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.
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Freedom
Ensuring access to state benefits and opportunities for veterans, uniformed service members, and military spouses.
Bill Summary
House Bill 1738 seeks to improve access to state benefits and employment opportunities for veterans, uniformed service members, and military spouses in Washington State. The legislation highlights the sacrifices of these individuals and ensures they receive equitable benefits when pursuing public service jobs. Key amendments include the inclusion of “uniformed services” in various contexts, the extension of licensing provisions to military spouses, and the establishment of hiring preferences for veterans in public employment. The bill also clarifies definitions related to military service and expands eligibility for service credit in retirement systems for those who have served honorably.
Additionally, the legislation enhances employment preferences for veterans and military spouses in both public and private sectors by broadening the definition of “uniformed services” to include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration commissioned officer corps. It removes previous limitations on preferences based on specific wars or military campaigns, thereby expanding eligibility. The bill ensures that individuals returning from active military duty are treated as being on furlough, preserving their seniority and benefits, and emphasizes that these preferences comply with state and local equal employment opportunity laws. Overall, the bill aims to create a more supportive environment for veterans and military families in the workforce.
Bill Summary
House Bill 1745 aims to enhance election integrity in Washington state by establishing a mandatory audit process for county election results. It introduces a new section to chapter 29A.60 RCW, which outlines the selection of an impartial auditing company by the county’s Democratic and Republican party chairpersons. If they cannot agree, a coin toss will determine the company. The audit will involve a manual hand count of ballots from at least 12 specified precincts, with specific procedures for selecting precincts and races to be audited. Public election observers will be allowed to oversee the entire audit process, ensuring transparency.
Additionally, the bill mandates that the auditing company submit a report to the legislature by December 31st of the election year, detailing the audit findings and recommendations for improving ballot integrity. The bill emphasizes the urgency of these measures by declaring an emergency, allowing it to take effect immediately.
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Safety
Expanding protections for applicants and employees under the Washington fair chance act.
Bill Summary
House Bill 1747 may seem like a well-intentioned effort to expand employment opportunities for individuals with criminal histories, but in practice, it places excessive burdens on employers and removes essential safeguards for workplace integrity and safety. The bill would severely limit when and how an employer can consider criminal records—even after making a conditional job offer—by requiring businesses to justify and document any decision to deny employment based on past convictions. Employers must hold jobs open, allow time for responses, and create written explanations that could expose them to legal challenges, all of which increase operational costs and risk.
Worse, the bill prohibits employers from taking any adverse employment action based on juvenile convictions or even arrest records, regardless of the seriousness or frequency of the offense. This could leave employers unable to make informed decisions, even in sensitive industries where safety and trust are paramount. The bill also eliminates the current tiered enforcement model and imposes significantly higher financial penalties per violation, which could be devastating for small businesses. These penalties can be awarded per applicant, meaning multiple minor infractions could result in massive fines.
Additionally, HB 1747 curtails local autonomy and expands state control through the Attorney General’s Office, which can now aggressively pursue legal action and damages on behalf of applicants. While reintegration is important, this bill goes too far in restricting employers’ discretion and opens the door to costly litigation. For the sake of workplace safety, business flexibility, and common sense, HB 1747 should be opposed.
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Elections
Creating guidelines for voter suppression and vote dilution claims under the Washington voting rights act.
Bill Summary
HB 1750 redefines “voter suppression” and “vote dilution” in an overly broad way, making local governments vulnerable to frivolous lawsuits. The bill fails to acknowledge that voter participation is often influenced by individual choice rather than systemic barriers, meaning even minor differences in turnout among demographic groups could be weaponized in court. Furthermore, it explicitly prohibits certain common-sense defenses, such as election integrity measures designed to prevent fraud, unless those measures are backed by “substantial evidence,” another ill-defined and subjective requirement.
The bill introduces unnecessary regulations that could severely disrupt local election processes. This legislation expands government overreach by prohibiting political subdivisions from implementing or enforcing election policies that result in what it defines as a “material disparate burden” on protected classes, a vague and subjective standard that opens the door for endless litigation. The bill does not require proof of intent to discriminate, meaning jurisdictions could face lawsuits simply based on statistical disparities, even if no discriminatory intent exists.
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Taxes
Establishing a sales and use tax exemption for required course materials at public institutions of higher education.
Bill Summary
Washington House Bill 1751 proposes a sales and use tax exemption for required college course materials purchased by students at public institutions of higher education. The bill aims to reduce financial burdens on students by eliminating sales tax on textbooks and other instructional materials. The proposed exemption would apply to materials purchased from affiliated bookstores or designated vendors, requiring student identification and proof of enrollment. To qualify for the exemption, students must present a valid student ID, prove enrollment in a specific course, and purchase materials from an affiliated bookstore, designated online vendor, or retailer that can verify enrollment and course requirements.
The bill mandates that colleges inform students about the exemption. Institutions of higher education are required to publish information about the tax exemption on their websites and include details in course syllabi. The bill defines “required course materials” broadly, covering physical and digital textbooks, supplementary materials, and other instructional content required or recommended for academic courses.
Finally, the bill cites the high cost of textbooks, which significantly burdens students, noting that many students forgo purchasing materials or necessities to afford them.The legislature’s rationale includes addressing the significant cost of educational materials, noting that textbook prices have increased 1,041 percent between 1977 and 2015, and that 65 percent of college students have reported not buying a required textbook due to cost. By providing this tax exemption, the bill seeks to make educational resources more affordable and accessible for students.