It’s the last week of the 2023 105-day legislative session.
April 12 was the Opposite House Floor Cutoff; the last day for the House and Senate to vote on bills that came over from the other chamber. As a reminder, bills that are considered necessary to implement the budget (NTIB), including all revenue proposals, are exempt from cutoffs. All bills that do not pass this session will automatically be reintroduced next session.
To see a full list of bills that have already passed the legislature and have been signed by the Governor, click here.
Housing Bills Move Forward
On April 10, middle housing legislation (House Bill 1110) was debated in the Senate. This bill works to address Washington’s state housing shortage by increasing middle housing in areas usually populated by single-family homes. The bill passed the Senate, 35-14, and moves back to the House for concurrence.
On April 14, the House Finance Committee took executive action on House Bill 1628, the Affordable Homes Act. This bill looks to increase affordable housing by increasing state and local Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) on houses over $5 million. The bill passed out of committee, 8-5.
Transportation & Budgets
Late in the week, committees met on bills that are considered NTIB and remain alive despite cutoffs. On April 13, the House Transportation Committee held a public hearing on a bill that would authorize the use of tolls for the I-5 bridge that connects Oregon and Washington to help fund the bridge replacement project (Senate Bill 5765). Toll collection would begin in 2026. On April 14, executive action was taken, and the bill was voted out of committee.
Legislation to Watch
Employment Law
This legislation would expand social insurance program access to rideshare drivers. Specifically, SHB 1570 provides unemployment insurance to drivers providing services for transportation network companies (TNC). It would also create a pilot program in which drivers may elect to pay for Paid Family and Medical Leave coverage. The bill passed the House, 87-9, on March 2 and was heard in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee for a public hearing on March 13 and the committee took executive action on HB 1570 on March 21. The bill passed the Senate, 49-0, on April 11 and will now head to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law.
HB 1762 – Protecting warehouse employees
This bill would apply to any employer with 100 or more employees in a single facility and 500 employees or more statewide. It would restrict the use of quotas. Unlike the Senate version, the House version has a private right of action. The bill passed the House with a 53-42 vote on March 6 and was heard on March 16 in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee. The committee took executive action on the bill on March 23 and passed out of the Senate, 29-20, on April 11. The House refused to concur with the Senate amendments so now the legislation will go back to the Senate where they can vote to recede from their amendments or request a conference committee.
Economic Development
This legislation would implement multiple measures to expand tourism in Washington state, including increasing the revenue collected into the Statewide Tourism Marketing Account from $3 million to $9 million per biennium. SHB 1258 was unanimously passed out of the House. The underlying bill proposed an increase of $26 million per biennium so proponents of the bill are likely to advocate that the full funding be restored as the bill moves through the Senate. HB 1258 was heard on March 14 in the Senate Business, Financial Services, Gaming and Trade Committee. The Committee took executive action on the bill on March 21 where it adopted an amendment that restored the full funding of $26 million. The bill was passed by the Senate Ways and Means Committee and is currently on the Senate floor calendar. This bill is considered NTIB and therefore it is not subject to cutoffs.
HB 1717/ SB 5379 – Supporting innovation at associate development organizations
This legislation requires the Department of Commerce to establish an annual competitive grant program to support and catalyze initiatives to foster innovation, sustainability, partnerships, and equity at associate development organizations. HB 1717 passed the House, 90-6, on March 4. The bill was heard on March 14 in the Senate Business, Financial Services, Gaming and Trade Committee and executive action was taken on March 21. The legislation was heard in the Senate Ways and Means Committee and was scheduled for executive action on April 3 however no action was taken. At this point this legislation is unlikely to move forward with this session.
Taxes
SB 5770 – Providing state and local property tax reform
Last week Sen. Jamie Pedersen introduced legislation that would remove the 1% limitation on the growth of property tax collections. The bill has been referred to the Senate Ways and Means Committee but has not yet been scheduled for a public hearing.
