Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 5314: Modifying the capital gains tax.

SB 5314 modifies Washington's capital gains tax by updating several provisions. It replaces an expiring business and occupation tax credit with a new, nonrefundable capital gains tax credit, designed to prevent double taxation on the same sale or exchange. The bill also clarifies definitions related to capital gains and losses, ensures consistent treatment for spouses and domestic partners, and establishes a late payment penalty waiver. Additionally, it introduces new reporting requirements for brokers and barter exchanges. These modifications are not estimated to change overall state or local tax collections.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesPrevents double taxation on capital gains by replacing an expiring credit with a new nonrefundable credit, promoting fiscal fairness and closing a potential tax loophole.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 20, 2025

HB 2061: Regarding concession fees by duty-free sales enterprises.

HB 2061 establishes a new concession fee for duty-free sales enterprises operating within Washington state. These businesses will pay a fee equal to 0.10 (10%) of their gross proceeds from merchandise sales. The revenue collected from this fee will be split, with half directed to the statewide tourism marketing account and the other half deposited into a new sustainable aviation fuel account. The sustainable aviation fuel account is designated to support research, development, and infrastructure for sustainable aviation fuel.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImposes 10% fee on duty-free sales, directing revenue to tourism marketing and sustainable aviation fuel accounts, funding specific state programs.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationFunds sustainable aviation fuel research/development, directly supporting transportation infrastructure innovation within the aviation sector.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 20, 2025

HB 2050: Implementing K-12 savings and efficiencies.

House Bill 2050 updates the system for providing state local effort assistance funding to K-12 public school districts in Washington. This funding helps supplement local school district levies for educational enrichment programs. The bill modifies how this assistance is calculated, including updating financial thresholds and refining definitions for terms like "eligible school district" and "student enrollment." It also removes temporary provisions related to how student enrollment from prior school years was considered for funding calculations. These changes affect how much state funding school districts receive to support their local education efforts, with an effective date of January 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesUpdates state funding formula for K-12 schools, maintaining supplemental support for public education budgets through revised financial thresholds.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill updates K-12 funding system to maintain state assistance for educational enrichment programs, supplementing local levies without reducing support.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 5167: Making 2025-2027 fiscal biennium operating appropriations.

SB 5167 establishes the operating budget for the state of Washington for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium. It appropriates funds for the salaries, wages, and operational expenses of various state agencies and offices, directly affecting all state government functions and the services provided to Washington residents. The bill outlines specific allocations, such as for the House of Representatives and the Senate, and includes conditions and limitations on how funds can be spent. For example, it allocates funds for the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee to conduct performance audits, including a review of juvenile rehabilitation programs. These appropriations cover the period from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2027.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes operating budget appropriations for state agencies, funding essential government operations and services per fiscal biennium requirements.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 5814: Modernizing the excise taxes on select services and nicotine products and requiring certain large businesses to make a one-time prepayment of state sales tax collection.

Senate Bill 5814 modernizes Washington's tax code by extending the state retail sales tax to select services, such as certain computer-related and digital automated services. It also expands the application of excise taxes on tobacco products to include new and emerging nicotine products. Additionally, the bill requires certain large businesses to make a one-time prepayment of state sales tax collections. These changes affect businesses providing the newly taxed services and nicotine products, as well as the consumers of these items. The revenue generated is intended to support public schools, health care, and social services across the state.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExtends sales tax to new services and expands nicotine excise taxes, increasing state revenue and modernizing tax collection for fiscal management.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 19, 2025

HB 2015: Improving public safety funding by providing resources to local governments and state and local criminal justice agencies, and authorizing a local option tax.

HB 2015 establishes a new grant program to improve public safety by providing direct financial support to local and tribal law enforcement agencies. These grants are intended to help agencies with hiring, retaining, and training law enforcement officers, as well as peer counselors and behavioral health personnel for co-response teams. To qualify for funding, agencies must meet specific requirements, including implementing state policies on use of force and de-escalation, participating in mandated trainings, and demonstrating compliance with data collection standards. Grant funds can cover up to 75 percent of entry-level salaries and benefits for new officers and support costs for required officer training.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes local option tax to fund public safety grants, increasing budget allocation for law enforcement services and personnel training.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds law enforcement hiring/training and behavioral health co-response teams with de-escalation requirements, advancing accountability and public safety reform.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 19, 2025

HB 1207: Concerning superior court clerk fees.

House Bill 1207 modifies the fees collected by superior court clerks, impacting individuals and entities filing various documents in civil actions, appeals, probate proceedings, and certain criminal cases. It introduces new surcharges on many of these filing fees, with the collected funds distributed to state accounts for judicial stabilization, public defense support, court interpreter services, and library-archives, while a portion is retained by counties. The bill establishes a county clerk administrative assistance fund, which the clerk can manage for office operations without county legislative appropriation, and creates dedicated state accounts for public defense and court interpreter support. Notably, it sets a lower initial filing fee for unlawful detainer actions and exempts indigent criminal defendants from certain fees upon conviction.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIntroduces surcharges on court filings to fund judicial stabilization, public defense, and court services, directly increasing revenue for essential public programs.85% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAllocates surcharges from criminal case filings to public defense support, directly funding a key criminal justice reform component per indicators.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 19, 2025

HB 1392: Creating the medicaid access program.

House Bill 1392 establishes the Medicaid Access Program in Washington state, directly affecting health carriers and Medicaid managed care organizations. The bill implements an annual "covered lives assessment" on these entities, with specific per-member-per-month rates, to fund the program. Implementation of these assessments and the program is conditional upon federal approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, along with state appropriation certifications and contract amendments.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImplements annual assessment on health carriers to fund Medicaid program, increasing state revenue for essential healthcare services.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates Medicaid Access Program funded via assessments on health carriers to expand coverage, directly advancing healthcare access and funding as per summary.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes 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 No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

signed · Washington · House May 17, 2025

HB 1213: Expanding protections for workers in the state paid family and medical leave program.

HB 1213 expands protections for workers in Washington's state paid family and medical leave program. The bill requires the department to enhance outreach to employees, explaining their eligibility, application process, and reinstatement and nondiscrimination rights. It also mandates increased outreach to employers about their responsibilities and authorizes the department to audit employer records for compliance. Additionally, the bill clarifies premium collection and calculation methods, and ensures the confidentiality of employee information within the program.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesClarifies premium collection methods for state paid leave program, ensuring proper fiscal management and program funding continuity.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands protections for workers in medical leave program, enhancing access to healthcare services through improved eligibility outreach and employer compliance enforcement.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly expands worker protections in paid leave program via enhanced outreach, employer compliance audits, and clarified premium rules, directly strengthening employment standards.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes