House floor debate highlights

Raiding a $4 billion from the LEOFF 1 pension system to help balance the state budget | House Bill 2034 | February 13, 2026

House Bill 2034 takes billions from the Law Enforcement Officers’ and Fire Fighters’ (LEOFF) Retirement System Plan 1 to help balance the state budget by terminating the LEOFF 1 pension system and replacing it with a new plan. The law guarantees more than enough funding for benefits while redirecting roughly $4 billion in surplus funds into a separate account that can be transferred to the state’s general fund.

LEOFF Plan 1 was created to support law enforcement officers and firefighters, and strong investment performance has produced a significant surplus in the system. Instead of using those funds to strengthen retirement security or support public safety personnel, the law allows the state to use them for other spending priorities.

This treats pension funds as a budget backstop rather than resources dedicated to the workers who earned them.

House Republicans opposed HB 2034 because it:

  • Uses pension funds to help balance the state budget. Transfers roughly $4 billion in surplus into an account that can be moved into the general fund.
  • Undermines trust in the state’s pension system. Pension funds are intended to benefit plan members, not serve as a budget backstop.
  • Balances the budget on the backs of retired public servants. Uses retirement system funds to address state spending pressures.
  • Ignores other priorities for the surplus. Rejects proposals to invest in education, health care assistance or cost-of-living adjustments for retirees.
  • Leaves local governments without relief. Local governments contributed to the system but remain responsible for ongoing benefit costs.
An unsustainable supplemental operating budget that relies on new taxes, fund raids and budget gimmicks | Senate Bill 5998 | February 28, 2026

The 2026 supplemental operating budget (Senate Bill 5998) continues a pattern of overspending and budget gimmicks while Washington faces a multibillion-dollar deficit. Despite the majority passing a record $9 billion in new taxes in 2025, the state still entered the 2026 session facing a $4.3 billion shortfall. This budget increases spending by $2.3 billion over the enacted 2025-27 budget and spends $4.9 billion more than it is expected to collect in revenue.

The budget assumes $2.7 billion in additional tax increases over the four-year outlook, raids the Rainy Day fund and uses pension funds to backfill ongoing spending. It also relies on one-time funds and account shifts instead of making structural changes to bring spending in line with revenue.

At the same time, the budget cuts key services. It reduces Medicaid by $202 million on top of $780 million in prior cuts and reduces funding for K-12 education, including programs affecting rural schools, low-income students and early learning.

House Republicans called for a more responsible approach that lives within existing revenue. Members ultimately opposed SB 5998 because it:

  • Spends far beyond the state’s means. Exceeds expected revenue by $4.9 billion in the 2025-27 biennium, even after $9 billion in new taxes last year.
  • Relies on new taxes and unstable revenue. Assumes $2.7 billion in tax revenue over the four-year outlook, including from a new state income tax that may never go into effect.
  • Builds a structurally unbalanced budget. Spends more than ongoing revenue and relies on temporary fixes instead of sustainable reforms.
  • Raids reserves and uses budget gimmicks. Drains the Rainy Day fund and uses pension funds and one-time resources to cover ongoing expenses.
  • Cuts critical services. Reduces Medicaid by hundreds of millions and cuts K-12 funding, including programs serving rural and low-income students.
Giving the Attorney General’s Office sweeping investigative powers to demand records and testimony without traditional court safeguards | Senate Bill 5925 | March 4, 2026

Senate Bill 5925 gives the Attorney General’s Office sweeping new investigative powers to demand your records and testimony without the safeguards of a traditional court process. The law allows the attorney general to issue civil investigative demands, or CIDs, forcing individuals, businesses and local governments to produce documents, answer questions or provide testimony before any lawsuit is filed.

Previously limited to specific areas such as consumer protection and Medicaid fraud, this authority now applies to a broad range of issues, including alleged violations of the U.S. Constitution, the Washington Constitution, discrimination laws, immigration enforcement policies, jail standards and wage laws.

This significantly expands the state’s ability to investigate without first proving wrongdoing in court, allowing government to compel information before a case is filed.

House Republicans opposed SB 5925 because it:

  • Gives the attorney general sweeping new investigative powers. Expands the state’s authority to compel records, testimony and information across a broad range of civil investigations.
  • Bypasses traditional judicial safeguards. Allows investigative demands without first presenting evidence to a judge.
  • Enables broad demands for records and testimony. Compels individuals, businesses, nonprofits and local governments to provide documents and information.
  • Allows secrecy orders tied to investigations. Permits nondisclosure requirements preventing recipients from discussing demands.
  • Expands government investigative authority in a one-party state. Grants broad new power to investigate citizens, businesses and organizations with limited checks and balances.

Letting an unelected state board remove locally elected sheriffs and override voters | Senate Bill 5974 | March 5, 2026

Senate Bill 5974 takes authority over elected sheriffs away from voters and gives it to a state-level bureaucracy, allowing an unelected board to effectively remove sheriffs from office. Under state law, sheriffs are constitutional officers chosen by the people, and removal traditionally occurs through recall, impeachment or criminal conviction.

The law subjects elected sheriffs to certification and decertification decisions made by the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC), an unelected body appointed within the executive branch. Decertification prevents a sheriff from serving, allowing a state agency to override the outcome of a local election and shift power from the ballot box to a state board.

The legislation also imposes uniform training and certification requirements across multiple categories of law enforcement personnel, including volunteers, cadets and specially commissioned officers. This one-size-fits-all approach reduces local flexibility and makes it harder for rural counties to rely on volunteer and reserve programs that support public safety.

House Republicans opposed SB 5974 because it:

  • Allows a state bureaucracy to remove an elected sheriff. Authorizes the CJTC to decertify a sheriff, effectively removing a locally elected official from office.
  • Undermines voter authority. Administrative decisions by a state commission override the outcome of a local election.
  • Shifts power away from local communities. Centralizes authority in Olympia and weakens local control over law enforcement leadership.
  • Raises constitutional concerns. Allows an administrative agency to remove a constitutional officer, blurring the line between voter authority and executive power.
  • Threatens rural public safety capacity. Restricts volunteer and reserve programs rural counties rely on to maintain adequate staffing.
Creating Washington’s first state income tax and opening the door to broader income taxation | Senate Bill 6346 | March 10, 2026

Senate Bill 6346 creates Washington’s first state income tax and opens the door to taxing more families in the future. The law imposes a 9.9 percent tax on household income above $1 million, but legislative Democrats have acknowledged the policy could expand to additional taxpayers over time.

The law applies the same $1 million deduction to both single filers and married couples, meaning married households can reach the tax threshold sooner. Lawmakers also rejected efforts to amend the state constitution to guarantee the tax remains limited to millionaires.

This represents a major shift in Washington’s tax system without reducing the taxes people already pay and is expected to face constitutional challenges.

House Republicans opposed SB 6346 because it:

  • Creates Washington’s first state income tax. Imposes a 9.9 percent tax on household income above $1 million.
  • Opens the door to broader income taxation. Legislative Democrats acknowledge the income tax can expand to more taxpayers over time. There are no safeguards in the bill.
  • Raises constitutional concerns. Courts have historically interpreted income as property under Washington’s constitution.
  • Ignores the will of Washington voters. Voters have rejected income tax proposals at the ballot box repeatedly.
  • Does little to lower taxes for working families. Raises billions while providing minimal relief to residents struggling with our state’s affordability crisis.
  • Penalizes marriage. Gives married couples the same $1 million deduction as single filers, pushing them toward the tax threshold faster.
Undermining public safety by weakening Washington’s clemency and pardons process | House Bill 1131 | March 7, 2025

House Bill 1131 would undermine public safety by weakening Washington’s clemency and pardons process, prioritizing political mandates over fairness and accountability. The bill’s goal is to increase the number of clemency and pardon hearings, allowing more convicted criminals to be considered for early release or a pardon. Under the bill, demographic quotas for Clemency and Pardons Board appointments would be imposed, injecting politics into life-altering decisions instead of prioritizing qualifications and experience. Additionally, the bill would lower the standard for granting conditional commutations from the existing “extraordinary” threshold to the “interest of justice” threshold, making it easier for offenders to be released without clear, consistent criteria. More hearings would mean more crime victims being forced to relive their trauma, enduring what would feel like another trial. Instead of prioritizing public safety and justice, this bill would prioritize criminals over victims.