Housing Affordability and Homelessness
HB 1517/SB 5466 – Promoting transit-oriented development
This bill is focused on transit-oriented development, seeking density of residential development near transit hubs and light rail stations. SB 5466 passed the Senate, 40-8, on March 1 and was heard in the House Housing Committee on March 16. On March 28 the House Housing Committee took executive action on the bill. The committee adopted a striking amendment that made several changes to the underlying bill, including adding many more controversial affordability provisions. The bill was heard and passed by the House Capital Budget Committee on March 31 and is on the House floor calendar. At this point it appears that the legislation has stalled and may not move forward this session.
This legislation would require cities and counties to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in urban growth areas (with some restrictions) and permit homeowners to convert garages into ADUs. The bill passed the House, 81-15, on March 2. The bill was heard in the Senate Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs Committee on March 16. The committee to executive action on the legislation on March 28 and on April 6, the bill passed the Senate, 39-7. The bill was amended in the Senate and on April 14 the House voted to concur with the changes made in the Senate. The bill will now head to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.
Public Safety
HB 1638 – Creating a state trooper expedited recruitment incentive program
This legislation creates the State Trooper Expedited Recruitment Incentive Program and directs Washington State Patrol to establish hiring procedures and an accelerating training program for lateral hires from other law enforcement agencies. The bill passed the House, 94-1, on Feb. 27 and was heard in the Senate Transportation Committee on March 13. The legislation was passed by the Senate Transportation Committee on April 4 and passed the Senate, 48-0, on April 10. It will now head back to the House for a concurrence vote.
Environment
HB 1505/SB 5447 – Promoting the alternative jet fuel industry in Washington
The goal of this bipartisan legislation is to promote in-state use and deployment of sustainable aviation fuels through tax incentives and other tools. The bill passed the Senate on March 1 and was passed by the House Environment & Energy Committee on March 21. SB 5447 was heard on March 28 in the House Finance Committee and passed by the Committee on March 31. The bill passed the House unanimously on April 14 and will now head back to the Senate for a concurrence vote.
HB 1216/ SB 5380 – Concerning clean energy siting
This Governor-request legislation would create an Interagency Clean Energy Siting Coordinating Council to be co-chaired by the Department of Ecology and the Department of Commerce. The purpose of the council would be to expedite the permitting for clean energy projects. This legislation would also establish a definition for clean energy projects “of statewide significance” and require SEPA review to be completed within two years. The bill passed the House on March 4 with a strong bipartisan vote and a public hearing in front of the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee was held on March 15. The committee took executive action on March 24 and sent the bill to Ways and Means on a party line vote. It was then heard on March 31 in the Senate Ways and Means Committee and passed by the Committee on April 3. On April 8, HB 1216 was brought to the Senate floor where it passed, 30-18 and on April 14, the House voted to concur with the Senate amendments. The bill will now head to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.
Transportation
HB 1791 – Studying the need for increased commercial aviation services
This legislation would replace the Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission, which was tasked in 2019 with identifying locations for a new large airport in Western Washington, with a Commercial Aviation Coordinating Work Group. The new work group would evaluate the commercial aviation needs of Washington within the broader context of state transportation needs and the specific needs of Western Washington. It would also require the work group to investigate the expansion of existing aviation facilities and possible locations for new greenfield aviation facilities and report on the strengths and weaknesses of each site considered. This substitute bill was passed out of the House Transportation Committee on Feb. 23 and passed off the House floor on March 8, 88-9. The legislation had a public hearing in the Senate Transportation Committee on March 21 and was passed by the Committee on April 4. On April 12 the bill passed the Senate, 31-17 and now the legislation will head back to the House for a concurrence vote.
What’s Coming Next
This week the legislature will continue to reconcile differences on bills passed by the opposite chamber and work on legislation that is necessary to implement the budget. In the final days of session House and Senate budget writers will release the final 2023-25 Operating, Capital, and Transportation budgets, which must be passed by the full legislature before Sine Die scheduled for April 23.
Important Dates
April 23, 2023 – Sine Die