Welcome Back

Washington State’s 66^th Biennium resumed this week in Olympia. Washington’s legislative cycle is two years long, with the sessions lasting 105 days in odd-numbered years and 60 days in even. 2020 is therefore a short session expected to end March 12.

New Speaker, New House

History was further made on Monday as Rep. Laurie Jinkins (D-27) took the helm as Speaker of the House. While several women have been elected to serve as Senate Majority Leader, beginning with Republican Senator Jeanette Hayner (R-16) in 1981, Jinkins is both the first woman ever elected to be the Speaker of the House in Washington and the first open member of the LGBTQ community to serve in the role. It is anticipated a House ruled by Jinkins will be unlike that of her predecessor Rep. Frank Chopp (D-43).  Jinkins, a 55-year-old lawyer who has worked both for the Office of the Attorney General and the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is also the mom of a college student and has pledged to make the House more welcoming of members with children and those from low-income backgrounds. Proposals include limiting all-night floor sessions and allowing members to pay for reimbursable items up front, rather than wait for reimbursements. These policy changes in the House closely resemble the Tacoma Democrat’s legislative priorities: housing and homelessness, childcare affordability, and the cost of healthcare.

Resignations and Retirements

While Rep. Frank Chopp (D-43) did step down from his role as Speaker of the House earlier this year, prompting the election of Jinkins in July, he has remained a member of the legislature. Longtime Oak Harbor Senator Barb Bailey (R-10) retired this fall and has been replaced by Whidbey Island farmer Ron Muzzall (R-10).  When Senator Guy Palumbo (D-1) left the legislature for a policy job at Amazon, Rep. Derek Stanford (D-1) assumed his seat across the rotunda, creating an opening for the new Rep. Davina Duerr (D-1), a Bothell City Councilmember.  Longtime Rep. Jeff Morris (D-40) resigned shortly before session, making way for Alex Ramel (D-40), a young clean energy organizer. January also brought the announcement that Rep. Kristine Reeves (D-30) would step down to run for Denny Heck’s open seat in the 10^th Congressional District. She has been replaced by Rep. Jesse Johnson (D-30), formerly of the Federal Way City Council. Rep. Beth Doglio (D-22) has also hinted she will consider the seat at the end of this legislative session. Rep. Gael Tarleton (D-36) announced she will run for Secretary of State in 2020, hoping to unseat Republican Kim Wyman. Representative Sheri Appleton (D-23) and Senator Randi Becker (R-2) have announced they will retire this year, as well as Senator Hans Zeiger (R-25) who will run for a position on the Pierce County Council.  And of course, Governor Jay Inslee has returned to Washington after his failed bid to become to Democratic Presidential Nominee with plans to make homelessness and climate change the centerpiece of his session.

One member who notably has not resigned is embattled Rep. Matt Shea (R-4). Shea made international news this year for his manifesto for a Christian Holy war, participation in chats proposing graphic violence against liberal demonstrators, and for his role in an armed 2016 standoff at an Oregon wildlife refuge.  After the release of an investigation accusing Shea of domestic terrorism, House Minority Leader Rep. JT Wilcox (R-2) joined Democrats in calling for the Spokane Valley representative’s resignation. Shea, an attorney, has refused to resign, claiming he has been denied due process. The investigation has been turned over to the FBI. Shea is now excluded from his caucus, his desk has been moved to the back of the chamber, and his office to an isolated area in the basement of the legislative building.  The chamber can expel a member from the body, but such action will require a two-thirds constitutional majority.

Transportation Funding

Fallout from the November passage of Initiative 976, the $30 car tab measure looms large. Though 53% of voters approved the measure, nine plaintiffs including the City of Seattle, King County, the Port of Seattle, the Association of WA Cities, and the Washington State Transit Association filed suit, arguing I-976 violated the single-subject rule and several other constitutional provisions. In late November, the initiative was blocked from taking effect pending conclusion of the case. Democratic lawmakers have announced they will write a transportation budget this session that conforms to the reality of cutting $454 million between 2019-2021. In his proposal, Governor Inslee has suggested pausing road, rail, and transit projects across the state, shifting money between transportation accounts, and selling $120 million in bonds backed by gas-tax revenue. The transportation committees in both chambers will grapple with this question for the rest of session.

Emissions Ruling

The Washington State Supreme Court dealt a blow to Governor Inslee’s climate goals Thursday when it sided with the Association of WA Business, ruling that while the 2015 Legislature had granted the Department of Ecology the authority to regulate direct greenhouse gas emissions, it had not extended that authority to indirect emissions. Indirect emissions include vehicle exhaust and the use of natural gas in homes and business, accounting for half of all greenhouse gas emissions in WA. Inslee has suggested the ruling should “reenergize” proposals for a low carbon fuel standard bill. The Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee did hear a proposed House Substitute 5412 (Saldaña) on Thursday. The companion, HB 1110 (Fitzgibbon) travelled through the process last year but died on third reading in the Senate during the last week of session.

Supreme Court Retirements

Governor Inslee will have a second opportunity to appoint a member of the Washington State Supreme Court in only a few months, with the announcement Thursday that 72-year-old Justice Charles Wiggins will retire at the end of March. The Governor will appoint a new justice who will then run in the November election. The Supreme Court’s newest member, Raquel Montoya-Lewis was sworn in last month to replace former Chief Justice Mary Fairhurst who retired to focus on her health.

Public Disclosure

The very process and culture of lobbying in Olympia was turned on its head this week as the Legislature hastily rolled out new policies in response to the recent ruling that all written information is indeed subject to disclosure. In an environment that has since its inception relied on delivering information on notes and whitepapers, legislative offices have this week gone paperless, requiring lobbyists and constituents to email in advance any documents that otherwise might have been brought to an appointment. Gone are the days of leave-behinds, as each of these pieces of paper would have to be scanned into the public record.  This applies both to lobbyists and participants in lobby days. There is no current staffing plan to accommodate the usual volume. Sending notes to members to summon them for a chat from the floor or in committee has likewise been curtailed. Both chambers banned sending notes in this week, with the House later agreeing to accept notes so long as no topics or details of any kind are written down – just the name of the person wishing to pull the member. Legislators are also no longer accepting text messages about Olympia business on personal cell phones, as those too could be requested for disclosure.

Important Dates

Feb 7 – House of Origin Policy Cutoff 
Feb 11 – House of Origin Fiscal Cutoff
Feb 19 – House of Origin Floor Cutoff
Feb 28 – Opposite House Policy Cutoff
March 2 – Opposite House Fiscal Cutoff
March 6 – Opposite House Floor Cutoff
March 12 – Sine Die

Upcoming Events

Housing Stability & Affordability (Senate) – SHR 2, JACB – 1/20 @ 1:30pm

• SB 6232 – Exec Session – Concerning the property tax exemption for nonprofit organizations providing rental housing or mobile home park spaces to qualifying households.
• SB 6302 – Public Hearing – Prohibiting local governments from limiting the number of unrelated persons occupying a home.
• SB 6328 – Public Hearing – Creating a local infrastructure investment program to support the development of affordable housing, workforce housing, and revitalization efforts.

Labor & Workplace Standards (House) – HHR E, JLOB – 1/20 @ 1:30pm

• HB 2171 – Public Hearing – Concerning vested vacation or paid time off upon an employee’s termination. (Oppose/High)

Appropriations (House) – HHR A, JLOB – 1/20 @ 3:30pm

• HB 2460 – Public Hearing – Allowing small counties to retain ninety-eight percent of a surcharge for local homeless housing and assistance.

Finance (House) – HHR C, JLOB – 1/21 @ 8:00am

• HB 2384 – Public Hearing – Concerning the property tax exemption for nonprofit organizations providing rental housing or mobile home park spaces to qualifying households.

Local Government (Senate) – SHR 3, JACB – 1/21 @ 8:00am

• SB 6453 – Public Hearing – Tackling climate change as a goal of the growth management act.

Labor & Workplace Standards (House) – HHR E, JLOB – 1/21 @ 3:30pm

• HB 2409 – Public Hearing – Concerning industrial insurance employer penalties, duties, and the licensing of third-party administrators.