House Republicans opposed HB 1131 because it would:

  • Put public safety at risk by making it easier for offenders to be released without a clear, consistent standard.
  • Politicize the clemency and pardons process by requiring demographic quotas for Board appointments instead of prioritizing experience and impartiality.
  • Revictimize crime victims by forcing them to repeatedly relive their trauma through additional hearings.
  • Lack transparency and accountability by introducing vague legal standards that could lead to inconsistent and unfair clemency decisions.
Granting broad authority to state and local officials while limiting local control and individual rights in health decisions | House Bill 1531 | March 8, 2025

House Bill 1531 gives state and local officials sweeping power to enforce public health measures, like vaccines, without considering individual rights or local preferences. It mandates that decisions be based on science, but removes local control, overriding any policies that might limit these measures. While aimed at standardizing responses to communicable diseases, it raises serious concerns about government overreach and the erosion of personal freedoms.

House Republicans opposed House Bill 1531 because it:

  • Supersedes existing laws – Washington already has laws and resources in place to respond to public health emergencies, making this bill an unnecessary expansion of government authority.
  • Strips local control and centralizes power – The bill removes the ability of local officials to make health decisions for their communities, shifting control to the state and undermining democratic governance.
  • Erodes public trust in health institutions – By mandating adherence to politically influenced “science,” this bill risks further alienating the public and increasing skepticism toward public health measures.
  • Disregards individual rights and informed consent – The bill prioritizes state-mandated health measures over bodily autonomy and parental rights, limiting personal choice and medical freedom.
  • Grants unchecked emergency powers – The emergency clause allows state officials to enact sweeping, irreversible policies before they can be challenged in court, giving unelected bureaucrats excessive control over people’s lives.
Implementing rent control | House Bill 1217 | March 10, 2025

House Bill 1217 is a misguided solution to Washington’s housing crisis. Rent control has failed in cities like New York, San Francisco, and St. Paul, leading to fewer available rental units, neglected properties, and worsened housing shortages. By capping rent increases at 7% and imposing restrictive exemptions, this bill will drive investment away from Washington, pushing it to states with more flexible policies. Instead of addressing the core issue—housing supply—this bill threatens to harm the state’s economy and discourage the development of much-needed housing, ultimately keeping prices high for both renters and homeowners. 

House Republicans opposed House Bill 1217 because it:

  • Does not address the root cause of the housing crisis: The real issue is the lack of housing supply, and rent control does not increase supply. The bill risks undermining other housing efforts that focus on easing permitting, reducing building costs, and encouraging development.
  • Damages the state’s economy: The bill could lower property values and construction-related tax revenues while reducing incentives for developers to build new housing. This would make the housing supply crisis worse, not better.
  • Encourages investment in neighboring states: The bill’s restrictive rent caps and exemptions could drive investment away from Washington, making the state less competitive compared to Oregon and California, which have more flexible rent control policies.
  • Limits flexibility for small landlords: The 7% rent increase cap fails to account for rising operational costs like property taxes, insurance, and maintenance. Small landlords, who play a crucial role in providing housing, may struggle to cover these expenses, leading to fewer rental options and higher costs for tenants.
  • Could lead to unsafe housing conditions: Lower profits for landlords could discourage reinvestment in properties, leading to deferred maintenance and potential safety hazards for tenants, ultimately harming both the housing market and tenant welfare.
Gutting the parental rights initiative passed by the Legislature in 2024 | House Bill 1296 | March 12, 2025

House Bill 1296 undermines the Washington Parents Bill of Rights (Initiative 2081) by reducing transparency and limiting parental authority over their children’s education and well-being. The bill obstructs the original intent of the initiative, which ensures parents have timely access to information about their children’s school activities, curriculum, and sensitive records, including mental health counseling. It restricts parents’ ability to review school materials and gives schools more discretion over issues like medical care and counseling, which should involve parental consent. By deepening distrust between parents and school districts, the bill exacerbates issues like declining enrollment and lost funding for school districts. Ultimately, it erodes public confidence in schools and prevents parents from being fully involved in the growth and development of their minor children.

House Republicans opposed House Bill 1296 because it:

  • Removes key parental rights: The bill strips a parent’s ability to sue for enforcement of Initiative 2081.
  • Limits access to vital school records: The bill removes a parent’s right to access certain public school records, including medical, health, and mental health counseling records. It also increases the time for schools to share records from 10 business days to 45.
  • Eliminates parental notification of medical services: The bill no longer requires schools to notify parents before offering or referring medical services or medications to their child, even when these services may incur costs.
  • Denies parents the ability to opt their child out of certain activities: The bill removes a parent’s right to be notified and opt their child out of invasive surveys, assignments, role-playing activities, recordings, or other student engagements.
  • Puts student safety at risk: The bill also removes a parent’s right to be notified if their child is taken from school to stay at a youth shelter or “host home,” limiting parental oversight and control.
2025-27 operating budget | Senate Bill 5167 | April 1, 2025

The House Democrats’ 2025-27 operating budget proposal would be a disaster for taxpayers—relying on $15 billion in new taxes to cover a self-inflicted $10+ billion deficit while doing nothing to ease the financial strain on working families. Instead of making responsible choices, Democratic budget writers use gimmicks, one-time federal money, and fund transfers to mask reckless overspending. Meanwhile, essential services remain underfunded as billions are funneled into pet projects with no long-term plan. This tax-and-spend approach is unsustainable, unfair, and punishes the very people Washington should be helping. Families deserve a budget that works for them—not one that repeats the same mistakes of the past and goes out of its way to tax the joy out of being a Washingtonian.

House Republicans opposed this operating budget proposal (SB 5167) because:

  • It relies on $15 billion in new taxes. In order to fund everything in the budget, Democrats impose massive tax hikes, including a capital gains tax expansion, a new wealth tax, higher real estate excise taxes, and increased property taxes—all of which would make it more expensive to own a home, run a business, and invest in Washington’s economy.
  • It fuels unsustainable spending. The budget increases spending by nearly 10%, despite economic uncertainty and declining revenue forecasts, setting the state up for future deficits.
  • It funds the wrong priorities. Instead of prioritizing critical needs or focusing on fixing existing problems, it channels billions into new government programs with little accountability.
  • It offers no meaningful tax relief. Despite Washington being the third-most expensive state for residents, the budget fails to provide broad-based tax cuts or any relief whatsoever for working families.
Weakening the voter-backed Parents’ Bill of Rights passed by the Legislature in 2024 | Senate Bill 5181 | April 14, 2025

Senate Bill 5181 would gut the Parents’ Bill of Rights and strip away key protections voters demanded through Initiative 2081.

It removes parents’ right to be notified before medical services are offered to their children at school—unless it is an emergency—and eliminates parents’ right to access their child’s medical and mental health records. It also removes the requirement that parents be notified and allowed to opt their child out of surveys concerning sensitive or intimate information.

The bill includes an emergency clause to prevent a public referendum, denying voters the chance to overturn it. It also removes parents’ ability to sue if their rights are violated, leaving them with no recourse to enforce their rights.

This is not about alignment with existing law. It is a deliberate effort to sideline parents and expand government control over children’s lives. Parents—not schools—know what is best for their children.

House Republicans opposed Senate Bill 5181 because it would:

  • Gut the Parents’ Bill of Rights. Initiative 2081, backed by more than 400,000 Washingtonians and passed by the Legislature in 2024, is weakened by Senate Bill 5181. The bill diminishes core protections and removes critical parental rights, potentially harming the parent-child relationship and creating a divide between parents and school districts.
  • Significantly reduce transparency for parents and undermine their involvement in education. The original initiative required schools to provide parents access to records regarding their child’s medical and mental health. Senate Bill 5181 eliminates that requirement entirely.
  • Weaken provisions that support communication between parents and schools. The bill dilutes key protections from the original initiative, including the requirement for schools to notify parents about medical or mental health services provided to their child.
  • Remove key examples and specific protections from the voters’ initiative. The original initiative guaranteed parents the right to be notified if a child was removed from school, such as being taken to a youth shelter or hospital. Senate Bill 5181 removes this provision, making the language vague and opening the door for schools to keep parents in the dark.

