Opposite policy house committee cutoff was on Wednesday, February 21, and opposite house fiscal cutoff is today, February 26. Starting on February 27, both the House and Senate will head to the floor to pass remaining bills out of their chambers.
Because 2024 is a a supplemental budget year, the legislature must pass supplemental Capital, Operating, and Transportation budgets. Last week, the House and Senate released their proposed budgets, officially starting budget negotiations which will continue between House and Senate budget writers over the next two weeks until they reach agreement and pass the final supplemental budgets. The 2024 legislative session adjourns sine die on March 7. More information on all three budgets is detailed below.
This year, half the Senate and the entire House of Representatives are up for re-election, along with statewide congressional races and a presidential election. Senator Sam Hunt voiced that he is not running for re-election, and Rep. Bateman announced she will be running for his seat. With Cathy McMorris Rodgers not running for re-election for the 5th Congressional District, Representative Maycumber has announced her candidacy. More announcements are expected, and we will provide additional updates as they arrive.
Key Issues
- Legislation that would provide unemployment benefits, HB 1893, passed on a party line vote out of the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee on Monday, February 19. On Friday, February 23, the bill was pulled from Senate rules to the floor calendar.
- The latest version of HB 2114 limits rent increases to 7% each year. The House version passed off the floor (54-43) on Tuesday, February 13 and the bill was heard in the Senate Ways & Means Committee on Thursday, February 22. Over 5,000 people signed in to register their position on the bill. It is scheduled for executive session on Monday, February 26.
- Legislation creating an innovation grant program for ADOs, HB 1717, was heard in the Senate Ways and Means Committee. SMCC signed in support of the bill. We continue to meet with members of the Ways and Means Committee to ask them to advance the bill. The House Operating Budget Proposal included $696,000 for the program. Executive session is scheduled for Monday, February 26.
- Last week, SB 5838, creating an AI Taskforce, passed out of the Senate 31-18. The bill creates an Artificial Intelligence Task Force to assess uses, develop guiding principles, and make recommendations for the regulation of generative artificial intelligence. The bill is scheduled for executive session on Monday, February 26.
- A “Gift Card Accountability” legislation package (SB 5988/HB 2095 and SB 5987/HB 2094) was introduced this session. The bills did not advance, but there was language included in the House operating budget proposal for the AGO to investigate deceptive gift card practices (see the language here at the top of page 55, Section 12). That language was removed via amendment in the House Appropriations Committee.
We’re Also Keeping an Eye On…
- Budgets – Last week, the legislature held public hearings, executive sessions, and floor debates on the Capital, Operating, and Transportation budgets. All the bills have moved out of their originating Chambers and negotiations on final supplemental budgets are now underway.
- Capital Budget – The Senate released its $1.3 billion 2024 Supplemental Capital Budget Proposal which proposes significant investments in K-12 construction, behavioral health facilities, and affordable housing.
- Operating Budget – Both chambers put forward significant appropriations increases in their proposed operating budgets.. Both houses propose increased investments in K-12 education, behavioral health and the opioid crises, housing and homelessness, and public health. Click here to read more.
- Transportation Budget – The Senate outlines a $14.6 billion proposal for the supplemental transportation budget, focusing on public safety, the ferry system, salmon ecosystem restoration, and infrastructure maintenance. It includes a new investment of $875 million for the I-5 Columbia River Bridge project, with significant funding from the Climate Commitment Act.
- Initiatives Update – Democrats have voiced that they will not hold public hearings on I-2117 (would repeal Climate Commitment Act), I-2109 (would repeal the capital gains tax), and I-2124 (would repeal the Wash Long Term Care Act). These initiatives will go to the November ballot
- Three of the six initiatives will have public hearings held next week:
- I-2111, seeks to codify Washington state’s longstanding tradition of prohibiting state and local personal income taxes, and has a public hearing in Senate Ways & Means and House Finance Joint Committee on February 27.
- I-2113, seeks to restore vehicular pursuit laws and has a public hearing on February 28 in front of a joint Senate Law & Justice and House Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry committee.
- I-2081, seeks to establish a parents’ bill of rights and has a public hearing in front of a joint Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education and House Education Committee on February 28
- Three of the six initiatives will have public hearings held next week:
- Leadership Interviews
- Media Availability – Democratic Leadership Media Availability / Republican Leadership Media Availability
Important Dates
Initiatives and bills that are necessary to implement the budget are all exempt from these deadlines.
Feb. 21 – Opposite House Policy Cutoff
Feb. 26 – Opposite House Fiscal Cutoff
March 1 – Opposite House Floor Cutoff
March 7 – Sine Die
Helpful Links for Session: The Washington State Legislative Website, Find My Legislator, Legislative Committees, Bill Searcher, Washington State Legislative Roster, Sign up for Legislative Email Updates, Agendas, Schedules, and Calendars, Participating in the Process (Email or Testimony)
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