Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce

Feb 11, 2020 - Business

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

Friday, February 7 marked the first critical hurdle of the session, the deadline for bills to pass out of the policy committees in their house of origin. Any policy bills left in committee Friday evening are considered dead for the session, though no idea is really ever lifeless until the Legislature adjourns for the year. Tuesday, February 11 is the cutoff for bills to pass fiscal committees, however a large number of these bills could ultimately be considered necessary to implement the budget, breathing life into them for the rest of the session.

Housing/Homelessness

As the homelessness crisis has visibly grown across the state, Governor Inslee and legislators of both parties came to Olympia in January prioritizing the issue, though little unity exists on an approach. While Senate Republicans have introduced a number of bills concerning homelessness, the bills have died with Democrats controlling both chambers and the Governor’s office. 6109 (O’Ban, R-Lakewood) would have allowed local governments to appoint a guardian to exercise power of attorney on behalf of a homeless individual struggling with mental health or substance abuse but refusing treatment and resources. 6196 (Braun, R-Centralia) would have created a sanitation grant program to provide money to county and city chambers of commerce located in areas with a homeless population of greater than 500 people.

The House Finance Committee heard and passed 2907 (Macri, D-Seattle) this week, a regional approach to funding for homelessness. The bill authorizes King County to enact a payroll tax of 0.1% to 0.2%. Deductions from the tax are provided for grocery workers, as well as for workers in small businesses with fewer than 50 employees if at least half their employees make under $150,000. Collections, estimated to be $121 million per year, could be used to buy, build, or operate affordable housing or supportive housing; provide rental assistance; or provide intervention services that prevent or address homelessness, such as behavioral health treatment programs. 43% of the revenue would be allocated to the city with the highest homeless population, Seattle. Indeed, Seattle bears the distinction of having not only the highest rate of homelessness in the State of Washington, but the third highest among major cities in the United States after New York and Los Angeles. Mayors of the suburban Cities of Kent and Auburn protested not only about the application of the tax to businesses their communities are courting, but about the lack of inclusion they experienced, having learned about the proposal from the media. A regional tax approach has drawn the ire of the greater business community, but is supported by Amazon, Puget Sound Energy, Alaska Airlines, Microsoft, and Starbucks. That business support however is key to the fierce opposition of Socialist Seattle City Councilwoman and author of the Tax Amazon movement Kshama Sawant and her followers who criticize the bill as an opportunity to ban cities like Seattle from raising higher taxes on big business.

Representative Nicole Macri (D-Seattle) has sponsored a number of other bills this session aimed at reducing homelessness, including a “just cause” bill. 2453 would require landlords specify the reason for eviction, give 120 days-notice if the unit is being rehabilitated or sold, and offer a new lease when the old one expires. Under current state law, a residential landlord may evict a tenant for any reason by issuing month-to-month tenants a 20-day no-cause termination notice, or by not renewing a lease. Seattle, Burien, and Federal Way have already passed local “just cause” laws, as have Oregon and California. Critics testified the law lacks adequate safety protections for landlords and other tenants when addressing unsafe situations, often reported to them on conditions of anonymity. Landlords also claim they are already reeling from legal changes in the past few years and eviction is an action of last resort, as the average eviction costs a rental housing provider $3,500 in costs, lost rent, repairs, and marketing. The bill passed out of the House Committee on Civil Rights & Judiciary on February 7.

6490 (Darneille, D-Tacoma)/2878 (Davis, D- Shoreline), popularly called Fair Chance Housing, has died. The bill would have echoed a Seattle ordinance prohibiting the use of criminal history in tenant screening. 2779 (Macri, D-Seattle), a bill to lift the statewide ban on rent control has also already died in the legislature but may live a life with much greater impact after session. Washington Community Action Network has indicated they will explore a statewide ballot measure to address rent control and “just cause” if measures fail this session. Last year Washington CAN backed the Stable Homes initiative in Federal Way, which imposed the strongest renter protections in the state and passed by 10 points. The initiative ended no-cause evictions, prohibits retaliatory evictions and eviction discrimination, and allows immediate family members to live with renters without facing eviction so long as it doesn’t break occupancy codes. In addition, if a landlord violates any of the protections, they will owe the tenant 4.5 times the unit’s rent, plus attorney and court costs. 37% of residents in Washington are renters.

