A critical cutoff for the 2024 legislative session just passed on Feb. 12 – all proposed legislation was required to advance to its opposite house to remain alive.

Legislators will now hold public hearings in their respective policy committees and run bills through executive action until the opposite house policy committee cutoff on Feb. 21. 

Following the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Report released early last week, the Senate released its Capital Budget Proposal Feb. 16. On Feb. 19 the House released its Operating, Capital and Transportation Budget Proposals. 

Key Issues 

  • Benefits for Employees on Strike – HB 1893 was voted out of the House, 53-44, on Feb. 12. It was heard in the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee on Feb. 15 and executive action was taken Feb. 19. To move forward, the bill must be voted out of its opposite house fiscal committee by the Feb. 26 cutoff.
  • The Legislation for gift cards (SB 5987/HB 2094) did not advance out of their policy committees before the cutoff and are unlikely to move forward this session. The other two bills that classify gift cards as unclaimed property (SB 5988/HB 2095) have not been scheduled for executive action; however, due to the bills’ fiscal impacts, they will be in play until the end of session.
  • Rent Stabilization Bill – HB 2114 proposes a 7% cap on annual rent increases, alongside other limits on security, late fees and moving costs. It would also empower the attorney general to enforce provisions under the Consumer Protection Act and mandate the creation of a website to publish information on rent and fee increases. The bill is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways and Means on Feb. 22.
  • AI Task Force – SB 5838 creates an Artificial Intelligence Task Force to assess uses, develop guiding principles, and make recommendations for the regulation of generative artificial intelligence. The bill  scheduled to be heard in the House Consumer Protection & Business Committee on Feb. 20 with executive session planned for the next day.

We’re Also Keeping an Eye On…

  • The Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council released its Economic & Revenue Forecast on Feb. 14 (Click here to watch the meeting). These are the numbers the legislature looks at to generate the final budget. According to the forecast, total state revenue is expected to increase by $121.8 million in the 2023-25 biennium and $215.4 million in the 2025-27 biennium. 
  • The future holds uncertainty regarding the capital gains tax, as its repeal will be decided by voters in November. Should the repeal occur, the Office of Financial Management projects a minimum revenue reduction of between $1.6 billion and $2.13 billion for each two-year period over the next six years.
  • Budget – The Senate released its $1.3 billion 2024 Supplemental Capital Budget Proposal, which suggests significant funding of K-12 construction, behavioral health facilities and affordable housing.
  • On Feb. 19, the House released its 2024 Supplemental Operating, Capital and Transportation  Budget proposals

Initiatives Update – Democratic leaders in the Washington Legislature announced they will hold hearings on three (out of six) of the initiatives  in the House and Senate on Feb. 27 and 28. They will not hold hearings on three of the initiatives: repealing the state’s capital gains tax, repealing of the Climate Commitment Act and an opt-out of the long-term care program, indicating these proposals will instead go to the November ballot without legislative action. Read more in the Seattle Times.

Important Dates

Initiatives and bills that are necessary to implement the budget are all exempt from these deadlines. 

Feb. 21 – Opposite House Policy Cutoff

Feb. 26 – Opposite House Fiscal Cutoff

March 1 – Opposite House Floor Cutoff

March 7 – Sine Die

Helpful Links for Session: The Washington State Legislative Website, Find My Legislator, Legislative Committees, Bill Searcher, Washington State Legislative Roster, Sign up for Legislative Email Updates, Agendas, Schedules, and Calendars, Participating in the Process (Email or Testimony)


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