Labor & Employment

signed · Washington · House Apr 1, 2026

HB 2689: Concerning the working connections child care program.

HB 2689 expands Washington State's Working Connections Child Care program to help more working families afford quality child care. It gradually increases income eligibility thresholds: from 60% to 75% of state median income by 2029, and to 85% by 2031, while maintaining current rules for children under 13 or with special needs. The bill also raises subsidy rates to cover 75% of the market rate for licensed child care providers starting July 2026, and caps program enrollment at 33,000 households with prioritized access for families receiving temporary assistance or with special needs. These changes aim to increase access to affordable child care for low- and middle-income working families across the state.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands child care subsidies for working families, increasing access to employment by reducing a key barrier, thus strengthening workforce participation and benefits.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Washington · House Apr 1, 2026

HB 2034: Concerning termination and restatement of plan 1 of the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system.

HB 2034 terminates and restates Washington's LEOFF Plan 1 for law enforcement and firefighter retirement, effective June 30, 2029. The bill ensures all current benefits for retirees and survivors (over 6,000 beneficiaries) continue uninterrupted during the transition, while transferring sufficient assets to cover all future obligations. Any surplus assets - currently over $3.3 billion - will revert to the state after all liabilities are fully satisfied. The legislation directly affects only existing beneficiaries, as Plan 1 now has only four active members and has exceeded full funding for decades.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReturns $3.3B surplus to state budget after covering liabilities, promoting fiscal responsibility without tax changes.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEnsures uninterrupted retirement benefits for LEOFF retirees (6,000+ beneficiaries), protecting existing employment benefits without reducing coverage or obligations.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Washington · House Mar 30, 2026

HB 2411: Modifying shared leave provisions to authorize shared leave for victims of a hate crime and those whose absence is due to immigration enforcement actions against the employee or the employee's relative.

HB 2411 expands Washington state employees' shared leave eligibility to include victims of hate crimes and situations involving immigration enforcement actions affecting the employee or their relative. It adds two specific qualifying reasons to existing shared leave provisions: (1) being a victim of a hate crime, and (2) needing time off due to immigration enforcement actions like detention, deportation, or related family separation. The bill includes strict protections, requiring employers to accept written statements or documentation from advocates (not disclosing immigration status) and prohibiting the sharing of personally identifiable immigration information. This policy change directly affects state employees facing these specific circumstances, allowing them to use shared leave without pay while maintaining confidentiality about immigration status.

Topics ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationExpands shared leave for immigration enforcement impacts, protecting employees from job loss during family detention/deportation.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands shared leave eligibility for hate crime victims and immigration enforcement impacts, directly protecting workers' rights and broadening leave benefits under Labor & Employment.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Washington · House Mar 30, 2026

HB 2105: Concerning immigrant worker protections.

HB 2105 requires Washington employers to notify workers within 72 hours if federal agencies plan I-9 form or worker record inspections. It mandates posting notices in five common non-English languages at workplaces, sending written notices to workers' last known addresses, and sharing federal inspection results with affected workers. The law directly affects all Washington employers and immigrant workers who may face federal immigration verification checks. Key provisions include multilingual notice requirements, timelines for employer communication, and a template for compliance developed by the Attorney General. This bill creates a formal process for transparency during federal I-9 audits, aiming to protect workers' rights during inspections.

Topics ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationRequires employers to notify immigrant workers of federal I-9 inspections, mandates multilingual notices, and shares inspection results - directly protecting workers' rights and limiting surprise federal enforcement actions.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates employer notifications and multilingual notices for immigrant workers facing federal inspections, directly strengthening worker rights and access to information during I-9 checks.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Washington · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 6188: Concerning the department of labor and industries' authority to enact rules related to regulating asbestos training.

SB 6188 sets training and certification requirements for asbestos workers and supervisors in Washington. It mandates four-day training for workers and five-day training for supervisors, covering health/safety topics like protective gear, disposal, and air monitoring, with all courses requiring Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) approval. L&I can only adopt rules specifically needed to meet federal standards, not exceed them. This directly affects contractors, employers, and workers handling asbestos, ensuring minimum training standards while allowing for stricter employer requirements.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates mandatory asbestos safety training for workers/supervisors, directly enhancing workplace safety protections through L&I-approved courses on health/safety protocols.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Washington · House Mar 23, 2026

HB 2471: Concerning collective bargaining for employees not covered by the national labor relations act.

HB 2471 establishes a state framework for collective bargaining rights when federal labor laws no longer apply to certain private-sector workers in Washington. It directly affects employees not covered by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRB), such as independent contractors, supervisors, or workers in industries where the NLRB lacks jurisdiction. The bill creates procedures for certifying bargaining representatives and ensures existing agreements remain valid during transitions, using the Public Employment Relations Commission to handle disputes. Key provisions include defining "employee" and "employer," requiring one-month certification timelines for existing representatives, and mandating the Commission to resolve disagreements over bargaining units. This law fills gaps in labor protections without altering federal jurisdiction.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEstablishes state collective bargaining framework for NLRB-excluded workers (e.g., contractors), directly advancing union organizing rights and protecting existing agreements per bill summary.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Washington · Senate Mar 18, 2026

SB 5068: Concerning agencies, firefighters, prosecutors, and general or limited authority law enforcement, extending eligibility for employment to all United States citizens or persons legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law.

SB 5068 expands employment eligibility for various public service roles in Washington state. The bill allows individuals legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law to be considered for positions as firefighters, prosecutors, and general or limited authority law enforcement officers. This change amends existing state laws that previously limited eligibility to U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, broadening the pool of potential applicants for these roles. The bill specifies that it must be interpreted consistent with federal work authorization requirements.

Topics ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationExpands public service job eligibility to legally authorized workers, removing citizenship barriers. Aligns with immigrant integration support.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands employment eligibility for public service roles to legally authorized workers, advancing access to employment opportunities under Labor & Employment standards.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Washington · House Mar 17, 2026

HB 2249: Amending the state civil service statutes to include Washington technology solutions network and security systems employees.

HB 2249 expands an existing exemption in Washington's civil service rules to include employees of Washington Technology Solutions (WTS) who handle network security, systems integration, and IT management. This specifically affects WTS staff performing IT security, data center management, and network systems engineering duties. The bill amends RCW 41.06.070 to add these positions to a list of state employees already exempt from standard civil service regulations. As a result, these IT workers will not be subject to the same hiring, promotion, and personnel rules that apply to most other state employees.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentExempts IT security staff from civil service protections, removing standard employment safeguards like job security and fair hiring processes under RCW 41.06.070.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Washington · Senate Mar 17, 2026

SB 6106: Modifying the securing timely notification and benefits for laid-off employees act. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Concerning the laid-off employees act.)

SB 6106 updates Washington’s law on notifying laid-off employees by excluding Indian tribes from the definition of "employer," meaning tribal employers will no longer be subject to the law’s notice and benefit requirements. It also adds a new exemption protecting employee names and addresses from public disclosure under the state’s open records law. These changes amend specific sections of Washington law (RCW 49.45.010 and RCW 42.56.230) to clarify who must comply and strengthen privacy safeguards for affected workers. The bill directly impacts tribal employers (no longer covered) and all employees whose personal information is now shielded from public access in employment records.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentExcludes tribal employers from layoff notice/benefit requirements, reducing worker protections under the law.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyAdds exemption protecting employee names/addresses from public disclosure, strengthening data privacy under RCW 42.56.230, aligning with data privacy indicators.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

passed both · Washington · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 2675: Concerning accounts.

HB 2675 repeals seven existing state accounts (including the Climate Resiliency Account and COVID-19 Unemployment Account) and creates a new "abandoned recreational vehicle disposal account" in the state treasury. This account funds reimbursements for registered tow truck operators and licensed dismantlers who remove abandoned recreational vehicles when owners cannot be located, covering up to 100% of reasonable costs per vehicle (capped at $10,000). Funds may also cover department administrative expenses (up to 15% of spending) and must be used solely for this purpose after appropriation. The bill directly affects tow operators, dismantlers, and state agencies managing vehicle removal programs, streamlining fund management by consolidating related accounts into a single dedicated fund.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentRepeals Climate Resiliency Account (defunding climate resilience efforts); new account unrelated to environment. No environmental protections advanced.90% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRepeals COVID-19 Unemployment Account, defunding unemployment benefits which directly weakens labor/employment support.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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