To the disappointment of the Association of Washington Cities, several bills that preempt the authority of cities to make choices about housing density are all still alive. These bills could all usher in momentous change in the landscape across Washington. 6536 (Das, D-Kent) mandates cities with a population of 15,000 or more to eliminate single-family zoning, instead allowing duplexes through sixplexes, stacked flats, townhomes, and courtyard apartments in areas now zoned for single-family homes that are within half mile of a transit stop. Cities with 10,000 or more people must allow duplexes in all single-family zones. It also prohibits any regulations that discourage the development of such housing. 2570 (Gregerson, D-SeaTac) requires all GMA planning cities with a population of 2,500 or more adopt prescriptive ordinances and development regulations allowing at least one accessory dwelling on all single-family lots. 6617 (Liias, D-Mukilteo) requires all cities create or update their accessory dwelling unit ordinances. The proposal prohibits cities from requiring on-street parking for ADUs within a half mile of a transit stop. Owner occupancy requirements are also prohibited unless the unit is used as a short-term rental or the owner has five or more ADU properties.

Transportation

Initiative 976, the measure to reduce car tab fees to $30, was heard this week in King County Superior Court. 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. If upheld, 976 will lower state vehicle registration fees, repeal additional local fees and attempt to repeal or lower Sound Transit taxes, all of which fund road and transit projects across Washington. A decision is expected the week of February 10, though that conclusion will likely be appealed.

Senator Hobbs heard several bills in Senate Transportation dealing with issues created by I-976 – SB 6031, SB 6245, SB 6350, SB 6108, SB 6606. Each of these take a slightly different approach. It is not clear which, if any, of these bills will move this session. Most likely to move would be SB 6606 from Senator Liias which resets the valuations to 2006 levels and makes other changes. However, there will arguments that this does not match what the voters want.

Senator Hobbs also held a work session on February 5^th on a proposed transportation package. In this package he proposed a number of different revenue options, including three variable options – a Carbon fee with electrical utilities included ($10 per metric ton for utilities, $15 for others), a carbon fee without electrical utilities ($20 per metric ton) and a “cap and invest” program that uses generated revenue from emission reduction goals for transportation investments. All plans were designed to generate over $15 billion for a list of projects. This plan is unlikely to move forward this year but is designed to generate discussion for the following budget biennium.

Climate Change

In the area of clean air and climate change -- several bills survived the cut-off date and are being negotiated. These include HB 2311 -- reducing greenhouse gas emissions targets for the state to achieve net zero more quickly, and HB 2892/SB 6628 -- legislation to give the Department of Ecology the ability to do the Clear Air Rule that was tossed out by the State Supreme Court. All are still alive and are looking like they will be the big climate bills of the session. HB 2892 and SB 6628 look to be going in very different directions and both have become bigger and more problematic, in their own ways. Amendments to HB 2892 now included electrical generation as one of the "indirect emissions" being covered by the bill and another amendment gave local air authorities the ability to regulate emitters in addition to the Department of Ecology. SB 6628, meanwhile, attempts to integrate the Clear Air Rule into CETA and provides some direction for Ecology to create a program with the lowest compliance cost possible. It also references the statute that HB 2311 would update and ties that to rulemaking, putting teeth into the steep reduction targets established by HB 2311. Finally, despite there being a likely fiscal impact due to the rulemaking required by Ecology, this bill did not go to Senate Ways and Means, but instead passed directly to Senate Rules.

