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. | |||||
Advocacy news you can use!
Curated list of GSBA blog posts that focus on small business or civil rights issues from the realm of Public Policy & Government Affairs.