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
Sen. Javier Valdez, D-Seattle and Sen. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane have prefiled SB 5077. The bill is intended to automatically register voters via multiple government interactions.
As the bill is written, the governor (a Democrat) and the Secretary of State (a Democrat) collaborate on which agencies will implement ‘automatic voter registration’. Ultimately, the final decision is at the governor’s sole discretion. Individuals applying for health benefits will be automatically registered. Colleges may automatically register voters during course registration. The Department of Corrections will facilitate voter registration. Additionally, online voter registration will be expanded to include electronic signatures.
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Health Care
Addressing the burden of unintentional overpayments on older adults and adults with disabilities served by the Department of Social and Health Services.
Bill Summary
Senate Bill 5079 aims to improve the quality of life and alleviate the financial burden of unintentional overpayments on older adults and individuals with disabilities who receive services from the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). It establishes new timeframes for the collection of overpayments and debts, specifying that no collections will occur after ten years from the notice of overpayment, unless a court remedy extends this period. Additionally, the bill sets a twenty-year limit for the collection of debts related to recorded liens. The DSHS is also granted the authority to accept compromise offers on disputed claims and to waive collection efforts under certain conditions.
Significantly, the bill introduces provisions that allow the DSHS to waive all collection efforts for overpayments related to the Aged, Blind, or Disabled Cash Assistance Programs, as well as clients receiving services through Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports Program and the Developmental Disability Administration Program starting July 1, 2025. The department is required to adopt rules outlining the circumstances under which these waivers will be applied. There were 73 such overpayments in the last fiscal year, with the agency collecting 25 percent of them. Costs of recovery have outpaced what is actually collected.
“This legislation is about fairness and compassion,” Muzzall, R-Oak Harbor said. “Many of our most vulnerable citizens face undue hardship when asked to repay funds they received through no fault of their own. By allowing DSHS to waive these repayments, we’re ensuring they can maintain their dignity and financial stability.”
Bill Summary
SB 5080 is a bi-partisan bill meant to ensure that graduating students have a basic grasp of financial literacy, including things like balancing a household budget and understanding the interest on a loan. This legislation mandates that school districts provide financial education instruction and ensure students meet state financial literacy standards to graduate.
A similar bill was on track for passage during the 2024 legislative session but got derailed. This year, the half-credit requirement has been removed. It maintains the graduation requirement, but doesn’t quantify it, in deference to the work the state board is doing. This bill emphasizes flexibility for districts, allowing students to receive financial education through career and technical education courses, online programs, or integration into existing classes like math. There is also a provision in law that allows professionals to come in and teach in schools, and the credit unions have already offered to help and the state treasurer has a financial education program for adults.
As they’re leaving high school, every graduate is going to be making financial decisions, whether it’s continuing education or purchasing their first car and insurance, it’s something they need to understand. A bill passed in 2022 required Washington’s 295 public school districts to adopt one or more financial education goals by March 1, 2023. This bill goes further, requiring financial education for every student as a condition of graduation.
Bill Summary
Senate Bill 5091 aims to amend Washington’s motor vehicle emission standards by establishing a more flexible approach that does not require the adoption of California’s emission standards. It mandates the Department of Ecology to create rules for motor vehicle emission standards that align with the federal Clean Air Act, while explicitly prohibiting the adoption of California’s standards. Additionally, the bill updates existing regulations regarding vehicle registration and emissions testing, including changes to the validation period for compliance certificates and the criteria for vehicle exemptions from emission tests.
Furthermore, the bill repeals the previous requirement for the Department of Ecology to adopt California’s motor vehicle emission standards, thereby allowing Washington to tailor its approach to emissions in a way that better suits its unique needs and economy. The amendments also clarify the conditions under which vehicles can be registered, emphasizing compliance with state emission standards without the necessity of California certification. Overall, the legislation reflects a shift towards a more localized strategy for managing vehicle emissions in Washington.
Bill Summary
Senate Bill 5093 reportedly aims to enhance the dignity and respect afforded to individuals experiencing pregnancy loss in Washington State. It suggests that individuals should be able to seek medical assistance without the fear of civil or criminal liability, addressing concerns related to legal provisions that could lead to investigations of certain abortions and pregnancy losses. The bill clarifies that the removal of these provisions does not affect the requirements for reporting births or deaths, including fetal deaths, nor does it impede coroners’ ability to investigate deaths under suspicious circumstances, provided such investigations do not criminalize the individuals who experienced the loss.
Disturbingly, the bill does remove explicit language that allows investigations into deaths resulting from known or suspected abortions, premature birth, or stillbirths. As a result, this restricts the ability of medical examiners and coroners to thoroughly investigate cases where coercion, abuse, or medical malpractice may have played a role in pregnancy loss. Removing legal provisions for investigating pregnancy loss could decrease accountability in cases of medical negligence or illegal abortion procedures. Furthermore, while the bill mandates reporting pregnancy loss in correctional institutions, it does not extend this reporting requirement to other settings, which reduces overall transparency in maternal health outcomes. Those of us with strong pro-life views oppose any legal changes that could be perceived as reducing state oversight of abortion-related matters, even if the bill is framed around dignity in pregnancy loss. Please oppose this legislation.