SB 5522 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Concerning the state capitol campus.

SB 5522 establishes a formal process for reviewing and approving capital projects on Washington's state capitol campus. It requires the State Capitol Committee to annually review proposed projects (defined as new buildings or major renovations exceeding 50% of replacement cost) and make recommendations, while expanding the committee's membership to include legislative leaders and agency representatives. The bill also creates a design subcommittee with architects and landscape experts to advise on campus aesthetics, preservation, and maintenance, ensuring campus improvements align with historic and architectural standards. This procedural bill focuses on structured management of the capitol campus, not direct policy changes affecting residents.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 12, 2026 Last action Jan 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Bill → Substitute Bill · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to streamline the state capitol campus governance structure by adding a mandatory meeting requirement for the committee, clarifying the definition of 'major capital projects' to include specific rehabilitation thresholds, and shifting the timeline for reviewing capital projects to align with the annual budget cycle. These changes aim to improve oversight, ensure consistent architectural standards, and provide clearer guidance on which projects require committee approval.

Scope change

The bill's scope was refined to explicitly define 'major capital projects' based on cost thresholds and project types, and the committee's operational scope was expanded to include a requirement for at least four meetings per year.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement that the state capitol committee must meet at least four times per year to ensure regular oversight.

Removed the requirement for the committee chair and vice chair to serve one-year terms, removing a specific term limit that was present in the original text.

TIMELINE

Changed the deadline for the department to present capital project information to the committee from March 31st to December 31st, and the committee's recommendation deadline from June 30th to March 1st.

DEFINITION

Added a specific definition for 'major capital projects' that includes new buildings, memorials, statues, and building rehabilitations where costs exceed 50% of the replacement cost.

Clarified that executive residence changes, security enhancements, and maintenance projects below the 50% threshold are not considered major capital projects.

Updated the definition of 'capitol campus' to reference properties listed in RCW 79.24.710 and removed specific references to Capitol Lake and the Old Capitol Building from the list.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jan 12, 2026

Introduced

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

upper

Feb 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 1:30 PM.

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

Referred to Ways & Means.

upper

Feb 11, 2025

Committee

And refer to Ways & Means.

upper

Feb 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections at 1:30 PM.

upper

Feb 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections at 10:30 AM.

upper

Feb 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections at 1:30 PM.

upper

1 primary · 11 co-sponsors