Labor Issues

Three bills died at cut off of interest. First, SSB 5717, the Secure Scheduling bill, did not advance from the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee. Second, SB 6516, creating a 32 hour work group, also failed to advance. Finally, SB 6548, which would have allowed employees who were exempt from overtime in the duties test to opt out of overtime in lieu of flex or comp time if they were under the new salary thresholds.

Also three bad workers’ compensation bills have advanced and are still alive:

SB 2409 - Concerning industrial insurance employer penalties, duties, and the licensing of third party administrators. This bill would have an impact on all employers. The substitute changes the new fiduciary duty to a responsibility of fair conduct, removes elements of a violation of the duty and applies the responsibility of employers and their representatives instead of employers and their lay representatives. Enforcement of this vague standard would be adjudicated by the Department and be subject to a penalty.

SB 6440 - Concerning industrial insurance medical examinations. The bill was modifed in committee. The substitute would limit worker's compensation medical exams requested by the Department of Labor and Industries or the self-insurer to certain purposes. Allow an attending physician to obtain a specialist to resolve an issue before an exam in order to resolve a stalled treatment plan. Allow a worker to record the exam. Limit the location of the exam and the time period to complete the exam. Require the examiner to retain certain records and information and be available for testimony. Establish a work group to develop strategies, consider issues, and make recommendations regarding IME use. This bill will likely result in fewer IME doctors being available and making the cost of the claim increase. It was hoped that the bill would be amended to a study. That did not happen. The bill was headed to Senate Ways & Means, but was diverted to Senate Rules.

SB 6552 - Eliminating the three-day waiting period for receiving industrial insurance compensation. Removes the three-day waiting period that a worker may not receive workers' compensation benefits unless the disability continues for 14 consecutive calendar days. A hearing was held in the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee on January 28. A proposed amendment is expencted. The amended bill would keep the 3-day waiting period, but would change the requirement to pay the 3-days after 14-days on time loss to only 7-days on time loss. Waiting periods and retroactive periods are common in workers' compensation; all 50 states have them. Washington already has a lentient system with a 3 day waiting/14 day retroactive setup. This is consistent with the Federal Employees' Compensation Act, Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act and twenty-five other states. Eight states have a 21 day waiting period, two are at 28 days, two are at 42 days. Nobody is less than 14 days.

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 Eents

Finance (House) - HHR A, JLOB - 2/10 @ 8:00am

HB 1679 - Exec Session - Authorizing cities planning under the growth management act to impose certain real estate excise taxes by councilmanic action. (Concerns/Medium)

SHB 1938 - Public Hearing - Creating a local infrastructure investment program to support the development of affordable workforce housing and revitalization efforts. (Support/High)

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

HB 2384 - Exec Session - Concerning the property tax exemption for nonprofit organizations providing rental housing or mobile home park spaces to qualifying households.

HB 2497 - Exec Session - Adding development of permanently affordable housing to the allowable uses of community revitalization financing, the local infrastructure financing tool, and local revitalization financing.

HB 2620 - Exec Session - Expanding the property tax exemption for new and rehabilitated multiple-unit dwellings in urban growth areas. (Monitoring)

HB 2634 - Exec Session - Exempting a sale or transfer of real property for affordable housing to a nonprofit entity, housing authority, or public corporation from the real estate excise tax. (Monitoring)

SHB 2804 - Public Hearing - Addressing local government infrastructure.

SHB 2804 - Exec Session - Addressing local government infrastructure.

Capital Budget (House) - HHR B, JLOB - 2/10 @ 9:00am

SHB 2424 - Exec Session - Concerning the heating oil insurance program. (Monitoring)

HB 2849 - Exec Session - Concerning housing programs administered by the department of commerce.

Ways & Means (Senate) - SHR 4, JACB - 2/10 @ 10:00am

SB 6212 - Exec Session - 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.

SSB 6400 - Public Hearing - Mitigating inequity in the health insurance market caused by health plans that exclude certain mandated benefits.

SSB 6411 - Public Hearing - Expanding the property tax exemption for new and rehabilitated multiple-unit dwellings in urban growth areas.

SB 6475 - Exec Session - Assisting homeless individuals with obtaining identification.

SB 6495 - Public Hearing - Regarding essential needs and housing support eligibility.

SB 6540 - Public Hearing - Concerning working connections child care payment authorizations.

SSB 6574 - Exec Session - Clarifying the respective administrative powers, duties, and responsibilities of the growth management hearings board and the environmental land use and hearings office.

SB 6632 - Exec Session - Providing additional funding for the business licensing service program administered by the department of revenue. (Monitoring)

Appropriations (House) - HHR A, JLOB - 2/10 @ 1:30pm

SHB 2171 - Public Hearing - Concerning vested vacation or paid time off upon an employee's termination. (Oppose/High)

SHB 2388 - Exec Session - Standardizing definitions of homelessness to improve access to services.

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

SHB 2554 - Exec Session - Mitigating inequity in the health insurance market caused by health plans that exclude certain mandated benefits

SHB 2570 - Public Hearing - Managing growth by planning and zoning for accessory dwelling units.

SHB 2577 - Exec Session - Concerning agency responsibilities to regulated businesses and professions. (Support/High)

Transportation (Senate) - SHR 1, JACB - 2/10 @ 1:30pm

SB 6586 - Exec Session - Implementing a per mile charge on electric and hybrid vehicles.

SB 6606 - Exec Session - Concerning regional transit authorities. (High)

SB 6652 - Public Hearing - Addressing local transportation revenue options. (Concerns/High)

Ways & Means (Senate) - SHR 4, JACB - 2/11 @ 10:00am

SSB 6400 - Exec Session - Mitigating inequity in the health insurance market caused by health plans that exclude certain mandated benefits.

SSB 6411 - Exec Session - Expanding the property tax exemption for new and rehabilitated multiple-unit dwellings in urban growth areas.

SB 6495 - Exec Session - Regarding essential needs and housing support eligibility.

SB 6540 - Exec Session - Concerning working connections child care payment authorizations.

CLIMATE CHANGE/CARBON TAX

Bill #	Abbrev. Title	Short Description	Status	Sponsor	Position	Priority
E2SHB 1110 (SB 5412)	Greenhouse gas/transp. fuels	Reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with transportation fuels.	S Environment, En	Fitzgibbon	Oppose	High
SHB 2427 (SB 6453)	Climate change/GMA	Tackling climate change as a goal of the growth management act.	H Rules R	Duerr
SHB 2892	Greenhouse gas emissions	Authorizing the department of ecology to regulate greenhouse gas emissions associated with persons who produce or distribute fossil fuel products that emit greenhouse gases in Washington.	H Approps	Fitzgibbon	Oppose	Medium

CTE

Bill #	Abbrev. Title	Short Description	Status	Sponsor	Position	Priority
E2SHB 1304 (SB 5448)	CTE/alt. learning exp. prgs.	Concerning career and technical education in alternative learning experience programs.	S EL/K-12	MacEwen		Monitoring
HB 1702	Low-cost course material/CTC	Informing students of low-cost course materials for community and technical college courses.	S Higher Ed & Wor	Van Werven		Monitoring

GENERAL BUSINESS PRIORITIES

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.	S Labor & Commerc	Mosbrucker	Concerns	Low
2SHB 1965	Workplace violations/qui tam	Allowing whistleblowers to bring actions on behalf of the state for violations of workplace protections.	H 2nd Reading	Hansen	Oppose	Medium
SHB 2171	Vested vacation & time off	Concerning vested vacation or paid time off upon an employee's termination.	H Approps	Santos	Oppose	High
SHB 2342	Comprehensive plan updates	Aligning the timing of comprehensive plan updates required by the growth management act with the timing of shoreline master program updates required by the shoreline management act.	H Rules R	Fitzgibbon		Monitoring
SHB 2409	Industrial insur./employers	Concerning industrial insurance employer penalties, duties, and the licensing of third-party administrators.	H Approps	Kilduff
SHB 2424 (SSB 6256)	Heating oil insurance	Concerning the heating oil insurance program.	H Cap Budget	Fitzgibbon		Monitoring
SHB 2453 (SB 6379)	Residential tenants	Providing protections to residential tenants.	H Rules R	Macri		Monitoring
SHB 2471 (SB 6540)	Working connect. payments	Concerning working connections child care payment authorizations.	H Approps	Callan
SHB 2554 (SSB 6400)	Health plan exclusions	Mitigating inequity in the health insurance market caused by health plans that exclude certain mandated benefits.	H Approps	Stonier
SHB 2577 (SSB 6408)	Agencies/businesses & profs.	Concerning agency responsibilities to regulated businesses and professions.	H Approps	Barkis	Support	High
HB 2593	State agency permitting	Promoting economic development through enhancing state agency permitting.	H Rules R	Boehnke	Support	Medium
HB 2620 (SSB 6411)	Multiple-unit dwellings/tax	Expanding the property tax exemption for new and rehabilitated multiple-unit dwellings in urban growth areas.	H Finance	Walen		Monitoring
HB 2634 (SB 6366)	Affordable housing/REET	Exempting a sale or transfer of real property for affordable housing to a nonprofit entity, housing authority, or public corporation from the real estate excise tax.	H Finance	Walen		Monitoring
HB 2780 (SSB 6536)	Single-family zones	Creating more housing options in traditionally single-family zones.	H Env & Energy	Macri		Monitoring
SHB 2804	Local government infrastruct	Addressing local government infrastructure.	H Finance	Duerr
HB 2840 (SB 6632)	Business licensing services	Providing additional funding for the business licensing service program administered by the department of revenue.	H Finance	Springer		Monitoring
HB 2881	Commercial properties/tax	Providing a property tax exemption for eligible commercial properties located within designated business districts that create a community benefit as determined by the local jurisdictions.	H Finance	Frame
HB 2907 (SB 6669)	County business excise tax	Authorizing counties with populations over two million to impose an excise tax on business.	H Finance	Macri	Concerns	High
ESB 5165	Discrimination/immigration	Concerning discrimination based on citizenship or immigration status.	H Civil R & Judi	Salda?a
SSB 5473 (HB 1445)	Unemployment benefits/cause	Studying exceptions to provisions disqualifying individuals from receiving unemployment benefits for leaving work voluntarily without good cause.	S Rules 2	Salda?a	Oppose	Medium
SSB 6053	Wage liens	Establishing wage liens.	S Ways & Means	Conway	Oppose	Medium
SSB 6256 (SHB 2424)	Heating oil insurance	Concerning the heating oil insurance program.	S 2nd Reading	Wellman		Monitoring
SB 6366 (HB 2634)	Affordable housing/REET	Exempting a sale or transfer of real property for affordable housing to a nonprofit entity, housing authority, or public corporation from the real estate excise tax.	S Ways & Means	Mullet		Monitoring
SB 6379 (SHB 2453)	Residential tenants	Providing protections to residential tenants.	S Housing Stabil	Kuderer		Monitoring
SSB 6400 (SHB 2554)	Health plan exclusions	Mitigating inequity in the health insurance market caused by health plans that exclude certain mandated benefits.	S Ways & Means	Randall
SSB 6408 (SHB 2577)	Agencies/businesses & profs.	Concerning agency responsibilities to regulated businesses and professions.	S Rules 2	Wilson	Support	High
SSB 6536 (HB 2780)	Single-family zones	Creating more housing options in traditionally single-family zones.	S Rules 2	Das		Monitoring
SB 6540 (SHB 2471)	Working connect. payments	Concerning working connections child care payment authorizations.	S Ways & Means	Wilson
SSB 6552	Workers comp waiting period	Eliminating the three-day waiting period for receiving industrial insurance compensation.	S Rules 2	Stanford	Oppose	High
SSB 6564	Hard-to-place job seekers	Providing incentives to employers to hire certain hard-to-place job seekers.	S Ways & Means	Braun
SB 6632 (HB 2840)	Business licensing services	Providing additional funding for the business licensing service program administered by the department of revenue.	S Ways & Means	Takko		Monitoring
SB 6669 (HB 2907)	County business excise tax	Authorizing counties with populations over two million to impose an excise tax on business.	S Ways & Means	Keiser		High

