Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 5195: Concerning the capital budget.

SB 5195 adopts the capital budget for the state of Washington for the period ending June 30, 2027. This bill appropriates specific dollar amounts from various state funds to be spent on capital projects. Key provisions include funding for infrastructure improvements like the Puget Sound Regional Archives HVAC system and allocations for hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It also provides grants for the development, expansion, and renovation of public and private early learning education facilities. This bill directly affects state agencies, educational institutions, and communities benefiting from these capital investments.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill directly appropriates funds for capital projects including infrastructure and early learning facilities, aligning with 'funds essential programs' under budget & taxes support indicators.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 5194: Concerning state general obligation bonds and related accounts.

SB 5194 authorizes the state of Washington to issue nearly $4.7 billion in general obligation bonds. These bonds will finance various state capital projects outlined in the 2023-2025 and 2025-2027 fiscal biennia and future biennia. The proceeds are deposited into state building construction accounts and then transferred to specific accounts, including those for outdoor recreation, habitat conservation, farm and forest preservation, and early learning facilities. The state pledges its full faith and credit for repayment, using general state revenues to cover the principal and interest on these bonds.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes $4.7B in bonds to fund capital projects including recreation, conservation, and education facilities, advancing state budget priorities through targeted appropriations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds early learning facilities, a direct educational infrastructure investment under bond proceeds for state capital projects.85% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentFunds habitat conservation, farm/forest preservation, and outdoor recreation accounts from bond proceeds, directly advancing environmental protection priorities.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 19, 2025

HB 2047: Eliminating the Washington employee ownership program.

HB 2047 phases out the Washington employee ownership program. It shortens the period during which businesses can earn tax credits for converting to worker-owned cooperatives, employee ownership trusts, or employee stock ownership plans, moving the deadline for earning credits from June 30, 2029, to June 30, 2025. The bill also makes the program's activities, such as providing technical support and referrals, contingent upon specific funding appropriations. The tax credit provisions are set to expire earlier, effectively eliminating these incentives for businesses.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesPhases out tax credits for worker-owned businesses, reducing tax incentives and making program funding contingent on annual appropriations.95% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentPhases out tax credits for worker-owned cooperatives, restricting employee ownership program access and funding continuity.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 19, 2025

HB 1498: Concerning domestic violence co-responder programs.

HB 1498 establishes a grant program to help cities and counties create and operate domestic violence co-responder programs. These programs deploy domestic violence victim advocates alongside law enforcement to provide on-scene support, resources, and care navigation for victims and their families. The bill creates a dedicated state treasury account, funded primarily by an additional $100 fee on marriage licenses, to support this initiative. The Office of Crime Victims Advocacy will administer these grants, also providing technical assistance and support for billing health insurance for services.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates new $100 marriage license fee (tax) to fund domestic violence co-responder programs, directly allocating tax revenue to public safety services.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds victim advocates alongside law enforcement for domestic violence response, improving victim support and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 19, 2025

HB 1848: Concerning services and supports for individuals with traumatic brain injuries.

House Bill 1848 aims to enhance services and supports for individuals living with traumatic brain injuries and their families in Washington State. The bill seeks to rebalance funding priorities to better support in-person support groups and community integration programs, which the legislature identified as underfunded. To generate additional revenue for these services, it increases a specific fee assessed on traffic infractions from $5 to $10. This increased revenue will be deposited into the state's traumatic brain injury account.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases traffic infraction fee from $5 to $10 to fund brain injury services, directly generating revenue for public programs.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 17, 2025

HB 1109: Concerning public facilities districts.

House Bill 1109 modifies the regulations for public facilities districts concerning their authority to impose sales and use taxes. It extends the maximum period for collecting these taxes from 40 years to 55 years when used to finance or refinance regional centers and related parking facilities. The bill also specifies the conditions under which certain public facilities districts are eligible to impose these taxes and allows them to increase their tax rates to mitigate documented revenue losses from past legislative changes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExtends tax collection period and allows rate increases to address revenue shortfalls for public facilities districts, enabling sustained funding for infrastructure projects.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 17, 2025

HB 1733: Increasing the reimbursement cap for moving and relocation expenses incurred by persons affected by agency displacements.

House Bill 1733 increases the maximum reimbursement amounts for moving and relocation expenses for individuals, businesses, farms, and nonprofit organizations displaced by government agency projects. The bill raises the general cap for reestablishing a displaced business, farm, or nonprofit to $200,000. Additionally, it sets a temporary cap of $100,000 for state agency displacements until August 1, 2030, and mandates an annual 2% inflation adjustment to these caps starting in August 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases state budget allocation for relocation reimbursements by raising caps to $200k (permanent) and $100k (temporary), with inflation adjustments, directly funding displaced entities.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 17, 2025

HB 1473: Making expenditures from the budget stabilization account for declared catastrophic events.

HB 1473 appropriates $77,687,000 from the state's budget stabilization account to the Department of Natural Resources. These funds are specifically designated to cover fire suppression costs incurred by the department during the 2024 fire season. The bill addresses a state of emergency declared due to wildfires, aiming to support the state's response to these catastrophic events. It includes an emergency clause, making its provisions effective immediately upon enactment.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $77.687M from budget stabilization fund for emergency fire suppression costs, funding essential state response to catastrophic event per emergency clause.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · Senate May 17, 2025

SB 5516: Modifying the property tax exemption for community centers.

Senate Bill 5516 modifies the property tax exemption for community centers. It expands the definition of "community center" to include properties deemed surplus by a university, not just local school boards. If a nonprofit organization acquires such university surplus property and converts it into community facilities for nonresidential services, it becomes eligible for a property tax exemption. This specific exemption applies to property taxes levied for collection between 2026 and 2035. The bill also clarifies that these community centers may rent or loan out space within their facilities.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands property tax exemption for nonprofits converting university surplus property to community facilities, providing tax relief to support public services through fiscal incentives.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · Senate May 17, 2025

SB 5790: 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.

Topics ✓ 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 | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes