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

Sub-Topics Medicaid Medicare

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5517: Determining state allocations for school staff salaries.

SB 5517 sets new minimum state funding levels for school staff salaries in Washington, primarily affecting school districts and their non-teaching staff. It requires increasing the average state allocation for classified staff (such as office, clerical, and support workers) to $67,325 by the 2025-26 school year, with further increases to $73,384 for 2026-27 and $99,164 for classified administrators by 2027-28, all adjusted for inflation. The bill mandates regional cost adjustments for salary allocations based on local housing values and requires a four-year review to ensure funding aligns with staffing costs. These changes directly impact how school districts calculate state funding for non-certificated staff salaries.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates increased state funding for school staff salaries, directly expanding public education budget allocations through binding minimums.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates increased state funding for school staff salaries with specific dollar targets, directly advancing educational staffing resources and funding levels.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill mandates increasing state funding for classified staff salaries to $67,325+ by 2027, directly advancing wage standards for non-teaching school workers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Teachers

Track

passed · Washington · House Mar 12, 2026

HB 1073: Keeping our Washington national guard strong act.

HB 1073 creates the Washington National Guard Retention Program to help the state retain military personnel. It directs the Adjutant General to study retention needs - such as length of service and critical skills - and determine reenlistment bonuses to encourage members to extend their service. The program requires clear eligibility criteria and bonus payment schedules, with the state military department mandated to report on retention needs to the governor and legislature every three years starting in 2027. The bill directly affects Washington National Guard members who may qualify for reenlistment bonuses.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates state funding for National Guard reenlistment bonuses, directly advancing government spending on military retention through appropriations and reporting requirements.95% confidence

Track

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

Sub-Topics Higher Education

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5634: Improving accessibility of community solar projects in Washington state.

SB 5634 aims to make community solar projects more accessible in Washington by updating definitions and requirements for project administrators. It requires projects over 199 kilowatts to meet labor standards (like prevailing wages and apprenticeship use) and reserves 50% of incentives for smaller projects (≤199 kW). The bill also mandates that at least 50% of incentive payments must support low-income subscribers, verified through confidential income checks. These changes directly affect community solar companies, project administrators, and subscribers - especially low-income households and smaller community projects. The law modifies existing rules to prioritize equitable access and workforce standards in solar program participation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates 50% of incentives for low-income subscribers, directing state funds toward essential energy access programs per bill's incentive allocation requirements.95% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyReserves 50% incentives for smaller solar projects and mandates 50% of payments for low-income subscribers, expanding renewable energy access and equity.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill promotes community solar (clean energy) by reserving 50% of incentives for smaller projects and low-income subscribers, advancing renewable energy adoption and environmental goals.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires prevailing wages and apprenticeships for large community solar projects, directly strengthening labor standards in renewable energy sector.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Solar Apprenticeships Labor Standards

Track

signed · Washington · Senate May 7, 2025

SB 5529: Amending the county population threshold for counties that may exempt from taxation the value of accessory dwelling units to incentivize rental to low-income households.

Senate Bill 5529 amends the county population requirements for jurisdictions that can offer property tax exemptions on accessory dwelling units (ADUs). It lowers the minimum population threshold, allowing counties with populations between 900,000 and 1,500,000 to also exempt ADUs from taxation. This aims to incentivize homeowners to rent these units to low-income households, provided conditions like tenant income verification and rent limits are met. For these newly eligible counties, the exemption specifically applies to detached ADUs and requires a local legislative authority resolution.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates property tax exemptions for ADUs rented to low-income households, providing targeted tax relief to incentivize affordable housing while meeting income verification requirements.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill lowers population threshold for ADU tax exemptions to incentivize low-income rentals, directly increasing affordable housing access through tax incentives for property owners.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Affordable Housing Property Taxes Zoning

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

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1510: Concerning participation in the public employees' retirement system judicial benefit multiplier program by commissioners of the supreme court and court of appeals.

HB 1510 expands Washington's judicial retirement benefit program to include supreme court and court of appeals commissioners, who were previously excluded. It allows current commissioners to elect a 1.5% annual benefit multiplier for future service (effective 2026) and permits past commissioners to retroactively purchase higher benefits for prior service (2028 window), subject to a 75% cap on total benefits. Commissioners must pay 5% of salary plus 5.5% interest for retroactive purchases, with costs limited to the actuarial value of the increased benefit. This applies to members of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) under Plans 1 or 2.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill expands judicial retirement benefits, increasing state spending on employee compensation for a specific group of state employees.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Pensions

Track

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1612: Concerning advanced placement, international baccalaureate, and Cambridge international exams.

HB 1612 requires Washington's Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to subsidize exam registration and administration fees for Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and Cambridge International exams taken by public high school students. This directly affects students in Washington state who participate in these college-level courses by reducing their financial barriers. The bill mandates annual reports tracking participation, credit awards, and academic performance, disaggregated by student demographics including gender, homelessness status, and language learning needs. A 2026 report will specifically analyze whether the fee subsidy changed exam pass rates and the demographic diversity of students enrolled in these programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates state funding for student exam fees, allocating budget resources to reduce financial barriers in education and track program effectiveness.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationSubsidizes AP/IB/Cambridge exam fees for public high school students, reducing financial barriers and increasing access to advanced coursework in Washington state.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education

Track

signed · Washington · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 5801: Concerning transportation resources.

SB 5801 amends Washington's fuel tax structure to generate revenue for transportation infrastructure. Starting July 1, 2025, it adds a 6-cent-per-gallon tax on regular fuel and a 3-cent tax on special fuel (with an additional 3-cent tax on special fuel beginning July 1, 2027). The bill also mandates annual 2% increases to regular fuel tax rates starting July 1, 2026, and to special fuel rates starting July 1, 2028. These changes directly affect fuel licensees (businesses selling fuel) and will increase costs for consumers purchasing gasoline or special fuels. The legislation repeals outdated tax provisions and establishes new funding mechanisms to support state transportation system development.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAdds fuel taxes to generate revenue for transportation infrastructure, directly funding public services through increased taxation.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill explicitly imposes fuel taxes to generate revenue for transportation infrastructure, directly funding road and transit projects per its summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Procurement Transportation Funding