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SB 5790 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Concerning cost-of-living adjustments for community and technical college employees.

SB 5790 changes how annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are calculated for academic and classified employees at Washington's community and technical colleges. Previously, these salary increases were based on the consumer price index. Starting with the 2025-2027 budget cycle, the bill switches to using the implicit price deflator, a different economic measure, to determine the COLA rate. This ensures that the state continues to fully fund these adjustments for eligible college staff.
Issues: ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill ensures full state funding for college employee COLAs by switching calculation method, maintaining budget allocation for public education staff.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnsures full funding for community college employee COLAs, supporting higher education staff compensation and retention within education funding framework.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill ensures full state funding for COLAs by switching to IPD, protecting employee wages against inflation. Explicitly maintains funding levels for community college staff wages.95% confidence
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Mar 18, 2025 Signed May 17, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Substitute Bill → Substitute Passed Legislature · 3 edits
MINOR
The document was updated from a draft substitute bill to the final certified version passed by the legislature. This change adds official certification details, including the specific dates of passage (April 19 and April 24, 2025), vote counts, and signatures from legislative officers, confirming the bill's legal enactment.
ENFORCEMENT

Added official certification text, vote tallies, and signatures from the Secretary of the Senate and Secretary of the House to validate the bill's passage.

TECHNICAL

Inserted the title 'CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT' and the header 'CERTIFICATE' to formally document the legislative history.

Updated the bill status header from 'Substitute Senate Bill' to 'Passed Legislature' to reflect its final status.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 19, 2025 · House Apr 24, 2025

How they voted

39–10
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 51
Apr 19, 2025
D Democratic31
27 Yea 3 Nay 1
87% Yea
R Republican20
12 Yea 7 Nay 1
60% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
27
Key actions
12
Committee
8
May 17, 2025
Signed into law
Governor signed.
executive
Apr 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
Speaker signed.
lower
Apr 25, 2025
Upper · Passed
President signed.
upper
Apr 24, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (97-1-2)
house
Apr 23, 2025
Committee
Referred to Rules 2 Review.
lower
Apr 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
APP - Majority; do pass.
lower
Apr 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 9:00 AM.
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 9:00 AM.
lower
Apr 19, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (39-10-2)
senate
Apr 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
Minority; without recommendation.
upper
Apr 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
Minority; do not pass.
upper
Apr 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 9:00 AM.
upper
Mar 24, 2025
Upper · Passed
Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 4:00 PM.
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of June Robinson
June Robinson
DDemocratic
WA
38