperlinks on each of the bill actions below, which will take you to the WA State Legislature’s comment page for the bill where you can enter your support or opposition to the bill and include a comment (up to 1000 characters).

For a public hearing you may register to testify on the bill, submit written testimony or state your position without testifying.  If you want to testify or to state your position on a bill without testifying you must register for the hearing at least 1 hour prior to the start of the hearing.  Written testimony closes 24 hours after the start of the committee hearing.   To register for any of these options – click here and then choose the Senate or House and follow the instructions on the screen to register.

Civil and Equal Rights

Child Custody jurisdiction and enforcement related to countries who have the death penalty on the basis of religious beliefs, political beliefs, or sexual orientation

HB 1042 Revising the international application of the uniform child custody jurisdiction and enforcement act to protect families from facing the death penalty in certain foreign jurisdictions on the basis of religious beliefs, political beliefs, or sexual orientation.

SUPPORT

HB 1042 allows Washington courts to refrain from applying Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act standards in international custody matters if a parent or child are at demonstrable risk of being subject to laws of a foreign country that carries a death sentence for apostasy, or a sincerely held religious belief or practice, or homosexuality.

Status:  HB 1042 is in the Senate Rules Committee where it is eligible to be scheduled for a vote by the full Senate.

Action:  Contact your senators and let them know you support HB 1042 and ask that they vote YES when it comes to the floor for a vote.

Legal aid for undocumented immigrants

HB 1072 Removing only one of the restrictions on the use of civil legal aid funds.

SUPPORT

HB 1072 removes a restriction on the Office of Civil Legal Aid (“OCLA”) funding that prohibits distributing funds to legal aid providers who use those funds to serve undocumented immigrants.

Status: HB 1072 has passed out of the House and is in the Senate Law and Justice Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

Action: Contact your senators on the Senate Law and Justice Committee and let them know that you support HB 1072.

Voter Eligibility

HB 1078 Restoring voter eligibility for all persons convicted of a felony offense who are not in total confinement under the jurisdiction of the department of corrections.

SUPPORT

HB 1078 changes the voting rights law to automatically restore a felon’s voting rights as long as the defendant is not in total confinement with the department of corrections.  It states that a person serving a term of community custody is not considered to be in total confinement of the department of corrections and does not include confinement imposed as a sanction for a community custody violation. A person who has had their voting rights restored must reregister to vote before voting

Status:  HB 1078 has passed out of the House and is headed to the Senate.  It has not yet been assigned to a Senate Committee.

Action:  Contact your senators and let them know that you support HB 1078.

Ranked Choice Voting

HB 1156 Increasing representation and voter participation in local elections.

SUPPORT

This is an avenue to truly fair elections. HB 1156 does the following:

  • It permits the use of ranked choice voting (RCV) in elections for offices in counties, cities, towns, school districts, fire districts, and port districts, and establishes certain requirements for RCV ballot design and vote tabulation.
  • It adds a cost-recovery provision to the Washington Voting Rights Act (Act) for those who file a notice alleging a violation of the Act, and
  • It permits the Secretary of State to provide grants to local governments to implement RCV or make changes to their electoral system in response to a notice filed under the Act, subject to appropriation.

Status:  HB 1156 is now in the House Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

Action:  Contact your representatives and let them know you support  HB 1156 and that they vote YES when it comes to the floor.

Peace officer accountability

SB 5051 Concerning state oversight and accountability of peace officers and corrections officers.

SUPPORT

SB 5051 improves the certification, background check, and decertification of law enforcement officers.   The bill accomplishes this by

  • adjusting the membership of the Criminal Justice Training Center (CJTC) to a total of 17 persons including representatives who have not been employed in the last 10 years as a peace officer.  improving the process to decertify peace and corrections officers who have engaged in serious misconduct,
  • requiring the CJTC to issue public recommendations to the governing body of a law enforcement agency regarding the agency’s command decisions, inadequacy of policy or training, investigations or disciplinary decisions regarding misconduct, potential systemic violations of law or policy, unconstitutional policing, or other matters
  • requiring law enforcement agencies to report misconduct to the CJTC, and
  • requiring a public database containing information about all conduct investigated by the CJTC.

Status:  SB 5051 has passed out of the Senate and is now in the House Public Safety Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

Action:  Contact your representatives on the House Public Safety Committee and let them know you support SB 5051 and ask for a YES to pass it out of committee.

HB 1202 Addressing meaningful civil remedies for persons injured as a result of police misconduct, including by allowing for an award of attorney fees in addition to damages and injunctive and declaratory relief.

SUPPORT
HB 1202 establishes a cause of action by an individual who was injured by a peace officer or a peace officer who through reasonable diligence to aid or prevent the injury from occurring and failed to do so.   The bill outlines actions by the peace officer that constitute injury:

  • Conduct under civil law that constitutes assault, battery, outrage, false imprisonment, false arrest, 38 malicious prosecution, trespass, or conversion; or
  • Executed a detention, traffic stop, search, seizure, or entry into a home that is unlawful under the state Constitution; or
  • Engaged in conduct that violated the duty of reasonable care or
  • Violated a provision of RCW 10.93.16 which deals with the restrictions that law enforcement agencies most follow when dealing with immigration and citizenship status.

A peace officer has a defense against an action if, when the injury occurred, the officer substantially complied with a regulation, practice, procedure, or policy that was established by the employer or approved or condoned by superior officers. If the peace officer proves this defense, the employer is independently liable for the injury if the injury was proximately caused by a regulation, custom, usage, practice, procedure, or policy approved or condoned by the employer.

Status:  HB 1202 is the House Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

Action:  Contact your representatives and let them know you support  HB 1202 and ask that they vote YES when it comes to the floor.

5066 Concerning a peace officer’s duty to intervene

SUPPORT
SB 5066 requires a peace officer to intervene when the officer witnesses a fellow peace officer engaging in the use of excessive force. A peace officer who observes wrongdoing by a fellow officer is required to report the wrongdoing to the officer’s supervisor. Law enforcement agencies must adopt written policies on the duty to intervene and ensure that all law enforcement officers obtain training on the policy through the Criminal Justice Training Commission.

Status:  SB 5066 has passed out of the Senate and is now in the House Public Safety Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

Action:  Contact your representatives in the House Public Safety Committee and let them know you support SB 5066 and ask for a YES vote to pass it out of committee.

Unlawfully Summoning Police

SB 5135 Concerning unlawfully summoning a police officer

SUPPORT

SB 5135 creates a private cause of action which allows a person to sue in a civil action for damages against any person who knowingly causes a law enforcement officer to arrive at a location with the intent to:

  • Infringe on the other person’s constitutional rights
  • Discriminate against the other person
  • Cause the person to feel harassed, humiliated or embarrassed,
  • Cause the person to be expelled from a place in which the person is lawfully located, or
  • Damage the person’s
    • reputation or standing in the community, or
    • financial, economic, consumer, or business prospects or interests. 

Status:  SB 5135 is in the Senate Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full Senate.

Action:  Contact your senators let them know you support SB 5135 and ask for a YES vote when it comes to the floor.

Economic Equity and Support for Low Income Individuals and Families

Measuring Possible Disparate Impact of Legislature on Historically Marginalized Communities

HB 1264 – Establishing an Equity Impact Statement for Legislative Proposals

SB 5274 – Establishing an Equity Impact Statement for Legislative Proposal

SUPPORT

HB 1264 establishes a measurement tool to provide legislators with aggregated and disaggregated demographical data and other information to help them proactively identify possible disparate impacts on historically marginalized communities, and thus be able to make better informed and intentional decisions on legislative proposals.
Implementation requires that an Equity Impact Statement be generated and provided prior to or at the time any legislative proposal requiring a fiscal note is first heard by the committee of reference in the house or origin. The Equity Impact Statement may also be provided at the request of a legislator if a fiscal note is not required.

HB 1264 directs the Office of Financial Management develop procedures and format for the Equity Impact Statement, and to submit a report to the governor by November 15, 2021.

HB 1264 was passed out of its policy committee with a substitute bill.  It requires the Office of Financial Management (OFM) to establish procedures, guidelines, and content and format requirements for the Equity Impact Statement, and that the requiring agencies and the OFM provide, upon request, an EIS for legislative proposals that create or amend statutes on housing or health care policies, elementary and secondary education policy, and tax policy. Two to three policy areas will be added on odd number years until all matters subject to legislation are included.

STATUS:  HB 1264 is DEAD as it failed to pass out of the House Appropriations Committee by the February 22nd cutoff date.

Housing for low-income households and households in need

HB 1035 Providing local governments with options to grant rent relief and preserve affordable housing in their communities.

SUPPORT

HB 1035 provides communities a local option to preserve and increase healthy, high quality, and affordable rental housing opportunities for low-income households and very low-income households when the governing authority has found that there are insufficient affordable housing opportunities available. It also encourages housing opportunities that are affordable to renters at below market rent levels, as determined by the governing authority upon considering community needs, market rental costs, and income levels of renters.   Under HB 1035, a city or county governing authority may by ordinance or resolution establish an affordable housing incentive program to preserve affordable housing within the city or unincorporated area that meets health and quality standards for low-income households and very low-income households at risk of displacement or that cannot afford market rate housing.
Status:  HB 1035 is DEAD as it failed to pass out of the House Finance Committee by the February 22nd cutoff date.

HB 1070 Modifying allowed uses of local tax revenue for affordable housing and related services to include the acquisition and construction of affordable housing and facilities.

SUPPORT

HB 1070 allows county and city governments to submit an authorizing proposition to the voters at a special or general election that modifies allowed uses of local tax revenue for affordable housing and related services, to include the acquisition and construction of affordable housing and facilities.  HB 1070

  • Expands the allowable uses of a portion of revenues from the local sales and use tax for housing and related services to include acquiring affordable housing.
    • Requires a county that seeks to acquire a facility using funds from the local sales and use tax for housing and related services to consult with the city in which the facility is located prior to acquisition and to ensure that at least 15 percent of the services provided in an acquired facility are provided for residents of that city.
    • Clarifies that affordable housing includes emergency, transitional, and supportive housing for purposes of the local sales and use tax for housing and related services.
    • Expands the allowable uses of a portion of revenues from the state shared lodging tax to include housing and facilities for homeless youth for counties with a population of at least 1.5 million.

Status:  HB 1070 has passed out of the House and is on its way to the Senate.  It has not yet been assigned to a committee in the Senate.

Action:  Contact your senators to let them know you support HB 1070.

HB 1277 – Providing for an additional revenue source for eviction prevention and housing stability services

SUPPORT

HB 1277 creates an eviction prevention rental assistance program by providing resources to households most likely to become homeless and/or suffer severe health consequences after eviction.  This bill promotes equity by prioritizing households, including communities of color, disproportionately impacted by public health emergencies and homelessness and housing instability.

Grants will be provided by eligible nonprofit organizations to provide rental assistance, including rental arrears, future rent, and utility assistance if needed to prevent eviction, as well as foreclosure and dispute resolution eviction prevention services, rental assistance for people experiencing homelessness, and tenant education and legal assistance.
As a revenue source, a surcharge of $100 will be instituted for each document (with some exceptions) recorded at a county auditor’s office.
The House passed a substitute bill that requires a report on the expenditures, performance, and outcomes of the eviction prevention rental assistance program, to include the number of households served in that are comprised of adults without minor children, and/or households with adults and minor children, unaccompanied youth, and young adults.

STATUS:  HB 1277 is DEAD as it failed to pass out of the House Appropriations Committee by the February 22nd cutoff date.

HB 1350 – Providing a property tax exemption for limited equity cooperative housing

SUPPORT

HB 1350 exempts limited equity cooperatives from property tax, provided a majority of the property is used and occupied by low-income households.  The public policy objective of this bill is to financially incentivize the formation and use of limited equity cooperatives, and to increase the availability of housing to low-income households.

To be eligible for this tax exemption, the housing must be insured, financed, or assisted, in whole or in part through a federal or state housing program administered by the department of commerce; or a federal or state housing program administered by the federal department of housing and urban development, a city or county government.

STATUS:  HB 1350 is DEAD as it failed to pass out of the House Finance Committee by the February 22nd cutoff date.

SB 5375– Concerning a study of the difference in low-income housing development in urban and rural locations.

SUPPORT
SB 5375 directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee to conduct a study to identify and compare the amount of publicly subsidized low-income housing in urban and rural counties, and to compare it with the demographics in those areas.  To the extent practicable, the study will review contributing factors that may impact differences.  The study will also determine what funding sources have been provided to low-income housing projects built in rural counties. SB 5375 was amended in committee and requires the Department of Commerce to contract with at least one affordable housing development consultant to provide technical and pre- construction assistance to rural communities during the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium.

A substitute version of SB 5375 was passed out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee.  It requires the Department of Commerce to contract with at least one affordable housing development consultant to provide technical and pre- construction assistance to rural communities.
STATUS:  SB 5375 is in the Senate Rules Committee where it is eligible to be scheduled for a vote by the full Senate.
ACTION:  Contact  your senators and tell them you support SB 5375  and ask that they vote YES when it comes to the floor for a vote.

Public assistance for low-income households and households in need

HB 1151 – Bolstering economic recovery

SUPPORT.

HB 1151 establishes a consolidated emergency assistance program (CEAP) for families with children.  Benefits can be provided to alleviate emergent conditions resulting from insufficient income.  These benefits may be used to provide for: food, shelter, clothing, medical care, or other necessary items.  They may also be used for family reconciliation services, family preservation services, home-based services, short-term substitute care in a licensed agency, crisis nurseries, therapeutic childcare, or other necessary services.

Federal emergency assistance funds will be used to supplement the state funds appropriated for the operation of this program as long as other departmental programs are not adversely affected by the receipt of federal funds. If state funds appropriated for the consolidated emergence assistance program are exhausted, the department may discontinue the program.

During a governor ordered a state of emergency and pursuant to an order from the governor benefits under this program may be extended to individuals and families without children and the 12-month period may be extended.

The House Housing, Human Services & Veterans Committee passed a substitute version of HB 1151 which amends this bill to:

  • Allow Consolidated Emergency Assistance to be provided more than once in a 12-month period when directed by the Governor.
  • Requires the Department of Social and Health Services to update the standards of need for cash assistance programs. Currently cash grants are lower than the standard of need for food, clothing, shelter, and other household costs.
  • Adds an emergency clause with an immediate effective date for the provisions related to the CEAP.
  • Requires a one-time cash benefit for households whose eligibility for Basic Food is ending to be funded with state funds.

Status:  Substitute HB 1151 has passed out of the House and is on its way to the Senate for their consideration.  HB 1151 has not yet been assigned to a committee in the Senate.

Action:  Contact your senators and let them know you support HB 1151.

SB 5214 – Concerning economic assistance programs.

SUPPORT

SB 5214 amends the current law that limits the amount of time an adult can receive economic assistance from the state.  It states that the current 60-month limit may be extended if, in addition to the current exceptions, the recipient is participating satisfactorily in the program, is temporarily prevented from working or looking for a job, and/or is in need of mental health or substance use disorder treatment. SB 5214 was amended in committee and adds the following additional requirements:

  • the extension is the equal to the number of months that the person received a TANF grant during a month of unemployment at or above 7 percent, and must be applied sequentially following other hardship extensions that may apply; and
  • provides that the bill applies retroactively as of March 1, 2020 as well as prospectively. 

STATUS:  SB 5214 is in the Senate Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a floor vote by the full Senate.

ACTION:   Contact you senators on the Rules Committee, tell them you support SB 5214 and ask that it be scheduled for a floor vote, and ask your senators for a YES vote when it comes to the floor for a floor vote.

SB 5008. Extending the business and occupation tax exemption for amounts received as credits against contracts with or funds provided by the Bonneville power administration and used for low-income ratepayer assistance and weatherization.

SUPPORT

SB 5008 makes permanent the exemption from business and occupation tax amounts received by utilities in the form of credits against power contracts or received from the Bonneville power administration for energy conservation purposes, if the tax savings are used by utilities for low-income ratepayer assistance or weatherization programs. This exemption will induce utilities to invest funds in energy conservation and efficiency programs, thereby reducing the amount of electric energy that such utilities must either generate or purchase, thereby reducing energy costs to utilities and customers. Further, state laws mandating utilities to acquire energy through both energy conservation and noncarbon-emitting resources can increase the cost of energy to ratepayers.

Status:  SB 5008 is DEAD as it failed to pass out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee by the February 22nd cutoff date.

Authorizing new taxes to local governments for funding affording housing

SB 5012.  Providing a local government option for the funding of essential affordable housing program.

SUPPORT

SB 5012 Authorizes the legislative bodies of counties, cities or towns to levy and collect a special excise tax (up to a maximum of 10%) on the furnishing of lodging of short-term rentals.  Moneys collected from the special excise tax must be used exclusively for the operating and capital costs of affordable housing programs including, but not limited to, homeless housing assistance, temporary shelters, and other related services. A city or town may use revenues collected under this section for contracts, loans, or grants to nonprofit organizations or public housing authorities for services related to affordable housing programs.  Up to 5% of the moneys collected for this special excise tax may be used for the direct and indirect cost incurred in administrating the services and programs.

Status: SB 5012 is DEAD as it failed to pass out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee by the February 22nd cutoff date.

Redefining eligibility requirements for working connections childcare program

SB 5023 Concerning working connections childcare eligibility and unemployment benefits.

SUPPORT

SB 5023 ensures that temporary federal unemployment benefits do not disrupt continuity of childcare for families seeking work by re-defining income eligibility so that it does not include increases in state of federal unemployment benefits.

Status: SB 5023 is DEAD as it failed to pass out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee by the February 22nd cutoff date.

Providing tax deferral in high unemployment counties to stimulate employment

SB 5029 Concerning tax deferrals for investment projects in high unemployment counties.

SUPPORT

SB 5029 reestablishes a tax deferral program to be effective solely in counties experiencing chronically high levels of unemployment. The legislature declares that this limited program serves the vital public purpose of creating employment opportunities and reducing poverty in the distressed counties experiencing levels of unemployment that are higher than those of the state.

A substitute bill was passed out of the Business, Financial Services and Trade Committee and it creates a rural county sales and use tax deferral program from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2031, in high unemployment counties.

Status:  SB 5029 failed to pass out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee by the February 22 cutoff date and is DEAD.

Economic inclusion

SB 5241 – Promoting economic inclusion.

SUPPORT

SB 5241 directs the department of commerce to establish and oversee the implementation of economic inclusion grants for local communities with an emphasis on economically distressed communities as defined by the department of commerce. The purpose of these grants is to promote equity, economic inclusion, and a stable financial foundation for people experiencing poverty (at or below 200% of the federal poverty level). Recipients of the grants are required amongst other provisions to

  • Coordinate existing poverty reduction resources and benefits to make them easier to access
  • Develop a local leadership coalition or use an existing local partnership that includes people experiencing poverty, people of color, homelessness programs, and representatives of the workforce development council, community service offices, Medicaid, accountable communities of health, and associate development organizations, and may include other members
  • Work with people experiencing poverty to ensure they have access to multiple benefits to help them meet their basic needs
  • Ensure equitable access to state and local government services for people with disabilities
  • Ensure options for career development, English language learners, and other services for both parents in two-parent families, including childcare if desired by the family, and
  • To the extent allowable under federal law, access to benefits may not be conditioned upon seeking employment nor limited to people pursuing individual career plans, and benefits must be available to people experiencing poverty who are in need of financial stability whether or not they are pursuing career plans.

The bill also allows the Department of Commerce in consultation with the steering committee and to apply for federal waivers to remove federal barriers to coordinating service delivery across multiple programs, where possible.

STATUS:  Second Substitute SB 5241 was placed on second reading by the Senate Rules Committee on and is eligible to be scheduled for a Floor Vote.

ACTION:  Call you senators, tell them you support SB5241 and ask for a YES vote when it comes to the floor.

Employment for hard to place workers

SB 5358– Providing incentives to employers to hire certain hard-to-place job seekers.

SUPPORT
SB 5385 provides employers a business and occupation tax credit, or a public utility tax credit, for hiring unemployed persons who have been homeless, convicted of a felony, are recipients of temporary assistance for needy families, are recipients of security income recipient, or if they have received a vocational rehabilitation referral.
STATUS:  SB 5358 is DEAD as it failed to pass out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee by the February 22nd cutoff date.       

Property tax relief for senior citizens

SB 5290– Modifying the income eligibility requirement for the senior citizen and persons with disabilities property tax exemption program.

SUPPORT
SB 5290 provides a property tax exemption or tax reduction for a person who is:

  • Sixty-one years of age or older or retired from gainful employment by reason of disability by December 31 of the year the exemption claim is filed; or
  • A veteran of the US armed forces, receiving compensation from the US department of veterans (with certain qualifications); or
  • A surviving spouse or domestic partner of a person who was receiving an exemption at their time of death, if the claimant is fifty-seven years of age or older and otherwise meets the requirements stated in the bill; or
  • Is living in residence with a spouse or domestic partner who meets these eligibility requirements.

STATUS:  SB 5290 is DEAD as it failed to pass out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee by the February 22nd cutoff date.

