Current Action Items
- HB 1274 — Resentencing without Juvenile Offenses. Sign in PRO by 8 am, Saturday, February 22.
- HB 1150 — Improving Washington’s Solid Waste Management Outcomes, Sign in PRO by 8 am, Saturday, Feb 22.
- SB 5066 — AG Investigations of Law Enforcement Agencies. Write to Ways and Means leadership to hear this bill. Instructions below.
- HB 1445 / SB 5233 — Universal Health Care. Write to Chair and Vice Chair in both House and Senate committees to schedule the bill for a hearing. See listing below for those emails.
Criminal Justice Priorities
HB 1178: Unstacking Sentencing Enhancements
Mandatory enhancements to base sentences can add many years in prison and are typically stacked on top of each other. HB 1178 provides judicial discretion to serve enhancements concurrently. It eliminates the sentencing enhancement for drug violations committed in protected zones. These provisions would greatly reduce racial inequity.
- Current status: A substitute bill was passed out of House Committee on Community Safety Feb. 6. Referred to House Rules, which decides whether it will receive a vote from the full House.
HB 1274: Resentencing without Juvenile Offenses
For a person being sentenced today, certain specified previous convictions as a juvenile are not counted (scored) in determining the length of sentence. HB 1274 would make this procedure retroactive, by reducing sentences for persons already incarcerated, by not counting offenses as a juvenile that are no longer being scored for new convictions.
- Current status: Substitute bill passed out of House Committee on Community Safety Feb. 6. It is scheduled for a hearing in the Appropriations Committee. Sign in PRO by 8 am, Saturday, February 22.
SB 5066 / HB 1056: AG Investigations of Law Enforcement Agencies
SB 5066 grants authority to the WA State Attorney General (AG) to investigate systemic violations of the state constitution and laws by local law enforcement agencies and sue them. Currently, this investigative authority is limited to the federal Dept. of Justice, which lacks the time and resources to do this on the local level. Many other states have provided their attorneys general with this authority.
- Current status:
- Senate — passed out of Senate Law & Justice Feb 6. Referred to Senate Ways and Means. Large fiscal note is a concern. The Senate bill is the main vehicle for this legislation.
- Ask the leadership of the Senate Ways and Means Committee to schedule a hearing on this bill. Send emails to Ways & Means Committee Chair June Robinson and Vice Chair Derek Stanford. Sample text: “I urge you to schedule a hearing for SB 5066 (AG Investigations of Law Enforcement Agencies) in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.” Add your own text as led.
- House — Public hearing in House Civil Rights & Judiciary on Feb 11. Was scheduled for executive session in the House Committee on Civil Rights & Judiciary but it was removed from the schedule.
- Senate — passed out of Senate Law & Justice Feb 6. Referred to Senate Ways and Means. Large fiscal note is a concern. The Senate bill is the main vehicle for this legislation.
Economic Justice Priorities
HB 1217/SB 5222 Improving Housing Stability
This bill limits the size of rent and fee increases, requires advance notice of increases, and establishes a landlord resource center among other provisions to address the rental crisis in Washington. Nearly 50 percent of households in Washington now spend more than 30% of household income on rent, constricting household funds available for food, education, healthcare and transportation. Arguments pro and con are summarized in the Bill Report, pages 6-9.
- Current status:
- House: Passed House Housing; a second substitute Passed House Appropriations on Feb 10. Referred to House Rules, which will determine whether it goes to the House floor for a vote.
- Senate: Heard in Senate Housing Jan 22. Scheduled for executive session there on Feb 19.
HB 1380 Objectively Reasonable Regulation of Use of Public Property
This bill acknowledges that a growing number of Washington state residents face displacement due to lack of affordable housing. Currently there is a “patchwork of legislation” regulating the use of public land. This legislation requires that regulation of the act of sitting, sleeping, or keeping warm, though not with the use of fire, on public land open to the public be objectively reasonable as to time, place and manner and consider health and safety of all citizens. This legislation would allow individuals to sue municipalities over restricting tent encampments. Arguments pro and con are summarized in the Bill Report, pages 3-5.
- Current status: Passed House Committee on Housing Jan 30. Hearing in House Appropriations Feb 12.
HB 1445/ SB 5233 Developing Washington State Health Trust
The Health Trust would ensure that all Washington residents could enroll in “nonprofit health insurance providing an essential set of health benefits including dental, vision, mental health and pharmacy. Currently many Washington residents are either uninsured or have high co-payments and deductibles leading to increased debt due to medical expenses. The health plan administered by the Washington Health Trust would correct some of the inequities of the most vulnerable, including the unhorsed, the uninsured and the unemployed.
- Current status
- Watch for action on SJM8004, a letter Washington to the U.S. Congress asking for a waiver to pursue our own universal healthcare plan. This has passed the Senate and has been referred to the House Health Care & Wellness Committee.
Environmental Stewardship Priorities
HB 1150/SB 5284: Improving Washington’s Solid Waste Management Outcomes
This bill would reduce plastic waste by requiring producers of packaging to create a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) under supervision of the Department of Ecology. PROs are effective because they make producers of packaging responsible for reducing the amount of packaging produced and increasing the amount being reused, composted, or recycled. Residential recycling collection would be provided wherever residential garbage is collected. See the fact sheet here.
- Current status
- House — Passed out of Environment and Energy on Feb 11. Referred to Appropriations on Feb 13. Fiscal note projects total cost of $6.9 million over two years. Scheduled for public hearing in Appropriation on Feb 22 at 9 am. Sign in PRO by 8 am, Saturday, Feb 22.
- Senate — Heard in Environment, Energy & Technology Jan 28, and passed from that committee on Feb 14. It has been referred to the Ways & Means Committee.
HB 1483/ SB 5423: Right to Repair
The Right to Repair bill requires manufacturers of digital electronics to make repair information, parts, and tools available to independent repair businesses and makes it possible to salvage working parts from nonfunctional tech. It would reduce e-waste by allowing users to repair and extend the lives of their computers, tablets, cellphones, and appliances. Consumer costs would go down; used electronics would go to people who need them. Manufacturing of new products, with associated greenhouse gas emissions and resource extraction, would be reduced. See the factsheet here.
- Current status
- House — Revised version passed the House Committee on Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans on Feb 11. It was referred to the Rules Committee and has now been added to the House floor calendar.
- Senate — Public hearing held in Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology on Feb 5. Scheduled for executive action on Feb 21.