Looking for a summary of our Top Bills?
These are the bills we deem major and significant. Click the image below.
Are you looking for a summary of our Top Bills for 2026? These are bills we deem major and significant. If so, use the filter below.
Bill Summary
HB 2296 gives homeowners and renters a practical way to participate in Washington’s clean‑energy transition without expensive rooftop systems. By clearly defining “portable solar generation devices,” capping their size, and requiring compliance with the National Electrical Code and national safety standards, this bill allows plug‑in balcony solar that can safely reduce a family’s power bills and peak demand. These devices are expressly kept outside the net‑metering program, which avoids complex utility billing changes while still rewarding households that choose to invest in their own energy.
The bill ensures that homeowners’ associations and landlords cannot outright prohibit a resident from placing or using a compliant portable solar device on their own property, while still allowing reasonable aesthetic rules for permanent panels. This is especially important for people in condos, townhomes, and rentals who currently have virtually no access to solar; a small balcony system might be the only realistic option for them to cut bills and gain a measure of resilience. The bill limits device size, requires nationally recognized testing lab approval, and mandates anti‑islanding and rapid‑shutdown features so that these devices cannot backfeed the grid during an outage. It also clearly states that utilities, cities, counties, and landlords are not liable for damage caused by a customer’s portable solar device, and it treats the sale or marketing of non‑compliant devices as a deceptive practice under the Consumer Protection Act, giving the Attorney General a clear enforcement hook against bad actors.
Finally, the bill responsibly opens the door to “meter‑mounted devices” by allowing one customer‑owned device between the meter and the meter socket, subject to installation by a licensed electrical contractor, local inspection, and utility approval. Utilities retain authority to approve models within 90 days, recover costs associated with service work, and remove a customer device that interferes with service or meter reading, which protects the integrity of the grid and other ratepayers while still encouraging innovation behind the meter.
Bill Summary
House Bill 2303 protects workers’ bodily autonomy and personal privacy by prohibiting employers from requesting, requiring, or coercing employees or job applicants to have microchips implanted in their bodies. The bill clearly defines microchips as subcutaneous devices that store or transmit personal identifying information, while sensibly excluding legitimate medical implants used for health diagnosis or treatment. It establishes strong enforcement through the Department of Labor and Industries, giving workers a clear complaint process and empowering the department to investigate, issue subpoenas, and require self-audits. Employers who violate the law face meaningful penalties, starting at a minimum of $10,000 for a first offense and escalating to at least $20,000 for repeat violations, ensuring the prohibition has real deterrent effect. Civil penalties are directed to the supplemental pension fund, meaning enforcement supports broader worker benefits rather than general bureaucracy.
The bill also preserves due process by allowing employers and employees to appeal departmental decisions through established administrative and judicial review procedures. Importantly, workers are not limited to administrative remedies and may also bring civil actions to seek injunctive relief, damages, and attorney’s fees if their rights are violated. By setting a three-year window to file civil claims, the bill gives employees adequate time to come forward without fear of immediate retaliation or procedural traps. This legislation anticipates future technological pressures in the workplace and draws a firm ethical boundary before invasive practices become normalized. Supporting House Bill 2303 affirms that no job should ever require surrendering control over one’s own body and sends a clear message that Washington stands for worker dignity, consent, and privacy.
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Housing & Property
Increasing the supply of condominiums by expanding the types of condominium buildings that may be subject to an express warranty of quality and express warranty insurance coverage.
Bill Summary
HB 2304 is a bipartisan bill that expands the types of condominium buildings that may be covered by an express warranty of quality and express warranty insurance, in lieu of some implied warranties of quality. It extends the existing warranty/insurance framework so it can apply to condo units in buildings up to four stories, not just smaller configurations, which better matches modern “missing‑middle” infill designs. Legal risk around implied construction defects is a major reason builders avoid condos; exposure to broad, open‑ended implied warranties makes financing and insurance harder to obtain and more expensive. By allowing a clearer, contract‑based express warranty backed by insurance, this bill reduces that risk and makes condo projects more financeable, which in turn increases the likelihood that builders will deliver more ownership units rather than only rentals.
Condominiums are one of the few realistic paths into homeownership for moderate‑income households in high‑cost markets, but Washington has drastically under‑produced condos compared with demand. By making three‑ to four‑story condo and multiplex buildings easier to bring to market, this legislation supports diversified, small‑scale infill that fits existing neighborhoods while expanding the ownership ladder for working‑ and middle‑class buyers. This legislation does not create a new subsidy program or ongoing entitlement; it primarily adjusts private‑law risk allocation between developers, insurers, and condo associations under existing condo law. More privately financed condo construction broadens the property‑tax base and relieves pressure for larger, more intrusive state interventions in housing markets, aligning with a market‑oriented approach to the housing shortage.
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Higher Education
Reducing barriers to state employment by eliminating postgraduate degree requirements that are unnecessary.
