⚠️ Action Alerts ⚠️Click on the links below to take action on bills. Want to know more about a bill and why we support it? Review our 2025 Legislative Issues page. |
Making Democracy Work |
Making Democracy Work
No action alerts this week.
ELECTIONS AND MONEY IN POLITICS
LOCAL NEWS AND DEMOCRACY
HB 1060 Concerning newspapers and eligible digital content. This bill requires newspaper printers and publishers who were exempted from Business & Occupation taxes for 10 years by way of the passage of SB 5199 in 2023 to submit a complete annual tax performance report. The bill is scheduled for a public hearing in the House Committee on Finance on Jan. 23 at 1:30 pm.
⚠️ Sign in PRO on HB 1060 HERE by Thursday, January 23 at 12:30 pm.
REDISTRICTING
No action alerts this week.
Environment
CLIMATE CRISIS & ENERGY
No action alerts this week.FORESTS
No action alerts this week.GROWTH MANAGEMENT
No action alerts this week.WASTE DIVERSION
HB 1150 Improving Washington's Solid Waste Management Outcomes (The Recycling Reform Act). This billwould create a producer responsibility program in which manufacturers and brands come together to reduce unnecessary packaging and paper, fund statewide recycling services, and ensure that materials are actually recycled. Specific incentives are built in to reduce plastic packaging.
⚠️ Sign in PRO on HB 1150 here by 3:00 pm on Tuesday, January 21.
TRANSPORTATION
No action alerts this week.Social & Economic Policy
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
HB 1259 Concerning supervision requirements for behavioral health professionals in elementary and secondary public schools. This bill permits behavioral health graduates to fulfill supervision requirements for licensing and certification while serving as behavioral health professionals in public schools. This will expand the number of places where behavioral health graduates can acquire the hours of supervised experience needed for licensure. It also will provide additional persons who can provide behavior health services in the schools. There is a public hearing scheduled in the House Committee on Postsecondary Education & Workforce on Thursday, January 22nd at 1:30 PM
⚠️ Sign in PRO on HB 1259 HERE by 12:30 pm on Wednesday, January 22.
K-12 AND EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION
HB 1212 Siting of child care centers. Provides that cities and towns must allow child care centers, and conversion of existing buildings for use as child care centers, as an outright permitted use in all zones except industrial zones. Scheduled for Public Hearing in House Local Government on Jan. 21 at 10:30 am; Executive Session scheduled for Jan 24 at 10:30 am.
⚠️Sign in PRO on HB 1212 HERE by Tuesday, January 21 at 9:30 am.
HEALTH CARE
SB 5122 Enacting the uniform antitrust premerger notification act.This bill would address some of the existing problems that occur with health care system and hospital mergers by requiring that the Attorney General receive pre-merger notices and information. The bill is scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Law and Justice Committee on Monday, January 20, at 10:30 am.⚠️ Sign in PRO on SB 5122 here by 9:30 am on Monday, January 20.
SB 5075 Prohibiting cost sharing for pre-natal and post-natal care. This bill would remove out-of-pocket expenses for prenatal and postnatal care services covered by qualifying health plans. By reducing financial barriers, the bill may encourage more expectant mothers to seek early and consistent prenatal care. The bill is scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Health & Long Term Care committee on Tuesday, January 21 at 10:30 am.
⚠️ Sign in PRO on SB 5075 here by 9:30 am on Tuesday, January 21.
HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS
SB 5222 Improving housing stability for tenants subject to the residential landlord-tenant act and the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act by limiting rent and fee increases, requiring notice of rent and fee increases, limiting fees and deposits, establishing a landlord resource center and associated services, authorizing tenant lease termination, creating parity between lease types, and providing for attorney general enforcement (Rent Stabilization). This bill addresses one of the recent causes of homelessness, which is unpredictable, very large rent increases that are unaffordable and/or established with insufficient time for tenants to plan financially. The bill is scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Housing on Wednesday, January 22, at 1:30 pm.⚠️ Sign in PRO on SB 5222 here by 12:30 pm on Wednesday, January 22.
CHILDREN'S ISSUES
No action alerts this week.CRIMINAL JUSTICE
HB 1317 Allowing Review of Long Sentences for Crimes Committed by Young Adults. Currently, people who committed crimes before age 18 can have lengthy sentences reviewed. This bill would increase the age from 18 to 21, as a first step toward recognizing that brain science shows that our brains do not become fully developed until age 25.
⚠️ Sign in PRO HERE on HB 1317 by 12:30 pm on Monday, January 20
SB 5266/HB 1111 Youth Hope Act. This bill allows youth sentenced in adult court to request a review of their sentence before they transfer to adult prison from juvenile rehabilitation.
⚠️ Sign in PRO HERE on HB 1111 by 12:30 pm on Monday, January 20
⚠️ Sign in PRO HERE on SB 5266 by 12:30 pm on Monday, January 20
SB 5005 Improving Jail Oversight. This bill adopts recommendations for the Joint Legislative Task Force on Jail Standards and provides for independent oversight of Washington’s jail system by a Jail Oversight Board within the Governor’s office.
⚠️ Sign in PRO HERE on SB 5005 by 12:30 pm on Tuesday, January 21
HB 1125/SB 5269 Judicial Discretion Act. This bill gives discretion to judges to reduce certain lengthy sentences upon a showing that the original sentence no longer serves the interests of justice.
⚠️ Sign in PRO HERE on HB 1125 by 7:00 am on Thursday, January 23