Washington Bills

in committee · Washington · House Jan 13, 2026

HB 2414: Concerning membership of wildland or aviation firefighters in the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system.

HB 2414 would expand Washington's law enforcement and firefighters' retirement system to include wildland and aviation firefighters employed by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The bill explicitly adds DNR as an eligible employer for these firefighters, clarifying that those meeting National Wildfire Coordinating Group qualifications can join the system. This directly affects DNR wildland and aviation firefighters who were previously excluded from the retirement plan. The bill amends existing law (RCW 41.26.030) to define eligibility, without changing benefit calculations or funding mechanisms.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Washington · House Jan 13, 2026

HB 2413: Ensuring that the clean energy transformation act provides the regulatory certainty to allow investments in new energy generation resources sufficient to meet Washington's energy needs.

HB 2413 modifies Washington's clean energy penalty structure and adds flexibility for utilities facing reliability challenges. It updates financial penalties for utilities not meeting renewable energy standards (e.g., $100/megawatt-hour for coal, adjusted annually for inflation) and creates a process allowing temporary exemptions when compliance would conflict with grid reliability requirements or due to unforeseen circumstances. This directly affects investor-owned and consumer-owned utilities struggling to balance clean energy goals with meeting projected electricity demand growth (potentially a 9-gigawatt shortfall by 2030). Utilities seeking exemptions must submit compliance plans and progress reports to the state, with no permanent relief from standards. The bill aims to provide regulatory certainty to encourage new energy investments while maintaining grid reliability.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

in committee · Washington · House Jan 13, 2026

HB 2396: Allowing for direct review of administrative agency decisions in certain circumstances.

HB 2396 allows certain administrative agency decisions to be directly reviewed by the Washington Court of Appeals instead of first going through a superior court. It specifically applies to final decisions by environmental boards (as defined in RCW 43.21B.005) regarding clean energy projects or other environmental matters. The bill creates three pathways for direct review: through superior court certification (for cases involving urgent public interest issues), for clean energy project permits (with streamlined record review), or for non-clean energy environmental cases (with party consent or justice-based exceptions). This change aims to expedite legal challenges on significant environmental decisions while maintaining procedural safeguards.

in committee · Washington · House Jan 13, 2026

HB 2448: Reinstating a state expenditure limit to promote sustainable budgets and create permanent tax relief for all Washingtonians.

HB 2448 establishes a new annual spending cap for Washington's state general fund, limiting growth to inflation and population changes starting in 2027. The cap automatically adjusts each November based on actual spending and economic forecasts, requiring the state treasurer to prevent overspending. It allows temporary 24-month exceptions only for declared natural disasters, not for routine budgeting. The bill does not change tax rates but aims to control budget growth through this spending limit.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Washington · House Jan 13, 2026

HB 2444: Requiring Washington state's participation in the federal tax credit program for contributions of individuals to scholarship granting organizations.

This bill requires Washington state to formally join a federal tax credit program that incentivizes individual donations to organizations providing school scholarships. It directs the state's Department of Revenue to annually notify federal and state officials of Washington's participation, with the first notification due by April 1, 2026. The law applies to Washington residents who contribute to scholarship-granting organizations and ensures the state meets federal requirements to access these tax credits. Key provisions include annual renewal notices and rules designed to maximize the state's use of the available federal tax credits. The bill takes effect immediately to enable timely participation in the program.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

in committee · Washington · House Jan 13, 2026

HB 2423: Protecting consumers from unreasonable delays in the processing of retirement account distributions.

HB 2423 requires Washington financial institutions to process retirement account distribution requests within 15 business days of receipt. If they fail to meet this deadline, institutions must pay consumers daily market-rate interest on the delayed funds starting on day 16, plus a $500 statutory damage per violation. The bill applies to Washington consumers with qualified retirement accounts (like 401(k)s or IRAs) and covers institutions like banks and brokerages, excluding federal retirement plans governed by ERISA. It establishes clear timelines, compensation for delays, and allows consumers to sue for unpaid interest or damages through civil court.

