Rep. Nicole Macri

Maddy summaryHB 2487 corrects a court interpretation that allowed non-insurers (like pharmacy benefit managers) to wrongly avoid business and occupation taxes by misusing an insurance tax exemption. The bill rewrites the exemption language to require businesses claiming it to prove they paid premium taxes to the state, aligning with the original 1935 intent to prevent double taxation on insurers. It consolidates two tax exemption sections and applies retroactively to tax periods starting October 2, 2019, to ensure businesses that previously misused the exemption pay what they owe. This directly affects insurers and businesses claiming the exemption, aiming to protect state revenue for schools and services.

Maddy summaryHB 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.

Maddy summaryHB 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.

Maddy summaryHB 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.

Maddy summaryHB 2156 clarifies that investigators from Washington's Attorney General's office gain limited law enforcement powers - specifically, the authority to serve court-approved search warrants for business records - when they have concurrent criminal investigation authority under existing law. This applies only to business records and requires both judicial authorization and a business's specific request for physical service at a location. The bill explicitly prohibits these investigators from making arrests, carrying weapons, or exceeding their defined scope of authority. It directly affects Attorney General's office investigators handling criminal investigations under agreements with local agencies.

Maddy summaryHB 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.

Maddy summaryHB 2266 requires Washington cities and counties to permit permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, indoor emergency shelters, and indoor emergency housing in any zoning district where hotels or residential development is allowed, without imposing stricter rules than those for standard hotels or homes. It standardizes permitting processes, prohibits local governments from restricting these housing types to industrial zones, and mandates that cities/counties meet projected housing needs for emergency shelters. For indoor emergency shelters, the bill requires sponsors to provide written certification of community notification (within 500 feet), one community meeting, a point of contact, and operational policies - without additional requirements. The bill directly affects local governments (by changing zoning rules), housing providers (by streamlining approvals), and people experiencing homelessness (by increasing housing access), aiming to address Washington’s housing crisis through regulatory reform.

Maddy summaryHB 1974 establishes a framework for counties to create land banking authorities aimed at increasing affordable housing. These land banks - public entities or nonprofits - can acquire, hold, and develop land within urban growth areas, requiring at least 33% of housing units to be affordable to extremely low-income households, no more than 33% at market rate, and the remainder for moderate-income residents. The bill mandates 99-year affordability covenants on developed land, prioritizes displacement mitigation, and requires advisory boards reflecting community diversity to oversee land bank activities. It directly affects counties, housing developers, and low/moderate-income residents, particularly in communities disproportionately impacted by housing inequities.

Maddy summaryHB 2548 amends Washington state law to require 60-day advance notice to the Attorney General for significant healthcare entity transactions. It directly affects hospitals, hospital systems, and provider organizations (like physician groups or accountable care organizations) when they plan mergers, acquisitions, or changes in ownership structure. The bill mandates this notice for transactions involving entities generating $10 million+ in Washington patient revenue, or for conversions from nonprofit to for-profit status. This procedural requirement aims to increase transparency before major market shifts, without altering healthcare coverage or costs. The bill is currently pending in committee after failing to pass in the House.

Maddy summaryHB 2442 allows Washington counties and cities to impose specific real estate excise taxes to fund local capital projects and affordable housing. It authorizes a 0.25% tax on real property sales for general capital projects (like streets, parks, and sewer systems), with strict usage rules requiring projects to align with comprehensive plans. Additionally, it creates a separate 0.5% tax exclusively for affordable housing development, including acquisition, construction, and maintenance for low- and moderate-income residents. Local governments must document funding plans for future projects and follow voter approval processes for new taxes, while funds must be managed through competitive grant processes for housing initiatives. The bill directly affects local governments by expanding their tax tools for infrastructure and housing priorities.