Working Families tax exemption

HB 1319 – Creating a Washington recovery rebate by temporarily expanding the working families’ tax exemption

SUPPORT

HB 1319 creates a recovery rebate for low-income persons by temporarily expanding the working families sales tax exemption.  Eligible persons must pay the sales tax for a given year but are allowed to claim a rebate of their sales tax the following year.

STATUS:  HB 1319 is DEAD as it failed to pass out of the House Finance Committee by the February 22nd cutoff date.

HB 1297 – Concerning working families tax exemption

SUPPORT
HB 1297 updates and simplifies the structure of the working families tax exemption (WFTE). It also expands the tax exemption to include those with individual taxpayer identification numbers or an individual who has a spouse or dependent without a social security number who would otherwise be eligible. Remittance calculations are restructured.  The department of revenue is to design and implement a public information campaign to inform potentially eligible persons of the WFTE.

STATUS:  HB 1297 is in the House Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

ACTION: Call your representatives and tell them you support HB 1297 and ask that they urge the Rules Committee to schedule HB 1297 for a floor vote and that they vote YES on the bill when it comes to the floor.

.

Assistance for homeowners navigating the foreclosure process

HB 1108 Maintaining funding and assistance for homeowners navigating the foreclosure process.

SUPPORT

Homeownership is a key determinant to building wealth and there is a serious racial wealth gap here as in the nation.  Washington’s Foreclosure Fairness program has been underfunded and needs a permanent fund source to stabilize to ensure housing counseling, legal aid and mediation to Washington’s families. The Covid-19 pandemic will very likely lead to a rush of foreclosures once foreclosure moratoriums are lifted. Rep. Orwall is introducing a series of bills to address foreclosure prevention.  She is promoting revamping the estate tax, as proposed by the Economic Opportunity Institute, to make it more progressive. The proposal would generate over $100 million in the current biennium of which a portion would be dedicated to homelessness prevention including foreclosure prevention.

HB 1108 puts in place a temporary stopgap remedy requiring banks and credit unions that own or service a mortgage for a residential property to offer foreclosure mediation services even though they may have done less than 250 foreclosures in 2020. Also, the fees increased from $300 to $325 per nonjudicial foreclosure trustee sale. The expiration date of the remediation requirement is December 31, 2022.

The House passed an Engrossed Substitute Bill: It extends the mediation and certain other pre-foreclosure requirements under the Deeds of Trust Act and the Foreclosure Fairness Act (FFA) to residential real property of up to four units and removes the requirement that a property be owner-occupied to the existing bill.

Please ask budget writers to include the funding below for foreclosure prevention in the operating budget, as Governor Inslee did, and keep an eye out for a sign-on letter for:

$3.875m in FY 2021 in the proposed supplemental budget and $7.307m in both FY 2022 and 2023 in the proposed biennial budget for foreclosure prevention, specifically “to assist current and prospective homeowners, and homeowners at risk of foreclosure. Funding provided in this section may be used for activities to prevent mortgage or tax lien foreclosure, housing counselors, a foreclosure prevention hotline, legal services for low-income individuals, mediation, and other activities that promote homeownership. The department may contract with other foreclosure fairness program state partners to carry out this work.” 

Status:  HB 1108 has passed out of the House on a unanimous vote.  It is now in the Senate Business, Financial Services, and Trade Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

Action:  Contact your senators on the Senate Business, Financial Services, and Trade Committee and let them know you support  HB 1108.

Property Tax

HB 1332 Concerning property tax deferral during the COVID-19 pandemic

SB 5402 Concerning property tax deferral during the COVID-19 pandemic

SUPPORT

Interest and penalties on delinquent property taxes are suspended during the COVID-19 state of emergency and for 12 months thereafter. During the COVID-19 state of emergency, extensions of the due date for any property taxes payable in April 2021 for any real property used for business purposes for which the owner demonstrates a loss of at least 20 percent of revenue for 2020 compared to 2019 shall be available. Taxpayers have to file an application provided by the Department of Revenue to obtain this extension. If the application is approved, the county treasurer shall defer property taxes due in April of 2021 to become due and payable before October 31st, 2021.

The House Finance Committee amended HB 1332 to allow deferral of all 2021 taxes for qualifying businesses via the establishment of a payment plan.  Penalties and interest will not be applied to taxes under a deferral payment plan.

Status: SHB 1332 is in the House Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

SB 5402 is DEAD as it failed to pass out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee by the February 22nd cutoff date.

Action:  Contact your representatives and let them know that you support  HB 1332 and ask that vote YES when HB 1332 comes to the floor.

Notification of recorded documents with unlawful racial restrictions

HB 1335 Concerning review and property owner notification of recorded documents with unlawful racial restrictions.

SUPPORT

HB 1335 was amended in committee and now requires institutions of higher learning to provide research related to review of existing recorded covenants and deed restrictions to identify those documents that include racial or other restrictions on property ownership or use against protected classes that are unlawful.  After identifying these, the institution of higher learning they must notify the current owner of the property with information on how the property owner may record a document striking from the referenced original instrument all provisions that are void and unenforceable under law.

Many homeowners would never find out about the existence of racial covenants. A number of real estate companies have created a process through which racial covenant or deed restrictions are identified when a property is listed, but that will only capture properties when they are sold. This bill is needed to take proactive measures to assure that these covenants and deed restrictions that are void and unenforceable are removed from these documents.  This bill has the support of the realtors.

Status: HB 1335 has passed out of the House Appropriations Committee and is now in the House Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

Action:  Contact your representatives and let them know you support  HB 1335 and ask for a YES vote when it comes to the floor for a vote.

Automobile Insurance protections for consumers

HB 1428 Concerning automobile insurance policies.

SUPPORT

HB 1428 gives consumers the right to choose a repair shop and force their automobile insurance carrier to pay for repairs that would restore the vehicle and make the customer whole. 

• Requires basic contracts of automobile insurance to provide that, when an automobile is deemed repairable, it must be restored to its condition prior to the loss.

• Provides that payment must be based on reasonable and necessary costs at the claimant’s chosen repair facility.

• Provides insurance companies are not required to pay for parts supplied by the original equipment manufacturer, unless necessary to restore the vehicle to pre-loss condition.

Status: HB 1428 is in the House Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

Action:  Contact your representatives on the and let them know you support  HB 1428 and ask for a UES vote when it comes to the floor.

Protection from certain types of garnishment

HB 1525 Concerning enforcement of judgments.

SUPPORT

With HB 1525 certain funds held in bank accounts, savings and loan accounts, stocks, bonds, or other securities, are given automatic protection from garnishment (an order to compel third parties to divert funds from a debtor), attachment (a legal judgement to secure property from a debtor), and execution (a judgement to require payment of money or property) if the debt falls into one of these categories:

• For private student loan debt: $1,000 in value is automatically protected.

• For consumer debt: $1,000 in value is automatically protected.

• For all other debts: $500 in value is automatically protected.

A writ of garnishment must contain instructions to financial institutions directing them to comply with the above automatic protections and release protected funds to the debtor. The financial institution is directed to only hold funds for the creditor if the debtor’s accounts contain value in excess of the automatically protected total.

Status: HB 1525 was voted on the house floor and passed with 97 yeas and 0 nays, and 1 excused. It is now headed to the Senate.  It has not yet been assigned to a Senate committee.

Action:  Contact your senators and let them know you support  HB 1525.

Credit Scoring in Insurance

SB 5010 An act relating to prohibiting the use of credit scores to determine rates for personal lines of insurance.

SUPPORT with CONCERNS

SB 5010 was amended from the original bill which banned the use of credit scoring in insurance.  This bill in its original form was brought forth as OIC/Governor request because credit scoring is discriminatory and should not be used as a tool to decide insurance rates.  People of color and with lower incomes are disproportionately and negatively impacted by this practice – meaning they are paying higher insurance rates because of their credit scores – and it must end. It is about racial equity and economic fairness.

This quote from a recent Crosscut article sums it up: A 2015 analysis by Consumer Reports found that, in Washington state, a driver with poor credit and a clean driving record would pay $690 a year more for auto insurance than someone with excellent credit and a conviction for driving under the influence.  In 2007, the legislature passed SB 5827 by Sen. Hobbs that banned the use of credit scoring for the purpose of employment. Same concept. We hope this will be the year that credit scoring will also be banned in insurance.

Check out Office of the Insurance Commissioner’s (OIC’s) credit score website:

https://www.insurance.wa.gov/credit-scoring-ban – the short video on this site – it is excellent! And media links… in the OIC fact sheet.

SB 5010 was amended in the Senate Business, Financial Services and Trade Committee.  The original bill was an Office of the Insurance Commissioner – and Governor – request legislation sponsored by Sen. Das that would have banned the use of credit scoring in insurance. The bill was amended by Chair Mullet, with agreement from Sen. Das and Senate leadership, to prohibit insurers from using a decreased credit score for a consumer during a three year period. So, at the time of renewal or if the insurer is checking credit scores (which they only do every three years), if a credit score has gone down, they can’t use the lower score. This does nothing to help with the systemic unfairness of using credit scores generally which is a proven race proxy, and which makes credit scores more important than driving records.

The bill as amended made the following changes:

  • Prohibits the use of credit history in increasing rates or premiums at renewal for personal insurance policies until June 30, 2024
  • Requires insurers to file a special credit score rate rule by July 1, 2021 and apply it within 90 days after approval.
  • Requires OIC to approve the special credit score rate rule within 15 days of receipt.

Status:  SB 5010 is in the Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full Senate.

Action:  While we know this version of SB 5010 will pass the full Senate, we support passage of this bill with concerns.  Please ask your Senators to voice their disappointment that this bill does not address the systemic unfairness and inequity of the use of credit scores in insurance but at least it does prohibit insurers from using a decreased credit score for a consumer during the upcoming three year period.     

HB 1351 Concerning reasonable exceptions to insurance rates for consumers whose credit information is influenced by extraordinary life circumstances.

OPPOSE

HB 1351 The insurance industry has come up with a counter strategy (to SB 5010) which says if you use credit information a person can ask for exception from the rates produced by the algorithms if they show independently verifiable proof of a catastrophic event.

Status:  HB 1351 has passed out of the House Consumer Protection and Business Committee and is in the House Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

Action: Oppose HB 1351 as it doesn’t address systemic discrimination, is open to further discrimination due to subjective review and puts the consumer in the position of asking for relief from rates that are determined by using credit scoring, which is a known race proxy (see the information above from the OIC). Contact your representatives and let them know you oppose HB 1351 and ask for a NO vote should it come to the floor.

Consumer Protection Act

SB 5025 Concerning the Consumer Protection Improvement Act.

