2023 legislative session: Good and bad House bills

Below is a list of good and bad House bills (as introduced) in the 2023 legislative session from the perspective of Washington House Republicans. This list is not exhaustive and is subject to change.

The good bills

House Bill 1000 would provide sales tax relief by expanding the Working Families Tax Credit. Died.
House Bill 1003 would expand access to dual credit programs. Died.
House Bill 1011 would repeal the unpopular long-term services and supports trust program and payroll tax. Died.
House Bill 1013 would establish regional apprenticeship programs. Learn more here. Passed the House.
House Bill 1053 would restore the threshold to begin a vehicle pursuit to reasonable suspicion that a crime has or is being committed. Died. Learn more about another solution, House Bill 1363, here. See statements from Reps. Gina Mosbrucker and Eric Robertson here. Died, but companion — Senate Bill 5352 — passed the Senate.
House Bill 1210 would require all school district board meetings to be audio recorded, with recordings kept for at least one year, and made available to the public. Passed the House.
House Bill 1245 would authorize the splitting of lots to create more small parcels of land to build starter homes and other forms of affordable housing. Passed the House
House Bill 1328 would increase funding to schools and families for students not meeting academic standards and begin to address the learning loss created by Gov. Inslee’s shutdown of schools. Learn more here. Died.
House Bill 1373 would fund the removal of illegal encampments near schools, child care centers, parks, and courthouses. Died.
House Bill 1380 would provide funding for the recruitment, retention and support of law enforcement officers. Did not receive a public hearing. Died.
House Bill 1401 would allow cities and counties to create a simple, standardized housing permit process for affordable housing units in areas designated for housing. Learn more here. Died.
House Bill 1402 would adjust urban growth boundaries to account for situations where property owners have not developed property as expected in comprehensive plans and development regulations. Learn more here. Died.
House Bill 1415 would make the knowing possession of a controlled substance a gross misdemeanor offense under criminal violations of Title 69 RCW. Died.
House Bill 1446 would incentivize cities and counties to increase employment of commissioned law enforcement officers. Died.
House Bill 1483 would provide property tax relief by reducing both parts of the state school levies. Died.
House Bill 1535 would increase legislative involvement in gubernatorial proclamations relating to a state of emergency (emergency powers reform). Learn more here. Died.
House Bill 1615 would establish the Students First Program to fund education savings accounts for students whose needs are not being met in the public school system. Died.
House Bill 1633 would create a Homes for Heroes Program and provide down payment assistance for heroic professions Washington state needs more of, including police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and nurses. Died.
House Bill 1682 would increase funding for preventing, investigating and prosecuting auto theft. Passed the House.
House Bill 1704 would reduce the state sales and use tax rate. Died.
House Bill 1720 would protect and restore riparian areas by establishing a voluntary, regionally focused riparian grant program designed to improve the ecological functions of critical riparian management zones. Learn more here. Died.

The bad bills

House Bill 1024 would require an incarcerated person participating in a Correctional Industries work program be paid no less than the state minimum wage. Died.
House Bill 1025 would allow police officers to be sued personally while doing their jobs protecting our communities. Died.
House Bill 1045 would establish a basic income pilot program. Died.
House Bill 1074 would create heavy documentation requirements housing providers must comply with to recoup costs for damages made by tenants. Passed the House.
House Bill 1131 would create a complex bureaucracy to manage the waste stream from paper products and packaging, and require manufacturers to pay fees to fund a producer responsibility organization to oversee the collection and recycling of the waste. Died.
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. Passed the House.
House Bill 1158 would abolish advisory votes which were approved by voters through I-960 in 2007. Died, but companion — Senate Bill 5082 — passed the Senate.
House Bill 1169 would eliminate criminals having to pay a penalty to fund services for victims of crimes and shift these costs to taxpayers. Passed the House.
House Bill 1174 would require each city, county and tribal jail to establish a “Jail Voting Plan” to provide resources to help incarcerated individuals vote. Died.
House Bill 1181 would add a climate change element to the Growth Management Act and require policies to reduce vehicle miles traveled. Passed the House.
House Bill 1189 would allow the release of incarcerated individuals prior to the expiration of a sentence. Passed the House.
House Bill 1220 would require anyone who is legally eligible to register to vote in Washington state to do so and submit a ballot. Died.
House Bill 1240 would prohibit the manufacture, importation, distribution, sale, or offer for sale of any assault weapon, subject to various exceptions for licensed firearm manufacturers and dealers, and for individuals who inherit an assault weapon. Passed the House.
House Bill 1244 would increase the cap on local school enrichment levies to $3,000 per pupil (same as Seattle). Died.
House Bill 1268 would reduce some sentences by eliminating certain enhancements. Passed the House.
House Bill 1282 would require contractors on covered projects to provide certain environmental, health, labor, and HR data about construction materials used. Passed the House.
House Bill 1333 would establish the Domestic Violent Extremism Commission. Died.
House Bill 1388 would establish annual rent increase maximum and authorize the attorney general to enforce the bill. Died.
House Bill 1389 would establish annual maximum rent increases that cannot exceed 7%, but would also create a “banking” system for landlords to save up additional rent increases that they can use at a later date. Died.
House Bill 1513 would prohibit law enforcement from stopping drivers committing certain violations, including nonmoving violations, certain suspended or revoked licenses, or certain misdemeanor warrants, and would require written consent of the driver and passengers to search a vehicle. Died.
House Bill 1628 would increase the cost of multifamily housing and single family homes through increases in both state and local real estate excise taxes. Died, but may be necessary to implement the budget.
House Bill 1670 would allow cities, counties and other taxing districts to triple their annual increases in property taxes. Died.
House Bill 1832 would implement a new per mile charge on vehicle usage of public roadways. Died, but may be necessary to implement the budget.

Learn more

This webpage was updated on March 17, 2023.