Democrats blocked Republican amendments that would have:

  • Affirmed parents as the primary stakeholders in their children’s upbringing and education, despite overwhelming research showing the benefits of parental involvement on student success.
  • Allowed parents to access their child’s medical and mental health records—particularly for children age 12 and under and to the extent permitted by federal law—so they could advocate for them and provide necessary care.
  • Required schools to notify parents when medical services are offered to their child, especially when there are financial implications or follow-up care involved.
  • Ensured parents are notified when their child is taken from school to a youth shelter or host home. One mother spent a weekend searching for her daughter, who was removed from school without notice and placed in a mental health facility.
  • Protected girls’ sports by ensuring female-only competitions remain exclusive to biological females, preserving fairness and safety in athletics.
  • Guaranteed children access to sex-specific locker rooms and showers, rather than forcing them into alternative accommodations due to someone else’s complaint.
  • Banned student access to pornographic content on school property, including explicit instructional materials, unless preapproved by a parent.
  • Required parental notification of district policies allowing students to excuse themselves from school—something 81.7% of districts currently permit without a parent’s knowledge.
  • Extended opt-out rights to invasive surveys asking students about sensitive topics such as sex, religion, mental health, or political beliefs, even when those surveys are not federally funded.
  • Sent the bill back to the people for a vote, since it significantly altered the initiative they passed just last year.
A costly new mandate on food packaging that will raise grocery prices and hurt working families | Senate Bill 5284 | April 14, 2025

Senate Bill 5284 would impose a sweeping new mandate on producers of packaging and paper products, requiring them to fund and participate in a statewide recycling system overseen by a nonprofit organization. This entity would be empowered to design, implement, and enforce recycling rules across Washington—without oversight from elected officials or accountability to the public.

Although the bill is intended to improve recycling outcomes, it would increase costs for consumers and small businesses by shifting the financial burden onto producers—costs that would inevitably be passed down to Washington families. It would also create a regulatory structure outside the traditional framework of public accountability and transparency. Key decisions—such as which materials can be sold, how products must be labeled, and how producers comply—would be made by a private organization exempt from public records laws and insulated from voter input.

Instead of improving existing local recycling efforts or working through public agencies subject to checks and balances, Senate Bill 5284 would delegate sweeping policymaking authority to an unelected nonprofit. This outsourcing of core government responsibilities raises serious concerns about transparency, fairness, and long-term costs.

House Republicans opposed Senate Bill 5284 because:

  • It’s a hidden tax on food and household goods. The bill would drive up costs on groceries and everyday products by requiring producers to pay into a nonprofit that funds recycling programs. These costs will be passed on to consumers—especially those who can least afford it. Studies in other states show households could pay an additional $300 to $700 annually.
  • It delegates major public responsibilities to an unaccountable nonprofit. The producer responsibility organization (PRO) would be allowed to set multimillion-dollar fees, enforce recycling mandates, and manage statewide programs—yet it would be exempt from public records laws, open meetings laws, and antitrust protections.
  • It’s regressive and harms low-income families. Lower-income households disproportionately purchase prepackaged goods, meaning they will feel the cost increases more acutely. Academic research and recent news from California show similar policies elsewhere have raised prices with limited benefits.
  • It creates a costly, complex bureaucracy without knowing the infrastructure price tag. The state has not conducted a full assessment of the recycling infrastructure needed to support this program, yet the bill mandates sweeping changes starting as early as 2026 and full implementation by 2030.
  • It undermines accountability in local solid waste management.Local governments would have to incorporate PRO programs into their own plans or adopt a state-developed model plan, reducing local flexibility and oversight.
Fuel tax hikes and other new fees fund the 2025-27 transportation budget | Senate Bill 5801 | April 24, 2025

Senate Bill 5801 will make Washington drivers pay even more at the pump, ushering in the state’s first gas tax hike in nearly a decade and adding to what are already the third-highest fuel prices in the nation. Anchored by a 6-cent increase to the gas tax beginning July 1, this sweeping transportation tax package also raises diesel taxes, vehicle weight fees, tire fees, and car rental taxes — stacking burden after burden onto working families, truckers, and rural commuters. Over the next six years, Washingtonians will pay an estimated $3.2 billion more just to keep driving, while many of those dollars fund transit projects and programs that provide little benefit to those footing the bill.

Despite repeated efforts by House Republicans to spare drivers from these increases — by proposing amendments to eliminate the gas tax hike, block new fees on diesel and tires, redirect Climate Commitment Act revenue already being collected, and more — the majority rejected every attempt.

House Republicans opposed SB 5801 because it:

  • Increases the financial burden on drivers, especially those in rural areas who rely on long commutes, compounding Washington’s affordability crisis at a time when working families are already stretched thin.
  • Raises fuel prices even higher in a state that already has the third-highest gas and diesel prices in the country.
  • Penalizes farmers, truckers, and small businesses that depend on diesel fuel to transport goods and keep shelves stocked.
  • Adds regressive fees that hit low-income families hardest, including hikes on tires, vehicle weight, and rental cars.
  • Fails to use existing revenue — such as billions from the Climate Commitment Act — to address infrastructure needs before demanding more from taxpayers.
Natural gas ban in new residential and commercial buildings | House Bill 1589 | January 22, 2024

House Bill 1589 would prohibit any large gas company that serves more than 500,000 retail natural gas customers in Washington from providing natural gas service to any commercial or residential location that did not receive gas service or file an application for gas service as of June 30, 2023.

House Republicans opposed House Bill 1589 because:

  • Banning natural gas in new residential and commercial buildings would increase the costs of housing, goods and services at a time when Washington state is in an affordability crisis.
  • Washington consumers and businesses deserve affordable, reliable energy choices.
  • Washington’s grid needs natural gas.
Potential elimination of odd-year elections | House Bill 1932 | February 8, 2024

House Bill 1932 would allow cities, counties, and special purpose districts to switch to even-year elections to align with state and federal elections. 

House Republicans opposed House Bill 1932 because:

  • Removing opportunities for Washingtonians to vote erodes democracy.
  • This bill may cause serious ballot length issues, resulting in voter fatigue and undervoting in local races that cost county auditors significant resources to prepare for.
  • State auditors across Washington oppose this bill, as does the Secretary of State. They have grave concerns eliminating odd-year elections will make it harder to retain qualified staff to run elections and could reduce opportunities to test voting system preparedness, accuracy, and security before presidential and midterm elections.
  • House Democrats rejected a Republican amendment to require that tax measures on the ballot also run in even-numbered years, meaning a small percentage of highly partisan voters could raise taxes in special elections in February and April.
Unemployment benefits for striking workers | House Bill 1893 | February 12, 2024

House Bill 1893 would expand unemployment insurance eligibility by removing the disqualification based on employee strike or employer lockout.

House Republicans opposed House Bill 1893 because:

  • This interferes with the collective bargaining process and provides incentive for unions to prolong strikes.
  • More frequent and prolonged strikes which would ultimately harm businesses, consumers, and the economy as a whole by increasing costs, reducing productivity, and creating uncertainty in the market.
  • All businesses would be required to cover the costs of a strike, regardless of their involvement.
  • The unemployment insurance (UI) system is not designed to provide benefits for workers who voluntarily go on strike.
  • Many unions already provide strike benefits.
  • This bill would put the UI system in jeopardy with significant cost increases.
  • More frequent and prolonged strikes in the future, which would ultimately harm businesses, consumers, and the economy as a whole by increasing costs, reducing productivity, and creating uncertainty in the market.
  • This shift in the balance of power created by this bill could have far-reaching consequences, further jeopardizing Washington’s reputation as a business-friendly state and exacerbating its already declining business climate ranking.
Judicial discretion to reduce criminal sentences | House Bill 2001 | February 13, 2024

House Bill 2001 would allow judges to reduce the sentences of convicted criminals—other than a person sentenced as a persistent offender or for Aggravated Murder in the first degree—after they’ve served ten years if 18 years or older at time of the crime, or seven years if under 17 years old at the time of the crime.

