SB 5775 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Expanding local taxing authority to fund public safety and community protection focused programs and services.

Senate Bill 5775 expands the authority for counties and cities to impose local sales and use taxes to fund public safety and community protection programs. Counties can impose a sales and use tax up to 0.3%, either through voter approval or by ordinance until January 1, 2028. Cities can also impose a tax, with the total combined county and city rate not exceeding 0.3%. Depending on how the tax is adopted, either one-third or all of the revenue must be used for purposes such as criminal justice, fire protection, community protection, or public safety, including behavioral health and diversion programs. The bill also specifies how these tax revenues are shared between local governments.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Jan 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 12, 2026 Last action Jan 12, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Bill Engrossed Bill · 4 edits · Mar 11, 2025
MODERATE
The bill was renumbered and updated to allow cities to impose a sales tax without a voter referendum if a county does not reach the maximum tax rate by July 1, 2026. It clarifies that the combined county and city tax rate cannot exceed 0.3 percent and adjusts the timeline for when cities can begin collecting taxes.
Scope change
The bill's applicability was expanded to include a specific provision allowing cities to impose taxes unilaterally under certain conditions regarding county tax rates, whereas the original version required a voter referendum for cities regardless of county actions.
TIMELINE

The deadline for counties to reach the full 0.3 percent tax rate was set to July 1, 2026, triggering a new window for cities to act.

ELIGIBILITY

Cities can now impose a sales tax via ordinance without a voter referendum if the county fails to impose the full tax rate by the new July 1, 2026 deadline.

REQUIREMENT

A new requirement was added stating that the combined total tax rate for a county and any city within it cannot exceed 0.3 percent.

TECHNICAL

The bill title was updated from 'Senate Bill' to 'Engrossed Senate Bill', and internal subsection numbering was adjusted to reflect the new structure.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 11, 2025

How they voted

2921
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 51
Mar 11, 2025
D Democratic31
28 Yea 2 Nay 1
90% 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
14
Key actions
5
Committee
5
Jan 12, 2026
Committee
Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. On motion, referred to Ways & Means.
upper
Jan 12, 2026
Introduced
By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
upper
Mar 11, 2025
Upper · Passed
Floor amendment(s) adopted.
upper
Feb 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Minority; do not pass.
upper
Feb 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
WM - Majority; do pass.
upper
Feb 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 1:30 PM.
upper
Feb 25, 2025
Upper · Passed
Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 1:30 PM.
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Vandana Slatter
Vandana Slatter
DDemocratic
WA
48