Ensuring compliance with the housing element requirements of the growth management act.

Extended the department's deadline to review housing element applications from 90 days to 120 days.

Increased the time allowed for cities and counties to correct non-compliance issues from 60 days to 120 days.

Added a requirement for cities and counties that do not voluntarily submit housing elements to do so within three years of updating their comprehensive land use plan.

Added new reporting requirements for the public works board to include project scores against prioritization criteria and funding obligation details.

Removed specific thresholds (such as housing production percentages) that previously triggered mandatory department reviews of housing elements.

Added a new prioritization factor for public works funding that considers whether a city or county has voluntarily submitted its housing element for review.

Added a new section clarifying the state's authority to represent its interests in federal and interstate legal matters regarding comprehensive plans.

The criteria for selecting cities and counties for mandatory housing review were changed from a specific production percentage to a broader metric based on production relative to the county or regional area adjusted by population.

The standard for denying a housing element was raised; the department must now demonstrate that a local government's non-compliance is 'clearly erroneous' rather than simply issuing a finding of non-compliance.

The definition of a 'noncompliant city or county' was expanded to include situations where a local government loses an appeal of a non-compliance determination to the state board.

A new section was added requiring the state, through the department and attorney general, to represent its interests in federal and interstate legal proceedings to protect state policies.

A new provision clarifies that submitting to housing review cannot be used as a condition to deny cities or counties eligibility for state funds or programs, unless they are already selected for mandatory review under specific criteria.

The bill title was updated to 'Second Substitute Senate Bill 5148' and the sponsoring committee was changed from Housing to Ways & Means.

Changed the housing review process from mandatory submission to voluntary, requiring jurisdictions to notify the department 120 days before applying for approval instead of submitting immediately after adoption.

Added a new targeted review process that automatically triggers for jurisdictions failing to meet countywide housing needs or producing less than 50% of annual housing need.

Expanded affordability definitions to require that at least 50% of units be workforce housing, replacing the previous single definition of affordable housing.

Revised the list of laws and regulations that housing elements must comply with to include new housing requirement sections.

Updated the list of RCW sections amended to reflect the new structure of the bill, including the addition of new sections for targeted reviews and definitions.