Monday
Week 2 of the 2024 Legislative Session begins with a resolution on the floor of the House honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In the afternoon, the Appropriations Committee will hear testimony on Rep. Joe Timmons’ (D-Bellingham) HB 1985, which provides a 3 percent benefit increase for retired state workers on the PERS 1 or TRS 1 plans. In the Housing Committee, executive action is scheduled for HB 1892 from Rep. Mari Leavitt (D-University Place) to provide loans for workforce housing for low-income households and HB 2160 to promote community and transit-oriented housing development by Rep. Julia Reed (D-Seattle).
Tuesday
Morning committee hearings include HB 2021 in the Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee from Rep. Tana Senn (D-Mercer Island) that sets a process for how firearms should be destroyed when confiscated by law enforcement. The committee will also hear testimony on a proposal from Rep. Amy Walen (D-Kirkland) to strengthen requirements to keep guns from being stolen from firearm dealers (HB 2118). And possible executive session is scheduled on the Keeping Our Washington Guard Strong Act (HB 1869), sponsored by Rep. Leavitt, in the Innovation, Community & Economic Development, & Veterans Committee.
In the afternoon, the Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry Committee is hearing HB 1999 offered by Rep. Tina Orwall (D-Des Moines). The bill would provide greater protection of minors by criminalizing fabricated intimate images of someone under the age of 18. In the House Education Committee, Rep. Clyde Shavers (D-Oak Harbor) has a hearing for his sponsored bill, HB 2236, to find ways to expand existing Career and Technical Education Core Plus programs to new sectors. And in the Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee, Rep. Greg Nance (D-Bainbridge Island) has offered HB 2112, which requires opioid and fentanyl education and more access to fentanyl testing strips and naloxone at all public and private institutions of higher education. In the same committee, a public hearing is scheduled for Rep. Orwall’s HB 2242, establishing a list of rights for survivors of sexual harassment, assault, and gender-based violence at Washington’s colleges and universities.
Wednesday
Wednesday morning begins with a hearing in the Innovation, Community & Economic Development & Veterans Committee on HB 2203 prime sponsored by Rep. Cindy Ryu (D-Shoreline). HB 2203 creates a reintegration support for incarcerated veterans pilot project, which will assist veterans who are incarcerated with education and employment. Also in the morning, the Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee is holding a hearing on Rep. Melanie Morgan’s (D-Parkland) proposed legislation to assess unused and underutilized state lands for agricultural purposes (HB 2336).
In the afternoon, HB 2066, new legislation to regulate all-or-nothing contracting from Rep. Marcus Riccelli (D-Spokane), will be heard in the Health Care & Wellness Committee. And in the Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee, Rep. Vandana Slatter’s (D-Bellevue) HB 2214 has a public hearing. This new bill allows for automatic qualification of the Washington College Grant if the student is a beneficiary of a public assistance program.
Toward the end of the day, the Appropriations Committee has public testimony scheduled in a hearing on HB 2180, Rep. Lisa Callan’s (D-Issaquah) proposal to raise the special education enrollment funding cap. Also, the Transportation Committee has public testimony scheduled on HB 2108 from Rep. Brandy Donaghy, a new bill to create a Smokey the Bear license plate.
Thursday
The Education Committee is holding a hearing at 8:00 AM on Rep. Leavitt’s bill to expand education to prevent fentanyl and other opioid use in schools (HB 1956).
In the afternoon, the Capital Budget will hear testimony on two bills to address construction of early learning, preschool, and after school care facilities. HB 2195, sponsored by Rep. Callan, would strengthen the early learning facilities grant program with new criteria and expanded funding opportunities. Also from Rep. Callan, HB 2092 would count students enrolled in preschool or before-or-after school care programs in a school district facility as part of the district’s student head count, allowing more possible state construction funding for those facilities.
In the Finance Committee, Rep. April Berg’s (D-Mill Creek) bill to increase the supply of affordable housing and workforce housing through a reform of the real estate excise tax (HB 2276), is scheduled for a public hearing. HB 2276 will reduce the REET paid by most home sellers in the state.
The Appropriations Committee has scheduled a possible vote in the afternoon on SHB 1368, prime sponsored by Rep. Senn, to fund and require the purchase of zero emission school buses.
Friday
The week ends with a hearing Friday morning in the Health Care & Wellness Committee on HB 2145. The bill, offered by Rep. Tarra Simmons (D-Bremerton), would require health plans offer coverage for medically necessary treatment of mental health and substance use disorders. Also in the 8:00 AM hour, the Human Services, Youth, & Early Learning Committee has a possible vote scheduled on HB 2007 from Rep. Strom Peterson (D-Edmonds) to expand time limit exemptions for cash assistance programs. And in the Labor & Workplace Standards Committee, executive action is scheduled on HB 1905 from Rep. Sharlett Mena (D-Tacoma) to expand the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act and HB 1940 from Rep. Mary Fosse (D-Everett) to protect employees from retaliation for refusing to attend employer-sponsored meetings regarding political or religious matters.