SB 5023 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Providing labor market protections for domestic workers.

Senate Bill 5023 aims to establish labor market protections for domestic workers in Washington state, including nannies, house cleaners, and home care workers. It guarantees these workers minimum wage and overtime pay for hours exceeding 40 per week. The bill mandates uninterrupted meal and rest breaks and requires a written employment agreement outlining terms like pay rate, schedule, and deductions, provided in a language understood by both parties. It also ensures domestic workers can retain personal effects and, if living in the home, cook their own food, while also providing freedom from discrimination and sexual harassment.

Issues: ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 12, 2026 Last action Jan 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Substitute Bill → Engrossed Substitute Bill · 2 edits · Mar 5, 2025

MINOR

The bill title was updated to reflect its final version, and the definition of 'hiring entity' was slightly reworded to clarify how state agencies and in-home services agencies are excluded from the law's requirements. These changes refine the legal language without altering the core obligations for employers or the specific funding thresholds.

Scope change

The scope of applicability remains the same, though the exclusion criteria for state agencies was clarified.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'hiring entity' was reworded to change the condition for excluding state agencies from 'to the extent that' to 'if', clarifying that the exclusion applies whenever the agency receives the specified funds.

TECHNICAL

The bill title was changed from 'Substitute Senate Bill' to 'Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill', indicating it has passed both legislative chambers.

Bill → Substitute Bill · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was renumbered from S-0186.1 to S-1275.2 and updated to reflect its status as a Substitute Bill after committee review. The text was refined to clarify that 'hiring entities' must be employers, updated the scope of exemptions for casual labor, and added an expiration date to the legislation. Most significantly, the funding destination for civil penalties was changed from a new grant program to the state's existing supplemental pension fund.

Scope change

The bill's scope was slightly narrowed by clarifying that 'hiring entities' must be actual employers (removing a redundant reference to RCW 49.60.040) and by adding a specific exception for state agencies providing home care services funded through a specific state program.

TECHNICAL

The bill number was changed from S-0186.1 to S-1275.2, and the title was updated to 'Substitute Senate Bill 5023' to reflect legislative processing.

TIMELINE

The effective date was changed from July 1, 2026 to July 1, 2025, and a new expiration date of December 31, 2027 was added to the work group provision.

FISCAL

Civil penalties collected for violations must now be deposited into the existing supplemental pension fund (RCW 51.44.033) rather than a new 'domestic workers rights grant program'.

ELIGIBILITY

The definition of 'hiring entity' was tightened to explicitly require the entity to be an employer, and state agencies providing state-funded home care were added as an exception to liability.

REQUIREMENT

The requirement for written employment agreements was simplified by removing the specific list of required details (like severance and health insurance) from the clause, though the list remains in the explanatory text.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'casual labor' was updated to clarify that it excludes individuals employed by a hiring entity for work performed in the course of that entity's trade, business, or profession.

ENFORCEMENT

The scope of the department's investigation authority was clarified to specify that investigations for retaliation are limited to violations in Section 4, subsections (2) and (3) through (7).

Floor votes · Senate Mar 5, 2025

How they voted

31–20

Passed

Total votes 51

Mar 5, 2025

D Democratic31

30 Yea 1 Nay

96% Yea

R Republican20

1 Yea 19 Nay

95% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jan 12, 2026

Introduced

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

upper

Apr 8, 2025

Committee

Referred to Rules 2 Review.

lower

Apr 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

lower

Apr 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

lower

Apr 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Apr 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 1:30 PM.

lower

Apr 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Committee

Referred to Appropriations.

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

LAWS - Majority; do pass.

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards at 10:30 AM.

lower

Mar 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards at 10:30 AM.

lower

Mar 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

Floor amendment(s) adopted.

upper

Feb 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

upper

Feb 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce at 8:00 AM.

upper

Feb 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce at 8:00 AM.

upper

Jan 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce at 10:30 AM.

upper

1 primary · 9 co-sponsors