HOUSING/HOMELESSNESS

Bill #	Abbrev. Title	Short Description	Status	Sponsor	Position	Priority
SHB 1576	Construction defect actions	Concerning construction defect actions.	H 3rd Reading	Senn	Support	High
HB 1679 (SSB 5676)	Councilmanic REET/GMA	Authorizing cities planning under the growth management act to impose certain real estate excise taxes by councilmanic action.	H Finance	Frame	Concerns	Medium
3SHB 1938	Local infra. investment prg	Creating a local infrastructure investment program to support the development of affordable housing, workforce housing, and revitalization efforts.	H Finance	Steele	Support	High
SHB 2342	Comprehensive plan updates	Aligning the timing of comprehensive plan updates required by the growth management act with the timing of shoreline master program updates required by the shoreline management act.	H Rules R	Fitzgibbon		Monitoring
SHB 2343 (SSB 6334)	Urban housing	Concerning urban housing supply.	H Rules R	Fitzgibbon
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
SHB 2388 (SSB 6472)	Homelessness definitions	Standardizing definitions of homelessness to improve access to services.	H Approps	Senn
SHB 2424 (SSB 6256)	Heating oil insurance	Concerning the heating oil insurance program.	H Cap Budget	Fitzgibbon		Monitoring
HB 2452	Multiple-unit housing REET	Reducing the real estate excise tax for multiple-unit housing.	H Finance	Barkis	Support	High
SHB 2453 (SB 6379)	Residential tenants	Providing protections to residential tenants.	H Rules R	Macri		Monitoring
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 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
SHB 2570	Accessory dwelling units	Managing growth by planning and zoning for accessory dwelling units.	H Approps	Gregerson
HB 2620 (SSB 6411)	Multiple-unit dwellings/tax	Expanding the property tax exemption for new and rehabilitated multiple-unit dwellings in urban growth areas.	H Finance	Walen		Monitoring
HB 2634 (SB 6366)	Affordable housing/REET	Exempting a sale or transfer of real property for affordable housing to a nonprofit entity, housing authority, or public corporation from the real estate excise tax.	H Finance	Walen		Monitoring
HB 2668	Affordable housing options	Providing local governments with options to preserve affordable housing in their communities.	H Finance	Ryu
SHB 2673	Infill development	Concerning exemptions for infill development under the state environmental policy act.	H Rules R	Barkis
HB 2687	GMA/affordable housing plans	Planning for affordable housing under the growth management act.	H Rules R	Barkis
HB 2780 (SSB 6536)	Single-family zones	Creating more housing options in traditionally single-family zones.	H Env & Energy	Macri		Monitoring
HB 2797 (SSB 6631)	Housing/sales & use tax	Concerning the sales and use tax for affordable and supportive housing.	H Finance	Robinson
HB 2802	GMA hearings board admin.	Aligning the administration of the growth management hearings board with other boards within the environmental land use and hearings office by modifying requirements pertaining to growth management hearings board membership and the duties and responsibilities of members, streamlining procedures in cases before the growth management hearings board, and allowing the use of administrative appeals judges in growth management hearings board proceedings.	H Env & Energy	Fitzgibbon
HB 2849	Commerce housing programs	Concerning housing programs administered by the department of commerce.	H Cap Budget	Tharinger
HB 2921	REET on undeveloped land	Reducing the real estate excise tax for undeveloped land.	H Finance	Vick
