Legislative Alert for January 25, 2021

The 2018 Legislative Session began on Monday, January 12, 2021 and is scheduled to end on Sunday, April 25, 2021.

February 15, 2021 is the first cutoff date. This is the last date that bills must pass out of committee except for those in the House fiscal committees and Senate Ways and Means and Transportation Committees.

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/

Top Action of the Week:

HB 1151 – Bolstering economic recovery

SUPPORT.

HB 1151 establishes a consolidated emergency assistance program for families with children. Within any 12-month period, benefits will 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.

Status: HB 1151 is scheduled for a public hearing on Tuesday, January 26 at 8 AM and an executive session in the House Housing, Human Services & Veterans Committee on Friday, January 29 at 10:00 AM.

Action: Call your representatives in the House Committee on the Housing, Human Services & Veterans Committee and let them know you support HB 1151.

Whether or not you can attend this hearing – if you can only do one thing, contact your legislators and ask for their support and YES vote on HB 1151.

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).

Civil and Equal Rights

Watermarks on ballots

HB 1003 Requiring watermarks on mail-in ballots.

OPPOSE

HB 1003 limits vote by mail ballots to only those mailed to a voter. Currently if you lose your ballot, you can reprint it, as well as the envelope and mail it and your vote will be counted. The bill also eliminates the ability for the Voter Student Engagement hubs from assisting college and university students from downloading their ballots in order to vote. This bill disenfranchises voters and would cost the elections departments additional monies to implement the procedures to inspect the ballots for the watermark.

Status: HB 1003 is in the House State Government and Tribal Relations Committee.

Action: Contact your representatives on the House State Government and Tribal Relations Committee and let them know that you oppose HB 1003.

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 p House Appropriations Committee where it is scheduled for a public hearing on Tuesday, Jan 26 at 3:30 PM.

Action: Contact your representatives on the House Appropriations Committee and let them know you support HB 1072 and request that they pass it out of committee.

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.

SB 5086 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 and SB 5086 change 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 passed out of the State Government and Tribal Relations Committee and is most likely being sent to the House Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

SB 5086 is in the Senate State Government and Elections Committee and is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

Action: Contact your representatives and let them know that you support HB 1078 and ask that they vote yes when HB 1078 comes to the floor.

Contact your senators on the Senate State Government and Elections Committee and let them know that you support SB 5086.

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 modifies the requirement of upholding a foreign country’s child custody laws when the foreign country holds that a person’s abandonment or renunciation of a religious belief, political belief or homosexuality are punishable by death. A WA State Court may not enforce such a court order from a foreign country if either the child or the parent may be at risk of being subject to such laws.

Status: HB 1042 has passed out of the House on Friday, January 22 and is now in the Senate. It has not yet been assigned to committee.

Action: Contact your senators and let them know you support HB 1042.

Accountability for peace and corrections officers

HB 1082 Concerning state oversight and accountability of peace officers and corrections officers.

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

SUPPORT

HB 1082 and SB 5051 improve 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: HB 1082 has had its public hearing in the House Public Safety Committee and is eligible for an executive session.

SB 5051 has passed out of the Senate Law and Justice Committee and is now in the Senate Ways and Means Committee where it can be scheduled for a public hearing and executive session.

Action: Contact your representatives on the House Public Safety Committee and let them know you support HB HB 1082 and ask that they pass it out of committee.

Contact your senators on the Senate Law and Ways and Means Committee and let them know you support SB 5051 and ask that they pass it out of committee.

Death Penalty

SB 5047 Reducing criminal justice expenses by eliminating the death penalty and instead requiring life imprisonment without possibility of release or parole as the sentence for aggravated first degree murder.

SUPPORT

SB 5047 changes WA criminal code to eliminate the death penalty. In February 2014, Governor Inslee signed an executive order imposing a moratorium on the death penalty in WA State due to its inconsistent and unequal application and the enormous costs associated with seeking this punishment.

Status: SB 5047 has been referred to the Senate Law and Justice Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing.

Action: Contact your senators on the Senate Law and Justice Committee and let them know you support SB 5047.

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 has passed out of the Senate Law and Justice 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 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.

STATUS: HB 1264 has been scheduled for executive session in the House Committee on State Governmental & Tribal Relations on Thursday, January 28 at 10:00 AM.