SUPPORT

SB 5025 is legislation requested by the Washington State Attorney General that provides an update to the civil penalties allowed in the Consumer Protection Act. Maximum civil penalties for violation of the CPA are increased as follows:

  • violation of any injunction issued under the CPA—$215,000
  • any contract, trust, or conspiracy in restraint of trade or commerce or monopolization or attempt to monopolize any part of trade or commerce—$260,000 for an individual or $1,300,000 for a corporation; and

• unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in trade or commerce—$13,350 for each violation.

Also, an enhanced penalty of $10,000 shall apply to unlawful acts or practices targeting specific individuals or communities based on demographic characteristics, including age; race; national origin; citizenship or immigration status; sex; sexual orientation; presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability; religion; veteran status; or status as a member of the armed forces.

Status:  SB 5025 was voted by the full Senate yeas, 31; nays, 18; absent, 0; excused, 0.  It is headed to the House Consumer Protection & Business Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

Action:  Contact the members of House Consumer Protection & Business Committee and let them know that you support SB 5025 and ask for a YES vote to pass it out of committee.                                                                                           

Debt-based Driver’s License Suspension

SB 5226 Concerning the suspension of licenses for traffic infractions.

SUPPORT

SB 5226 deals with modifications as to when a WA State Driver’s license can be suspended:

• Eliminates drivers’ license suspension for the failure to pay, respond, or appear at a requested hearing for a traffic infraction for a moving violation.

• Authorizes the Department of Licensing (DOL) to reinstate all driver’s licenses suspended for reasons that are no longer grounds for suspension.

• Requires DOL to take reasonable steps to notify anyone whose driver’s license was suspended who may qualify for reinstatement and create an online application process for people to use to determine whether they are eligible for reinstatement, within 90 days of the effective date of the legislation.

Status:  SB 5226 is in the Senate Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full Senate.

Action:  Contact your senators and let them know that you support SB 5226  and ask that vote YES on SB5226 when it comes to the floor.     

Homestead Exemptions

SB 5408 Concerning the homestead exemption

SUPPORT

SB 5408 is primarily sponsored by Northwest Consumer Law Center.  Senator Derek Stanford introduced this bill to increase the amount of the homestead exemption to protect Washington state families from losing their homes or a substantial amount of equity in their homes from a forced sale and to allow those in need, the ability to file a federal bankruptcy case without losing their primary residence or a substantial amount of the equity to creditors.

At $125,000—a figure last updated in 2007—Washington’s homestead exemption is currently one of the nation’s lowest. Increases in home prices have dramatically reduced the value of the exemption throughout the state—for example, home prices in Okanogan and Chelan counties rose by 37 percent in 2020 alone. SB 5408 restores homestead fairness to Washington. 

The bill as amended in the Senate Law and Justice Committee does the following:

  • Changes the homestead exemption to the greater of $125,000 or the county median sale price of a single family home.
  • Defines a forced sale to include any sale of the homestead property in a bankruptcy proceeding.
  • Allows appreciation of the property to be included in the exemption after a bankruptcy filing, even if it exceeds the statutory limit.
  • Allows Washington residents to claim the homestead exemption for property in other states.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing numbers of Washington homeowners rely on the homestead exemption to protect their homes from creditors. Yet, rising home values have put this option out of reach for many at the time they need it the most. SB 5408 addresses that problem.

StatusSB 5408 is in the Senate Rules Committee where it is on the calendar for a vote by the full Senate.

Action:  Contact your senators, let them know you support SB 5408 and ask for a YES vote when it comes to the floor.  Let them know that at time when our state budget is strained by the COVID-19 pandemic and potential COVID-19 relief, SB 5408 provides real, tangible relief to vulnerable working people and ALL homeowners without costing taxpayers a cent.

Education

Lead in drinking water

HB 1139 Taking action to address lead in drinking water.

SUPPORT with CONCERNS

HB 1139 Requires public and private elementary and secondary schools with buildings built, or with all plumbing replaced, before 2016, to have drinking water outlets tested for lead contamination to: communicate test results and other information; and take specified actions if test results reveal lead concentrations that exceed 5 parts per billion.

It requires the Department of Health (DOH) to conduct lead testing of drinking water in public elementary and secondary schools by specified deadlines and according to stated technical requirements and designates the DOH, rather than community water systems, as the principal agency in regard to lead testing, remediation, and other actions at elementary and secondary schools.

While elimination of any potential lead contamination in school drinking water is absolutely critical, this bill encompasses the vast majority of schools in the state and falls short on many levels. The level of contamination is well below the national standard and there is no funding provided for the staffing and remediation costs that may accrue to our school districts. It also contains no provision for remediation of potential upstream contamination over which the districts have no control.

Status: HB 1139 is in the House Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

Action: Contact your representatives and let them know that you support the safety provision of  HB 1139 but oppose another unfunded mandate on our schools.  This must be covered in the budget appropriations.

High School graduation

HB 1162 Concerning high school graduation credit and pathway options.

SUPPORT

HB 1162 is an act relating to creating new graduation credit and pathway options. The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the inequities of institutions, including the education system. The 24-credit requirement doesn’t allow students to fail a class and still graduate on time. The limited number of graduation pathways discourages students from entering the trades, and by making credit waivers difficult to attain, students are forced to take courses that do not align with their career paths. This bill will make graduation more flexible and equitable and will ensure that all students have access to courses that will help them in their careers. It reduces the number of credits required for high school graduation from 24 to 20 and applies the revised credit requirements to the graduating class of 2021 and subsequent classes. It establishes an additional graduation pathway option that enables students to meet graduation pathway requirements by completing a performance exhibition meeting specified criteria—to give equitable access to programs already established in multiple WA high schools. And it modifies credit waiver provisions by limiting a two-credit individual student waiver to students in the graduating class of 2019 and 2020, per pandemic mic. Without this emergency measures, many districts in the state will be unable to maintain services.

Status: HB 1162 has passed out of the House Rules Committee and is on its way to the Senate for consideration.  It has not yet been assigned to a committee.

Action: Contact your senator and let them know that you support HB 1162.

Learning assistance program

HB 1208 Modifying the learning assistance program.

SUPPORT

HB 1208 Is an act relating to modifying the learning assistance program to enable school districts to focus on identifying and addressing student academic deficits in basic skills resulting from, or exacerbated by, the COVID-19 pandemic by granting greater local control over, accountability for, and flexibility with program funds, and to authorize continued flexible use of program funds through the framework of the Washington integrated student supports protocol. This bill will allow schools to use the LAP funds according to critical needs in this national emergency and updates the language to allow districts to utilize the funds according to needs identified since it was first enacted.

Status: HB 1208 has passed out of the House and is on its way to the Senate for their consideration.  It has not yet been assigned to a committee.

Action: Contact your senators and let them know that you support HB 1208.

Affordable childcare and early development programs

HB 1213 Expanding accessible, affordable childcare and early childhood development programs.

SB 5237 Expanding accessible, affordable childcare and early childhood development programs.

SUPPORT

HB1213 and SB 5237 expand access to affordable childcare and early childhood development programs by

  1. Expanding eligibility and decreasing copayments in the Working Connections Child Care Program and expanding eligibility in the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program.
  2. Providing increased rates, training, grants, and services for childcare and early learning providers.
  3. Establishing a new account for childcare and early learning purposes and includes a non-exhaustive list of allowable fund uses.
  4. Increasing supports for families of children from birth to age 3, as well as their providers.

Status: HB 1213 is in the House Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

SB 5237 is in the Senate Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full Senate.

Action: Contact your representatives and let them know you support HB 1213 and ask for a YES vote when it comes to the floor.

Contact your senators and let them know that you support SB 5237 and ask for a YES vote when it comes to the floor..

School safety and security services

Providing K-12 public school safety and security services by classified staff or contractors.

SUPPORT

HB 1214 creates a category of safety and security staff for kindergarten through grade 12 public schools.  It provides requirements for safety and security staff agreements, data collection, and training, for educational service districts, school districts, and charter schools.

Status: HB 1217 is in the House Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

Action: Contact your representative and let them know you support HB 1214 and ask for a YES vote when it comes to the floor.

Education for youth from institutional education facilities

HB 1295 Providing public education to youth in or released from institutional education facilities.

SUPPORT

HB 1295 Establishes new and modified duties for the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), and the State Board of Education related to the provision of public education to youth in, or released from, secure facilities, including duties related to education access and delivery, student supports, data collection and reporting, and facility policies. It directs the OSPI and the DCYF to jointly develop recommendations by November 1, 2022, for the establishment, implementation, and funding of a reformed institutional education system and establishes numerous provisions related to the recommendations of the OSPI and the DCYF, including the identification of 13 issues that must be addressed, the creation of an advisory group, and the selection of a third-party entity to facilitate the development of the recommendations and staff the advisory group.

Status: HB 1295 has passed out of the House and is headed to the Senate.  It has not yet been assigned to a committee in the Senate.

Action: Contact your senators and let them know you support HB 1295.

Enrollment Stabilization

HB 1476 Addressing enrollment declines due to the COVID-19 pandemic

SUPPORT

HB 1476 relates to enrollment stabilization funding to address enrollment declines due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and declares an emergency. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed the delivery of education across the state and impacted our schools financially, as school districts transitioned to remote learning environments to protect the health of students and staff. However, inflexible, current state funding formulas are largely driven by enrollment. The pandemic has resulted in unforeseen, temporary enrollment declines in many districts, which, if left to the current funding formulas, will result in corresponding funding declines. The funding formulas do not take into account the pandemic or the temporary nature of the enrollment changes and this can affect a district’s ability to maintain the staffing and resources needed to deliver education services. With this act, the legislature intends to provide stabilizing funding to districts that have seen temporary enrollment declines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Without this emergency measures, many districts in the state will be unable to maintain services.

Status: HB 1476 is in the House Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

Action: Contact your representatives and let them know that you support HB 1476.

Broadband Access

HB 1336 Creating and expanding unrestricted authority for public entities to provide telecommunications services to end users.

SUPPORT

HB 1336 authorizes public utility districts, port districts, second-class cities, towns, and counties to provide retail telecommunications services. This bill is a bipartisan project. The last year has demonstrated to all that highspeed broadband is essential for modern life. Washington is in a minority of states with restrictions on some local governments’ ability to provide broadband services. Many in the rural areas do not have access to services that PUDs could provide. This bill is not just about the rural areas. Plenty of people have access but it is unreliable and unaffordable. This bill is about getting broadband to the kids who need it so they can become citizens. With the pandemic, kids need broadband access even more. It represents a crucial policy shift that addresses economic, education, healthcare, and equity issues. There is currently an inequitable arrangement where people in more populated areas have high speed Internet and rural areas do not.

Status: HB 1336 has passed out of the House and is now in the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session..