Housing Stability & Affordability (Senate) – SHR 2, JACB – 1/22 @ 1:30pm

• SB 6386 – Public Hearing – Reducing impact fees for low-income housing.
• SB 6411 – Public Hearing – Expanding the property tax exemption for new and rehabilitated multiple-unit dwellings in urban growth areas.
• SB 6446 – Public Hearing – Concerning lodging taxes for affordable housing.

Human Services & Early Learning (House) – HHR C, JLOB – 1/22 @ 1:30pm

• HB 2388 – Public Hearing – Standardizing definitions of homelessness to improve access to services.

Transportation (House) – HHR B, JLOB – 1/22 @ 3:30pm

• HB 2285 – Public Hearing – Elevating road maintenance and preservation in transportation planning.
• HB 2461 – Public Hearing – Including health in the state transportation system policy goals.
• HB 2688 – Public Hearing – Expanding transportation policy goals.

Environment & Energy (House) – HHR B, JLOB – 1/23 @ 8:00am

• HB 2427 – Public Hearing – Tackling climate change as a goal of the growth management act.

Labor & Commerce (Senate) – SHR 1, JACB – 1/23 @ 8:00am

• SB 6053 – Exec Session – Establishing wage liens. (Oppose/Medium)

Labor & Workplace Standards (House) – HHR E, JLOB – 1/23 @ 8:00am

• HB 2171 – Exec Session – Concerning vested vacation or paid time off upon an employee’s termination. (Oppose/High)

Local Government (Senate) – SHR 3, JACB – 1/23 @ 8:00am

• SB 6463 – Public Hearing – Eliminating environmental analysis and mitigation requirements on projects within the comprehensive plan.

Human Services & Early Learning (House) – HHR C, JLOB – 1/24 @ 8:00am

• HB 2388 – Exec Session – Standardizing definitions of homelessness to improve access to services.

Housing, Community Development & Veterans (House) – HHR E, JLOB – 1/24 @ 10:00am

• HB 1938 – Exec Session – Creating a local infrastructure investment program to support the development of affordable housing, workforce housing, and revitalization efforts. (Support/High)

