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
Senate Bill 5733 cuts through bureaucratic delays to ensure that local governments can expedite housing development. Currently, comprehensive plans can only be amended once per year, creating bottlenecks that slow down new housing projects and prevent communities from adapting to urgent housing needs. This bill adds housing-related amendments to the list of exceptions, allowing local governments to update zoning and permitting regulations more frequently. By allowing these changes to happen as needed, SB 5733 removes unnecessary delays that drive up housing costs and worsen supply shortages. This reform reduces red tape and administrative barriers, ensuring that local governments can prioritize housing development without waiting months or even years for approval cycles. Developers, homeowners, and renters will all benefit from a system that is more responsive to the realities of Washington’s growing population. By making the approval process more efficient and dynamic, Washington can increase housing availability and lower costs for residents.
Bill Summary
Senate Bill 5740 is an important reform to balance tenant rights and landlord protections, while ensuring a fair and streamlined eviction process. This bill allows superior courts to appoint commissioners to handle eviction cases more efficiently, reducing delays that impact both landlords and tenants. It clarifies tenant responsibilities in responding to eviction notices, ensuring that disputes are resolved fairly and promptly. Additionally, the bill expands the list of legitimate reasons for eviction, such as criminal activity and repeated violations, making rental communities safer. By removing unnecessary procedural barriers, landlords can reclaim their properties in justified situations without prolonged legal hurdles.
The bill also modifies summons requirements to ensure tenants are properly notified while preventing undue delays in legal proceedings. It strengthens the ability of landlords to remove tenants engaged in dangerous activities, including gang-related crime or unlawful firearm use. The bill also simplifies just cause eviction rules, allowing landlords to end leases under fair and transparent conditions with appropriate notice. It ensures transitional housing programs operate effectively, preventing abuse while maintaining housing stability for those who need it. Legal protections for indigent tenants remain intact, but with proper verification to ensure resources are allocated to those who qualify. The bill removes excessive financial penalties on landlords in wrongful eviction cases while maintaining fairness in legal disputes. It also removes unnecessary procedural delays that prevent landlords from addressing unsafe or disruptive tenants. This legislation balances the rights of all parties by ensuring due process while reducing burdensome and inefficient regulations. It provides stronger legal clarity for property owners while protecting tenants from unfair treatment. By supporting SB 5740, we support a more stable, predictable, and safe rental market.
Bill Summary
Senate Bill 5745 amends various sections of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) to enhance the legal framework surrounding involuntary treatment for individuals with behavioral health disorders. It introduces new definitions, such as “state facility,” which includes specific facilities operated by the Department of Social and Health Services, and clarifies the definition of “substance use disorder.” The bill also expands the definition of “treatment records” to encompass a broader range of documentation related to behavioral health services while excluding personal notes from treatment providers. Additionally, it updates terminology related to mental health and substance use treatment, ensuring alignment with current practices.
Moreover, the bill establishes a framework for legal representation in civil commitment cases, mandating that counties provide appointed counsel for individuals detained under mental health laws, regardless of their county of origin. It outlines the reimbursement process for legal services and specifies that no filing fees may be charged for civil commitment cases subject to reimbursement. The bill also emphasizes the importance of individualized treatment plans for minors and clarifies the roles of various professionals involved in mental health care. Overall, the amendments aim to improve access to legal support and enhance the clarity and effectiveness of mental health services in Washington State. The bill has very strong bipartisan support.
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Safety
Creating an advisory committee on electric vehicle charger infrastructure property crime.
Bill Summary
Senate Bill 5746 establishes an advisory committee focused on addressing property crimes related to electric vehicle charger infrastructure in Washington State. This committee will operate under the Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council and will include a diverse range of representatives, such as members from law enforcement, the attorney general’s office, local government, and the electric vehicle services industry. The committee’s responsibilities include providing guidance on reducing electric vehicle charger property crime, responding to legislative inquiries, and reporting its findings and recommendations in the council’s annual report. The committee is required to meet regularly and will be active until its expiration date of July 1, 2027. The legislation has unanimous bipartisan support in the Senate.
EV chargers have become a prime target nationwide and in Washington as thieves look to make a quick buck by selling charger cables for recycling. Last year a trade publication reported about 100 thefts of EV charging equipment in Seattle, rendering about 5.6 percent of the city’s 1,780 chargers at least temporarily unusable. The State Department of Transportation reported that total wire theft on its properties cost taxpayers $1.5 million between 2021 and 2024.
“Whether we are talking about a coordinated effort to steal charger cords for their copper recycling value, or hooligans who wreck chargers just to be ornery, these crimes have a serious impact on our efforts to promote electric vehicles,” said Jeff Wilson, R-Longview. “Criminal gangs are getting involved, and these property crimes are skyrocketing.” Wilson continued, “Two years ago I passed a bill requiring scrap metal dealers to check ID and record information when people bring EV charger components in for recycling. That might help deter some thefts, but unfortunately this has become so lucrative that theft rings have become organized. The Legislature needs expert advice if it is going to slam the brakes on this crime. We’ve been intent on deploying charging stations across the state, but that’s really just the beginning. We also have to figure out how to keep the thieves and vandals away.”
Bill Summary
Senate Bill 5747 supports affordable housing development, making it easier, faster, and more cost-effective to build and renovate homes for low- and moderate-income families. The bill allows affordable housing projects to use any of the previous four building code standards or the latest international building codes, giving developers flexibility to reduce construction costs while maintaining safety and quality. By also permitting projects to adhere to previous energy code standards, the bill removes unnecessary regulatory barriers that drive up costs and delay much-needed housing projects. This legislation accelerates the construction of affordable housing, ensuring that working families, seniors, and those in need can find stable homes without unnecessary red tape.
The 12-year Multi-Family Property Tax Exemption (MFTE) program, which incentivizes the development of affordable housing, will now be more practical and attractive for builders. This means more rental units will be available at affordable prices, helping communities keep pace with housing demand. The bill does not compromise safety but instead provides builders with reasonable flexibility in using tried-and-tested building codes. It ensures that housing remains affordable by reducing excessive regulatory costs, allowing resources to go directly into home construction rather than bureaucratic hurdles.
For homeowners, the bill defines affordable housing as housing within reach of low- and moderate-income households, ensuring policies support real people in need. By cutting unnecessary restrictions, this legislation removes roadblocks that slow down housing projects, helping to address the state’s housing crisis. Lower development costs translate to lower rents and increased homeownership opportunities, benefiting families and individuals struggling with rising housing costs.