Action: Contact your senators on the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee to let them know that you support HB 1336 and ask that they vote YES to pass it out of committee.

Technology equipment for public school students and instructional staff

HB 1365 Procuring and supporting appropriate computers and devices for public school students and instructional staff.

Amendment with Concerns

HB 1365 Requires each educational service district (ESD) to provide technology consultation, procurement, and training according to specified requirements, and allows procurement to be performed in consultation and contract with the Department of Enterprise Services. It directs, subject to state funding, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to develop and administer a technology grant program to accomplish three stated goals. It requires the OSPI to report to the Legislature biennially with a summary of the activities performed by the ESDs, the status of the state’s progress to accomplish its stated goals, and an update of activities performed in collaboration with other state, local, and community-based initiatives related to learning devices and other technologies. **** This is an alternate to a bill that did the same thing, but actually provided funding to the districts so that they can accomplish the goals.

Status: HB 1364 is scheduled for an executive session in the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Monday, February 22nd at 9:30 AM.

Action: Contact your representatives and members of the House Rules Committee to let them know that you support HB 1365 and want it approved by a full vote of the body, but that an unfunded mandate will only harm schools’ COVID financial burden even further.

Housing for school district employees

SB 5043 Providing housing to school district employees.

SUPPORT

There is a housing affordability crisis in our communities. Many educators are priced out of the communities they work in. Lack of housing is an obstacle to the retention of teachers in all school districts. Teachers living out of district also leads to increased carbon emissions and congestion. This legislation is a way to provide housing to first responders in addition to school staff, all while not increasing education costs, particularly for small, remote school districts. SB 5043 would allow districts to put to the people the question of whether they should be able to provide housing to teachers through levy funds and expands the use of a 100-year-old law in Washington State to all districts. It enables school districts to better retain staff, particularly staff in underrepresented communities that might otherwise be deterred by housing costs.

Status: SB 5043 is n the Senate Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full Senate.

Action: Contact your senators to let them know that you support SB 5043 and ask for a YES vote when it comes to the floor.

Student Transportation During an Emergency

SSB 5128: Concerning student transportation funding during a local, state, or national emergency

SUPPORT

Currently, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) calculates each school district’s transportation allocation using the Student Transportation Allocation Reporting System (STARS). Although transportation expenses decreased very little, by these current formulas based on student ridership, school district transportation funding will be gutted, just as it is most needed to return students to the classroom. SB 5128 provides an alternative student transportation allocation formula and allows expanded transportation services during certain local, state, and national emergencies. This will partially address the expected underfunding. It also allows school districts to apply for additional funding and allows OSPI to use student transportation data from prior reporting periods to calculate transportation allocations immediately following an emergency.

Status: SB 5128 has passed out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee but is stuck in the Senate Rules Committee and will likely not receive a vote. There is some traction in trying to fund education transportation within the budget.

Action: Contact the Senate Rules Committee members and all your legislators and let them know that you SUPPORT passage of SSB 5128 or alternate provision of this much-needed funding to get our kids to school.

Alternative school calendars

SB 5147 Exploring alternative school calendars.

SUPPORT

SB 5147 Directs the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to establish a program to allow up to 30 school districts to provide 180 instructional days over the course of the entire calendar year for school district with a minimum enrollment of 500 students, a maximum enrollment of 10,000 students, and a majority of students qualify for free and reduced price meals. It also requires OSPI to distribute funds to participating school districts based on a specific formula, subject to appropriation and to report on various program outcomes. This bill is aimed at helping those students furthest from educational justice to reclaim any lost progress over the summer.

Status: SB 5147 has passed out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee and is currently in the Senate Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full Senate.

Action: Contact your senators on the Senate Rules Committee to let them know that you support SB 5147 and ask that it be scheduled for a floor vote before the March 9th cutoff date.  And ask you senators to vote YES when it comes to the floor.

Media literacy and digital citizenship training.

SB 5242 Supporting media literacy and digital citizenship.

SUPPORT

SB 5242 requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to establish a grant program for supporting media literacy and digital citizenship. It requires OSPI to convene two regional conferences on the subject of media literacy and digital citizenship and mandates that at least one grant awarded in each award cycle must be for developing and utilizing a curriculum that contains a focus on synthetic media. This bill is another intended to bridge our digital divide in schools. We learned in no uncertain terms this last year that access is one thing, but training is absolutely critical to our teachers and students for them to function in a digital world

Status: SB 5242 is in the Senate Rules Committee where it is eligible to be scheduled for a floor vote.

Action: Contact your senators and members of the Senate Rules Committee to let them know that you support SB 5242 and ask your senators for a YES vote when it comes to the floor.

Mastery-based learning

SB 5249 Supporting mastery-based learning.

SUPPORT

SB 5249 Requires the Mastery-Based Learning Work Group to develop a Washington State profile of a high school graduate, in consultation with the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee and others. It places a representative from an approved teacher preparation program with experience in mastery-based learning on the work group, directs the State Board of Education (SBE) to develop rules relating to the profile of a graduate and requires the SBE to perform a survey on graduation pathways that includes high school students and recent graduates. Mastery-based Learning provides an alternative to the traditional education model path to graduation.

Status: SB 5249 has passed out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee and is now in the Senate Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full Senate.

Action: Contact your members of the Senate Rules to let them know that you support SB 5249 and request that it be scheduled for a floor vote.  And ask you senators to vote YES when it comes to the floor.

College bound scholarship

SB 5321 Expanding access to the college bound scholarship.

SUPPORT

SB 5321 Eliminates the requirement that a student sign a pledge to be eligible for the College Bound Scholarship, directs the office of financial assistance to develop a process for auto-enrolling eligible students, requires that all eligible students receive notification of their enrollment in the program and eligibility criteria and creates a new $500 stipend for eligible students with family incomes between 65 and 100 percent median family income upon high school graduation.

Status: SB 5321 in the Senate Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full Senate.

Action: Contact your senators to let them know that you support SB 5321.

Health and pension benefits for school bus drivers

SB 5326 Concerning health and pension benefits for school bus drivers employed by private nongovernmental entities.

Amendment Needed

SB 5326 Provides that school districts may only enter into pupil transportation service contracts with nongovernmental entities that provide health and retirement benefit contributions to their employees equivalent to those received by school employees. While it is essential that all WA residents are assured of these benefits, and that the drivers entrusted with our students are supported equitably across the state, there are no provisions for funding the potential increased cost for districts that must utilize external entities and this could easily become yet another unfunded mandate that impairs other school needs.

Status: SB 5043 is the Senate Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full Senate.

Action: Contact your senators on the Senate Rules Committee and let them know that you support SB 5326, but expect to see language that the fiscal impact to those districts will be funded.

Broadband investment acceleration program

SB 5357 Establishing and making appropriations for the capital broadband investment acceleration program.

SUPPORT

In 2019, the Legislature enacted 2SSB 5511 to establish the Statewide Broadband Office to encourage, foster, develop, and improve affordable, quality broadband within the state. The 2019-21 operating budget provided funding for the office through the Department of Commerce. SB 5357 creates the Broadband Investment Acceleration Program in the Statewide Broadband Office. Unfortunately, this bill had a requirement for $200M, which was not included in the Governor’s budget. And the Senate Ways and Means Committee removed this appropriation from the bill.  Although there was full support for the intent of the bill, without funding, it’s toothless.

Status: SB 5043 is in the Senate Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a floor vote

Action: Contact your senators on the Senate Rules Committee and let them know that you support SB 5326, and want it to receive a vote and debate about funding.

Reproductive Rights and Health Care

Requiring student health plans to cover maternity care and related services, including abortion

HB 1009 Relating to student health plans.

SUPPORT

HB 1009 requires student health plans to cover maternity care and related services. This includes abortion coverage. It ensures that student health plans are not exempt from state laws and rules requiring abortion coverage and are held to the same standard as other market health plans.

Status:  HB 1009 passed out of the House and has been assigned to the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee.

Action:  Contact your Senators in the Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee and let them know you support HB 1009 and ask for a YES vote to pass it out of committee.

Issuing certificates of birth resulting in stillbirth

HB 1031 Concerning the government issuance of a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth.

SUPPORT

HB 1031 and SB 5072 create a process allowing any person who gives birth to a stillborn fetus to request and receive a certification of birth resulting in stillbirth from the applicable state or local registrar.

Status:  HB 1031 passed the House and is headed to the Senate.

Action:  Contact your senators and let them know you support HB 1031.

Expanding Paid Family Leave

HB 1073 Expanding coverage of the Paid Family and Medical Leave program.

SUPPORT
HB 1073 expands access to the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program. It changes the eligibility criterion from working at least 820 hours for an employer to making at least $1,000 with that employer, and it expands the legal definition of family member to include any individual related by blood or affinity whose close association is the equivalent of a family member and includes child, grandchild, grandparent, sibling or spouse of an employee.

Status:  HB 1073 passed out of the Appropriations Committee and now it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

Action:  Contact your representatives and tell them you support HB 1073 and ask for a YES vote when it comes to the floor.

SB 5097 Expanding coverage of the Paid Family and Medical Leave program.

SUPPORT

SB 5097 expands access to the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program.  It changes the eligibility criterion from requiring an employee to work for an employer with 50 or more employees to having been employed by their current employer for 90 days or more.

Status:  SB 5097 is in the Senate Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full senate.

Action:  Contact your Senators and let them know that you support SB 5097.  Ask for a YES vote when it comes to the floor.

Comprehensive Public Health Districts

HB 1152 Supporting measures to create comprehensive public health districts

SUPPORT

HB 1152 requires counties to form comprehensive public health districts beginning January 1, 2023 and repeals provisions related to establishing and operating local boards of health, local health districts, local district boards of health, and city county health departments.

Status:  HB 1152 is in the House Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

Action:  Contact your representatives and let them know you support HB 1152 and ask for a YES vote when it comes to the floor

School based health centers

HB 1225 Supporting school based health centers.

SUPPORT

HB 1225 creates a school-based health center program office within the department of health to award grants and coordinate with other agencies and entities to provide support, training, and technical assistance to school-based health centers. School-based health centers advance equity by providing health care access and support at schools.

Status:  HB 1225 is now in the House Rules Committee where it Can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

Action:  Contact your representatives and let them know you support HB 1225 and request a YES vote to pass it on to the Senate.

Menstrual products in schools

HB 1273 Menstrual hygiene products in school bathrooms.

SUPPORT

HB 1273, starting in the 2022-2023 school year, would require schools and post-secondary institutions to make available, at no cost, menstrual hygiene products in all gender neutral and bathrooms designated for females. This applies to schools and institutions serving students in grades 6 through 12 and institutions of higher education. HB 1273 was amended and requires that menstrual hygiene products also be available in a school health room or other location designated by the principal for grades 3 through 5.