House Republicans opposed House Bill 2001 because:

  • Our state is already experiencing a public safety crisis, and this bill puts convicted criminals over victims. 
  • We believe victims of criminal acts deserve justice.
  • Our court system is beyond a breaking point of what it is able to do. There aren’t enough prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, etc. to deal with current cases in a timely manner.
  • This bill will cost counties money, and if the state chooses to make a policy change, it should pay for the resulting costs.
Caps percentage a housing provider can increase rent to 7% annually | House Bill 2114 | February 13, 2024

House Bill 2114 would cap the total percentage a housing provider can increase rent by to 7% annually. Housing providers must provide a 180-day notice of any rent increase. The bill limits late fees to 1.5% of the base rent and would allow tenants to break their lease with no consequences if notified that their rent will increase beyond 5%.

House Republicans opposed House Bill 2114 because:

  • Rent control does the opposite of its intended effect and ultimately hurts tenants.
  • Rent control will decrease the supply of rental housing. 
  • Small housing providers will be hurt by this regulation and may ultimately leave the business altogether. 
  • Less access to rental housing will further exacerbate the housing crisis.
Clarifies state guidelines on emergency child removal to ensure the safety of children from lethal risks posed by synthetic opioids | Senate Bill 6109 | February 13, 2024

Senate Bill 6109, which will become law on June 6, requires courts to give great weight to the lethality of and public heath guidance from the Department of Health (DOH) regarding high-potency synthetic opioids (fentanyl) during certain stages of child welfare proceedings where the court is determining whether a child should be removed from a parent.

House Republicans sought to amend Senate Bill 6109 to require parents abusing fentanyl to prove they can provide a safe home for their children. We argued the amendment was necessary to save the lives of children who would otherwise be returned to parents who would continue putting them in harm’s way. 

Our proposed amendment aimed to replace the concept of “great weight” with a “rebuttable presumption.” In legal terms, a rebuttable presumption means that a court assumes certain facts to be true unless proven otherwise by the opposing party. Specifically, in this case, the court would automatically assume that removing a child from a home where there’s exposure to fentanyl is necessary to prevent immediate harm. However, this presumption can be challenged by the parents.

Under Washington state family law, there are several instances of rebuttable presumptions. For example, it’s assumed that relocating a child will be allowed, that a child is considered abandoned if there’s been no contact with a parent for three months or more, and that if a parent fails to address the issue leading to the child’s removal from the home, it’s unlikely the child will be returned.

The amendment was voted down.

Links the California-Québec carbon market and the Washington carbon market | Senate Bill 6058 | February 20, 2024

Senate Bill 6058, which was signed into law on March 28, will make changes to Washington’s Climate Commitment Act that are designed to make our program more compatible with California and Quebec’s linked cap-and-invest carbon market. The bill makes these changes to facilitate the negotiation of a “linkage agreement” that would be entered into by the Director of Ecology on behalf of Washington. The agreement would set the terms and start date for a market to be operated in which emission allowances could be used for compliance in any of the linked jurisdictions.

House Republicans opposed Senate Bill 6058 in committee because:

  • Washington has an affordability crisis. Linking to high-cost California will make matters worse, not better.
  • Linkage will increase fuel prices in Washington. At $180 per ton, the modeled allowance price in California’s market in 2040, Washington drivers could expect a fuel price impact of $1.40 per gallon. At modeled prices near $100 in 2030, Washington drivers can expect a fuel price impact of $.78 per gallon.
  • Linkage creates uncertainty for Washington’s budgets. The bill’s fiscal note says plainly there are too many variables to estimate the impact to revenue.
  • There is not enough protection for Washington consumers. California has higher fuel prices, higher housing costs, and higher electricity costs than we do. California’s Legislature puts forward the most aggressive emission reduction policies, and we should expect they will make their cap and invest market more stringent than it is right now because they are not on track to meet their GHG goals.
  • Linked markets limit the Washington Legislature’s policy autonomy. We would likely have to negotiate the timing and terms of exiting the agreement if costs are not in line with expectations.
House Democrats’ Supplemental Operating Budget Proposal | Senate Bill 5950 | February 24, 2024

Key points:

  • Since the legislature adjourned in March, the state has collected an extra $3.3 billion over the four-year outlook. 
  • The Conference budget increases spending to $72 billion, a $2.2 billion increase over current 2023-25 spending. 
  • The budget does not assume new taxes but transfers $798 million from state reserves to the general fund. 
  • Continues to assume revenue collections from the Climate Commitment Act (carbon tax) and capital gains tax. 
  • Leaves an ending fund balance of $510 million NGF-O by the end of 2025-27 plus $2.1 billion in reserves.

House Republicans opposed the budget because:

  • Under Democrat leadership, state spending has more than doubled over the past 10-years.
  • The 2014 supplemental budget increased spending by $200 million. This 2024 supplemental budget increases spending by $2.2 billion. This level of spending growth is irresponsible.
  • Washington ranks as one of the least affordable states. #3 for gas prices, #4 for grocery prices, #4 for housing costs. Yet this proposal does not provide any real relief. 
  • Instead of focusing spending on key priorities with clearly defined outcomes, spending is spread across over 1,000 separate line items with very little transparency or accountability.
  • The budget leaves only $2.1billion in reserves by the end of the four-year outlook period.  This is less than the State Treasurer’s minimum target of 10% of annual NGF-O revenues, and less than the 50-state average.
Links the California-Québec carbon market and the Washington carbon market | House Senate Bill 6058 | February 29, 2024

Senate Bill 6058, which was signed into law on March 28, will make changes to Washington’s Climate Commitment Act that are designed to make our program more compatible with California and Quebec’s linked cap-and-invest carbon market. The bill makes these changes to facilitate the negotiation of a “linkage agreement” that would be entered into by the Director of Ecology on behalf of Washington. The agreement would set the terms and start date for a market to be operated in which emission allowances could be used for compliance in any of the linked jurisdictions.

House Republicans opposed Senate Bill 6058 on the floor because:

  • Washington has an affordability crisis. Linking to high-cost California will make matters worse, not better.
  • Linkage will increase fuel prices in Washington. At $180 per ton, the modeled allowance price in California’s market in 2040, Washington drivers could expect a fuel price impact of $1.40 per gallon. At modeled prices near $100 in 2030, Washington drivers can expect a fuel price impact of $.78 per gallon.
  • Linkage creates uncertainty for Washington’s budgets. The bill’s fiscal note says plainly there are too many variables to estimate the impact to revenue.
  • There is not enough protection for Washington consumers. California has higher fuel prices, higher housing costs, and higher electricity costs than we do. California’s Legislature puts forward the most aggressive emission reduction policies, and we should expect they will make their cap and invest market more stringent than it is right now because they are not on track to meet their GHG goals.
  • Linked markets limit the Washington Legislature’s policy autonomy. We would likely have to negotiate the timing and terms of exiting the agreement if costs are not in line with expectations.
Restores ‘reasonable suspicion’ standards to again allow law enforcement to engage in vehicular pursuits of criminal suspects | Initiative 2113 | March 4, 2024

Initiative 2113, which passed the Legislature on March 4, will remove certain restrictions on when law enforcement may engage in vehicular pursuits. Such pursuits would be allowed when a police officer has reasonable suspicion a person has violated the law, pursuit is necessary to identify or apprehend the person, the person poses a threat to the safety of others, those safety risks are greater than those of the pursuit, and a supervisor authorizes the pursuit.

House Republicans supported Initiative 2113 because:

  • This initiative will restore vehicular pursuit options for law enforcement and have an immediate, positive impact on community safety.  
  • Since 2021, when Democrats passed HB 1054, criminals have felt emboldened and law enforcement has felt abandoned. Criminals know if they can get to a vehicle, they can drive away from the police.
    • This misguided policy has directly contributed to our state’s public safety crisis. Communities are less safe. This experiment has failed. House Republicans worked to correct this mistake by the majority.
Creates a Parent’s Bill of Rights, which will increase transparency and accountability in public schools | Initiative 2081 | March 4, 2024

Initiative 2081, which passed the Legislature on March 4, will allow parents and guardians of public schoolchildren to review instructional materials and inspect student records, including health and disciplinary records, upon request. It will require public schools to provide parents and guardians with certain notifications, including about medical services given and when students are taken off campus; access to calendars and certain policies; and written notice and opportunities to opt students out of comprehensive sexual-health education and answering certain surveys or assignments.

