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2025 Legislative Update: Week 9

Date postedMarch 16, 2025
Posted By: Lyset Cadena Olympia Update,

The beginning of the week focused on getting bills passed off the floor by house of origin cutoff on Wednesday. Legislators worked long hours with some House floor debates going late into the night. Bills that did not pass out of the chamber in which they were introduced by that day are considered dead unless they are deemed necessary to implement the budget (NTIB).

The House concluded their floor business on Wednesday’s cutoff at 2:30am on Thursday once the debate ended on their “5 o’clock bill” – HB 1296, Promoting a safe and supportive public education system. The bill seeks to align the parents’ rights initiative (I-2081) that passed the legislature last session with existing state law and proposes several students’ rights. There were over 40 amendments on the striking amendment and debate lasted for nearly seven hours. It passed with a vote of 56 to 37. The “5 o’clock bill” in the Senate was SB 5263, Concerning special education funding. This bipartisan bill that addresses funding for special education passed unanimously and after thanking their staff for their efforts, the Senate adjourned at 5:15 pm.

For those that like to keep track of the number of bills moving through the legislative process, below are the number of bills introduced, and the bills passed by each of the cutoffs we have crossed:

  • Bills Introduced so far in the 2025 session: 1,867
  • Bills Passed House of Origin Policy Cutoff: 1,154
  • Bills Passed House of Origin Fiscal Cutoff: 730
  • Bills Passed House of Origin Floor Cutoff: 523

After Wednesday’s House of origin cutoff, hearings resumed as policy committees considered bills that have been sent over from the opposite chamber. Bills have until April 2nd to pass out of their opposite house policy committee.

We are also inching closer to budget time. On March 18th the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council will release the next quarterly revenue forecast. The forecast will provide additional context for budget writers as House and Senate budget leads continue the work of preparing their respective budget proposals. It is not expected that the forecast will show any real improvement in the projected revenue, and there is potential that broader national and international economic factors could have an impact. The Senate and House budget proposals are expected to come out the week after the forecast is released, and during Democratic Leadership Media Availability this week, Senator Pedersen indicated that the budgets are likely to be released on March 24th.

Looking Ahead

This coming week the focus will continue to be on policy committee hearings and executive sessions as they work towards the opposite house policy cutoff. Follow where we are in the process by consulting the 2025 Session Cutoff Calendar.

Click here to watch this week’s TVW Legislative Review. Episodes are posted every day during session and are just 10 minutes long, providing highlights of the day in Olympia.