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Bill #	Abbrev. Title	Short Description	Status	Sponsor	Position	Priority
2EHB 1056	Domestic violence/workplace	Creating a task force to identify the role of the workplace in helping curb domestic violence.	H Passed 3rd	Mosbrucker	Concerns	Low
2SHB 1938	Local infra. investment prg	Creating a local infrastructure investment program to support the development of affordable housing, workforce housing, and revitalization efforts.	H Hous, Com Dev &	Steele	Support	High
HB 2171	Vested vacation & time off	Concerning vested vacation or paid time off upon an employee’s termination.	H Labor & Workpla	Santos	Oppose	High
HB 2194	Transp. budget adjustments	Restricting executive discretion in adjusting transportation budgets.	H Trans	Walsh
HB 2227 (SB 6031)	Vehicle taxes & fees	Limiting state and local taxes, fees, and other charges relating to vehicles.	H Trans	Young
HB 2271 (SB 6094)	Transp. bonds/budget ref.	Correcting a reference to an omnibus transportation appropriations act within a prior authorization of general obligation bonds for transportation funding.	H Trans	Duerr
HB 2285	Road maintenance/planning	Elevating road maintenance and preservation in transportation planning.	H Trans	McCaslin
HB 2322	Transp. budget, supplemental	Making supplemental transportation appropriations for the 2019-2021 fiscal biennium.	H Trans	Fey
HB 2323	Motor vehicle sales tax	Dedicating the state sales tax on motor vehicles for transportation.	H Finance	MacEwen
HB 2343 (SB 6334)	Urban housing	Concerning urban housing supply.	H Env & Energy	Fitzgibbon
HB 2362	Local transportation revenue	Addressing local transportation revenue options.	H Trans	Ramos
HB 2384 (SB 6232)	Nonprofit housing/prop. tax	Concerning the property tax exemption for nonprofit organizations providing rental housing or mobile home park spaces to qualifying households.	H Finance	Doglio
HB 2388 (SB 6472)	Homelessness definitions	Standardizing definitions of homelessness to improve access to services.	H H Svcs & Erly	Senn
HB 2409	Industrial insur./employers	Concerning industrial insurance employer penalties, duties, and the licensing of third-party administrators.	H Labor & Workpla	Kilduff
HB 2427 (SB 6453)	Climate change/GMA	Tackling climate change as a goal of the growth management act.	H Env & Energy	Duerr
HB 2460	Homeless housing surcharge	Allowing small counties to retain ninety-eight percent of a surcharge for local homeless housing and assistance.	H Approps	Dye
HB 2461 (SB 6452)	Transp. system goals/health	Including health in the state transportation system policy goals.	H Trans	Riccelli
HB 2489 (SB 6212)	Affordable housing/prop. tax	Concerning the authority of counties, cities, and towns to exceed statutory property tax limitations for the purpose of financing affordable housing for very low-income households and low-income households.	H Finance	Ryu
HB 2490	Urban centers/multiple-units	Expanding the property tax exemption for new and rehabilitated multiple-unit dwellings in urban centers.	H Finance	Appleton
HB 2497	Affordable housing financing	Adding development of permanently affordable housing to the allowable uses of community revitalization financing, the local infrastructure financing tool, and local revitalization financing.	H Finance	Ormsby
HB 2522 (SB 6167)	Homelessness BSA approps.	Making expenditures from the budget stabilization account to alleviate the issue of homelessness.	H Approps	Ormsby
HB 2554 (SB 6400)	Health plan exclusions	Mitigating inequity in the health insurance market caused by health plans that exclude certain mandated benefits.	H HC/Wellness	Stonier
HB 2570	Accessory dwelling units	Managing growth by planning and zoning for accessory dwelling units.	H Env & Energy	Gregerson
HB 2602	Hair discrimination	Concerning hair discrimination.	H Civil R & Judi	Morgan	Neutral	Medium
HB 2668	Affordable housing options	Providing local governments with options to preserve affordable housing in their communities.	H Finance	Ryu
HB 2672	Intensive rural development	Concerning limited areas of more intensive rural development.	H Env & Energy	Barkis
HB 2673	Infill development	Concerning exemptions for infill development under the state environmental policy act.	H Env & Energy	Barkis
HB 2687	GMA/affordable housing plans	Planning for affordable housing under the growth management act.	H Env & Energy	Barkis
HB 2688 (SB 6398)	Transportation policy goals	Expanding transportation policy goals.	H Trans	Shewmake
SB 5412 (E2SHB 1110)	Greenhouse gas/transp. fuels	Reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with transportation fuels.	S Environment, E	Salda?a	Oppose	High
SB 5473 (HB 1445)	Unempl benefits/family resp	Making unemployment benefits accessible to persons with family responsibilities and other availability issues and making clarifying changes.	S Labor & Commer	Salda?a	Oppose	Medium
SB 6031 (HB 2227)	Vehicle taxes & fees	Limiting state and local taxes, fees, and other charges relating to vehicles.	S Transportation	Fortunato
SB 6041	Motor vehicle sales tax	Dedicating the state sales tax on motor vehicles to transportation improvements.	S Ways & Means	Braun	Support
SB 6053	Wage liens	Establishing wage liens.	S Labor & Commer	Conway	Oppose	Medium
