WAWG
By Diana Carlen
WAWG Lobbyist
The 2025 Legislative Session kicked off on Jan. 13, 2025. As this is a “long session” year, the session is expected to last 105 days, ending on Sunday, April 27, 2025.
There are a lot of new faces in Olympia. This is the first time in 12 years that Washington state has a new governor — Democrat Bob Ferguson. Washington state will also have a new attorney general, Nick Brown (D), Washington commissioner of insurance, Patty Kuderer (D), and Washington commissioner of public lands, Dave Upthegrove (D). In addition, more than 30 newly seated legislators were sworn in. Some are brand new to the Washington State Legislature, while others moved from positions in the House to the Senate.
Democrats continue to control both chambers, with the Senate having 30 Democrats and 19 Republicans, and the House of Representatives having 59 Democrats and 39 Republicans.
As we are in a long session year, the primary task of the Legislature is to write a state budget for the next two years. This will be challenging this year as the state has a projected budget shortfall of $10 billion to $12 billion over the next four years. Democratic legislators have indicated that they are considering a wide variety of new or increased taxes, including a wealth tax, B&O tax hike on all businesses, head tax on larger employers with highly paid employees, road usage charge for transportation funding, and others to fill the budget shortfall.
Outgoing Gov. Jay Inslee released his proposed budget in December 2024, which included a proposed wealth tax and increased B&O taxes. Newly sworn-in Gov. Ferguson has surprised many by proposing to cut $4.4 billion from the state budget over four years. In Gov. Ferguson’s inaugural speech, he emphasized the need for cutting spending before seeking new or higher taxes and that he would veto any bill that involved major spending that is delayed beyond four years. In addition, he wants the state to rely on more conservative revenue estimates for budget planning.
Legislators hit the ground running with dozens of committee hearings and packed agendas. Over 1,100 bills were introduced in the first two weeks of session. The first legislative deadline is Feb. 21, 2025, when all bills must be voted out of their respective policy committees to remain alive.
While growers were in Olympia for their annual Olympia Days visit (see page 20), Andy Juris from Klickitat County and Michele Kiesz from Adams County testified in support of House Bill 1188, sponsored by Rep. Mary Dye (R-Pomeroy), before the House Environment and Energy Committee on Jan. 20. This bill requires local government and tribal approval for the siting of wind and solar energy facilities in Washington state. The bill mandates that the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) submit its siting recommendations to the relevant county legislative authority and affected federally recognized tribes simultaneously with its submission to the governor. Approval by both the county and each affected tribe, via resolution, is a prerequisite for the governor’s final approval. The bill also establishes a process for requesting reconsideration of EFSEC recommendations and includes an emergency clause, making it effective immediately upon passage. WAWG signed in in support.
Other legislation that WAWG is keeping a close eye on includes:
LABOR LEGISLATION:
- Unemployment Benefits for Striking Workers (Senate Bill 5041), sponsored by Senator Marcus Riccelli (D-Spokane) would allow workers who choose to go on strike to be eligible for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. The business community is in strong opposition to this legislation because Washington’s UI system is designed to provide benefits to workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own. Employers pay for all UI benefits through unemployment insurance taxes on their payroll. The business community is concerned that if this legislation is enacted, there will be higher UI taxes for all employers and longer strikes against employers. The bill was heard in the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee on January 21.
- Employee Personnel Records: House Bill 1308, sponsored by Rep. Julia Reed (D-Seattle), requires employers to provide employees and former employees with access to their personnel files upon request, including a free copy within 21 calendar days. It also mandates that employees be allowed to annually review and request the removal of irrelevant or erroneous information, with the option to include a rebuttal if disagreements arise. The bill contains a private right of action to enforce these provisions. The bill was heard in the House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee on January 22. Businesses continue to oppose legislation that includes a private right of action.