SB 5274 Referred to the state Government & Elections Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

ACTION: Contact your representatives on the House Committee on State Governmental & Tribal Relations, tell them to support HB 1264 and ask them to pass out of committee.

Contact your senators on the Senate Government & Elections Committee, tell them to support SB 5274 and ask them to schedule public hearing and executive session.

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 is 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.

Status: HB 1035 has been referred to the Finance Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

Action: Contact your representatives on the House Finance Committee and let them know you support HB 1035 and ask that it be scheduled for a public hearing and executive session.

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.

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.

Status: HB 1070 is scheduled for a public hearing on Monday, January 25 at 10 AM and an executive session in the House Finance Committee on January 28 at Thursday, 8:00 AM.

Action: Contact your representatives on the House Finance Committee and let them know you support HB 1070 and ask that it be passed out of committee.

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

SB 5279 – Providing for an additional revenue source for eviction prevention and housing stability services

SUPPORT

HB 1277 and SB 5279 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.

STATUS: HB 1277 is scheduled for executive session in the House Committee on Housing, Human Services & Veterans on January 29 at 10:00 AM.

SB 5279 has been referred to the Housing & Local Government Committee.
ACTION: Call your representatives on the House Committee on Housing, Human Services & Veterans and ask them to pass HB1277 out of committee.
Call your representatives on the Housing & Local Government and tell them to support SB 5279 and ask that it be scheduled for a public hearing and executive session

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 has been referred to the House Finance Committee.

ACTION: Contact your representatives in the House Finance Committee, tell them you support HB 1319 and ask them to schedule it for public hearing and executive session

Public assistance for low-income households and households in need

HB 1151 – Bolstering economic recovery

SUPPORT.

Status: HB 1151 is scheduled for a public hearing on Tuesday, January 26 at 8 AM and an executive session in the House Housing, Human Services & Veterans Committee on Friday, January 29 at 10:00 AM.

Action: Call your representatives in the House Committee on Housing, Human Services & Veterans and let them know you support HB 1151.

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 has been referred to the House Finance Committee.

ACTION: Contact your representatives in the House Finance Committee, tell them you support HB 1319 and ask them to schedule it for public hearing and executive session.

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.

STATUS: SB 5214 is scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation committee on Tuesday, January 26 at 1:30 PM.

ACTION: Call you senators on the Senate Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation committee and tell them to support SB 5214 and ask that it be scheduled for executive session.

SB 5241 – Promoting economic inclusion.

SUPPORT

SB 5241 directs the department of commerce to establish and oversee the implementation of local economic inclusion grants for local communities to promote equity, economic inclusion, and a stable financial foundation for people experiencing poverty, with a particular focus on people of color and people in rural counties, primarily through better coordination of existing programs and resources. The purpose of these grants is to empower and incentivize local communities to coordinate existing poverty reduction resources and benefits to make them easier to access, get them to the people who need them, and work as a coordinated system, to help more people move out of poverty and be included in Washington’s economic success.

STATUS: SB 5241 is scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation committee on Tuesday, January 26 at 1:30 PM.

ACTION: Call you senators on the Senate Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation committee and tell them to support SB5241 and ask that it be scheduled for a public hearing and executive session.

Relief to low-income customers through reduction in government mandated costs to BPA and electric utilities

SB 5007. Addressing the economic challenges facing Washington citizens from the COVID-19 pandemic through a temporary reduction in compliance and tax burden on electric utilities

SUPPORT

SB 5007 Provides temporary cost relief of compliance costs to electric utilities, enabling them to pass this reduction on to low-income utility customers.

Status: Status: SB 5007 had been referred to the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology committee.

Action: Contact your representatives on the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology committee and let them know you support 5007 and ask that it be scheduled for a public hearing and executive session.

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 has been passed out of the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology and was referred to the Ways & Means Committee where it can be scheduled for a public hearing and executive session.

Action: Contact your senators on the Senate Ways and Means Committee and let them know you support SB 5008 and ask that it be passed out of committee.

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 on the furnishing of lodging of short-term rentals facilitated through an internet-based short-term rental platform. 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. They may also retain up to five percent of the moneys collected in each calendar year for direct and indirect costs incurred in the administration of these services and programs.

Status: SB 5012 is eligible for an executive session in the Senate Committee on Housing & Local Government.

Action: Contact your senators in the Senate Committee on Housing & Local Government and let them know you support SB 5012 and ask that it be scheduled for an executive session to pass out of committee.

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 scheduled for an executive session in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education on Wednesday, January 27 at 10:30 AM.

Action: Contact your representatives in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Educationand let them know you support SB 5023 and ask that they pass it out of committee.

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.

Status: SB 5029 is scheduled for public hearing in the Business, Financial Services and Trade Committee on Tuesday, January 26 at 8:00 AM.

Action: Contact your senators on the and Business, Financial Services and Trade Committee and let them know you support SB 5029 and ask that it be scheduled for an executive session.

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.

Status: HB 1108 has passed out of the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee and is likely to be sent to one of the House Finance Committees.

Action: Contact your representatives and let them know you support HB 1108.

Credit Scoring in Insurance

SB 5010 Banning Credit Scoring in Insurance.

SUPPORT

SB 5010 bans the use of credit scoring in insurance. This bill is brought forth as OIC/Governor request because credit scoring is discriminatory and should not be used as a tool to decide insurance rates. 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 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… also, attached is the OIC fact sheet.

Status: SB 5010 held a public hearing in the Business, Financial Services & Trade Committee on January 14^th and it is eligible for an executive session.

Action: Contact your senators on the Senate Business, Financial Services and Trade Committee and let them know you support SB 5010.

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: It is expected that HB 1351 will be presented at a public hearing in the Consumer Protection & Business committee on January 22nd

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 attached information from OIC). Contact your representative on the House Consumer Protection & Business committee and let them know you oppose HB 1351

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: This bill is scheduled for an executive session on Thursday, January 28^th at 10:30 am in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice at 10:30 AM.

Action: Contact your senators on the Senate Law and Justice Committee and let them know you support SB 5025.

Reproductive Rights and Health Care

Prohibit abortion based on down syndrome

HB 1008 Prohibiting abortion on the basis of Down Syndrome.

OPPOSE

HB 1008 prohibits abortion in circumstances when the fetus has been diagnosed with down syndrome. Any physician who performs an abortion in such circumstances will have their license revoked and is liable for civil action.

Status: HB 1008 has been assigned to the House Health Care & Wellness Committee.

Action: Contact your legislators and let them know you oppose HB 1008.

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 was passed out of committee on Thursday, January 14 and referred to the Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

Action: Contact your legislators and let them know you support HB 1009 and ask for a YES vote when it come to the floor.

Issuing certificates of birth resulting in stillbirth

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

SB 5072 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 was passed out of committee on Thursday, January 14 and referred to the Rules Committee where it can be scheduled for a vote by the full House.

SB 5072 has been assigned to the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee.

Action: Contact your Representatives and let them know you support HB 1031 and ask for a YES vote when it come to the floor.

Contact your Senator and let them know that you support SB 5072.

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 is in the House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee where it is scheduled for executive session on Wednesday, January 27 at 10 am.

Action: Contact your representatives and members of the Health Care and Wellness Committee and tell them you support HB 1031 and ask that they pass it out of committee.

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 Labor, Commerce & Tribal Affairs Committee where it is eligible for an executive session.

Action: Contact your Senators on the Senate Labor, Commerce & Tribal Affairs Committee and let them know that you support SB 5097.

Comprehensive Public Health Districts

HB 1152 Supporting measures to create comprehensive public health districts

SB 5173 Supporting measures to create comprehensive public health districts

SUPPORT

HB 1152 and SB 5173 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 Health Care & Wellness Committee where it eligible for an executive session.

SB 5173 has been assigned to the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee.

Action: Contact your representatives and let them know you support HB 1152 and ask that they pass it out of committee.

Contact your senators and ask that SB 5173 be scheduled for a public hearing and executive session.

Health coverage regardless of immigration status

HB 1191 Ensuring equity in health coverage.

SUPPORT

HB 1191 extends health coverage to all Washington residents, regardless of immigration status by creating state lookalike programs for: Medicaid, accessible for free to people who otherwise meet eligibility for federal Medicaid but for immigration status; and, qualified health plans and qualified dental plans, subsidized in cost to the same extent qualified health and dental plans on the exchange are subsidized.

Status: HB 1191 has been assigned to the House Health Care & Wellness Committee.

Action: Contact your legislators and let them know you support HB 1191 and ask that it be scheduled for a public hearing and executive session.

