Advocacy

Legislative Tracker

As of 1/18/2023

GSBA Legislative Tracker

This page shows the bills that GSBA has taken a position on in the 2023 Washington legislative session.

EXPLAINING THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
Like the federal Congress, Washington state has a bi-cameral (i.e. “two chambers”) legislature. Bill can be introduced in either the House of Representatives (labeled HB and numbered between 1000-3000) or the Senate (labeled SB and numbered between 5000-7000).

Bills must be passed by both chambers to be signed into law by the Governor. This involves a bill being heard in a specific committee, then being approved by the budget committee if there is a cost, and finally voted on the floor of the chamber. Sometimes both chambers have their own version of a bill, known as “companion bills”. Sometimes only one of these bills gets through the process, sometimes each bill passes its own side of the Legislature. To become law, one single bill must be approved by both sides. Therefore the Legislature will choose one version to agree upon and pass that one.

UPCOMING CUTOFF DATES
March 8 – Last to day pass bills in house of origin
March 29 – Last to to pass out of committee in opposite house
April 4 – Last to to pass out of fiscal committee in opposite house
April 12 – Last day to pass bills in opposite house
April 23 – Last day of session


Bills that GSBA has officially supported and are still active:

1017 – Cosmetologists, etc/licenses: expediting licensure for cosmetologists, hair designers, barbers, manicurists, and estheticians

1152 – Consumer products/gender: addressing consumer gender discrimination

1258 – Tourism Marketing: increasing tourism to WA through enhancement of statewide tourism marketing account

5028 – Name Changes: revising the process for individuals to request name changes

5096 – Employee Ownership

5186 – Contracting/discrimination: requiring antidiscrimination clauses in public contracting

5379 – Associate Development Organizations: supporting innovation at associate development organizations

 


Additional Bills GSBA is Watching
Bill Details  Status  Sponsor     
 
HB 1017 (SB 5307)  Cosmetologists, etc/licenses  H ConsPro&Bus  Ryu     
Expediting licensure for cosmetologists, hair designers, barbers, manicurists, and estheticians. 
 
HB 1025  Police/private actions  H Civil R & Judi  Thai     
Creating a private right of action for harm from violations of the state Constitution or state law by peace officers. 
 
HB 1027 (SB 5036)  Audio-only telemedicine  H Exec Action  Riccelli     
Concerning telemedicine. 
 
HB 1041  Prescribing psychologists  H HC/Wellness  Bateman     
Authorizing the prescriptive authority of psychologists. 
 
HB 1051  Robocalls & telephone scams  H ConsPro&Bus  Leavitt     
Concerning robocalling and telephone scams. 
 
HB 1069  Mental health counselor comp  H Postsec Ed & W  Leavitt     
Adopting the mental health counselor compact.  
 
HB 1110 (SB 5190)  Middle housing  H Housing  Bateman     
Increasing middle housing in areas traditionally dedicated to single-family detached housing. 
 
HB 1111  Housing benefit districts  H Housing  Ryu     
Concerning housing benefit districts. 
 
HB 1124  Residential rent and fees  H Housing  Peterson     
Protecting tenants from excessive rent and related fees by providing at least six months’ notice for rent increases over a certain amount, allowing tenants the right to terminate a tenancy without penalty, and limiting late fees. 
 
HB 1140 (SB 5187)  Operating budget  H Approps  Ormsby     
Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium operating appropriations. 
 
HB 1141 (SB 5188)  Operating budget, supp.  H Approps  Ormsby     
Making 2021-2023 fiscal biennium second supplemental operating appropriations. 
 
HB 1149 (SB 5202)  Housing/capital expenditures  H Cap Budget  Tharinger     
Reducing homelessness in Washington state through capital expenditures for programs that address housing insecurity. 
 
HB 1151 (SB 5204)  Fertility services coverage  H HC/Wellness  Stonier     
Mandating coverage for fertility services. 
 
HB 1152 (SB 5171)  Consumer products/gender  H ConsPro&Bus  Mena     
Addressing consumer gender discrimination. 
 
HB 1155 (SB 5351)  Consumer health data  H Civil R & Judi  Slatter     
Addressing the collection, sharing, and selling of consumer health data. 
 
HB 1207  Harassment/schools  H Education  Senn     
Preventing and responding to harassment, intimidation, bullying, and discrimination in schools. 
 
HB 1273 (SB 5243)  High school and beyond plans  H Education  Berg     
Concerning high school and beyond planning. 
 
HB 1281 (SB 5179)  Death with dignity act  H HC/Wellness  Rude     
Increasing access to the provisions of the Washington death with dignity act. 
 
HB 1308  Graduation pathway options  H Education  Stonier     
Concerning high school graduation pathway options. 
 
SB 5028  Name changes  S Law & Justice  Pedersen     
Revising the process for individuals to request name changes. 
 
SB 5036 (HB 1027)  Audio-only telemedicine  S Health & Long  Muzzall     
Concerning telemedicine. 
 
SB 5048  College in high school fees  S Higher Ed & Wo  Mullet     
Eliminating college in the high school fees. 
 
SB 5054  Prof. learning communities  S EL/K-12  Wellman     
Promoting and facilitating the use of professional learning communities. 
 
SB 5072  Highly capable students  S EL/K-12  Nobles     
Advancing equity in programs for highly capable students. 
 
SB 5096  Employee ownership  S Business, Fin  Padden     
Concerning employee ownership. 
 
SB 5120  23-hr crisis relief centers  S Health & Long  Dhingra     
Establishing 23-hour crisis relief centers in Washington state. 
 
SB 5127  Student information/PRA  S State Govt & E  Wilson     
Clarifying school districts’ ability to redact personal information related to a student. 
 
SSB 5128  Jury diversity  S Ways & Means  Trudeau     
Concerning jury diversity. 
 
SB 5171 (HB 1152)  Consumer products/gender  S Law & Justice  Dhingra     
Addressing consumer gender discrimination. 
 
SB 5179 (HB 1281)  Death with dignity act  S Health & Long  Pedersen     
Increasing access to the provisions of the Washington death with dignity act. 
 
SB 5221 (HB 1289)  Opportunity scholarship  S Higher Ed & Wo  Liias     
Concerning program administration for the Washington state opportunity scholarship program. 
 
SB 5243 (HB 1273)  High school and beyond plans  S EL/K-12  Wellman     
Concerning high school and beyond planning. 
 
SB 5269  Manufacturing  S Business, Fin  Shewmake     
Concerning Washington state manufacturing. 
 
SB 5351 (HB 1155)  Consumer health data  S Law & Justice  Dhingra     
Addressing the collection, sharing, and selling of consumer health data. 
 

 

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