HB 2924 (SB 6546)	Shared housing	Incentivizing shared housing.	H Cap Budget	Chambers
HJR 4212	Community redevel. financing	Providing for community redevelopment financing in apportionment districts.	H Finance	Sullivan
SB 5219	Condominium warranties	Concerning condominium construction warranties.	S 2nd Reading	Padden	Support	High
SSB 5366	Urban centers/multiple-units	Expanding the property tax exemption for new and rehabilitated multiple-unit dwellings in urban centers.	S 3rd Reading	Wagoner		Medium
SSB 5676 (HB 1679)	Councilmanic REET/GMA	Authorizing cities planning under the growth management act to impose certain real estate excise taxes by councilmanic action.	S Rules 2	Takko	Concerns	High
ESSB 5946	SEPA/shelters & encampments	Concerning the application of the state environmental policy act to temporary shelters and transitional encampments.	H Env & Energy	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 Rules 2	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 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 Ways & Means	Das
SSB 6231 (HB 2630)	Accessory dwelling units/tax	Providing a limited property tax exemption for the construction of accessory dwelling units.	S Ways & Means	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 Ways & Means	Kuderer
SSB 6256 (SHB 2424)	Heating oil insurance	Concerning the heating oil insurance program.	S 2nd Reading	Wellman		Monitoring
SSB 6302	Home occupant load limits	Prohibiting local governments from limiting the number of unrelated persons occupying a home.	S Rules 2	Rolfes
SSB 6328	Local infra. investment prg	Creating a local infrastructure investment program to support the development of affordable housing, workforce housing, and revitalization efforts.	S Ways & Means	Warnick
SSB 6334 (SHB 2343)	Urban housing	Concerning urban housing supply.	S Rules 2	Salomon
SB 6366 (HB 2634)	Affordable housing/REET	Exempting a sale or transfer of real property for affordable housing to a nonprofit entity, housing authority, or public corporation from the real estate excise tax.	S Ways & Means	Mullet		Monitoring
SB 6379 (SHB 2453)	Residential tenants	Providing protections to residential tenants.	S Housing Stabil	Kuderer		Monitoring
SB 6386	Low-income housing/fees	Reducing impact fees for low-income housing.	S Rules 2	Zeiger
SSB 6411 (HB 2620)	Multiple-unit dwellings/tax	Expanding the property tax exemption for new and rehabilitated multiple-unit dwellings in urban growth areas.	S Ways & Means	Das
SSB 6472 (SHB 2388)	Homelessness definitions	Standardizing definitions of homelessness to improve access to services.	S Ways & Means	Lovelett
SB 6475	Homelessness/identification	Assisting homeless individuals with obtaining identification.	S Ways & Means	Hasegawa
SB 6495 (HB 2809)	Essential needs & housing	Regarding essential needs and housing support eligibility.	S Ways & Means	Walsh
SSB 6536 (HB 2780)	Single-family zones	Creating more housing options in traditionally single-family zones.	S Rules 2	Das		Monitoring
SSB 6574	GMHB & ELUHO powers, duties	Clarifying the respective administrative powers, duties, and responsibilities of the growth management hearings board and the environmental land use and hearings office.	S Ways & Means	Takko
SSB 6617	Accessory dwelling units	Concerning accessory dwelling unit regulation.	S Rules 2	Liias
SSB 6630	Public housing authorities	Increasing accountability for public housing authorities.	S Rules 2	Zeiger
SSB 6631 (HB 2797)	Housing/sales & use tax	Concerning the sales and use tax for affordable and supportive housing.	S Ways & Means	Salda?a

