HB 1420 Washington House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Establishing producer responsibility for textiles.

HB 1420 requires clothing and textile brands selling in Washington state to manage the end-of-life of their products through a statewide program. It directly affects brands (including manufacturers, importers, and retailers), mandating they join a producer responsibility organization (PRO) to cover costs for collecting, sorting, and recycling apparel - excluding military PPE, medical products, and secondhand sellers. The PROs will operate collection systems like drop-off sites, mail-back programs, and donation boxes, aiming to reduce landfill waste, greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental harm. This replaces current waste management approaches with a system prioritizing repair, reuse, and responsible recycling for all covered clothing items sold in the state.

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 12, 2026 Last action Feb 6, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Bill → Substitute Bill · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill was amended to add significant new reporting requirements for fashion producers starting in 2027, including mandatory disclosures of high-priority chemicals, marketing claims, excess inventory disposal, and environmental due diligence for large companies. The changes also updated penalty section numbers to reflect the insertion of these new reporting sections and renumbered subsequent sections accordingly.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include new annual reporting obligations for apparel producers, specifically requiring large fashion producers (over $100M income) to disclose environmental due diligence and working conditions, while also adding specific definitions for terms like 'due diligence' and 'gross income'.

REQUIREMENT

Added new Section 13 requiring producers to annually disclose high-priority chemicals, marketing terms, excess product disposal, and environmental initiatives starting January 1, 2027.

Added new Section 13(2) requiring fashion producers with over $100 million in annual worldwide gross income to disclose environmental due diligence policies, sustainability reports, recycled content measurements, and greenhouse gas emissions.

DEFINITION

Added new definitions for 'due diligence', 'gross income of the business', and 'working conditions' to clarify reporting standards and wage data collection.

TECHNICAL

Renumbered penalty sections from 14 to 15 and compliance monitoring sections from 15 to 16 to accommodate the new reporting requirements.

Updated the account reference in Section 14(c) from section 17 to section 18 due to the insertion of new sections.

Changed the effective chapter range in Section 21 from Sections 1-17 to Sections 1-18 to include the new reporting provisions.

Substitute Bill → Second Substitute Bill · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill was revised from a permanent law into a temporary, two-year pilot program (expiring July 1, 2030) to gather data before a future permanent law is passed. The core change is replacing the immediate creation of a 'Producer Responsibility Organization' with a new 'Textile and Apparel Coordinating Organization' that is strictly limited to conducting a needs assessment and planning, with no authority to collect fees or manage products yet. Additionally, the bill now explicitly excludes secondhand and reused items from the definition of 'covered products' to ensure the pilot focuses on new goods.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted from an immediate, permanent Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program to a temporary, informational pilot program. The applicability was narrowed by excluding secondhand and reused products from the definition of covered items and by removing all mechanisms for collecting fees from producers until a future legislature decides to enact a permanent program.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the requirement for producers to register with or join a 'Producer Responsibility Organization' and the authority for such an organization to collect fees, manage collection sites, or implement a recycling plan.

Added a requirement for the Coordinating Organization to consult with a new 'Advisory Council' and submit recommendations to the legislature by September 15, 2028, on how to design a future permanent program.

DEFINITION

Added the new definition of 'Textile and Apparel Coordinating Organization,' which is a temporary entity authorized only to conduct a needs assessment and submit a plan for a future program.

Modified the definition of 'Apparel' to include 'indoor and outdoor activities' and removed the specific exclusion for reusable menstrual products, replacing it with a broader exclusion for disposable or reusable urine/feces collection products.

SCOPE

Added an explicit exclusion stating that 'secondhand or reused covered products' are not subject to the requirements of this chapter.

TIMELINE

Added an expiration date of July 1, 2030, and changed the legislative intent to establish a 'better understanding' of the system rather than immediately implementing it.

FISCAL

Replaced the fee collection mechanism with a requirement for the Coordinating Organization to pay the Department of Ecology's administrative costs for the pilot phase.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 10:30 AM.

lower

Feb 3, 2026

Committee

Referred to Appropriations.

lower

Jan 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

lower

Jan 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

lower

Jan 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Environment & Energy at 8:00 AM.

lower

Jan 15, 2026

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Environment & Energy at 8:00 AM.

lower

Jan 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to Environment & Energy.

lower

Jan 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

Committee relieved of further consideration.

lower

Jan 12, 2026

Introduced

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

lower

Feb 17, 2025

Committee

Referred to Appropriations.

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Environment & Energy at 8:00 AM.

lower

Jan 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Environment & Energy at 8:00 AM.

lower

1 primary · 8 co-sponsors