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 has been assigned to the House Health Care & Wellness Committee where it is scheduled for a public hearing on Monday, January 25 at 1:30pm and executive session on Thursday, January 27 at 8:00am.

Action: Contact your legislators and let them know you support HB 1225.

Menstrual products in schools

HB 1273 Menstrual hygiene products in school bathrooms.

SB 5070 Menstrual hygiene products in school bathrooms.

SUPPORT

HB 1273 and SB 5060, 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.

Status: HB 1273 has been assigned to the House Appropriations Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

SB 5070 is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee eligible for an executive session to pass it out of committee.

Action: Contact your representatives on the House Appropriations Committee and let them know you support HB 1273.

Contact your senators on the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee and let them know you support SB 5070 and ask that they pass it out of committee.

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 in the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee where it eligible for an executive session.

Action: Contact your legislators on the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee and let them know you support SB 5020 and ask that they pass it out of committee.

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 5020 is in the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee where it eligible for an executive session.

Action: Contact your legislators on the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee and let them know you support SB 5052 and ask that they pass it out of committee.

Notifications for abortion

SB 5053 Requiring parental notifications for abortions.

OPPOSE

SB 5053 Requires physicians performing abortions on minors to notify a parent or legal guardian at least 48 hours prior to their intention of performing the abortion. Physicians who perform abortions on minors without notification will be guilty of a gross misdemeanor. Physicians are required to submit monthly reports to the Department of Health with the number of notifications made. The Department is then required to compile the data and make it available publicly.

Status: SB 5053 has been assigned to the Senate Law & Justice Committee.

Action: Contact your legislators and let them know you oppose SB 5053.

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 is in the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee and is eligible for an executive session.

Action: Contact your legislators on the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee and let them know you support SB 5068 and ask that they pass it out of committee.

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 is in the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee where it is eligible for an executive session.

Action: Contact your legislators on the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee and let them know you support SB 5140 and ask that they pass it out of committee.

Whole Washington Health Trust

SB 5204 Crating the whole Washington Health Trust

SUPPORT

SB 5140 Creates the Whole Washington Health Trust to provide coverage for a set of essential health benefits to all Washington residents. These essential health benefits include:

Hospital services, including hospital-based outpatient care and 24 hour emergency services;
Ambulatory primary and preventive care services, including chronic disease management;
Prescription drugs, medical devices, and biological products;
Mental health and substance abuse treatment services;
Laboratory and other diagnostic services, including diagnostic imaging services;
Reproductive, maternity, and newborn care;
Pediatric primary and specialty care;
Palliative care and end-of-life care services;
Oral health, audiology, and vision services;
Short-term rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices.

Status: SB 5204 has been assigned to the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee.

Action: Contact your legislators and let them know you support SB 5204 and ask that it be scheduled for a public hearing and executive session.

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 is in the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee where it is scheduled for a public hearing on Tuesday, January 26 at 1:30 pm.

Action: Contact your legislators and let them know you support SB 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.

Status: SB 5229 has been assigned to the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee where it is scheduled for a public hearing on Friday, January 29 at 8:00 am.

Action: Contact your legislators and let them know you support SB 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 has been assigned to the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

Action: Contact your legislators and let them know you support SB 5313.

Violence

Unlawful possession of a firearm

HB 1026 Concerning the restoration of the right to possess a firearm.

MONITOR
HB 1026 modifies the criteria for individuals who have been convicted of a felony or found not guilty by reason of insanity and are prohibited from possessing firearms can petition the court for reinstatement of their right to possess a firearm. The criteria include minimum time frames that must have passed before a person can petition the court based on the level of the offense (B or C) with no further convictions, completion of all sentencing conditions, no pending charges, and no extreme risk, domestic violence, stalking or sexual assault order issued withing the 5 years immediately preceding the petition. Persons convicted of or found not guilty by reason of insanity for a class A felony, a felony offense in which a firearm was used, displayed, or threatened or a felony offense with a maximum sentence of at least 20 years would not be eligible. The bill also changes the language in the section regarding the prohibition on possessing firearms from having previously been involuntarily committed for mental health treatment to having been involuntarily committed for treatment of a mental health disorder.

Status: HB 1026 is in the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

HB 1038 Prohibiting the possession of firearms by persons convicted of certain criminal offenses.