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 13, 2026

SB 6092: Concerning fair treatment of waste to energy facilities under the climate commitment act.

SB 6092 creates a specific allowance for Washington State's only waste-to-energy facility under the climate cap-and-invest program. It grants the facility "no cost" emissions allowances equal to 100% of its greenhouse gas emissions for the first two compliance periods (starting 2027), then 97% for the third period, and declines by 3% each subsequent period. This policy directly affects only the state's single waste-to-energy plant, treating it equivalently to other waste management systems under the climate law. The allowances are calculated based on the facility's annual emissions reports and adjusted to ensure compliance with the state's climate program requirements.

Topics ✓ Energy ✗ Environment

in committee · Washington · House Jan 13, 2026

HB 2434: Ensuring the availability of rabies medication for postexposure prophylaxis.

HB 2434 requires all Washington hospitals with emergency departments to maintain a supply of rabies medication for postexposure prophylaxis starting January 1, 2027. This ensures patients can receive the first dose immediately upon arrival after a potential rabies exposure, as medically needed. Hospitals must also arrange for all subsequent doses required to complete the full treatment course, either by keeping additional stock on-site or establishing timely access to the medication. The bill directly affects hospitals operating emergency departments across Washington State.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Washington · House Jan 13, 2026

HB 2433: Concerning the cannabis excise tax.

This bill amends Washington state law to update definitions related to cannabis products and the cannabis excise tax system. It directly affects cannabis industry participants, including producers, processors, retailers, and distributors, by clarifying terminology for various cannabis forms such as flower, concentrates, edibles, and topicals. The key provision reorganizes and revises existing definitions in the state code to ensure consistent language across different cannabis product categories and regulatory contexts. This legislative change aims to improve clarity in how cannabis products are classified and taxed under current state regulations.

in committee · Washington · House Jan 13, 2026

HJR 4211: Creating an interbranch commission on court rules.

HJR 4211 proposes a constitutional amendment to create an interbranch commission that reviews proposed court rules for potential conflicts with the separation of powers between Washington's three government branches. The commission, composed of six attorneys (three from each branch), must review proposed rules within 90 days and determine if they might violate separation of powers principles. If the commission finds potential conflicts, the Supreme Court must refer the rule to five temporary justices for a public hearing and final determination before adoption. This amendment, if approved by voters, would directly affect how the Supreme Court develops and adopts court rules, requiring formal review for constitutional compliance.

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 13, 2026

SB 6095: Protecting elected officials and candidates, executive state officers, election officials, and criminal justice participants against threats and incidents of political violence.

SB 6095 makes it a class C felony to threaten or harass elected officials (including candidates), executive state officers, election officials, or criminal justice participants (like law enforcement, prosecutors, or court staff) when the threat is related to their official duties. The bill expands Washington’s address confidentiality program, allowing these individuals to keep their primary residential addresses private by using a designated state address instead of their real home address in public records. This protects their safety by reducing the risk of targeted violence or harassment. The law applies to anyone facing threats related to their role in government or criminal justice, with eligibility requiring a sworn statement of credible fear.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Washington · House Jan 13, 2026

HB 2450: Maintaining food assistance for certain individuals affected by federal eligibility requirements.

HB 2450 creates a Washington state food assistance program to replace federal SNAP benefits for specific vulnerable groups disqualified due to federal work requirements. It directly affects seniors (55+), foster youth (age 24 or younger who were in foster care at 18), veterans, homeless individuals, and families with children under 18. The bill allows the state to mirror federal SNAP rules but exempts these groups from work requirements, limits state benefits to the remaining federal work requirement period, and permits using the federal coupon system or state vouchers. This policy change ensures continued food assistance for those losing federal eligibility due to federal policy changes.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

Bill results