SB 5865 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Concerning garnishment forms.

SB 5865 standardizes the forms employers must use when responding to wage garnishment orders in Washington State. It requires employers to provide specific details about the defendant's employment status, earnings, existing garnishments, and calculate disposable earnings using a uniform form developed by the Washington pattern forms committee. This change aims to reduce errors in wage garnishment calculations and clarify employer obligations, directly affecting employers who handle garnishment orders.

Issues: ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Dec 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Jan 2026

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Dec 10, 2025 Last action Mar 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Substitute Bill → Engrossed Substitute Bill · 3 edits · Jan 28, 2026

MINOR

The bill was formally adopted as an Engrossed Substitute, and the effective date for the new garnishment rules was delayed from January 1, 2027, to May 1, 2027. Additionally, the requirement for employers to use a specific form for wage garnishment answers was relaxed to allow for substantially equivalent forms, providing more flexibility in compliance.

TIMELINE

The effective date for the new garnishment procedures was moved from January 1, 2027, to May 1, 2027, giving employers more time to prepare.

REQUIREMENT

The requirement for employers to use a specific form when answering wage garnishment requests was changed to allow for 'substantially equivalent' forms, rather than mandating the exact Washington pattern forms committee form.

TECHNICAL

Minor formatting adjustments were made to the text regarding the description of the required answer forms.

Floor votes · Senate Jan 28, 2026

How they voted

48–3

Passed

Total votes 51

Jan 28, 2026

D Democratic31

31 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican20

17 Yea 3 Nay

85% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 25, 2026

Committee

Referred to Rules 2 Review.

lower

Feb 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

CRJ - Majority; do pass.

lower

Feb 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Civil Rights & Judiciary at 8:00 AM.

lower

Feb 20, 2026

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Civil Rights & Judiciary at 10:30 AM.

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Upper · Passed

Floor amendment(s) adopted.

upper

Jan 15, 2026

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice at 10:30 AM.

upper

Jan 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice at 8:00 AM.

upper

1 primary · 3 co-sponsors