Status:  HB 1273 passed the House and is headed to the Senate.

Action:  Contact your senators and let them know you support HB 1273

Penalties for prescription drug price increase

SB 5020 Assessing a penalty on unsupported prescription drug price increases to protect the safety, health, and economic well-being of Washington residents.
SUPPORT
SB 5020 assesses an annual penalty on prescription unsupported drug price increases. An unsupported price increase is one in which there was no, or inadequate, new clinical evidence to support the price increase. The penalty in any calendar year must equal 80 percent of the difference between the revenue generated by sales within the state of the identified drugs and the revenue that would have been generated if the manufacturer had maintained the wholesale acquisition cost from the previous calendar year, adjusted for inflation using the consumer price index. The manufacturer or distributor of the identified drug must not withdraw the drug from sale or distribution within the state to avoid the penalty.  If they plan to do so they must give notice and a $500,000 penalty per identified drug is to be assessed. The revenue collected funds the state’s Foundational Public Health Services account.

Status:  SB 5020 is DEAD as it failed to pass out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee by the February 22nd cutoff date.

Health Equity Zones

SB 5052 Creating health equity zones.
SUPPORT
SB 5052 requires the Department of Health to use health outcome data to identify potential health equity zones and coordinate with community organizations in those zones to identify projects to address the zone’s most urgent needs related to health disparities. The Department is then required to report annually on the projects implemented in each zone.

Status: SB 5052 is in the Senate Rules Committee where can be scheduled for a vote by the full Senate.

Action:  Contact your senators and let them know you support  2nd SSB 5052 and ask for a YES vote when it comes to the floor

Expanding medicaid coverage during the postpartum period

SB 5068 Improving maternal health outcomes by extending coverage during the postpartum period.

SUPPORT

SB 5068 extends Medicaid coverage to new birth parents from 60 days post-birth to 365 days post-birth.

Status:  SB 5068 passed the Senate and is headed to the House.

Action:  Contact your representative and let them know you support SSB 5068.

Miscarriage-related patient care

SB 5140 Protecting pregnancy and miscarriage-related patient care.

SUPPORT

SB 5140 Prohibits health care entities from stopping health care providers from providing health care services related to miscarriage management and treatment for ectopic pregnancies.

Status:  SB 5140 passed out of the Senate and is on its way to the House for their consideration.  It has not yet been assigned to a committee.

Action:  Contact your representatives and let them know you support SSB 5140.

Universal Health Care

SB 5399 Creating a universal health care commission.

SUPPORT

SB 5399 creates a universal health care commission for the purposes of developing a plan to create a health care system in Washington that provides coverage and access through a universal financing system including, but not limited to, a single-payer financing system, for all Washingtonians. By November 1, 2024, the commission must report its findings to the legislature, along with recommendations on implementing a universal health care system in Washington to be implemented by 2026.

Status:  SB 5399 passed out of Senate Ways and Means Committee and can now be scheduled for a vote from the full Senate.

Action:  Contact your senators and let them know you support SSB 5399 and ask that they vote YES when it comes to the floor. 

Health Equity in Medical Training

SB 5228 Requiring health equity training in medical school courses.

SUPPORT

SB 5140 Requires the state’s two medical schools, University of Washington and Washington State University, to add health equity training in the required courses. The bill also requires the medical schools to set a goal to be more representative of the demographics of the state of Washington.

Status:  SB 5228 has passed out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee and is now in the Senate Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full Senate

Action:  Contact your senators and let them know you support SSB 5228.

SB 5229 Requiring health care professionals to complete health equity continuing education.

SUPPORT

SB 5229 Requires a licensed health care professional to complete health equity continuing education training at least once every four years and requires health equity courses to teach skills that enable a health care professional to care effectively for patients from diverse cultures, groups, and communities, varying in race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexuality, religion, age, ability, and socioeconomic status.

Status:  and requires health equity courses to teach skills that enable a health care professional to care effectively for patients from diverse cultures, groups, and communities, varying in race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexuality, religion, age, ability, and socioeconomic status.

Status:  ESSB 5229 passed out of the Senate and has been assigned to the House Health Care & Wellness Committee.

Action:  Contact your representatives on the House Health Care and Wellness Committee and let them know you support ESSB 5229

Health Insurance Discrimination

SB 5313 Making it an unfair practice for health carriers to discriminate against enrollees seeking gender affirming treatment.

SUPPORT

SB 5313 Reduces discrimination by health carriers for enrollees seeking gender affirming treatment. Specifically, it amends the law (RCW 49.60.178, 41.05.017; 49.60.040, 48.30.300) to make it an unfair practice for health plans issued or renewed on January 1, 2022, to deny, exclude, reduce or terminate benefits when a participant seeks provider prescribed gender affirming treatment. Also, if the health carrier does not have an adequate network of providers with experience with gender affirming treatment, the health carrier shall ensure the delivery of timely and geographically accessible medically necessary gender affirming treatment at no greater expense than if the health carrier had an in-network, geographically accessible provider available.

Status:  SB 5313 passed out of Ways & Means and can now be scheduled for a vote from the full Senate.

Action:  Contact your senators and let them know you support SB 5313 and that vote YES when it comes to the floor.

Violence

Sexual assault victims

HB 1109 Concerning sexual assault victims

SUPPORT
HB 1109 requires that if a sexual assault kit results in in hit in the combined DNA index system shall upon request of the attorney general report changes in case status as to any related criminal investigation and prosecution to the office of the attorney general.  The attorney general’s office is directed to establish reporting requirements and to submit semiannual reports on the status of investigations and prosecution of sexual assault cases.  HB 1109 also requires that the criminal justice training commission conduct an annual review of case files from law enforcement agencies in order to identify changes to training and investigatory practices necessary to optimize outcomes in sexual assault investigations and prosecutions. The analysis must include the impact that race and ethnicity have on sexual assault case outcomes. The bill also expands the rights of sexual assault victims to:

  • Receive written notice of receive written notice of his or her right to a medical forensic exam at no cost and other benefits under the Crime Victim Compensation Program
  • Receive a referral to a community sexual assault program and if the victim is a minor to a children’s advocacy center
  • Consult with a sexual assault survivor advocate throughout the investigatory process and prosecution.  The presence of an advocate in the courtroom fulfills the survivor’s right to consult with an advocate while he or she is providing testimony in a criminal trial. Medical facilities, law enforcement officers, prosecuting attorneys, defense attorneys, courts, and other criminal justice agencies, including correctional facilities, are made responsible for providing advocates access to facilities where necessary to fulfill the requirements associated with the survivor’s right to consult with an advocate.
  • Receive timely notification from the law enforcement agency and prosecuting attorney as to the status of the case
  • Be informed of expected time frames for receiving responses to the survivor’s inquiries regarding the case status
  • Access interpreter services where necessary to facilitate communication
  • For minors
    • The prosecutor to consider and discuss the survivor’s request for remote video testimony
    • The court to consider requests from the prosecutor for safeguarding the survivor’s feelings of security and safety in the courtroom in order to facilitate the survivor’s testimony and participation in the court proceedings
    • The minor has a right to receive a connection to services in accordance with the county child sexual abuse investigation protocol, which may include a referral to a children’s advocacy center

Status:  HB 1109 has passed out of the House on a unanimous vote and is on its way to the Senate for their consideration.  It has not yet been assigned to a committee in the Senate.

Action:  Contact your senators and let them know that you support HB 1109.

Assault weapons and large capacity magazines

SB 5078 Addressing firearm safety measures to increase public safety

SUPPORT
SB 5078 establishes firearm safety measures to increase public safety by prohibiting the manufacture, possession, distribution, importation, selling, offering for sale, purchasing or transfer of large capacity magazines. A large capacity magazine is defined to mean an ammunition feeding device with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition, or any conversion kit, part, or combination of parts, from which such a device can be assembled if those parts are in possession of or under the control of the same person

Status: SB 5078 is in the Senate Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full Senate.

Action:  Contact your senators and let them know you support SB 5078 and ask that they vote YES when it comes to the floor.

Display of weapons

HB 1283 Including the open carry or display of weapons within the offense of criminal mischief.

SUPPORT
HB 1283 adds to the Criminal Mischief RCW the following: if a person “openly carries or displays a deadly weapon in a manner that would lead a reasonable person to feel threatened.”

Status:  HB 1283 is in the House Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

Action: Contact your representatives and let them know that you support HB 1283 and ask for a YES vote when it comes to the floor.

Domestic violence task force

HB 1315 Creating a task force to identify the role of the workplace in helping curb domestic violence

SUPPORT
HB 1315 states that the workplace may be the only location in which an individual experiencing domestic violence may be free from a perpetrator and feel safe. In either a physical or remote environment, individuals experiencing domestic violence may also find the workplace a place of shared confidences. Therefore, the legislature intends to create a task force to explore ways in which the employer and employee community may help curb domestic violence.

The task force will be a (up to) 12-member committee comprised of representation across industries, violence and sexual assault coalitions, and to include a federally recognized tribe. The preliminary report is due 12/1/2021, with final recommendations due 12/1/2022.

Status:  HB 1315 is in the House Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

Action: Contact your representatives and let them know that you support HB 1315 and ask that they vote YES when it comes to the floor. 

Civil protection orders

HB 1320 Modernizing, harmonizing, and improving the efficacy and accessibility of laws concerning civil protection orders.

SUPPORT
HB 1320 consolidates the six types of civil protection orders into a single chapter of the RCW. The six types of civil protection orders are (a) Domestic violence protection orders; (b) vulnerable adult protection orders; (c) antiharassment protection orders; (d) sexual assault protection orders; (e) stalking protection orders; and (f) extreme risk protection orders. It also creates a pathway to consolidate jurisdictional divisions to a more consistent approach with protection orders. The consolidation will come from recommendations from the Washington State Women’s Commission in consultation with the administrative office, the Gender and Justice Commission, and representatives of the courts, and is due 12/1/2021.

Status: HB 1320 is in the House Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

Action:  Contact your representatives and let them know you support HB 1320 and ask for a YES vote when it comes to the floor.

Prohibiting open carry of weapons at public demonstrations and the state capitol

SB 5038 Prohibiting the open carry of certain weapons at public demonstrations and the state capitol.

SUPPORT
SB 5038 prohibits a person from knowingly carrying a firearm or other weapon while attending a demonstration – a march, rally, vigil, sit-in or picket which has the effect or intent of attracting a crowd – at a public place or within 1000 feet of a demonstration.  The bill also prohibits any person to knowingly open carry a firearm or other weapon on the state capitol grounds, in any building on the state capitol grounds, in any state legislative office, or at any location of a public legislative hearing or meeting during the hearing or meeting.

SB 5038 was amended with the following changes:

  • Adds an exception for federal law enforcement agents and armed forces of the United States and Washington State. 
  • Specifies buildings on the state capitol grounds and defines the west state capitol campus grounds. 
  • Change demonstrations to permitted demonstrations. 
  • Changes the distance from 1000 feet to 250 feet within a permitted demonstration for a person who may not open carry a firearm.

Status:  SB 5038 has passed out of the Senate and it is currently in the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee, where it is eligible for a public hearing and an executive session.

Action:  Contact your representations on the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee to let them know you support SB 5038 and ask for a YES vote to pass it out of committee.

Victims of nonfatal strangulation

SB 5183 Concerning victims of nonfatal strangulation.

SUPPORT
SB 5183 directs the Office of Crime Victims Advocacy (OCVA) to develop practices for local communities to increase access to forensic nurse examiner services in nonfatal strangulation assaults, and to publish those best practices to its website by 1, 2022.  It also directs OCVA to develop strategies to make forensic nurse examiner training available throughout the state without causing unreasonable travel or expenses for nurses and report those strategies to the Governor and Legislature by October 1, 2022. The Crime Victims Compensation Program is authorized to pay for forensic examination of domestic violence victims of nonfatal strangulation and prohibits charging the victim for the examination.

Status:  SB 5183 has passed out of the Senate it is currently in the House Public Safety Committee, where it is eligible for public hearing and executive session.

Action: Contact your representatives on the House Public Safety Committee and let them know you support SB 5183 and ask that they vote YES to pass it out of committee.

Crime victim safety

SB 5245 Concerning the safety of crime victims.

SUPPORT
SB 5245 was amended in committee and now provides that that the department of correction and witness notification programs are expanded to add victims by domestic violence offenders, certain assault offenders, vehicular homicide offenders, and controlled substance homicide offenders to receive notification of the offender’s pending release. Note that violent offenders, sex offenders, and domestic violence protection order offenders are already included in this RCW.

Status: SB 5245 is in the Senate Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full senate.

Action: Contact your senators and let them know you support SB 5245 and ask that they vote YES when it comes to the floor

Budget/Revenue

2021-2023 Operating Budget.

HB 1094 Making 2021-2023 fiscal biennium operating appropriations

SB 5092 Making 2021-2023 fiscal biennium operating appropriations
SUPPORT

HB 1094 and SB 5092 are the starting bills for the 2021 2023 operating budget.  Governor Inslee proposed this budget as presented in these bills just before the beginning of this year’s legislative session. His proposal is a good starting place for meeting our state’s needs.  But our legislators need to hear from us now and during their budget negotiations. The details in these bills will change. 

Our state’s economy crashed this year because consumer demand collapsed overnight after initial mandatory closures due to COVID-19. In the months since, consumer spending has further collapsed as thousands of businesses have closed and more than 1.4 million Washingtonians have filed first-time unemployment claims.

While our State’s budget picture has improved since last spring, the state still faces significant fiscal challenges.  New revenue is needed support the recovery effort and protect vital state services especially for the people hardest hit by the pandemic and to protect previous investments in state services.

Funds are needed to

  1. strengthen WA’s public health system,
  2. provide support for childcare providers struggling during the pandemic,
  3. provide food assistance and unemployment insurance,
  4. provide relief for hungry and homeless families,
  5. preserve environmental protections,
  6. support agencies that keep our communities safe, and
  7. provide adequate funding for K-12 education and make investments in higher education opportunities. 

Status: HB 1094 was scheduled for a public hearing on, January 14 in the House Appropriations Committee.  It is now eligible for an executive hearing.

SB 5092 had its public hearing on January 12 and is eligible for an executive session in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

Action:  In order and be able to serve our states residents especially those that are marginalized and disenfranchised in our state we need you to deliver a message to your representatives in regard to HB 1094 and senators in regard to SB 5092 that WA State needs a new progressive revenue stream and not budget cuts.  Comprehensive tax reform is also needed to ease the disproportionately high tax burden on our poorest communities.

Tax deduction repeal to provide funds for basic needs.

HB 1111. Concerning investment income tax deductions
SUPPORT

HB 1111 repeals current existing investment tax deductions currently granted to companies and nonprofits that have sufficient revenues to be able to make financial investments

Status:  HB 1111 is DEAD as it failed to pass out of the House Finance Committee by the February 22nd cutoff date.

Estate Taxes

HB 1465 Making the estate tax more progressive by exempting small estates, reducing estate taxes on medium estates, increasing the estate tax on larger estates, and addressing equity in homeownership and homelessness.

SUPPORT

HB 1465 revamps the estate tax to make it more progressive.   For an estate of an individual dying on or after August 1, 2021, changes are made to the estate tax. The exclusion amount is increased to $2.5 million and the language providing for annual adjustment is updated to reflect the change in the Consumer Price Index for the Seattle metropolitan area. The rates for estates over $3 million through $9 million are increased. Additional rate classes are created for estates over $9 million.  The chart below displays the proposed taxes for estates after excluding the first $2.5 million.

If the Washington taxable estate is at least . . .But less than. . .The amount of tax equals: initial tax amountPlus tax rate percentOf Washington taxable estate value greater than:  
$0$1,000,000$010%$0  
$1,000,000$2,000,000$100,00014%$1,000,000  
$2,000,000$3,000,000$240,00015%$2,000,000  
$3,000,000$4,000,000$400,00018%$3,000,000  
$4,000,000$6,000,000$580,00022%$4,000,000  
$6,000,000$7,000,000$1,020,00024%$6,000,000  
$7,000,000$9,000,000$1,260,00026%$7,000,000  
$9,000,000$12,500,000$1,780,00028%$9,000,000  
$12,500,000$22,500,000$2,760,00029%$12,500,000  
$22,500,000$100,000,000$5,660,00030%$100,000,000  
$100,000,000$1,000,000,000$28,910,00035%$100,000,000  
$1,000,000,000 $343,910,00040%$1,000,000,000  

The bill further dedicates 10% of the proceeds to the Equity in Housing Account to be used to address homelessness, including foreclosure prevention, rental assistance, outreach engagement services, housing services, and behavioral health, with priority for agencies, programs, and services which address current and historical racial inequities

Note:  For the estate of a married decedent, all of the community property and all of the decedent’s separate property are reported on the estate tax return. The community property assets are then reduced by 50 percent to reflect the deceased individual’s share of the property.

Status: HB 1465 is in the House Finance Committee where it is eligible for an executive session.

Action:  Contact your representatives on the House Finance Committee and let them know you support  HB 1465 and ask that they pass it out of committee.

Capital gains tax

HB 1496 Creating a more progressive tax system in Washington by enacting an excise tax on sales and extraordinary profits of high valued assets.

SB 5096 Concerning an excise tax on gains from the sale or exchange of certain capital assets
SUPPORT

WA State has the most regressive tax system in the US with those who make the least amount of money paying the highest percentage of their income in taxes. Whereas the very wealthy paying a very small share of their income in taxes. 

To address this issue, two versions of a capital gains tax have been proposed – one in the House – HB 1496 and one in the Senate – SB 5096.  It is currently assumed that the Senate bill will be the one that is used to pass this tax. The comparison below (put together by the League of Women Voters) compares the two versions as they currently stand:

A capital gains tax may soon be passed by the legislature in order to help estimate how much money is available for the spending budget.  The appropriations budgets will not be adopted until after the next economic forecast on March 20.

For a more in-depth explanation of what a capital gains tax in WA would do, see the Budget and Policy Center’s report on Closing the Tax Break on Capital Gains.

Status: 

HB 1496 is in the House Finance Committee where it is eligible for an executive session.

SB 5096 has passed out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee and is now in the Senate Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full Senate.

Action: Contact your representatives on the House Finance Committee and let them know you support HB 1496.

Contact your senators and let them know you supportSB 5096 and ask that they vote YES when it comes to the floor.

State bank

SB 5188 An act relating to the creation of the Washington State public financial cooperative.
SUPPORT

SB 5188 establishes a public financial cooperative as a cooperative membership organization to receive deposits from state, local or tribal governments and invest the deposits in lawful funds.  The cooperative can also develop and conduct a program to make loans (other than to the state) to its members for project costs of infrastructure and development projects. Debt is issued in the name of the bank rather than the State of Washington. The financial cooperative may be activated under the following conditions:

  • the state treasurer completes a study that provides recommendations on staffing and operational needs for the financial cooperative;
  • an appropriation is provided from the state that is sufficient to allow the state to issue debt with a competitive rating;
  • articles of activation are completed in a format approved by the State Finance Committee and filed with the Secretary of State; and
  • a duplicate of the original articles of activation and additional information is filed with the Department of Financial Institutions.

Status:  SB 5188 has passed out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee and is now in the Senate Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full Senate. 

Action:  Contact your senators and let them know you supportSB 5188 and ask for a YES vote when it comes to the floor for a vote.

HOUSE COMMITEES

Appropriations Committee:
Timm Ormsby (Chair), Steve Berquist  (Vice Chair), Mia Gregerson (Vice Chair),  Nicole Macri (Vice Chair), Matt Boehnke, Kelly Chambers, Chris Corry, Michele Caldier, Bruce Chandler, Frank Chopp, Eileen Cody, Laurie Dolan, Mary Dye, Joe Fitzgibbon, Noel Frame, Drew Hansen, Paul Harris, Larry Hoff, Cyndy Jacobsen, Jesse Johnson, Debra Lekanoff, Drew MacEwen, Gerry Pollet, Skyler Rude, Cindy Ryu, Joe Schmick, Tana Senn, Larry Springer, Mike Steele, Drew Stokesbary, Monica Stonier, Pat Sullivan, and Steve Tharinger

Capital Budget Committee:
Steve Tharinger (Chair), Lisa Callan (Vice Chair), David Hackney (Vice Chair), Peter Abbarno, Jessica Bateman, Mary Dye, Carolyn Eslick, Greg Gilday, Shelley Kloba, Vicki Kraft, Mari Leavitt, Drew MacEwen, Jacquelin Maycumber, Joel McEntire, Gina Mosbrucker, Strom Peterson, Marcus Riccelli, Alicia Rule, Mike Steele, Sharon Tomiko Santos, Mike Sells, Sharon Shewmake, and Mike Volz

Children Youth and Families:
Tana Senn (Chair), Tarra Simmons (Vice Chair), Alicia Rule (Vice Chair), Lisa Callan, Rob Chase, Tom Dent, Carolyn Eslick, Roger Goodman, Lillian Ortiz-Self, Brad Klippert, Bob McCaslin, Emily Wicks, and Jesse Young

Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee
Drew Hansen (Chair), Tarra Simmons (Vice Chair), Peter Abbarno, Lauren Davis, Debra Entenman, Greg Gilday, Roger Goodman, Jenny Graham, Steve Kirby, Brad Klippert, Tina Orwall, Strom Peterson, My-Linh Thai, Javier Valdez, Amy Walen, Jim Walsh, and Alex Ybarra

College and Workforce Development Committee:
Vandana Slatter (Chair), Debra Entenman (Vice Chair), Mari Leavitt (Vice Chair), Kelly Chambers, Bruce Chandler, Drew Hansen, Larry Hoff, Cyndy Jacobsen, Vicki Kraft, Dave Paul, Gerry Pollet, Mike Sells, and Robert Sutherland

Commerce and Gaming Committee:
Shelley Kloba (Chair), Emily Wicks (Vice Chair), Drew MacEwen, Kelly Chambers, Steve Kirby, Melanie Morgan, Eric Robertson, Brandon Vick, and Sharon Wylie

Community & Economic Development
Cindy Ryu (Chair), Dave Paul (Vice Chair), Matt Boehnke, Rob Chase, Chris Corry, Noel Frame, Cyndy Jacobsen, Jesse Johnson, Vicki Kraft, John Lovick, Alicia Rule, Robert Sutherland, and Jamila Taylor

Consumer Protection and Business Committee:
Steve Kirby (Chair), Amy Walen (Vice Chair), Chris Corry, Jeremie Dufault, Cindy Ryu, Sharon Tomiko Santos, and Brandon Vick

Education Committee:
Sharon Tomiko Santos (Chair), Laurie Dolan (Vice Chair), April Berg, Steve Berquist, Lisa Callan, Bob McCaslin, Joel McEntire, Lillian Ortiz-Self, Skyler Rude, Mike Steele, Monica Stonier, Jim Walsh and Alex Ybarra

Environment & Energy Committee:
Joe Fitzgibbon (Chair), Davina Duerr (Vice Chair), Peter Abbarno, Liz Berry, Mary Dye, Matt Boehnke, Jake Fey, Keith Goehner, Kirsten Harris-Talley, Mark Klicker, Alex Ramel, Sharon Shewmake, and Vandana Slatter

Finance Committee:
Noel Frame (Chair), April Berg (Vice Chair), Amy Walen (Vice Chair), Ed Orcutt, Rob Chase, Frank Chopp, Jeremie Dufault, Kirsten Harris-Talley, Melanie Morgan, Tina Orwall, Alex Ramel, Larry Springer, Drew Stokesbary, My-Linh Thai, Brandon Vick, Sharon Wylie, and Jesse Young         

Health Care and Wellness Committee:
Eileen Cody (Chair), Jessica Bateman (Vice Chair), Dan Bronoske, Michelle Caldier, Lauren Davis, Paul Harris, Nicole Macri, Jacquelin Maycumber, Marcus Riccelli, Skyler Rude, Joe Schmick, Tarra Simmons, Monica Stonier, Steve Tharinger, and Alex Ybarra

Housing, Human Services, and Veterans Committee:
Strom Peterson, (Chair), Jamila Taylor (Vice Chair), Andrew Barkis, Jessica Bateman, Michele Caldier, Frank Chopp, Greg Gilday, Mari Leavitt, and My-Linh Thai,

Labor and Workplace Standards Committee:
Mike Sells (Chair), Liz Berry (Vice-Chair), Dan Bronoske, Lillian Ortiz-Self, Paul Harris, Larry Hoff, and Gina Mosbrucker

Local Government Committee:
Gerry Pollet (Chair), Davina Duerr (Vice Chair), Tina Berg, Keith Goehner, Dan Griffey, Eric Robertson, and Tana Senn

Public Safety Committee:
Roger Goodman (Chair), Jesse Johnson (Vice Chair), Lauren Davis, Jenny Graham, Dan Griffey, David Hackney, Brad Klippert, John Lovick, Gina Mosbrucker, Tina Orwall, Bill Ramos, Tarra Simmons and Jesse Young

Rules Committee:
Laurie Jinkins (Chair), Steve Berquist, Micelle Caldier, Lauren Davis, Tom Dent, Jeremie Dufault, Greg Gilday, Jenny Graham, Mia Gregerson, Paul Harris, Cyndy Jacobsen, Mark Klicker, Joel Kretz, John Lovick, Melanie Morgan, Lillian Ortiz-Self, Tina Orwall, Alex Ramel, Marcus Riccelli, Eric Robertson, Tarra Simmons, Larry Springer, Monica Juarado Stonier, Pat Sullivan, My-Linh Thai, Amy Walen, and J.T. Wilcox

Rural Development, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Committee:
Mike Chapman (Chair), Sharon Shewmake (Vice Chair), Bruce Chandler, Tom Dent, Mary Dye, Joe Fitzgibbon, Mark Klicker, Shelley Kloba, Joel Kretz, Debra Lekanoff, Joel McEntire, Melanie Morgan, Ed Orcutt, Erick Pettigre, Bill Ramos, Joe Schmick, Larry Springer, and Jim Walsh

State Government and Tribal Relations Committee:
Javier Valdez (Chair), Debra Lekanoff (Vice Chair), Laurie Dolan, Jenny Graham, Mia Gregerson, Mike Volz, and Jim Walsh

Transportation Committee:
Jake Fey (Chair), Sharon Wylie (1st Vice Chair), Dan Bronoske (2nd Vice Chair), Bill Ramos (2nd Vice Chair), Andrew Barkis, Liz Berry, Mike Chapman, Tom Dent, Davina Duerr, Debra Entenman, Carolyn Eslick, Keith Gohner, Dan Griffey, David Hackney, Mark Klicker, John Lovick, Bob McCaslin, Ed Orcutt, Dave Paul, Marcus Riccelli, Eric Robertson, Vandana Slatter, Robert Sutherland, Jamila Taylor, Javier Valdez, Mike Volz, Jim Walsh, and Emily Wicks

SENATE COMMITEES

Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources and Parks Committee:
Kevin Van De Wege (Chair), Jesse Salomon (Vice Chair), Judy Warnick, Jim Honeyford, Christine Rolfes, Derek Stanford, and Shelly Short

Behavioral Health Subcommittee to Health & Long-Term Care Committee:
Manka Dhingra (Chair), Keith Wagoner, David Frockt, T’wina Nobles, and Judy Warnick

Business, Financial Services and Trade Committee:
Mark Mullet (Chair), Bob Hasegawa (Vice Chair), Perry Dozier, Sharon Brown, David Frockt, Steve Hobbs, and Lynda Wilson

Early Learning and K-12 Committee:
Lisa Wellman (Chair), T’wina Nobles (Vice Chair – K12 Education), Claire Wilson (Vice Chair – Early Learning), Perry Dozier, Brad Hawkins, Sam Hunt, Jim McCune, Mark Mullet, and Jamie Pedersen,

Environment, Energy, and Technology Committee:
Reuven Carlyle (Chair), Liz Lovelett (Vice Chair), Doug Ericksen, Phil Fortunado, Sharon Brown, Mona Das, Steve Hobbs, Marko Liias, Joe Nguyen, Tim Sheldon, Shelly Short, Derek Stanford, and Lisa Wellman

Health and Long Term Care Committee:
Annette Cleveland (Chair), David Frockt (Vice Chair), Ron Muzzall, Steve Conway, Jeff Holy, Karen Keiser, Mike Padden, Emily Randall, Ann Rivers, June Robinson, Kevin Van De Wege, and Jeff Wilson

Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee:
Emily Randall (Chair), T’wina Nobles (Vice Chair), Jeff Holy, Sharon Brown, Doug Ericksen, and Marko Liias

Housing and Local Government Committee:
Patty Kuderer (Chair), Mona Das (Vice Chair), Phil Fortunato, Annette Cleveland, Chris Gildon, Liz Lovelett, Shelly Short, Jesse Solomon, and Judy Warnick

Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation Committee:
Jeanne Darneille (Chair), Joe Nguyen (Vice Chair), Chris Gildon, Perry Dozier, Jim McCune, Rebecca Saldaña, and Claire Wilson

Labor, Commerce, & Tribal Affairs Committee:
Karen Keiser (Chair), Derek Stanford (Vice Chair – Commerce & Tribal Affairs), Steve Conway (Vice Chair-Labor), Curtis King, John Braun, Jim Honeyford, June Robinson, Rebecca Saldaña, and Mark Schoesler

Law & Justice Committee:
Jamie Pedersen (Chair), Manka Dhingra (Vice Chair), Jeanne Darneille, Mike Padden, Jeff Holy, Patty Kuderer, Jim McCune, Jesse Salomon, and Keith Wagoner

Rules Committee:
Denny Heck (Lt. Gov – Chair). Karen Keiser (Vice Chair), Andy Billig, John Braun, Reuven Carlyle, Annette Cleveland, Chris Gildon, Bob Hasegawa, Curtis King, Patty Kuderer, Marko Liias, Ron Muzzall, Joe Nguyen, Jamie Pedersen, Ann Rivers, Shelly Short, and Claire Wilson

State Government & Elections Committee:
Sam Hunt (Chair), Patty Kuderer (Vice Chair), Jeff Wilson, Bob Hasegawa, and Brad Hawkins

Transportation Committee:
Steve Hobbs (Chair), Rebecca Saldaña (Vice Chair), Curtis King, Annette Cleveland, Mona Das, Phil Fortunato, Brad Hawkins, Liz Lovelett, Joe Nguyen, T’wina Nobles, Mike Padden, Emily Randall, Tim Sheldon, Claire Wilson, and Jeff Wilson

Ways & Means Committee:
Christine Rolfes (Chair), David Frockt (Vice Chair – Capital), June Robinson (Vice Chair – Operating and Revenue), Lynda Wilson, John Braun, Sharon Brown, Reuven Carlyle, Steve Conway, Jeanne Darneille, Manka Dhingra, Bob Hasegawa, Jim Honeyford, Chris Gildon, Sam Hunt, Patty Kuderer, Marko Liias, Mark Mullet, Ron Muzzall, Jamie Pedersen, Ann Rivers, Mark Schoesler, Kevin Van De Wege, Keith Wagoner, Judy Warnick, and Lisa Wellman,

Hint:  You can view bills by going to the following website and plug in the bill number for which you want to view the history and status:

http://dlr.leg.wa.gov/billsummary/

Thank you to the following people who contributed to this edition of the 2021 Weekly Legislative Alert

  • Cathy Baylor
  • Hanna Febach
  • Christina Henry
  • Amber Koens
  • Jackie McGourty
  • Linda Tosti-Lane
  • Lisa Weber

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