Today marks the first day of the 2022 legislative session.
Biennial budget cycles last two years, and 2022 is the second half of the current cycle. This means the legislature will go into a short 60-day session that is scheduled to end on March 10.
Given that many members of the legislature are up for reelection in 2022, and campaigning cannot start until the session is over, the legislature is expected to finish on time.
Pandemic Impacts
The Capitol Campus has been empty since the end of the 2020 session because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last session, 2021, was the first-ever fully remote session.
For the 2022 session, both the House and the Senate have released protocols for a hybrid session that are part virtual and part in-person. Although there has been guidance released, many of the mechanics on how the session will work are still unknown. As COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the state, guidelines could change for the legislature and beyond. Both the House and the Senate recently stated that they will operate remotely for the first two weeks of session. They plan to reevaluate operations every two weeks.
This year, the volume of bills considered by committees continues to be limited because of the realities of conducting a hybrid session. As in 2021, legislators have been encouraged to limit the number of bills they introduce, allowing the legislature to focus on the critical and urgent needs of the state.
Legislative Priorities
Legislator’s priority areas include:
- COVID-19 response and recovery
- Social justice and racial equity
- Transportation
- Climate change
Additionally, the legislature will be spending time cleaning up legislation passed in 2021, specifically police reform legislation.
Because this session is the second half of the state’s two-year budget cycle, all bills that were not signed into law by the governor in 2021 are still considered alive and actionable. Bills introduced in the 2021-2022 biennium that do not pass into law by the last day of session will die.
Important Dates:
Feb. 3 – House of Origin Policy Cutoff
Feb. 7 – House of Origin Fiscal Cutoff
Feb. 15 – House of Origin Floor Cutoff
Feb. 24 – Opposite House Policy Cutoff
Feb. 28 – Opposite House Fiscal Cutoff
March 4 – Opposite House Floor Cutoff
Long-Term Care
The Washington Cares Fund, Washington’s new long-term care insurance fund, gained significant attention in the interim and will be addressed this short session.
Passed in 2019, the Long-Term Services and Supports Act created the Washington Cares Fund, which imposes a 0.58% payroll deduction for all employees in Washington state and was set to begin on Jan. 1, 2022.
As the implementation date approached this interim, concerns about the program grew. There has been at least one lawsuit filed against the program. Opponents say some residents are required to pay into the program but cannot access benefits such as residents in border areas like Oregon, Canada, and Idaho. Also, individuals who are retiring before benefits vest in 10 years, and those who have other coverage, like veterans, cannot access benefits.
Fixing the Long-Term Care Act so that the tax and associated spending are fair and financially stable while preserving an opt-out provision for those who select a private plan, is one of the Seattle Metro Chamber’s legislative priorities this year.
In December, Senate Democrats sent a letter to Gov. Jay Inslee requesting that he delay implementation to January 2023. Later that month Inslee, Rep. Laurie Jinkins (D-27), and Sen. Andy Billig (D-3) released a joint statement announcing their intention to delay the program through legislation this session. Rep. Pat Sullivan has prefilled legislation, House Bill 1732, delaying the implementation date by 18 months.
Elected Official Transitions
The upcoming session will also see many changes to the legislative makeup.
- Jeannie Darnielle (D-27) announced her retirement earlier this year, and Yasmin Trudeau from the Attorney General’s Office was appointed to fill her seat.
- Steve Hobbs (D-40) was appointed to be the Secretary of State, and Rep. John Lovick (D-40) was appointed to fill his seat.
- Hobbs was the Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, and Senator Marko Liias (D-21) has been selected as the new chair.
- Doug Ericksen (R-42) died in December, and a replacement has yet to be appointed.
There will be continued discussion surrounding a transportation package. However, anything with new tax revenues is unlikely and any additive transportation resource will probably be linked to general fund budget discussions.
Love the Legs Opportunities to Dig in
- Boswell Consulting and Brooke Davies Consulting will continue to provide weekly legislative updates for the Chamber’s Weekly Digest e-newsletter and the Chamber’s website.
- Join us for the members-only Business Issues Forum at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, January 18 where we’ll host Chamber President and CEO Rachel Smith to share the Chamber’s legislative priorities. Brad Boswell will share a state legislative session update.
- Check out the Chamber’s 2022 Advocacy Agenda here and reach out to Director of Policy Mackenzie Chase, mackenziec@www.seattlechamber.com, if you have priorities that you would like the Chamber to consider supporting.
- Have a legislative question or need more information on a bill? Email mackenziec@www.seattlechamber.com.