OTHER CHAMBER BILLS

Bill #	Abbrev. Title	Short Description	Status	Sponsor	Position	Priority
HB 1841 (SB 5877)	Crew size on certain trains	Establishing minimum crew size on certain trains.	S Labor & Commerc	Riccelli	Concerns	Medium
SB 5830 (HB 1897)	Vehicle combinations	Concerning vehicle combinations that may be operated on public highways.	S Rules 2	King		Medium

STREAMLINED SALES TAX

Bill #	Abbrev. Title	Short Description	Status	Sponsor	Position	Priority
EHB 1948 (SSB 5862)	Warehousing & manuf. jobs	Supporting warehousing and manufacturing job centers.	S Ways & Means	Entenman	Support	High
SSB 5862 (EHB 1948)	Warehousing & manuf. jobs	Supporting warehousing and manufacturing job centers.	S Ways & Means	Das	Support	High
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

TRADE, AEROSPACE & MFG

Bill #	Abbrev. Title	Short Description	Status	Sponsor	Position	Priority
SHB 2879	In-state manufacturing	Fostering economic growth in Washington by supporting in-state manufacturing.	H Rules R	Vick	Support	High
HB 2895	Data centers tax preference	Providing a tax preference for rural and nonrural data centers.	H Finance	Gildon	Support	High

TRANSPORTATION

Bill #	Abbrev. Title	Short Description	Status	Sponsor	Position	Priority
HB 1841 (SB 5877)	Crew size on certain trains	Establishing minimum crew size on certain trains.	S Labor & Commerc	Riccelli	Concerns	Medium
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 Rules R	Duerr
HB 2285	Road maintenance/planning	Elevating road maintenance and preservation in transportation planning.	H Trans	McCaslin
HB 2322 (SB 6497)	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 2362 (SB 6652)	Local transportation revenue	Addressing local transportation revenue options.	H Trans	Ramos
HB 2461 (SB 6452)	Transp. system goals/health	Including health in the state transportation system policy goals.	H Trans	Riccelli
HB 2688 (SB 6398)	Transportation policy goals	Expanding transportation policy goals.	H Trans	Shewmake
HB 2913	Transportation revenue	Concerning transportation revenue.	H Trans	Fey
HB 2914	Transportation funding bonds	Authorizing bonds for transportation funding.	H Trans	Fey
HJR 4213	Road usage charge limits	Amending the state Constitution so that road usage charges are limited in relation to how they may be implemented.	H Trans	Young
HJR 4214	Tracking for taxes, fees	Amending the state Constitution so that tracking individuals for the purposes of determining taxes or fees is prohibited.	H Trans	Young
SB 5830 (HB 1897)	Vehicle combinations	Concerning vehicle combinations that may be operated on public highways.	S Rules 2	King		Medium
SB 5970	Transportation funding bonds	Authorizing bonds for transportation funding.	S Transportation	Hobbs	Neutral	High
SSB 5972	Additive trans funding	Concerning additive transportation funding and appropriations.	S Transportation	Hobbs	Concerns	High
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 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 Rules 2	Nguyen
SB 6108	RTA taxes, nullifying	Nullifying certain taxes approved by regional transit authority voters.	S Transportation	O'Ban		High
SB 6245	Vehicle taxes & fees	Limiting state and local taxes, fees, and other charges relating to vehicles.	S Transportation	O'Ban		High
SB 6350 (HB 2659)	Vehicle taxes & fees	Limiting state and local taxes, fees, and other charges relating to vehicles.	S Transportation	Fortunato
SB 6398 (HB 2688)	Transportation policy goals	Expanding transportation policy goals.	S Transportation	Salda?a
SB 6452 (HB 2461)	Transp. system goals/health	Including health in the state transportation system policy goals.	S Transportation	Billig		Medium
SB 6497 (HB 2322)	Transp. budget, supplemental	Making supplemental transportation appropriations for the 2019-2021 fiscal biennium.	S Transportation	Hobbs
SB 6586	Electric vehicles/per mile	Implementing a per mile charge on electric and hybrid vehicles.	S Transportation	Salda?a
SB 6606	Regional transit authorities	Concerning regional transit authorities.	S Transportation	Liias		High
SB 6652 (HB 2362)	Local transportation revenue	Addressing local transportation revenue options.	S Transportation	Nguyen	Concerns	High
SB 6677	Transp benefit district fees	Restoring voter-approved transportation benefit district vehicle fees.	S Transportation	Lovelett		Medium

Uncategorized Bills

No bills.