SUPPORT

HB 1038 modifies the list of misdemeanor crimes wherein a person can be prohibited from possessing a firearm. The following crimes are added to the list:

Unlawful aiming or discharge of a firearm or dangerous weapon
Animal cruelty in the second degree.

The bill also adds persons who have been involuntarily committed for behavioral health treatment (in addition to those already prohibited due to having been involuntarily committed for mental health treatment) to the list of persons prohibited from possessing firearms.

Status: HB 1038 is in the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

Action: Contact your representatives on the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee and let them know you support HB 1038.

Criminal mistreatment of children and vulnerable adults

HB 1048 Concerning the removal of specific religious references regarding the criminal mistreatment of children and vulnerable adults from a statute.

SUPPORT

HB 1048 removes a statutory reference that gives rise to constitutional issues by singling out one particular religion in statute. The statute is change to state that health care decisions made in reliance on faith-based services do not constitute negligent treatment or maltreatment unless such a decision poses clear and present danger to the health, welfare, or safety of a child. It also removes the reference to a person who is furnished with Christian Science treatment by an accredited Christian Science practitioner in lieu of medical care as not being considered deprived of medically necessary health care or abandoned.

Status: HB 1048 is in the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

Action: Contact your legislators on the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee and let them know you support HB 1048.

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 1109

program 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 crime victims benefits from the medical facility providing the medical treatment related to the sexual assault
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
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

At the public hearing on 1/21/21, testimony was gathered in support of the bill, including victims, the YWCA of Clark County, the Sexual Violence Law Center, Rebuilding Hope, Youth Against Sexual Violence, Washington State Nurses Association, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Washington, the Washington Attorney General’s Office, among others. The Washington State Hospital Association requested an amendment to clarify the role of hospitals and to request aid from hospitals to develop written materials for victims. The Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs opposed the bill in so far as Section 1 would be rewritten to provide funding to reinvestigate crimes.

Status: HB 1109 is in the House Public Safety Committee where it is scheduled for an executive session on Thursday, January 28^th at 1:30 PM.

Action: Contact your representatives on the House Public Safety Committee and let them know that you support HB HB 1109 and ask that they pass it out of committee.

Assault weapons and large capacity magazines

HB 1164 Addressing firearm safety measures to increase public safety

SB 5078 Addressing firearm safety measures to increase public safety

SUPPORT
HB 1164 and SB 5078 establish 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: HB 1164 is in the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

SB 5078 is in the Senate Law and Justice Committee where it is scheduled for a public hearing on Monday, January 25 at 9:30 AM and an executive session on Thursday, January 28 at 10:30 AM.

Action: Contact your representatives on the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee and let them know that you support HB HB 1164.

Contact your senators on the Senate Law and Justice Committee and let them know you support SB 5078 and ask that they pass it out of committee.

HB 1229 Concerning assault weapons

SB 5217 Concerning assault weapons

SUPPORT
HB 1229 & SB 5217 create definitions for assault-style weapons and restricts assault-style weapon ownership requiring that no person in this state may manufacture, possess, distribute, import, transfer, sell, offer for sale, purchase, or otherwise transfer any assault weapon except in limited circumstances as defined in the bill.

Status: HB 1229 is in the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

SB 5217 is in the Senate Law and Justice Committee where it is scheduled for a public hearing on Monday, January 25 at 9:30 AM and an executive session on Thursday, January 28 at 10:30 AM.

Action: Contact your representatives on the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee and let them know that you support HB HB 1229.

Contact your senators on the Senate Law and Justice Committee and let them know you support SB 5217 and ask that they pass it out of committee.

Peace officer accountability

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 in the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee where it is scheduled for a public hearing on Tuesday, January 26 at 10:00 AM and an executive session on Friday, January 29 at 8:00 AM.

Action: Contact your representative on the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee and let them know you support HB 1202.

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 Law and Justice Committee and is now in the Senate Ways and Means Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session

Action: Contact your senators on the Senate Ways and means Committee and let them know you support SB 5066.

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 Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

Action: Contact your representatives on the House Committee on Civil Rights and Judiciary and let them know that you support HB 1283.

Domestic violence survivors

HB 1293 Reducing unduly harsh sentences for offenses committed by domestic violence survivors.

SUPPORT
HB 1293, known as the Survivors Justice Act, allows the Court to reduce any term of incarceration or other penalties or impose alternatives when the defendant is 1) a survivor of domestic violence committed by an intimate partner; 2) the domestic violence suffered by the defendant was a significant contributing factor to the defendant’s criminal conduct; and 3) the generally applicable sentencing requirements under this chapter would be unduly harsh given the nature and circumstances of the crime and the history, character, and condition of the defendant. HB 1293 also allows any person who is currently serving a sentence imposed prior to the effective date of this section may petition the sentencing court for resentencing on the basis previously described.

Status: HB 1293 is 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 that you support HB 1293.

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 Labor and Workplace Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

Action: Contact your representatives on the House Labor and Workplace Committee and let them know that you support HB 1315.

Civil protection orders

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

SB 5297 Modernizing, harmonizing, and improving the efficacy and accessibility of laws concerning civil protection orders.

SUPPORT
HB 1320 & SB 5297 consolidate 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 Committee on Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee where it is scheduled for a public hearing on Wednesday, January 27^th at 10:00 AM and an executive session on Friday, January 29^th at 8:00 AM.

SB 5297 is in the Senate Law and Justice Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

Action: Contact your representatives on the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee and let them know you support HB 1320 and ask that they pass it out of committee.

Contact your senators on the Senate Law and Justice Committee and let them know you support SB 5297.

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.

Status: SB 5038 is in the Senate Law and Justice Committee where it is scheduled for a public hearing on Tuesday, January 26 at 10:30 AM and an executive session on Thursday, January 28 at 10:30 AM.

Action: Contact your senators on the Senate Law and Justice Committee and let them know you support SB 5038.

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 January 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 January 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 is in the Senate Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation Committee where it is scheduled for an executive hearing on Tuesday, January 26 at 1:30 PM.

Action: Contact your senators on the Senate Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation Committee and let them know you support SB 5183 and ask that they pass it out of committee.

Crime victim safety

SB 5245 Concerning the safety of crime victims.

SUPPORT
SB 5245 allows a victim of a violent or serious violent offense to be eligible to receive reimbursement for private security services to attend court proceedings when the victim attests the alleged offender poses a substantial risk to their personal safety or the safety of their child, the offender is subject to a protection order, and the victim is at or below 80 percent of area median income. SB 5245 also adds victims of 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 Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation Committee where it is scheduled for a public hearing on Tuesday, January 26^th at 1:30 PM.

Action: Contact your senators on the Senate Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation Committee and let them know you support SB 5245 and ask that they pass it out of committee.

Budget/Revenue

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 in the House Finance Committee where it is eligible for a public hearing and executive session.

Action: Contact your representatives and let them know you supportHB 1111.

Capital gains tax

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. SB 5096 would do the following:

add a 9% tax on high-end capital gains – such as sales of stocks and bonds – only on profits greater than $25,000 (or $50,000 for couples filing jointly)
raise more than $1 billion for community investment in the coming budget cycle and more than $2 billion in following budget cycles

The capital gains tax would NOT apply to gains from the sales of assets from:

retirement accounts,
college savings,
small businesses,
residential real estate, or
farmland, timber, or livestock.

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: SB 5096 is in the Senate Ways and Means Committee where it had a public hearing on Thursday, January 14, 2021 and is eligible for an executive session.

Action: Contact your senators on the Senate Ways and Means Committee and let them know you supportSB 5096 and ask that they vote YES on SB 5096 and pass it out of committee.

State bank

SB 5188 Concerning the creation of the Washington state public bank.

SUPPORT

SB 5188 establishes a state cooperative bank that provides opportunities of state, local, and tribal government entities to competitively finance a broad array of public infrastructure and economic development projects including housing, at competitive rates with low administrative costs and would gaps that the current banking system cannot or will not fill.

Status: SB 5188 is in the Senate Business, Financial Services and Trade Committee where it is scheduled for a public hearing on Thursday, January 28 at 8:00 AM.

Action: Contact your senators on the Senate Business, Financial Services and Trade Committee and let them know you supportSB 5188 and ask that they pass it out of committee.

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 (1^st Vice Chair), Dan Bronoske (2^nd Vice Chair), Bill Ramos (2^nd 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 WA State NOW 2021 Weekly Legislative Alert

Cathy Baylor
Hanna Febach
Christina Henry
Amber Koens
Linda Tosti-Lane