House Republicans supported Initiative 2081 because:

  • This initiative will establish a Parents’ Bill of Rights relating to their children’s public-school education and make clear parents are the primary stakeholders in their children’s upbringing.
  • Parents have a right to be informed by schools about what their children are experiencing. 
  • There should be more transparency about what is going on at school.
  • Increased parental involvement is the key to better student outcomes.
  • Parents will have greater visibility into the content of instructional materials used in the classroom.
  • Our state has a K-12 education crisis, which we want to fix.
Concerning legal financial obligations | House Bill 1169 | February 28, 2023

House Bill 1169 would:

  • Eliminate the crime victim penalty assessment and establish alternative state funding for crime victim and witness programs.
  • Eliminate the DNA database fee and establish alternative state funding for the DNA database and DNA collection costs.
  • Require a court, upon motion of an offender, to waive a previously imposed crime victim penalty assessment or DNA database fee.

House Republicans believe this bill will:

  • Eliminate criminals having to pay a penalty to fund services for victims of crimes and shift these costs to taxpayers.
  • Prioritize criminals over victims and survivors and their families. House Republicans believe in accountability and stand with victims and survivors of crime.
A new climate change layer to the Growth Management Act | House Bill 1181 | March 3, 2023

House Bill 1181 would:

  • Add a new climate change layer to the onerous Growth Management Act.

House Republicans believe this bill:

  • Make it even more complicated to build in our state by bogging down the permitting process. It will make it even more expensive to build and continue the trend of making housing unaffordable in Washington state.
Expanding access to dual credit programs | House Bill 1316 | March 4, 2023

House Bill 1316 would:

  • Allow students participating in Running Start programs to be funded up to a combined maximum enrollment of 1.6 full-time equivalents, including enrollment during the summer academic term.

House Republicans believe this bill:

  • Is not good enough and a missed opportunity. House Republicans introduced an alternative solution — a striking amendment to House Bill 1316 – that House Democrats voted down.
Concerning sentencing enhancements | House Bill 1268 | March 6, 2023

House Bill 1268 would reduce sentences by:

  • Eliminating sentencing enhancements for involving a minor in a criminal street gang activity and controlled substance violations in protected zones.
  • Removing requirement that firearm enhancements be served consecutively.
  • Removing the restrictions on partial confinement and earned early release for all sentencing enhancements.

House Republicans believe this bill:

  • Is another example of the majority party prioritizing criminals over victims. It will make communities less safe, like other misguided policies Democrats have passed since 2021.
Requirements for the purchase or transfer of firearms | House Bill 1143 | March 7, 2023

House Bill 1143 would:

  • Establish significant new requirements to legally purchase or transfer a firearm, including a new permit requirement with fingerprinting, in addition to a background check.

House Republicans believe this bill will:

  • Impair an individual’s right to keep and bear arms.  
  • Create burdens for individuals to possess firearms to defend themselves, their families and their property.
  • Disproportionally impact low-income people who want to defend themselves.
So-called assault weapon ban | House Bill 1240 | March 8, 2023

House Bill 1240 would:

  • Prohibit the manufacture, importation, distribution, sale, or offer for sale of any so-called assault weapon, subject to various exceptions for licensed firearm manufacturers and dealers and for individuals who inherit an assault weapon.

House Republicans believe this bill will:

  • Impair Washingtonians’ right to bear arms. 
  • Be challenged in federal court and ruled unconstitutional.
2023-25 operating budget | Senate Bill 5187 | April 3, 2023

Senate Bill 5187 would:

  • Make 2023-2025 fiscal biennium operating appropriations.

House Republicans opposed the House Democrats’ 2023-25 operating budget because it:

  • Continues unsustainable budget growth under the majority party, with state spending more than doubling over the last ten years. 
  • Does not focus on key priorities and, instead, spreads spending across 1,495 separate line items with little transparency or accountability.
  • Does not do enough to properly fund special education or help students recover from learning loss.
  • Leaves a small ending-fund balance.
  • Provides no relief to taxpayers.
2023-25 transportation budget | House Bill 1125 | April 3, 2023

House Bill 1125 would:

  • Make 2023-2025 fiscal biennium transportation appropriations.

House Republicans supported the House 2023-25 transportation budget because it:

  • Represents bipartisan collaboration and reflects many policies supported by House Republicans. 
  • Makes important investments in infrastructure and projects across the state. 
  • Supports capital development and the workforce of Washington State Ferries. 
  • Includes funding for the Washington State Patrol, including hiring-incentive bonuses, training programs and community engagement.
Abolishing advisory votes | Senate Bill 5082 | April 7, 2023

Senate Bill 5082 would:

  • Abolish advisory votes on Washington state ballots. Advisory votes, which were established by voter-approved I-960 in 2007, allow voters to share their opinions (repealed/maintained) on legislation passed by the Legislature involving tax increases.

House Republicans believe this bill will:

  • Show, yet again, that Democrats are ignoring the will of the voters by repealing a voter-approved initiative. 
  • Silence voters who want to share their views on tax-related legislation passed by the Legislature.
  • Take away an invaluable resource for state lawmakers to gauge the sentiments of their constituents.
Musculoskeletal injuries and disorders| Senate Bill 5217 | April 7, 2023

Senate Bill 5217 would:

  • Repeal a voter-approved initiative from 2003 that repealed burdensome ergonomic rules and prohibited Labor & Industries (L&I) from adopting ergonomic regulations. 
  • Allow L&I to adopt no more than one new rule per year (beginning in 2026) for one industry or risk classification. However, rules may only be adopted for industries or risk classifications with compensable workers’ compensation claims involving musculoskeletal injuries or disorders at a rate greater than two times the overall state rate over a five-year period and must exclude any of the defined subcategories of those industries and risk classifications that don’t meet the claims threshold.

House Republicans believe this bill will:

  • Demonstrate, once again, that the majority party is disregarding the will of the voters and repealing a voter-approved initiative. 
  • Put Washington state at a competitive disadvantage for businesses looking to expand or relocate, as no other state has adopted ergonomic rules since federal rules were repealed in 2001 due to their economic impact. Employers are already required by law to provide a safe working environment for all employees and the state Supreme Court has ruled that L&I can already cite employers for ergonomic hazards.
Concerning vehicular pursuits | Senate Bill 5352 | April 10, 2023

Senate Bill 5352 would:

  • Lower the evidentiary threshold required for engaging in a vehicular pursuit by allowing police officers to conduct the vehicular pursuit if they have reasonable suspicion that a person in the vehicle has committed or is committing specified criminal offenses.

House Republicans believe this bill will:

  • Not allow police officers to engage in vehicular pursuits for several other offenses, including but not limited to auto theft, residential burglary, stalking, unlawful imprisonment, reckless and aggressive driving, and others.
Parental rights | Senate Bill 5599 | April 12, 2023

Senate Bill 5599 would:

  • Expand the list of reasons a licensed shelter can choose to not notify a youth’s parents that they are in a licensed shelter to include receiving protected health care services, including reproductive care and gender affirming care. Current law only allows licensed shelters to not notify parents if there is suspected abuse or neglect. 
  • Allow host homes to house youth without parental permission if a youth is seeking or receiving protected health care services.

House Republicans believe this bill will:

  • Violate and erode parental rights. Parents who are providing a safe home have the right to know where their children are at. 
  • Put police officers into an uncomfortable position should the parents report their children missing.
2023-25 capital budget | Senate Bill 5200 | April 21, 2023

Senate Bill 5200 would make capital budget appropriations for the 2023-25 fiscal biennium.

House Republicans supported the 2023-25 capital budget because:

  • It will make important investments in K-12 school construction, behavioral health, infrastructure, housing, higher education, and other projects across our state.
2023-25 transportation budget | House Bill 1125 | April 22, 2023

House Bill 1125 would make transportation appropriations for the 2023-2025 fiscal biennium.

