HB 1742 Washington House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Concerning environmentally sustainable urban design.

HB 1742 creates a state Center for Sustainable Urban Design within the Department of Ecology to advance environmentally sustainable urban planning and architecture in Washington's cities. The center will coordinate design competitions (like one for a fire-damaged former beverage manufacturing site near the Capitol), award grants for projects reducing pollution (e.g., stormwater runoff, urban heat islands), and promote practices like green building and biophilic design. It directly affects first-class cities and urban developers by providing resources and policy guidance for projects meeting specific environmental and health criteria. The center must prioritize projects demonstrating measurable benefits, such as improved air quality, biodiversity, and reduced energy use, through competitive grant and design processes.

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

House Passage

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 12, 2026 Last action Mar 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Second Substitute Bill → Engrossed Second Substitute Bill · 3 edits · Feb 13, 2026

MINOR

The bill title was updated to reflect its final version. A critical condition for creating the new design center was softened, changing from a strict requirement to receive enough outside money to cover all costs to simply having the authority to seek such funding. The financial account for the project was restructured to be held by the state treasurer rather than the treasury, with specific authorization rules added for spending.

Scope change

The requirement to create the center is now conditional on receiving sufficient nonstate funding, but the bill no longer mandates that this funding must fully cover all associated administrative and contracting costs before the center can be established.

REQUIREMENT

The condition for establishing the environmentally sustainable urban design center was changed from requiring sufficient nonstate funds to cover all costs to simply requiring the department to have the authority to seek such funds.

FISCAL

The environmentally sustainable urban design account was moved from the state treasury to the custody of the state treasurer, and spending authority was restricted to the director of ecology or their designee.

TECHNICAL

The bill title was updated from 'Second Substitute House Bill' to 'Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill'.

Floor votes · House Feb 13, 2026

How they voted

94–2

Passed · 4 other

Total votes 100

Feb 13, 2026

D Democratic61

58 Yea 2 Nay 1

95% Yea

R Republican39

36 Yea 3

92% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology at 1:30 PM.

upper

Feb 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology at 8:00 AM.

upper

Feb 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

Floor amendment(s) adopted.

lower

Feb 9, 2026

Committee

Referred to Rules 2 Review.

lower

Feb 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

lower

Feb 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Feb 7, 2026

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 9:00 AM.

lower

Jan 12, 2026

Introduced

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

lower

Feb 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to Appropriations.

lower

Feb 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Environment & Energy at 4:00 PM.

lower

Feb 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Environment & Energy at 1:30 PM.

lower

1 primary · 6 co-sponsors