HB 1626 expands financial assistance for small school districts and small businesses in Washington state that participate in the paid family and medical leave insurance program. It provides two types of grants: up to $3,000 for hiring temporary workers during an employee’s 7+ day leave, or up to $1,000 to cover extra payroll costs from an employee’s leave. Eligible employers include small school districts (classified as "second class"), businesses with 51-150 employees, and those with 50 or fewer employees who pay all insurance premiums. Grants require documentation of the leave-related costs and are limited to 10 per year per employer, with a three-year premium assessment for businesses under 50 employees that receive a grant.
HB 2038 creates a "youth behavioral health account" funded by a 0.4% tax on the gross income of social media platforms operating in Washington, starting January 2026. The tax applies to platforms defined as services allowing social interaction (like Facebook or TikTok), excluding email, gaming, or review sites. Funds will support telebehavioral health services for school-aged youth, a state coordinator for youth behavioral health, and implementation of a statewide strategic plan for prenatal through age 25 care. The bill explicitly states the tax does not apply to 501(c)(3) non-profits.
This bill requires Washington's higher education office to track and publicly share the exact state financial aid amounts awarded to each student using the Washington Application for State Financial Aid, starting with the 2025-26 academic year. By December 1, 2026, the office must annually report to the legislature on total applicants, recipients, and total aid disbursed per higher education institution. This data will be published online to increase transparency about how state financial aid is distributed. The bill directly affects students receiving state aid through the Washington Application and all public colleges/universities in Washington.
SB 5596 repeals Washington State's participation in the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, a multi-state agreement that allowed teachers to transfer licenses more easily between states. The bill removes specific laws (RCW 28A.420.005-.120) that governed this compact, ending Washington’s ability to recognize teaching licenses from other participating states. This directly affects out-of-state teachers seeking to work in Washington schools, as they will no longer qualify for streamlined licensure under the compact and must meet Washington’s full licensing requirements instead. The repeal also modifies the "provisional employee" rules for new teachers but does not change the core process for school districts to nonrenew teaching contracts.
SB 5119 expands collective bargaining rights to student-employees enrolled in academic or certificate programs at Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Western Washington University, and The Evergreen State College. It allows these employees to collectively bargain over specific workplace issues like compensation and tuition remission waivers, but excludes topics such as tuition rates, academic calendars, class sizes, and termination for academic reasons. The bill specifies that bargaining units must cover only one institution and cannot include employees already covered under other state labor laws. This legislation directly affects student-employees working at these four public universities who are simultaneously enrolled in academic programs.
This bill establishes a reimbursement system for Washington school districts replacing student transportation vehicles (like school buses). It requires the superintendent to set annual payment rates based on vehicle categories, inflation, and expected lifetime costs, ensuring payments cover replacement costs minus salvage value. Districts must report transportation data quarterly and cannot receive duplicate funding if they get grants for the same vehicle. The bill also mandates districts maintain vehicles to standards, with penalties for poor maintenance, and tracks fuel costs and operational data in financial reports.
SB 5355 establishes new protections and resources for student survivors of sex-based violence and harassment at Washington state's larger institutions of higher education. The bill grants survivors specific rights, including access to trauma-informed employees, a timely institutional investigation process, and mental health or counseling services. It also requires institutions to offer supportive measures, such as academic adjustments or schedule modifications, and honor court-issued no-contact orders. Additionally, the bill mandates training for Title IX employees and requires certain campuses to establish committees to evaluate and improve survivor support services.
HB 1883 extends the expiration date of a tax credit for businesses participating in Washington's customized employment training program from 2026 to July 1, 2031. The credit allows businesses to reduce their state tax bill by 50% of payments made to the training program. The bill requires the college board to submit a 2028 report detailing program outcomes, including employee training numbers, wage growth, retention rates, and geographic distribution. The legislature states that future extensions may be considered if 75% of businesses complete training and repay the allowance, based on the report's findings.
HB 1289 requires educational service districts to create a voluntary online survey for parents and guardians to share feedback about their public school experience, including satisfaction, suggestions, and reasons for enrollment or disenrollment. The survey must collect anonymized data linked to statewide student identifiers, then disaggregate responses by student categories (like race or disability), enrollment reasons, and transfer types (e.g., to private schools or home instruction). School districts and the state superintendent must publish annual, public summaries of this data, organized by school and student group, while complying with privacy laws like FERPA. This applies directly to all public school families in Washington, school districts, and educational service districts starting September 2025.
SB 5797 enacts a new tax on certain financial intangible assets, such as stocks and bonds, in Washington State. The bill levies a tax of $0.34 for every $1,000 of true and fair value of these assets. It primarily affects individuals and artificial persons with over $50,000,000 in taxable financial intangible assets, while exempting retirement savings, college savings, and ownership interests in private companies. Revenues generated from this tax are dedicated to the education legacy trust account to support public schools, early learning, child care, and higher education.