Bill Summary
HB 2309 declares that unnecessary postgraduate degree requirements are a barrier to state employment and directs agencies to eliminate them where they are not job-related. The bill maintains the ability for agencies to keep or add postgraduate degree requirements when they are demonstrably tied to job duties or obligations and it does not force agencies to drop advanced-degree standards where those degrees are integral to public safety, technical accuracy, or licensure. The legislation is an executive-branch workforce policy requested by the Office of Financial Management (OFM), so it is aligned with the governor’s and OFM’s broader talent and hiring strategy rather than being an unfunded legislative mandate; therefore, the proposed legislation has limited fiscal impact.
Many mid-career professionals, veterans, private-sector experts, and rural workers have deep experience but no master’s degree. The bill encourages agencies to weigh experience, prior performance, military service, and industry certifications instead of relying on a single filter. This bill lets them compete for roles where an advanced degree adds little value. Shifting from ‘degree as proxy’ to demonstrated skills and experience can improve quality of hires and better match people to the actual duties of the job. Degree inflation disproportionately screens out lower-income, first-generation, and nontraditional candidates, even when they are fully capable of doing the work. Furthermore, state agencies routinely struggle to recruit for hard‑to‑fill positions; removing unnecessary degree barriers makes it easier to compete with the private sector and other governments. More efficient hiring and a larger, more competitive applicant pool can reduce vacancy time, overtime, and reliance on contractors, improving value for taxpayers.
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Crime & Public Safety
Concerning criminal classification and penalties for sexually motivated assault in the fourth degree.
Bill Summary
HB 2310 strengthens accountability for repeat offenders by increasing the criminal classification of assault in the fourth degree when it is committed with sexual motivation and the offender has a recent history of specified sex offenses or sexually motivated crimes. It keeps fourth-degree assault as a gross misdemeanor in general, but creates a targeted class C felony enhancement when sexual motivation is found under RCW 9.94A.835 and the person has two or more prior adult convictions within 10 years for a sex offense, a prior sexually motivated fourth-degree assault, or comparable out-of-state or tribal offenses.
By focusing on repeat conduct, the bill addresses offenders who have already demonstrated a pattern of sexually predatory behavior and who pose a heightened risk to public safety. The measure is narrowly drafted so it does not sweep in first-time defendants or ordinary assault cases without a sexual motivation finding. It also relies on existing statutory definitions of “sex offense” and the established court finding process for “sexual motivation,” which promotes clear standards and reduces ambiguity. HB 2310 updates the sentencing grid by placing this enhanced offense within the seriousness-level table, improving consistency and predictability in sentencing statewide. This change helps ensure that victims of sexually motivated violence receive the protection and recognition they deserve by treating repeat offending as the serious escalation it is. Stronger felony consequences can deter recidivism, support plea negotiations that prioritize victim safety, and justify conditions that better manage risk in the community. For these reasons, HB 2310 closes a gap in current law.
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Higher Education
Concerning workforce education investment accountability and oversight board administrative changes.
Bill Summary
House Bill 2311 makes administrative changes to the Workforce Education Investment Accountability and Oversight Board created under the existing Workforce Education Investment Act; it does not reopen or expand that tax package. The bill, requested by the Washington Student Achievement Council, largely codifies process items the board has already developed in practice over the last year, such as meeting procedures, reporting timelines, and coordination with other agencies. It has bipartisan sponsorship with no separate tax or spending section and, as of now, no available fiscal note flagging new costs.
The Workforce Education Investment Act already sends hundreds of millions in earmarked funds into higher‑ed and training. HB 2311 focuses on improving the accountability and oversight board that tracks whether that money is used as promised. Nothing in the bill creates a new benefit, program, or tax category; it adjusts board governance so that legislators and the public get clearer, more reliable information about workforce‑education outcomes from dollars already being collected. As conservatives, we want strong accountability for every dollar already being collected. This bill helps the oversight board do its job better, with clearer processes and reporting.
Bill Summary
House Bill 2314 establishes a targeted pilot program allowing individuals with developmental disabilities who have high medical or behavioral acuity to receive dental care at residential habilitation centers when community dental services are unavailable or unsafe. The bill addresses a well-documented gap in care for clients who require general anesthesia or deep sedation, a need that many community dental providers cannot accommodate. By permitting short-term admissions of up to 24 hours for dental treatment, the legislation prioritizes patient safety, dignity, and continuity of care without reopening long-term institutional placements. The pilot thoughtfully integrates Medicaid reimbursement by enrolling residential habilitation center dental clinics as fee-for-service providers, leveraging federal matching funds while maintaining fiscal responsibility. It requires careful coordination between the Department of Social and Health Services and the Health Care Authority, ensuring administrative oversight and accountability. By improving access to essential dental care, the legislation helps prevent serious health complications, emergency room visits, and avoidable suffering for a highly vulnerable population.