House Republicans supported the 2023-25 transportation budget because:

  • It will make important investments in transportation infrastructure, preservation and maintenance, Washington State Ferries, Washington State Patrol, and other programs and projects across our state.
2023-25 operating budget | Senate Bill 5187 | April 23, 2023

Senate Bill 5187 would make 2023-2025 fiscal biennium operating appropriations.

House Republicans opposed the 2023-25 operating budget because:

  • Under Democratic leadership, state spending has more than doubled over the past 10 years.
  • Instead of focusing state spending on key priorities with clearly defined outcomes, spending is spread across 1,800 separate line items with very little transparency or accountability.
  • It leaves a very small ending-fund balance and will not meet the four-year balanced budget requirement without aggressive assumptions about agency underspends.
  • It leaves only $3 billion in reserves by the end of the four-year outlook period. This is less than the State Treasurer’s minimum target of 10% of annual NGF-O revenues, and less than the 50-state average.
  • Despite uncomfortably high inflation, it provides no relief to taxpayers, in stark contrast to Democrat-controlled states across the nation.
Controlled substances | Senate Bill 5536 | April 23, 2023

Senate Bill 5536 would make changes to state laws relating to controlled substances, counterfeit substances, and legend drug possession and treatment.

House Republicans believe this bill will:

  • Not help people recover. It will perpetuate problems. It is not data-driven, evidence-based or best practices.
  • Result in local governments having less control over their communities than now. 
  • Create a diversion process that will lead to a revolving door. Our state needs to tighten up the diversion process or people will game the system.
Controlled substances | Senate Bill 5536 | May 16, 2023

Senate Bill 5536 would make changes to state laws relating to controlled substances, counterfeit substances, and legend drug possession and treatment.

Statement from House Republican Leader Drew Stokesbary and Senate Republican Leader John Braun:

  • “This bill isn’t perfect, but it is a strong step in the right direction and addresses major shortcomings in the law that has proven to be such a failure these past two years. This policy will provide opportunities to those who seek treatment for drug addiction and hold accountable those who refuse it. It will help our loved ones and neighbors get the treatment they need to survive. It was disappointing that the Legislature couldn’t get to this point in the 105-day legislative session, especially because of how many people are overdosing and dying in the street. But we applaud everyone involved in the negotiations for their dedication to finding a workable solution. Public safety has been the top priority for Republicans this session. Allowing the legalization of hard drugs was never an option for us. Those with substance-use disorder and the people who love them and pray for their recovery needed this bill. We simply had to do better.”
Peace officers/use of force | House Bill 2037 | February 12, 2022

House Bill 2037 would modify the standard for use of physical force by peace officers by defining “physical force” and authorizing peace officers to use physical force in additional specific circumstances.

House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox following the passage of House Bill 2037 on February 12, 2022: “While this is a step in the right direction, House Republicans wish the bill went further and hope it can be improved in the Senate. The Legislature still has a lot more work to do to fix the problems created by the flawed policing legislation passed by Democrats last year. It is also critical for state lawmakers to pass House Bill 1788. The measure would allow police officers to engage in vehicular pursuits when there is reasonable suspicion that someone in the vehicle has committed or is committing a violent offense, is attempting to escape, or is driving under the influence. House Democratic leadership has assured me they will make every effort to move this bill forward. The sooner, the better, as every day counts for our communities.”

Energy codes | House Bill 1770 | February 13, 2022

House Bill 1770 would:

  • Update the minimum State Energy Code requirements for residential and nonresidential construction.
  • Require new buildings to be net-zero ready.
  • Require the State Building Code Council to adopt a statewide residential reach code and requires the Department of Commerce to develop rulemaking documents and a proposal covering the technical provisions.
  • Preempt local residential codes with the Washington State Energy Code and the Statewide Residential Reach Code.

House Republicans believe this bill would:

  • Restrict energy choice.
  • Put electric reliability at risk.
  • Drive up the costs of housing and heating.
Ergonomic regulations | House Bill 1837 | February 14-15, 2022

House Bill 1837 would overturn a 2003 initiative backed by Washington voters that prohibits state ergonomic regulations that go beyond federal OSHA regulations.

House Republicans believe this bill would increase labor costs, incentivize automation that results in job losses, and make Washington state a less desirable place to start or grow a business.

House Democrats’ supplemental operating budget proposal | Senate Bill 5693 | February 26, 2022

Senate Bill 5693 would:

  • Make 2021-23 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.
  • Increase spending to $65 billion in 2021-23, a $6.2 billion increase to current spending levels.
  • Provide no meaningful tax relief, despite our state’s $15 billion budget surplus.

House Republicans believe:

  • Washingtonians need and deserve real, substantial tax relief and introduced an amendment to cut the sales tax.
  • That state spending has exploded, nearly doubling since Gov. Jay Inslee took office.
  • This budget missed an opportunity to hire and retain police officers and provide body cameras to law enforcement agencies.
  • This budget should leave more money in the ending fund balance and rainy-day fund.

Learn more about the House Republican 2022 supplemental operating budget framework: SAFE Washington Budget

Transportation resources | Senate Bill 5974 | March 1, 2022

The Democrats’ transportation tax package, Move Ahead Washington (Senate Bills 5974 and 5975):

  • A 16-year, $16.8 billion transportation package that starts collecting fees in 2022.
  • Relies on drivers paying more but in less obvious ways than a state gas tax increase.
  • Includes $5.4 billion from auction proceeds from the Climate Commitment Act.
  • Raids the Public Works Assistance Account with a transfer of $100 million per year for the life of the package.
  • Includes ±$1 billion from a $50 license plate fee for new vehicles, $40 for used cars, and $20 for motorcycles.
  • Includes $189 million by raising the enhanced driver’s license price $7 per year.

House Republicans:

  • Oppose this partisan transportation package because it raises taxes and fees on Washingtonians, raids the Public Works Assistance Account, doesn’t prioritize Eastern Washington, and will be expensive for those who are struggling financially.
  • Proposed real solutions that would modernize transportation funding, preserve and maintain existing infrastructure, complete the backlog of projects, and redirect vehicle sales tax to transportation projects.
Gubernatorial emergency powers | Senate Bill 5909 | March 4, 2022

Senate Bill 5909 would:

  • Authorize the majority and minority leaders of the Senate, and the speaker and minority leader of the House (legislative leadership) to terminate a state of emergency (SOE) if it has been in effect for more than 90 days and the Legislature is not in session.
  • Authorize legislative leadership to terminate a prohibition in a governor order related to the SOE when the Legislature is not in session.
  • Make permanent the Joint Legislative Unanticipated Revenue Oversight Committee.

House Republicans believe:

  • This is a weak policy and agree with editorial boards that said the bill “does very little to change the status quo in Washington state” and “not adequate for the people of Washington.”
  • House Bill 1772, real emergency powers reform, would restore balance and trust in state government. Learn more.
  • What are House Republicans doing to reform the governor’s emergency powers? Find out here.
Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in buildings | Senate 5722 | March 3, 2022

Senate Bill 5722 would:

  • Authorize Department of Commerce to regulate the energy use of commercial buildings between 20,000 and 50,000 square feet and multifamily residential buildings 50,000 square feet or larger by December 1, 2023.
  • Direct Department of Commerce to adopt energy management and benchmarking requirements for these buildings. The owners would have ongoing reporting obligations on their energy use. This data would be used to set progressively strict performance standards that would require less carbon intensity in the energy used by the building – essentially forcing the conversion from natural gas furnaces and water heaters to electricity.

House Republicans believe this bill would:

  • Burden residents of apartments and commercial building tenants with higher costs.
  • Create duplicative regulatory requirements.
  • Put unnecessary regulatory pressure on natural gas – an affordable source of energy that Washington residents and businesses rely on.
Large capacity magazines | Senate Bill 5078 | March 4, 2022

Senate Bill 5078 would:

  • Prohibit the manufacture, importation, distribution, sale, and offer for sale of large capacity magazines, subject to exemptions.
  • Establish that violations of these restrictions are a gross misdemeanor.
  • Provide that distributing, selling, offering for sale, or facilitating the sale, distribution, or transfer of a large capacity magazine online, is actionable under the Washington Consumer Protection Act.