Upcoming Events Report
Housing (House) – HHR C and Virtual JLOB – 3/17 @ 1:30pm
  • SSB 5156 – Public Hearing – Concerning elevator standards in smaller apartment buildings. (Remote Testimony Available).
  • ESB 5313 – Public Hearing – Adding to the list of provisions prohibited from rental agreements. (Remote Testimony Available). 
Human Services (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 3/17 @ 1:30pm
  • ESHB 1385 – Public Hearing – Concerning fingerprint background check on applicants. (Remote Testimony Available).
Local Government (Senate) – SHR 3 and Virtual JACB – 3/17 @ 1:30pm
  • SHB 1576 – Public Hearing – Concerning the designation of historic landmarks by cities. (Remote Testimony Available). 
  • 2SHB 1183 – Public Hearing – Concerning building code and development regulation reform. (Remote Testimony Available).
  • SHB 1935 – Public Hearing – Concerning the definition of project permit and project permit application. (Remote Testimony Available).
  • ESHB 1135 – Exec Session – Ensuring that local government planning complies with the growth management act.
Transportation (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 3/17 @ 4:00pm
  • SSB 5690 – Public Hearing – Concerning actions of the department of transportation to notify utility owners of projects and seek federal funding for utility relocation costs. (Remote Testimony Available).
Finance (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 3/18 @ 8:00am
  • ESSB 5576 – Public Hearing – Providing a local government option for the funding of essential affordable housing programs. (Remote Testimony Available).
Civil Rights & Judiciary (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 3/18 @ 10:30am
  • ESSB 5129 – Public Hearing – Concerning common interest communities. (Remote Testimony Available).
Health & Long-Term Care (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 3/18 @ 10:30am
  • SHB 1811 – Public Hearing – Enhancing crisis response services through co-response integration and support. (Remote Testimony Available).
Labor & Workplace Standards (House) – HHR D and Virtual JLOB – 3/18 @ 10:30am
  • ESSB 5041 – Public Hearing – Concerning unemployment insurance benefits for striking or lockout workers. (Remote Testimony Available). 
  • SSB 5292 – Public Hearing – Concerning paid family and medical leave rates. (Remote Testimony Available).
Local Government (House) – HHR E and Virtual JLOB – 3/18 @ 10:30am
  • ESSB 5509 – Public Hearing – Concerning the siting of child care centers. (Remote Testimony Available).
  • ESB 5729 – Public Hearing – Encouraging construction of affordable housing by streamlining the permitting process. (Remote Testimony Available).
Early Learning & Human Services (House) – HHR D and Virtual JLOB – 3/18 @ 1:30pm
  • SSB 5655 – Public Hearing – Concerning child care centers operated in existing buildings. (Remote Testimony Available).
Housing (House) – HHR C and Virtual JLOB – 3/18 @ 4:00pm
  • ESB 5662 – Public Hearing – Concerning the waiver of municipal utility connection charges for certain properties. (Remote Testimony Available).
Ways & Means (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 3/18 @ 4:00pm
  • SHB 1791 – Public Hearing – Increasing the flexibility of existing funding sources to fund public safety and other facilities by modifying the local real estate excise tax. (Remote Testimony Available).
  • SB 5787 – Public Hearing – Making expenditures from the budget stabilization account for declared catastrophic events. (Remote Testimony Available).
Business, Financial Services & Trade (Senate) – SHR 2 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 3/19 @ 8:00am
  • 2SHB 1516 – Public Hearing – Conducting a study of insurance coverage options for permanently affordable homeownership units. (Remote Testimony Available).
Environment, Energy & Technology (Senate) – SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 3/19 @ 8:00am
  • 2SHB 1409 – Public Hearing – Concerning the clean fuels program. (Remote Testimony Available).
  • 2SHB 1975 – Public Hearing – Amending the climate commitment act by adjusting auction price containment mechanisms and ceiling prices, addressing the department of ecology’s authority to amend rules to facilitate linkage with other jurisdictions, and providing for market dynamic analysis. (Remote Testimony Available).
  • SHB 1543 – Public Hearing – Increasing compliance pathways for the clean buildings performance standard. (Hearing is on the Proposed Striking Amendment.) (Remote Testimony Available).
Labor & Workplace Standards (House) – HHR D and Virtual JLOB – 3/19 @ 8:00am
  • SSB 5528 – Public Hearing – Concerning the installation of transportation electrification infrastructure. (Remote Testimony Available).
Local Government (House) – HHR E and Virtual JLOB – 3/19 @ 8:00am
  • SSB 5558 – Public Hearing – Concerning timelines for growth management comprehensive plan and development regulation updates. (Remote Testimony Available).
  • SSB 5749 – Public Hearing – Concerning housing development opportunity zones. (Remote Testimony Available).
  • ESSB 5719 – Public Hearing – Concerning local government hearing examiners. (Remote Testimony Available).
Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans (House) – HHR C and Virtual JLOB – 3/19 @ 9:00am
  • SB 5649 – Public Hearing – Creating a Washington state supply chain competitiveness infrastructure program. (Remote Testimony Available).
Housing (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 3/19 @ 1:30pm
  • EHB 1217 – Public Hearing – Improving housing stability for tenants subject to the residential landlord-tenant act and the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act by limiting rent and fee increases, requiring notice of rent and fee increases, limiting fees and deposits, establishing a landlord resource center and associated services, authorizing tenant lease termination, creating parity between lease types, and providing for attorney general enforcement. (Remote Testimony Available). 
  • SHB 1899 – Public Hearing – Concerning the homelessness point-in-time count. (Remote Testimony Available).
  • SHB 1353 – Exec Session – Establishing a self-certification program for accessory dwelling unit project permit applications.
  • 3SHB 1491 – Exec Session – Promoting transit-oriented housing development. 
Transportation (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 3/19 @ 4:00pm
  • SB 5702 – Public Hearing – Streamlining the toll rate setting process at the transportation commission. (Remote Testimony Available).
  • SB 5705 – Public Hearing – Improving traffic safety by modifying penalty amounts for certain traffic infractions. (Remote Testimony Available).
Environment & Energy (House) – HHR B and Virtual JLOB – 3/20 @ 8:00am
  • SB 5036 – Public Hearing – Strengthening Washington’s leadership and accountability on climate policy by transitioning to annual reporting of statewide emissions data. (Remote Testimony Available).
Housing (House) – HHR C and Virtual JLOB – 3/20 @ 8:00am
  • E2SSB 5148 – Public Hearing – Ensuring compliance with the housing element requirements of the growth management act. (Remote Testimony Available).
  • SSB 5469 – Public Hearing – Prohibiting algorithmic rent fixing and noncompete agreements in the rental housing market. (Remote Testimony Available).
  • E2SSB 5613 – Public Hearing – Concerning the development of clear and objective standards, conditions, and procedures for residential development. (Remote Testimony Available).
Appropriations (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 3/20 @ 4:00pm
  • SJR 8201 – Public Hearing – Amending the Constitution to allow the state to invest moneys from long-term services and supports accounts. (Remote Testimony Available).
Early Learning & Human Services (House) – HHR D and Virtual JLOB – 3/21 @ 8:00am
  • SSB 5655 – Exec Session – Concerning child care centers operated in existing buildings.
Civil Rights & Judiciary (House) – HHR A and Virtual JLOB – 3/21 @ 10:30am
  • ESSB 5129 – Exec Session – Concerning common interest communities.
Housing (Senate) – SHR 4 and Virtual JACB – 3/21 @ 10:30am
  • E2SHB 1096 – Exec Session – Increasing housing options through lot splitting. 
  • EHB 1403 – Public Hearing – Simplifying condominium construction statutes. (Remote Testimony Available). (Support)
  • HB 1757 – Exec Session – Modifying regulations for existing buildings used for residential purposes.
  • SHB 1899 – Exec Session – Concerning the homelessness point-in-time count.
Labor & Workplace Standards (House) – HHR D and Virtual JLOB – 3/21 @ 10:30am
  • SSB 5040 – Exec Session – Expanding the definition of uniformed personnel to all law enforcement officers employed by a city, town, county, or governing body of a municipal airport operating under the provisions of chapter 14.08 RCW.
  • ESSB 5041 – Exec Session – Concerning unemployment insurance benefits for striking or lockout workers. 
  • SSB 5501 – Exec Session – Concerning employer requirements for driving.
Local Government (House) – HHR E and Virtual JLOB – 3/21 @ 10:30am
  • ESSB 5184 – Exec Session – Concerning minimum parking requirements. 
  • ESB 5559 – Exec Session – Streamlining the subdivision process inside urban growth areas.
  • ESSB 5509 – Exec Session – Concerning the siting of child care centers.
  • SSB 5558 – Exec Session – Concerning timelines for growth management comprehensive plan and development regulation updates.
  • SSB 5749 – Exec Session – Concerning housing development opportunity zones.
  • ESSB 5719 – Exec Session – Concerning local government hearing examiners.
  • ESB 5729 – Exec Session – Encouraging construction of affordable housing by streamlining the permitting process.
State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections (Senate) – SHR 2 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg – 3/21 @ 10:30am
  • HB 1934 – Public Hearing – Concerning the disclosure of information pertaining to complainants, accusers, and witnesses in an employment investigation. (Remote Testimony Available).
    Stay tuned for next week's update!

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