Bill Summary
House Bill 2317 updates and clarifies Washington’s early learning licensing statute by modernizing definitions and aligning them with the diverse range of early learning programs operating today. The bill provides clearer statutory recognition of programs such as outdoor nature-based child care, family home providers, and early learning partnerships, reducing regulatory ambiguity for providers and regulators alike. By refining who is considered a licensed “agency” and who is exempt, the legislation improves consistency, transparency, and fairness in licensing requirements. This clarity helps providers understand their obligations while allowing the Department of Children, Youth, and Families to focus oversight where child safety and quality truly demand it.
The bill also reflects how families actually access early learning, acknowledging part-day, school-day, and nontraditional models without imposing unnecessary regulatory burdens. Importantly, it preserves existing safety standards while avoiding overregulation of programs that are already appropriately supervised or governed by other entities. By reducing confusion in statute, HB 2317 lowers barriers for providers to operate legally and responsibly, which can expand access to early learning options for families statewide. Greater provider clarity supports workforce stability and encourages innovation in early education settings. This bill strengthens the early learning system without weakening protections for children. For these reasons, HB 2317 is a practical, pro-family reform that deserves support.
Bill Summary
HB 2320 tightens Washington’s firearms laws to target “ghost guns” and “undetectable” firearms by expanding definitions in RCW 9.41.010, regulating digital firearm manufacturing code (CAD files and similar instructions), and increasing penalties tied to 3D printing and CNC milling of frames, receivers, and other components. It reinforces and broadens prohibitions in RCW 9.41.190 on manufacturing and possessing specified items (including undetectable firearms), makes it unlawful to manufacture or assemble an untraceable firearm by any means (including 3D printers/CNC), and adds new restrictions on selling or distributing digital firearm manufacturing code to anyone who is not federally licensed to manufacture firearms under 18 U.S.C. § 923.
The bill also creates a rebuttable presumption of unlawful intent based on mere possession of digital firearm manufacturing code for a firearm or unfinished frame/receiver when paired with “intent to distribute” or “intent to manufacture,” which risks sweeping in lawful hobbyists, engineers, and researchers who possess files for educational, academic, or compliance purposes. By treating code as contraband and hinging criminal exposure on intent presumptions, the bill invites overbroad enforcement, chilled speech, and expensive constitutional litigation—costs the state will bear—without clearly demonstrating that existing prohibitions on untraceable firearms and illegal transfers are inadequate.
It further reaches beyond firearms to devices by prohibiting the sale or transfer of a 3D printer or CNC machine “advertised, marketed, or promoted” for making or assembling firearms, a vague standard that could punish sellers for third-party messaging, online listings, or ambiguous product descriptions rather than concrete illegal conduct. That approach also risks collateral damage to Washington’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem—makerspaces, small machine shops, prototyping firms, and STEM programs—because the same general-purpose equipment and workflows are used for aerospace, medical devices, maritime parts, and industrial repair. Unfortunately, HB 2320 relies on broad definitional expansions and speech-adjacent restrictions that risk unintended criminalization, economic harm, and litigation, while offering uncertain marginal gains over existing laws against illegal manufacturing and possession.
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Energy & Utilities
Providing certainty for the development of low-to-zero carbon alternative jet fuel production in Washington state.
Bill Summary
HB 2322 targets low‑to‑zero carbon alternative jet fuel and ties eligibility to a substantial reduction in lifecycle carbon emissions compared to conventional jet fuel, using Ecology‑certified carbon‑intensity scores and existing clean‑fuels rules. The bill amends several tax statutes to authorize time‑limited business‑and‑occupation and public‑utility tax credits per gallon of qualifying alternative jet fuel. It scales the per‑gallon credit with emissions performance: a base credit for at least a 50% CO₂‑equivalent reduction, plus 2 cents more for each additional percentage point of reduction, capped at 2 dollars per gallon.
This legislation creates a predictable, statute‑based incentive so companies can justify multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar investments in refineries, blending facilities, and supporting infrastructure in Washington instead of siting them in Texas, the Gulf Coast, or British Columbia. It focuses narrowly on jet fuel, which is a strategic sector for Washington because of Boeing, Sea‑Tac, Joint Base Lewis‑McChord flight operations, and the broader aerospace supply chain—meaning more skilled blue‑collar and technical jobs rather than just office‑park “green” consulting. It also assesses tax credits rather than direct grants, so the state only gives the incentive when there is actual production and tax liability, which fits a “no production, no subsidy” philosophy.
This bill does not create a new climate mandate; it responds to policies that already exist by making sure Washington gets the plants, payrolls, and property‑tax base instead of watching that activity go to other jurisdiction. This is targeted, performance‑based tax relief for industrial production, not a consumer‑facing tax hike or a general expansion of bureaucracy. Companies must prove both emissions reductions and in‑state production to qualify. Given the political reality that aviation decarbonization rules are not going away, HB 2322 is a way to protect Washington’s aerospace and agricultural sectors by encouraging in‑state production of alternative jet fuel derived from feedstocks like ag byproducts, forest residues, or renewable gases.