Essential information on each bill is below. For more details, click on the bill number – e.g., “SB 5000.” The new page will show the progress of the bill, videos of debate, and the link to send a comment to your legislator about the bill.
Bill Summary
HB 1261 is a tax cut for farmers. It’s a practical piece of legislation that strengthens Washington’s commitment to preserving farmland while supporting the economic viability of local farms. This bill provides vital tax relief to farmers by clarifying and expanding the kinds of incidental activities that can legally take place on open space farm and agricultural land without risking a loss of special tax classification. It recognizes that modern farms are increasingly turning to agritourism—such as educational tours, seasonal festivals, weddings, and harvest-your-own operations—as a way to generate much-needed supplemental income. Rather than penalizing these creative uses, HB 1261 supports them.
The bill also makes a key change by reducing the penalty for removing land from this special classification. Instead of owing seven years of back taxes, landowners would now only owe four—easing the burden on those who must reclassify their land for legitimate reasons. It allows minor upgrades to existing structures—like adding plumbing or a cement pad—without triggering reclassification, so long as the land remains primarily agricultural. By making these changes, HB 1261 gives small and mid-sized farmers more flexibility to thrive without sacrificing the integrity of agricultural zoning laws. This legislation ensures that farmlands remain in production, while offering farms the opportunity to adapt and evolve in a challenging economic landscape. By supporting this bill, we help to protect our farmers, our rural land, and our local economy.
Bill Summary
This bipartisan bill modifies the existing law regarding mobilization of fire service resources by clarifying the roles and responsibilities of various agencies in emergency response and expanding definitions related to emergency response. Specifically, the bill outlines conditions under which state resources will be deployed. It also updates the definition of “mobilization” to allow for resources to be deployed in preparation of, or in response to, an emergency situation that has or is predicted to exceed local capabilities. The bill maintains the existing prohibition on mobilizing fire resources for law enforcement activities during civil protests, while ensuring that fire departments can still provide medical care and firefighting services. The legislation defines key terms such as “all risk resources” (which include responses to events like wild land fires, landslides, earthquakes, floods, and contagious diseases), “fire chief,” and “jurisdiction.” The bill also specifies that when mobilization is declared, all fire protection authorities’ resources are considered mobilized, and non-host fire protection authorities providing resources will be eligible for expense reimbursement. Importantly, the bill does not reduce or suspend the Department of Natural Resources’ existing authority for fire-related responsibilities.
Bill Summary
HB 1272 extends and strengthens a program designed to help some of Washington’s most vulnerable children—those experiencing complex crises who often fall through the cracks of the system. These are youth who may be stuck in hospitals unnecessarily due to a lack of appropriate placement options, or children in unstable foster care situations with nowhere safe to go. The bill changes the role of the program’s lead from a coordinator to a project director, a move that reflects the growing importance and scale of this effort.
More importantly, HB 1272 extends the operation of the “rapid care team” until at least 2027. This team brings together agencies like the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, the Health Care Authority, and others to respond to crisis cases, ensuring children are matched with safe, stable services and placements as quickly as possible. Without this extension, the current program would expire in June 2025—leaving a dangerous gap in services for high-needs youth. HB 1272 ensures the state doesn’t turn its back on them once the pilot program sunsets.
Bill Summary
HB 1273 passed the House with unanimous vote. It assists students who want to get a head start on their careers while still in high school. By extending a successful pilot program, it makes career and technical education (CTE) dual credit programs more accessible, ensuring that students can earn both high school and college credits at the same time—without unnecessary financial barriers. The bill provides funding to cover out-of-pocket costs for students and their families, making higher education more affordable. It helps align high school courses with real-world career pathways, ensuring that students are prepared for in-demand, high-paying jobs. It also streamlines the credit transfer process, so students don’t lose valuable progress when they continue their education. Additionally, the bill mandates a thorough evaluation of dual credit programs to make them even more effective. Schools, colleges, and industry partners will work together to ensure students receive the right support and guidance. This means better advising, clearer pathways to apprenticeships, and stronger connections between education and the workforce.
The main sponsor, Rep. Dave Paul (D-10th District), emphasized the need for stronger credit transfer policies saying, “We need to do a better job of helping students understand their options and ensuring these credits count toward their future goals. Strengthening CTE dual credit programs is a crucial investment in Washington’s future workforce.” Paul’s office points out: “CTE Dual Credit provides high school students with early exposure to workforce training and higher education while earning postsecondary credentials. In 2023, over 56,000 students enrolled in these courses. Yet only 3% of students used these credits to earn a credential in a related field. Many students, especially in rural areas, are unaware of credit opportunities due to outdated systems and administrative barriers.”
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Safety
Concerning retroactively applying the requirements to exclude certain juvenile convictions from an offender score regardless of the date of the offense.
Bill Summary
House Bill 1274, if passed, would allow for the early release of violent criminals by automatically recalculating their sentencing scores, leading to reduced sentences. Washington is facing a serious public safety crisis. In fact, public safety was the number one concern of Washingtonians in a poll done prior to the start of Legislative Session. Our crime rates rank among the top ten in the nation in multiple categories. Letting violent offenders, including murderers and rapists, out early not only denies justice for victims and their families, but it also puts every law-abiding citizen at greater risks. Furthermore, reducing sentences does not necessarily mean that crime rates will go down. There is no clear evidence that removing juvenile adjudications from offender scores will lead to better rehabilitation or lower recidivism rates.
Proponents of the bill will argue that the bill includes a provision allowing denial of resentencing if there’s a likelihood of reoffending, but this is a highly subjective standard that may not be applied consistently, particularly considering the number of woke, far-left liberal judges in Washington. Judges may apply the law differently in every case, meaning that some offenders may get reduced sentences while others may not. The bill allows a large number of incarcerated criminals to petition for resentencing, which could certainly overwhelm our overburdened court systems an create significant costs for the state. In addition, the requirement for public defenders to represent individuals who cannot afford counsel adds further strain on our legal system.