SB 5975 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Providing consumer access to safe cookware and interstate and international trade certainty in the regulation of lead in cookware.

Washington State's SB 5975 sets new lead limits for aluminum and brass cookware, utensils, and components sold in the state. Starting January 1, 2026, these products may not contain more than 90 parts per million (ppm) of lead, with a stricter limit of 10 ppm taking effect January 1, 2028, for new items. The law applies to manufacturers, retailers, and wholesalers but exempts previously owned items sold in casual transactions or by nonprofits. It also requires the Department of Ecology to review lead in cookware as a priority product by 2029, aiming to set future regulatory limits by 2032.

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Signed into Law

Mar 2026

Introduced Jan 5, 2026 Signed Mar 18, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossed Substitute Bill → Substitute Passed Legislature · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill establishes a phased schedule to reduce lead in aluminum and brass cookware, tightening limits from 90 ppm to 10 ppm by 2028, then adding stricter 50 ppm and 20 ppm limits for pots and pans in 2030 and 2034. It also expands the definition of covered items to include specific pots and pans, clarifies that 'intentionally added' applies to chemicals generally rather than just lead, and adjusts regulatory deadlines to ensure rules are adopted before the new 2034 limits take effect.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly include 'aluminum or brass pots or pans' and their components in the new 2030 and 2034 restrictions, whereas the original text only broadly covered 'cookware' in those future phases. The definition of 'intentionally added' was also broadened from referring specifically to lead to referring to any chemical.

TIMELINE

The deadline for the department to adopt rules implementing the priority product review was split into two steps: determining actions by June 2032 and adopting rules by June 2033, replacing the single June 2032 deadline.

REQUIREMENT

The lead limit for 'intentionally added' substances was changed from specifically 'lead' to 'a chemical,' broadening the scope of regulated substances.

New subsections were added for 2030 and 2034 that specifically restrict 'aluminum or brass pots or pans' and their components to 50 ppm and 20 ppm, respectively, in addition to the general cookware limits.

New exemptions were added allowing the department to exempt specific categories of cookware, such as noncooking surfaces, from the 2034 20 ppm limit if compliance is not feasible.

A new provision explicitly states that the department cannot adopt restrictions on pots and pans that are higher than the 20 ppm limit established for 2034.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'Aluminum or brass cookware' was restructured to explicitly list items like pots, pans, and kettles using Roman numerals for clarity.

ENFORCEMENT

The liability exemption for retailers who unknowingly sell restricted products was moved to a new subsection (d) and updated to align with the new phased restrictions.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 17, 2026 · House Mar 5, 2026

How they voted

43–8

Passed

Total votes 51

Feb 17, 2026

D Democratic31

24 Yea 7 Nay

77% Yea

R Republican20

19 Yea 1 Nay

95% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 18, 2026

Signed into law

Governor signed.

executive

Mar 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Speaker signed.

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

President signed.

upper

Mar 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed final passage; yeas, 47; nays, 2; absent, 0; excused, 0.

upper

Mar 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate concurred in House amendments.

upper

Mar 5, 2026

Lower · Passed

Committee amendment(s) adopted as amended.

lower

Mar 5, 2026

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (87-10-3)

house

Feb 25, 2026

Committee

Referred to Rules 2 Review.

lower

Feb 24, 2026

Lower · Passed

ENVI - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).

lower

Feb 24, 2026

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Environment & Energy at 4:00 PM.

lower

Feb 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Environment & Energy at 1:30 PM.

lower

Feb 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

Floor amendment(s) adopted.

upper

Feb 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

upper

Feb 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

WM - Majority; do pass 1st substitute bill proposed by Environment, Energy & Technology.

upper

Feb 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 10:30 AM.

upper

Feb 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 4, 2026

Committee

Referred to Ways & Means.

upper

Feb 3, 2026

Upper · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

upper

Feb 3, 2026

Committee

And refer to Ways & Means.

upper

Feb 3, 2026

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology at 1:30 PM.

upper

Jan 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology at 10:30 AM.

upper

Jan 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology at 8:00 AM.

upper

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors