OUR PRIORITIES

OUR PRIORITIES

COST OF LIVING

House bill 1704

Sales tax relief

Provide broad-based relief to all Washington state taxpayers, especially those that spend a large portion of their income on taxable goods and services.

House bill 1483

Property tax relief

Reduce the state portion of the property tax and provide broad relief to homeowners.

House bill 1011

Long-term care trust act and payroll tax repeal

Repeal the unpopular long-term care insurance program and payroll tax passed by Democrats in 2019.

House Republican Amendment 545 to Senate Bill 5187 would assume the repeal of the Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Program and payroll tax and backfill the impact to the state general fund. House Democrats voted it down 55-42.

COMMUNITY SAFETY

House bill 1415

Confront drug addiction

Recriminalize the possession of hard drugs, like fentanyl and heroin, by making the knowing possession of a controlled substance a gross misdemeanor offense.

House bill 1380

Put more police officers on the street

Create funding options for local law enforcement agencies to employ more police officers.

House Republican Amendment 551 to Senate Bill 5187 would have provided funding for recruitment and retention bonuses for law enforcement officers and body cameras for law enforcement agencies. House Democrats voted it down 53-44.

House bill 1373

Close encampments

Require local governments to close encampments near critical areas like schools and provide funding for clean-up and additional homelessness services.

House Republican Amendment 534 to Senate Bill 5187 would have provided grants to local governments for encampment response and cleanup if they enact and enforce encampment bans near schools, school walk areas, childcare centers, parks, and courthouses. House Democrats voted it down 55-42.

House bill 1682

Address the rise in auto thefts

Increase funding for preventing, investigating, and prosecuting auto theft statewide.

Amended by the Senate

The Senate amended the bill to change the source of funding from traffic infraction surcharges to an annual $7 million allocation from a state tax on insurance premiums.

House bill 1363

Restore reasonable suspicion standard for initiating vehicular pursuits

Restore the initial threshold to begin a vehicle pursuit to reasonable suspicion that a crime has or is being committed.

HOUSING

House bill 1401

Expedite housing permits

Establish a low-cost, expedited permit process for single family homes, duplexes, triplexes, and ADUs for low-income to moderate-income households.

House bill 1402

Expand development boundaries

Create a path forward for local governments to welcome more housing development and expand urban growth boundaries in communities throughout the state.

House bill 1245

Increase housing options through lot splitting

Authorize the splitting of lots to create more small parcels of land to build starter homes and other forms of affordable housing.

House bill 1633

Create a Homes for Heroes Program

Provide down payment assistance for heroic professions Washington state needs more of, including police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and nurses. Service members and veterans of the armed forces are also eligible.

FAMILIES

House bill 1328

Recover from learning loss

Create a new temporary program to boost math and reading scores, with funding prioritized for low-income districts and those whose students have suffered the most learning loss.

House Republican Amendment 546 to Senate Bill 5187 would have provided funding for an additional 20 days of extended learning for all students performing below math and English standards and grants for high-quality tutoring and rigorous extended learning programs. House Democrats voted it down 54-42.

House bill 1000

Expand the Working Families Tax Credit

Expand the Working Families Tax Credit by doubling the income thresholds and the eligible credit amount for those with qualifying children in order to help with childcare and other expenses.

In an attempt to enact similar policy to House Bill 1000, House Republicans offered Amendment 528 to Senate Bill 5187. This amendment would have funded two one-time payments of $500 to low-income families eligible for the Working Families Tax Credit to help offset the impacts of high inflation. House Democrats voted down the amendment in a voice vote.

House bill 1615

Provide school choice

Establish the Students First Program that funds education savings accounts for students whose needs are not being met in the public school system. The program targets students who are low-income or are located in failing schools, and students eligible for special education would qualify for even greater support.

House bill 1210

Recording school district board meetings

Require all school district board meetings to be audio recorded, with recordings kept for at least one year, and made available to the public.