Increasing legislative involvement in gubernatorial proclamations relating to a state of emergency.
HB 1221 changes how Washington's state of emergency declarations end. It requires that any emergency proclamation automatically terminate 60 days after the governor signs it unless the legislature passes a concurrent resolution extending it. If the legislature isn't in session, only the top four legislative leaders (senate majority/minority leaders and house speaker/minority leader) can temporarily extend the emergency for up to 60 days until the legislature acts. The bill also prevents the governor from redeclaring the same emergency after it's terminated without legislative approval. This directly affects governors' emergency powers and requires legislative action to maintain long-term emergency declarations.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 12, 2026
Last action Jan 12, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
3
Key actions
0
Committee
0
Jan 12, 2026
Introduced
By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
lower
1 primary · 12 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Mike Volz
RRepublican
Co
Andrew Barkis
RRepublican
Co
Chris Corry
RRepublican
Co
Jenny Graham
RRepublican
Co
Jeremie Dufault
RRepublican
Co
Jim Walsh
RRepublican
Co
John Ley
RRepublican
Co
Josh Penner
RRepublican
Co
Mark Klicker
RRepublican
Co
Matt Marshall
RRepublican
Co
Stephanie McClintock
RRepublican
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