This year’s legislative session commenced on January 9 and concluded on April 23. The Democratic party held a majority in both the House (58-40 seats) and the Senate (29-20). During the session, 474 bills were presented in the House, out of which 286 were passed with unanimous support.
Session highlights include the passage of significant gun responsibility bills, especially a ban on the sale of assault weapons; abolishing the death penalty in state law; repealing misleading and nonbinding advisory votes from ballots; and updating the Growth Management Act to address climate change. Reproductive rights and gender-affirming care were also protected.
Although the Governor’s proposed $4 billion housing bond and rent stabilization bills were rejected, the legislature did pass HB 1110 to increase middle housing and HB 1474, the Covenants Homeownership Account Act, which addresses historical racism in housing. Additionally, $400 million was allocated to the Housing Trust Fund. Police pursuits were a hotly debated topic, resulting in the passage of SB 5352, which lowers the threshold for police to engage in chases.
Midway through the session, the Washington State Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the state’s capital gains tax passed in 2021. This modest 7% excise tax on annual capital gains above $250,000 is paid exclusively by the wealthiest 0.2% of Washingtonians, whose incomes average $2.6 million per year. The tax generates over $500 million per year in new revenue dedicated to providing resources for K-12 schools, building new schools across the state, and significantly expanding childcare and early learning supports for young children.
Budget highlights include the allocation of climate commitment funds, the creation of mental health facilities, funding for a Medicaid equivalent for undocumented immigrants at 138% of the poverty level, and funding for studies regarding removing the lower Snake River dams.
The legislature passed a $69.3 billion, two-year operating budget to fund critical state services, including behavioral health, public schools, affordable housing, and a historic investment to address the climate crisis. This budget includes a significant new investment of $2.9 billion for K-12 education, the largest investment since the McCleary court decision, and $417 million for special education. For the first time, funding of more than $400 million from the Climate Commitment Act will be allocated for projects to reduce carbon emissions and help prepare communities for climate-change-related threats such as droughts and flooding. The new Working Families Tax Credit will continue to receive funding, offering up to $1,200 per year to low-income families.
The operating budget also includes $519 million for housing and immediate shelter needs for people experiencing homelessness across the state, including the Right of Way Safety Initiative, which aims to transition unsheltered people to safer housing and services. Combined with investments from the capital budget, new housing-related investments exceed $1 billion.
For more analysis and detail, please download the Session Recap document.