HB 1576 Washington House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Concerning the designation of historic landmarks by cities.

HB 1576 sets new rules for how cities in Washington can designate historic landmarks, affecting local governments and property owners. The bill prohibits cities from designating a property as a historic landmark if it is less than 40 years old. It also requires the written consent of the property owner if the designation would restrict the property's use, alteration, or demolition. These restrictions do not apply if the property is within an established historic district or is more than 125 years old. Cities must adopt these requirements into their local ordinances within one year, or the state rules will apply.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Jan 24, 2025 Signed May 12, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Substitute Bill → Substitute Passed Legislature · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was certified as passed by the legislature and includes substantive changes to historic landmark designation rules. Key updates include raising the minimum age of a property from 40 to 125 years for it to be designated as a historic landmark without owner consent, and clarifying that local preservation ordinances can still designate landmarks under 125 years old if the owner consents.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to explicitly include 'code cities' alongside other municipalities in the new section regarding historic landmark regulations.

ELIGIBILITY

The minimum age requirement for a property to be designated as a historic landmark without owner consent was increased from 40 years to 125 years.

REQUIREMENT

The rule regarding local preservation ordinances was clarified to state that such ordinances can designate landmarks without owner consent only if the property is over 125 years old; otherwise, consent is still required.

Added a specific requirement that the city must independently verify the property is over 125 years old based on documentation provided by the nominator.

SCOPE

The new section explicitly applies to 'code cities' in addition to other cities when establishing historic landmark designation requirements.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 9, 2025 · House Apr 19, 2025

How they voted

49–2

Passed

Total votes 51

Apr 9, 2025

D Democratic31

29 Yea 2 Nay

93% Yea

R Republican20

20 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 12, 2025

Signed into law

Governor signed.

executive

Apr 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

President signed.

upper

Apr 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

Speaker signed.

lower

Apr 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed final passage; yeas, 93; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 5.

lower

Apr 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

House concurred in Senate amendments.

lower

Apr 9, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee amendment(s) adopted with no other amendments.

upper

Apr 9, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (49-2)

senate

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

upper

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

LGV - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).

upper

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Local Government at 1:30 PM.

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the Senate Committee on Local Government at 1:30 PM.

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Local Government at 1:30 PM.

upper

Feb 20, 2025

Committee

Referred to Rules 2 Review.

lower

Feb 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

lower

Feb 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Local Government at 10:30 AM.

lower

Feb 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Local Government at 8:00 AM.

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor