SB 5027 establishes a Washington state program to repay law school loans for public defense attorneys and prosecutors. To qualify, participants must work full-time (at 80% of the state bar’s standard caseload) in qualifying public defense or prosecution roles for three years. The program provides up to $20,000 annually for three years ($120,000 total), prioritizing rural practitioners if funding is limited. Participants must repay funds if they leave before completing the service period.
SB 5117, the "FEAST Act" (Food Economics, Availability, and Security Over Time), creates a new state policy framework to support Washington's agricultural sector. It requires the state to analyze the fiscal impact of proposed legislation on agricultural businesses, including regulatory cost changes, and produce written fiscal notes for lawmakers upon request. These notes must detail annual impacts for the first two years and a six-year forecast, focusing on how policy decisions affect farmers' ability to produce food. The bill directly affects agricultural entities (like farms and processors) and state agencies responsible for drafting and reviewing legislation. It does not change existing agricultural regulations but establishes a process for evaluating future policy impacts.
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Agriculture
HB 1787 updates Washington state's involuntary treatment standards for individuals with severe substance use disorders who pose an immediate danger to themselves or others. It establishes new legal criteria for court-ordered treatment, requiring local governments to provide access to appropriate facilities. The bill mandates doubling secure withdrawal management facility beds through targeted funding incentives, specifically addressing geographic gaps in treatment access across rural and urban communities. These changes aim to implement standards previously recognized but not enacted since 2020, ensuring individuals in crisis can receive timely treatment. The policy directly affects people with severe substance use disorders meeting the danger criteria and community treatment providers.
SB 5454 extends Washington's existing dairy inspection program through June 30, 2031, by amending the assessment on milk processing. It requires milk processing plants to pay a fee of 54 cents per hundredweight of milk processed (exempting those paying under $20 monthly) to fund inspections ensuring compliance with national milk safety standards. The collected funds are deposited into a dedicated dairy inspection account within the state's agricultural fund, exclusively used for inspection services. This bill directly affects dairy processors in Washington by maintaining the current funding mechanism for program oversight.
HB 2071 imposes a monthly $1 tax on owners of online dating applications with Washington resident users, calculated based on the number of Washington residents (identified via address or IP) using the app each month. The tax applies to businesses owning 50% or more of such apps and funds must be deposited into a dedicated domestic violence services account for intervention programs and victim assistance. Owners must report resident user counts monthly and maintain records, with accounts inactive for 24+ months no longer taxable. The tax takes effect January 1, 2026, and directly affects online dating app companies operating in Washington.
HB 1441 establishes a competitive grant and loan program to fund repair and replacement of existing public broadband infrastructure in unserved areas, directly affecting local governments, tribes, nonprofits, and broadband-focused businesses. The bill requires applicants to first contact existing broadband providers to verify no current service meets state standards and to demonstrate project benefits like household access, community support, and long-term sustainability. It amends existing law to explicitly include "repair and replace" projects in the funding criteria, streamlining the process for maintaining and upgrading current broadband systems. Applications must detail project locations, technical capabilities, community impact, and evidence that existing providers haven’t already committed to serving the area.
HB 1903 establishes a statewide low-income energy assistance program to reduce high energy costs for Washington households. It directly affects low-income residents who struggle with energy burdens, defined as spending a significant portion of income on energy bills. Key provisions include allowing all eligible households to apply directly or through utilities (with self-attestation for income), requiring tiered assistance based on need, and mandating utilities to provide upfront energy bill discounts with reimbursement from the state. The program also requires multilingual outreach, trauma-informed support, and an advisory group including low-income residents to ensure equitable access. The program must begin by July 1, 2026, with funding intended to cover the $270 million+ annual energy burden.
SB 5815 proposes modifications to Washington's Business and Occupation (B&O) tax system. The bill would increase certain B&O tax rates for businesses engaged in activities such as extracting, manufacturing, and retail sales to 0.5 percent. It also introduces a temporary B&O tax surcharge specifically for large companies with annual revenues exceeding $250 million. Additionally, the bill clarifies B&O tax deductions for certain investments and adjusts the advanced computing surcharge cap. The stated intent is to generate revenue to support public schools, higher education, health care, and social services across the state.
HB 1910 modifies Washington State's school funding formula to increase state allocations for teacher-librarians in public schools. The bill specifies minimum staffing levels of 0.66 full-time equivalent positions for teacher-librarians in elementary schools and one full-time equivalent position in middle and high schools. This change directly affects all public school districts receiving basic education funding by mandating additional state resources for school library media programs. The increased funding supports information literacy and technology resources through library programs, as defined in the bill's amendment to the state's education funding law.
HB 1095 would allow Washington cities and counties to impose a 0.10% sales and use tax credit to fund law enforcement recruitment and retention. Local governments would collect this tax as a credit against state sales tax, with at least 50% of the revenue required to directly support hiring and retaining commissioned officers. The tax would be phased in starting in 2026 for smaller jurisdictions (under 50,000 residents), expanding to all cities and counties by 2028. This bill creates a new funding mechanism but does not alter existing officer training requirements.