- Paid Family Leave Expansion: House Bill 1213, sponsored by Rep. Liz Berry (D-Seattle), expands worker protections under Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program. Currently, small employers with fewer than 50 employees are exempt from providing job protection and health benefit continuation for employees on Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML). This bill eliminates these exemptions. In addition, employees could begin utilizing the benefits after ninety days of employment (current law requires you to have worked for the employer for a year before utilizing the benefits). The House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee held a public hearing on the bill on January 21.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY LEGISLATION
- Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting (Senate Bill 5036), sponsored by Sen. Matt Boehnke (R-Kennewick), seeks to improve the timeliness and accountability of Washington State’s greenhouse gas emissions tracking by requiring annual reporting instead of the current biennial schedule. Beginning in 2026, the Department of Ecology and the Department of Commerce would be mandated to provide total statewide emissions data for the preceding year by December 31st annually. The bill also includes provisions to clarify emission reduction targets, maintain the inclusion of wildfire emissions in reporting, and exclude carbon dioxide emissions from biomass combustion under specific conditions. A public hearing was held in the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee on January 24.
- Environmental Criminal Penalties (Senate Bill 5360), sponsored by Sen. Yasmin Trudeau (D-Tacoma), creates new criminal penalties for violations of the Clean Air Act, the Hazardous Waste Management Act, and the Water Pollution Control Act. The bill categorizes offenses into first, second, and third degrees based on intent and harm caused, with penalties ranging from gross misdemeanors for negligent violations to Class B felonies for knowingly causing imminent danger of death or substantial harm. A hearing was held in the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee on January 24.
- Environmental Justice Integration (House Bill 1303), sponsored by Rep. Sharlett Mena (D-Tacoma), adds environmental justice to the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review process, including the SEPA checklist. The bill requires lead agencies to prepare environmental justice impact statements for new projects, expansions, or permit renewals in these communities starting January 1, 2027. The bill prohibits agencies from weighing economic benefits in their decisions, focusing instead on avoiding or mitigating disproportionate impacts. A public hearing was held in the House Environment & Energy Committee on January 23.
- Environmental Accelerator for Salmon Recovery (Senate Bill 5305), sponsored by Sen. Ron Muzzall (R-Oak Harbor), establishes an “environmental accelerator” within the Office of Regulatory Assistance to provide regulatory flexibility for projects focused on salmon recovery and ecological resiliency. Funded through revenue from the Climate Commitment Act, the accelerator allows entities receiving climate-related funding to request temporary waivers of certain state laws or rules for up to five years, with extensions possible. The bill requires the administrator of the accelerator to identify regulatory barriers, facilitate relief in coordination with agencies, and maintain a registry of granted waivers. An annual progress report will be submitted to the legislature, and a joint committee will evaluate the program’s implementation by 2029. A public hearing was held in the Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee on January 23.
WATER LEGISLATION:
- Yakima Basin Water Plan Extension (SB 5303), sponsored by Sen. Judy Warnick (R-Moses Lake), extends the water supply milestone for the Yakima River Basin Integrated Plan from June 30, 2025, to June 30, 2035. The bill updates relevant sections of the Revised Code of Washington to reflect this new deadline, including provisions for evaluating water supply projects exceeding $100 million and transitional land management plans under the community forest trust. The extension allows additional time to secure permits and funding for water supply facilities that aim to provide 214,000 acre-feet of water for instream and out-of-stream uses. A public hearing was held in the Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee on January 23.
MISC LEGISLATION:
- Turfgrass Seed Contracts: Senate Bill 5074, sponsored by Sen. Matt Boehnke (R-Kennewick), introduces new definitions and exemptions to clarify and streamline contractual relationships within the turfgrass seed industry in Washington State. The bill defines key terms such as “seed grower,” “seed producer,” “seed production contract,” and “seed purchase contract” while specifying that “turfgrass seed” includes certain grass types like Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass, excluding forage fescue and reclamation grass seed. It exempts turfgrass seed production and purchase contracts from existing restrictions that prohibit commission merchants from requiring consignors to relinquish control over the timing of their product sales, aligning these contracts with similar exemptions for other agricultural agreements. The bill was heard by the Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee on January 20.
- Rangeland Fire Protection: House Bill 1048, sponsored by Rep. Tom Dent (R-Moses Lake), establishes a five-year pilot project to create and evaluate rangeland fire protection associations (RFPAs) in eastern Washington, aimed at enhancing wildfire suppression efforts in rural and wildfire-prone areas. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is tasked with implementing the project, setting operational standards, and providing training and oversight for RFPA members, who must meet specific age, training, and equipment requirements. RFPAs will operate within defined boundaries, with the ability to temporarily extend operations for wildfire control, and will work in coordination with fire protection agencies under DNR-approved agreements. A public hearing on the bill was held in the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee on January 22.