SB 6094 (HB 2271)	Transp. bonds/budget ref.	Correcting a reference to an omnibus transportation appropriations act within a prior authorization of general obligation bonds for transportation funding.	S Transportation	Nguyen
SB 6107	Affordable housing services	Exempting services essential to affordable housing from the business and occupations surcharge.	S Ways & Means	O’Ban
SB 6126	Housing tax/councilmanic	Allowing the local sales and use tax for affordable housing to be imposed by a councilmanic authority.	S Local Governme	Hunt
SB 6167 (HB 2522)	Homelessness BSA approps.	Making expenditures from the budget stabilization account to alleviate the issue of homelessness.	S Ways & Means	Rolfes
SB 6194	Multiple business taxes	Prohibiting cities and towns from citing the same statutory authority to impose multiple business taxes.	S Local Governme	Braun
SB 6196	Homelessness impact grants	Creating a homelessness impact grant program to address security and sanitation impacts of homeless populations.	S Housing Stabil	Braun
SB 6201	Multiple-unit housing REET	Reducing the real estate excise tax rate for multiple-unit housing.	S Housing Stabil	Braun
SB 6212 (HB 2489)	Affordable housing/prop. tax	Concerning the authority of counties, cities, and towns to exceed statutory property tax limitations for the purpose of financing affordable housing for very low-income households and low-income households.	S Housing Stabil	Das
SB 6231 (HB 2630)	Accessory dwelling units/tax	Providing a limited property tax exemption for the construction of accessory dwelling units.	S Housing Stabil	Kuderer
SB 6232 (HB 2384)	Nonprofit housing/prop. tax	Concerning the property tax exemption for nonprofit organizations providing rental housing or mobile home park spaces to qualifying households.	S Housing Stabil	Kuderer
SB 6233	Personnel files & discipline	Concerning employee’s rights concerning personnel files and disciplinary actions.	S Labor & Commer	Kuderer		High
SB 6234	Unemployment claim disputes	Concerning the use of third parties by employers to dispute unemployment claims.	S Labor & Commer	Kuderer
SB 6235	Unemployment/job duty change	Concerning exceptions to disqualification for unemployment insurance benefits when voluntarily leaving employment due to increases in job duties or changes in working conditions.	S Labor & Commer	Kuderer	Concerns	High
SB 6276	Freelance worker wages	Concerning the payment of wages to freelance workers.	S Labor & Commer	Keiser
SB 6302	Home occupant load limits	Prohibiting local governments from limiting the number of unrelated persons occupying a home.	S Housing Stabil	Rolfes
SB 6328	Local infra. investment prg	Creating a local infrastructure investment program to support the development of affordable housing, workforce housing, and revitalization efforts.	S Housing Stabil	Warnick
SB 6334 (HB 2343)	Urban housing	Concerning urban housing supply.	S Housing Stabil	Salomon
SB 6350 (HB 2659)	Vehicle taxes & fees	Limiting state and local taxes, fees, and other charges relating to vehicles.	S Transportation	Fortunato
SB 6386	Low-income housing/fees	Reducing impact fees for low-income housing.	S Housing Stabil	Zeiger
SB 6387	Housing/impact fee timelines	Accelerating housing infrastructure investments by adjusting impact fee timelines.	S Housing Stabil	Zeiger
SB 6388	Housing/impact fees	Concerning impact fees for multifamily and single-family housing.	S Housing Stabil	Zeiger
SB 6398 (HB 2688)	Transportation policy goals	Expanding transportation policy goals.	S Transportation	Salda?a
SB 6400 (HB 2554)	Health plan exclusions	Mitigating inequity in the health insurance market caused by health plans that exclude certain mandated benefits.	S Health & Long	Randall
SB 6411 (HB 2620)	Multiple-unit dwellings/tax	Expanding the property tax exemption for new and rehabilitated multiple-unit dwellings in urban growth areas.	S Housing Stabil	Das
SB 6446	Lodging taxes/housing	Concerning lodging taxes for affordable housing.	S Housing Stabil	Kuderer
SB 6452 (HB 2461)	Transp. system goals/health	Including health in the state transportation system policy goals.	S Transportation	Billig		Medium
SB 6453 (HB 2427)	Climate change/GMA	Tackling climate change as a goal of the growth management act.	S Local Governme	Salda?a
SB 6463	Comp. plans/environment	Eliminating environmental analysis and mitigation requirements on projects within the comprehensive plan.	S Local Governme	Wilson
SB 6472 (HB 2388)	Homelessness definitions	Standardizing definitions of homelessness to improve access to services.	S Human Svcs, Re	Lovelett
SB 6474	Sales tax diversification	Replacing the streamlined sales tax mitigation program with sales tax diversification awards for certain eligible cities.	S Ways & Means	Das
SB 6475	Homelessness/identification	Assisting homeless individuals with obtaining identification.	S Transportation	Hasegawa
SB 6495	Essential needs & housing	Regarding essential needs and housing support eligibility.		Walsh
SB 6497 (HB 2322)	Transp. budget, supplemental	Making supplemental transportation appropriations for the 2019-2021 fiscal biennium.		Hobbs
SB 6516	Thirty-two hour workweek	Reducing the workweek to thirty-two hours unless the employee receives compensation for employment in excess of these hours at a rate not less than one and one-half times their regular rate.		Nguyen