House Republicans believe this bill is:

  • Unconstitutional.
  • An attack on Second Amendment rights.
  • Fundamentally unfair to law-abiding citizens who want to defend themselves and their loved ones.
Cap-and-tax scheme | Senate Bill 5126 | April 23, 2021

Senate Bill 5126 would establish a cap-and-invest program for greenhouse gas emissions to be implemented by the Department of Ecology.

House Republicans believe this bill is:

  • Regressive. It will raise the price of gas, food, goods, and heating on working families.
  • Purely partisan and rushed through the House. There was no consideration of a revenue-neutral approach.
  • An ineffective way to reduce CO2 emissions and globally irrelevant.
  • Ignoring the will of the voters. It is similar to I-1631, which failed with 43.44% of the vote in 2018.
  • Creating a new, unaccountable bureaucracy in Olympia.
Income Tax on Capital Gains | Senate Bill 5096 | April 21, 2021

Senate Bill 5096 would create a new state income tax on capital gains (7% beginning on January 1, 2022).

House Republicans believe this bill is:

  • Unnecessary. State tax collections are strong and budget writers have been provided a large influx of federal funding.
  • Unpopular. Washington voters have told us several times that they do not want any form of a new state income tax.
  • Unstable. This type of tax is volatile, especially in economic downturns.
  • Unconstitutional. This new tax will be challenged in court and the state Supreme Court precedent is clear.
  • A major step toward a new state income tax.
Operating budget | Senate Bill 5092 | April 3, 2021

Senate Bill 5092 would make biennial operating budget appropriations for the 2021-23 fiscal biennium.

House Republicans believe this operating budget proposal:

  • Is unsustainable.
  • Violates the spirit of the Budget Stabilization Account (rainy-day fund).
  • Raises taxes unnecessarily, including an unpopular and unconstitutional income tax on capital gains.
Open carry of weapons | Senate Bill 5038 | March 28, 2021

Senate Bill 5038 would prohibit the open carry of firearms at or near permitted demonstrations, on State Capitol Campus grounds, and in other state legislative locations.

House Republicans believe this bill is ambiguous, unconstitutional, and an attack on Second Amendment rights.

Residential tenants | House Bill 1236 | March 7, 2021

House Bill 1236 would specify exclusive causes for eviction, refusal to renew, and termination of tenancy under the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act and make other changes to rights and remedies.

House Republicans believe this bill would:

  • Further stress the state’s housing market.
  • Take away property rights.
  • Make it harder and more complicated to be a rental housing provider in our state.
Uses Of Force By Officers | House Bill 1310 | March 6, 2021

House Bill 1310 would:

  • Establish standards for when law enforcement can use physical or deadly force.
  • Require the Attorney General and Criminal Justice Training Commission to develop model policies and training on use of force and de-escalation tactics consistent with standards provided in the legislation.

House Republican believe:

  • The bill fails to acknowledge the realities that police officers face every day and fails to incorporate a “reasonable officer” standard that accounts for these realities.
  • Our state should not defund the police and should not disarm the police.
  • Police officers are already held to a very high standard. We cannot make that standard an impossible one.
  • Our state needs to focus on real solutions that will bridge the gap of the already-fragile relationship between police officers and the communities they serve, not widen it.
Qui tam actions | House Bill 1076 | March 5, 2021

House Bill 1076 would:

  • Allow private citizens via attorneys to sue employers on behalf of the state to enforce labor and employment laws which state agencies are already responsible for enforcing.
  • Allow attorneys to claim a large portion of any recovery – up to 40% — plus attorney fees and costs while, at the same time, not provide attorneys’ fees and costs to employers if they prevail in a lawsuit.
  • Apply to local governments, which would add yet another unfunded mandate on them.

House Republicans believe this bill would:

  • Incentivize attorneys to seek out private citizens to sue the government so they could reap a portion of the financial award.
  • Create a system ripe for abuse, with no safeguards to prevent frivolous lawsuits.
  • Be another thing for employers to worry about as they try to comply with every-changing employment laws, rules, and proclamations from the governor.
  • Result in significant risks and an unfunded mandate for local governments as employers.
Low-carbon fuel standard mandate | House Bill 1091 | February 27, 2021

House Bill 1091 would:

  • Authorize the Department of Ecology to create a clean fuels program by rule to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels per unit (excluding aircraft, vessels, railroad locomotives, and military vehicles).
  • Eliminate the consumer protection provision in the 2015 Connecting Washington Transportation plan that said if a low-carbon fuel standard is adopted by rule, money would shift from other transportation accounts into the motor vehicle account (protected by the 18th Amendment to be used for highway purposes only).

House Republicans believe the low-carbon fuel standard mandate:

  • Is regressive and hurts low-income individuals and families.
  • Provides little benefit to the environment and air quality.
  • Is bad for businesses and our economy.
  • Increases the cost of gas and diesel without generating any new revenue for transportation projects.

Police tactics and equipment | House Bill 1054 | February 27, 2021

House Bill 1054 would:

  • Prohibits the use of chokeholds and neck restraints, police dogs to arrest or apprehend, tear gas, certain military equipment, and “no-knock” warrants.
  • Place restrictions on vehicular pursuits and limit the circumstances in which an officer can fire upon a moving vehicle.
  • Require law enforcement officers to wear proper identification on their uniforms.

House Republicans believe:

  • Our state should not defund the police and should not disarm the police.
  • We should not take away the tools police officers rely on to deescalate situations and avoid the necessity to use deadly force.
  • Police officers are already held to a very high standard. We cannot make that standard an impossible one.
  • Our state needs to focus on real solutions that will bridge the gap of the already-fragile relationship between police officers and the communities they serve, not widen it.
  • If we aren’t safe in our communities, then nothing else matters. Police officers keep us safe.
Restoring felon voting rights | House Bill 1078 | February 24, 2021

House Bill 1078 would automatically restore felon voting rights before completed sentences.

House Republicans believe this is wrong and unfair to crime victims.

COVID-19 Relief Package | House Bill 1368 | February 1, 2021

House Bill 1368 would appropriate $2.2 billion in federal stimulus funds for a variety of COVID-related programs. Learn more: http://leap.leg.wa.gov/leap/budget/detail/2021/ho2021Supp.asp. House Republicans offered six amendments to the bill, but the majority party only accepted one of them. Our amendments focused on safely reopening schools, assisting students who have fallen behind, providing rental and utility assistance, easing financial burdens on working families, helping child care providers, and supporting small businesses.

House Republicans also introduced a separate COVID-19 relief package, the REAL Recovery for Washington Act – House Bill 1334. Compare the REAL Recovery for Washington Act with House Bill 1368 here.

Comprehensive sexual health education | Senate Bill 5395 | March 4, 2020

Senate Bill 5395 would:

  • Mandate every public school to provide comprehensive sexual health education in all grades by the 2022-23 school year.
  • Mandate every public school to either select a curriculum from OSPI’s list or to select or develop a curriculum with OSPI and in accordance with online review tools developed by OSPI.
  • Allow school districts to grant a parent’s or legal guardian’s written request to have his or her child excused from any planned instruction in comprehensive sexual health education.

House Republicans fought hard for six hours on the House floor arguing that this approach would:

  • Be too much, too soon for students.
  • Ignore the concerns of parents.
  • Take away local control.

Learn more:

House Democrats’ supplemental operating budget proposal | Senate Bill 6168 | February 28, 2020

Senate Bill 6168 would:

  • Make 2019-2021 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.
  • Offer no tax relief, despite a $2.4 billion budget surplus.
  • Overcommit extraordinary revenue, which sets our state up for a budget shortfall.
  • Increase state spending to around $53.8 billion – a state spending increase of 75% since 2013.

House Democrats rejected two House Republican striking amendments (alternative budget solutions):

  • House Amendment 1684 would have implemented most of the supplemental appropriations proposed by the governor (without tapping the state rainy-day fund), in addition to $30 car tabs, the Working Families Tax Credit, and some sales tax exemptions.
  • House Amendment 1685 would have also implemented most of the supplemental appropriations proposed by the governor, in addition to $600 million per year in property tax relief.

Opposing a B&O tax rate increase on thousands of employers | Senate Bill 6492 | February 6, 2020

Senate Bill 6492 will:

  • Eliminate the service B&O surcharge (0.3%) for certain industries created in House Bill 2158 in 2019.
    • Replace it with a B&O rate increase (0.25%) for all businesses with at least $1 million in gross service revenue per year.
  • Retroactively eliminate the advanced computing business surcharge (0.5% – 1%), $4 million tax liability floor and $7 million tax liability cap created in House Bill 2158.
    • Replace it with a flat, higher-rate surcharge (1.22%) with a $9 million cap.
  • Expand the tax to 4,400 new businesses that provide 465,000 jobs.
  • Affect a total of 14,000 businesses and 886,000 employees.
Fighting against a regressive, costly fuel mandate (low-carbon fuel standard) that could raise the cost of gas by 57 cents and raise the cost of diesel by 63 cents | House Bill 1110 | January 29, 2020

House Bill 1110 would:

  • Authorize the state Department of Ecology to create a clean fuels program, by rule, to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels per unit.
  • Eliminate the consumer protection provision in the 2015 Connecting Washington transportation plan that stated if a low-carbon fuel standard is adopted, by rule, money would shift from other transportation accounts into the motor vehicle account.

According to the Puget Sound Regional Transportation Fuels Analysis Final Report (September 2019), the new program could:

  • Raise the cost of gas by up to 57 cents per gallon by 2030.
  • Raise the cost of diesel by up to 63 cents per gallon by 2030.
  • Result in job losses.
  • Reduce Gross Regional Product.

House Republicans also believe the new program would:

  • Be an expensive and unaccountable state bureaucracy
  • Do very little to benefit our environment and air quality
  • Not generate any new revenue for transportation infrastructure projects
  • Increase the cost of construction and add to the cost of housing — at a time when our state has an affordable housing problem.
Pushing back against an $8 billion (18%) increase in state spending and $2 billion in new taxes increases | House Bill 1109 | April 28, 2019

The Democrats passed the 2019-21 operating budget in the last minutes of the legislative session. The budget spends $52.4 billion from near general fund, plus opportunity pathway accounts, and $99.6 billion in total funds. This represents an $8 billion – or 18% – increase over the current state spending level (2017-19 state spending before supplemental). The budget also relies on $2 billion in new taxes increases, despite the fact there was a budget surplus. On the House floor, we explained why this approach is fiscally irresponsible and sets our state up for major problems in the next economic downturn. We also argued that the budget could have been balanced, and priorities could be adequately funded, without several new tax increases on Washingtonians.

Facts:

Fighting against nearly $1 billion in new tax increases on businesses providing certain services | House Bill 2158 | April 27, 2019

House Bill 2158 will create a B&O surcharge on businesses providing certain services to pay for workforce education. This will negatively impact around 90,000 businesses and result in new costs being passed along to consumers. We made these arguments, and others, on the House floor. Despite bipartisan opposition, the bill passed 52-45.   

Advocating for lower property taxes and a fair and equitable school-funding system | House Bill 2140 | April 27, 2019

House Bill 2140 will:

  • Modify the amount of local levies that can be collected for K-12 enrichment programs, which will increase local property taxes for many taxpayers. 
  • Provide school districts with two different local levy policies, allowing districts to choose between a rate based levy lid or a per pupil levy lid. 
  • Modify local effort assistance (LEA) to provide tax relief to eligible districts.
  • Deposit the entire 2017 state property tax increase in the Education Legacy Trust Account instead of the general fund.

This approach will increase local levies and recreate the inequities that the Legislature worked so hard to fix with the McCleary solution. It will also result in wealthy school districts getting richer, while other school districts fall behind. This is unfair to both taxpayers and school districts, and sets our state up for more legal problems when it comes to funding education. We made these arguments on the House floor, but the measure passed 54-42.

Fighting against the new long-term care insurance program and payroll tax | House Bill 1087 | April 23, 2019

House Bill 1087 would create the Long-Term Care Services and Supports Program and establish a new payroll tax to pay for it. Every House Republican voted “no” on this legislation on April 23, 2019. To learn more about this issue, please visit this summary of the long-term care insurance program and payroll tax.

Fighting against $4.5 billion in new tax increases in the House Finance Committee | House Bills 2156, 2157 and 2158 | April 19, 2019

House Bills 2156, 2157 and 2158, collectively, would increase taxes by $4.5 billion over the next four years through:

Democrats advanced these measures out of the House Finance Committee, with every Republican voting “no.” We offered several amendments, but most were rejected. In our arguments, we explained why taxes do not need to be raised on anyone, how our state has a budget surplus, and why new tax increases would hurt families, employers and our economy.

Fighting to preserve union, family-wage jobs in our state | Senate Bill 5579 | April 15, 2019

Senate Bill 5579 will prohibit a facility from unloading or loading crude oil with a vapor pressure greater than 9 pounds per square inch (psi), which targets the cleaner-burning Bakken crude, and prohibit a facility from storing crude oil with a vapor pressure greater than 9 psi. It would only kick in when the volume of oil being transported over the rails increases 10% above 2018 levels. This could result in no crude oil being offloaded by rail in our state, which would negatively impact our refineries, curtail the supply to JBLM, and eliminate union, family-wage jobs in our state. When these workers came to Olympia to share their technical knowledge, safety records and pleas to save their jobs, Democrats moved forward in spite of overwhelming evidence against the policy. We fought for these workers, jobs and communities on the House floor. We also offered thoughtful amendments to improve the legislation, but they were rejected. The measure passed along party lines 53-40.

The so-called Clean Energy Bill | Senate Bill 5116 | April 11, 2019

Senate Bill 5116 will: require utilities to remove coal from their electricity production by December 31, 2025; require all retail sales of electricity be greenhouse gas neutral by January 1, 2030; create statewide policy that supply of retail electricity be 100% clean by January 1, 2045; and create penalties for noncompliance for Coal Elimination or Greenhouse Gas Neutral Standard. The bill passed 56-42, with every House Republican and one House Democrat voting “no.” On the House floor, we explained how this approach will increase energy costs for individuals, families and employers in our state, and how it fails to address proper forest management and wildfires. We offered a striking amendment, but House Democrats rejected it. Learn more about our alternative solution for clean energy here.  

House Democrats’ 2019-21 operating budget proposal | House Bill 1109 | March 29, 2019

House Bill 1109 would: make appropriations for the 2019-21 budget cycle; increase the operating budget by $8.6 billion (19.4%); and rely on $4.2 billion in new tax increases over four years, including a new capital gains income tax. The legislation passed 56-38, with every House Republican voting “no.” We made arguments for responsible state spending, and against new tax increases, on the House floor. In attempt to improve the bill, we also offered 33 amendments – with just 12 being accepted/adopted. You can learn more about some of these successful amendments here.

Regressive low carbon fuel standard bill | House Bill 1110 | March 12, 2019

House Bill 1110 would direct the Department of Ecology to adopt, by rule, standards to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions per unit of fuel energy in transportation fuels over time. This would follow California’s model, which has raised gas and diesel prices there and will continue to in the future. We think this new program is regressive, would raise the cost of gas and goods, and not do anything meaningful for the environment.

Anti-Janus bill | House Bill 1575 | March 11, 2019

House Bill 1575 is another response to the U.S. Supreme Court Janus decision. The measure would make it more difficult for public employees to exercise their right to not join a union, and to get out of a union. For example: it would allow employees to opt-in to union via recorded voice, electronic or written authorization, but they can only opt-out of a union via written authorization. We feel this approach is fundamentally unfair to public employees.

Governor’s public option health care bill | House Bill 1523 | March 8, 2019

House Bill 1523 would require the Washington Health Benefit Exchange (exchange) to develop standardized health plans. The measure would expressly limit choice over time in favor of one-size-fits-all plans meeting specific government requirements. We believe this approach would increase health care costs, reduce options and eliminate providers.