Wednesday
The House of Origin cutoff deadline passed yesterday, and House committees are meeting again for public hearings on bills sent over from the Senate.
Morning committees begin with a public hearing in the Labor & Workplace Standards Committee on E2SSB 5847, offered by Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle), concerning access to medical care in workers’ compensation. In the Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee, Sen. Yasmin Trudeau’s (D-Tacoma) ESSB 6002, regulating automated license plate reader systems, aka Flock cameras, is scheduled for a public hearing.
Education Committee members will hold public hearings on bills, including SSB 5346 from Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds) addressing student use of mobile devices in schools, and SSB 5956, prime sponsored by Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest), addressing artificial intelligence, student discipline, and surveillance in public schools.
In the Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee, the public will be able to provide testimony on ESSB 5838, adding tribal members to the board of natural resources, prime sponsored by Sen. Claudia Kauffman (D-Kent). Health Care & Wellness members will hold a public hearing on ESSB 5845, legislation from Sen. Vandana Slatter (D-Bellevue), modernizing and clarifying timely payment requirements for health carriers and SSB 5917, from Sen. Jessica Bateman (D-Olympia), improving access to abortion medications.
SSB 5855, banning the use of face coverings by law enforcement officers, prime sponsored by Sen. Javier Valdez (D-Seattle), is scheduled for a public hearing in the Community Safety Committee. And SB 5892, offered by Sen. Marcus Riccelli (D-Spokane), has a public hearing in the State Government & Tribal Relations Committee. The bill protects confidential information in the statewide voter database, such as drivers’ license numbers, social security numbers, and full birth dates from unnecessary access.
In the Appropriations Committee, a public hearing is scheduled on Sen. Emily Alvarado’s (D-Seattle) ESSB 5500 which will help the state better understand the cost of child care. Also being heard is SSB 5834, legislation from Sen. Steve Conway (D-Tacoma) to help pay for fraud prevention, and ESB 5872, prime sponsored by Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Federal Way), establishing the preK Promise Account.
Thursday
Thursday morning, the Education Committee has a series of public hearings scheduled, including 2SSB 5969, prime sponsored by Sen. Adrian Cortes (D-Battle Ground) reducing duplication between high school and beyond plans and individualized education program transition plans and SSB 6222, from Sen. Victoria Hunt (D-Issaquah), supporting public school students by improving their access to surplus technology hardware.
Also offered by Sen. Hunt, SSB 6054, concerning unreasonable restrictions on wildfire home hardening practices in common interest communities, is scheduled for a hearing in the Housing Committee.
Later in the afternoon, the Finance Committee is hearing testimony on SB 5994, preserving timber tax distributions for school districts with recent school district levy failures, offered by Sen. Cortes. And in the Transportation Committee, a public hearing is scheduled for SB 6148, legislation prime sponsored by Sen. Liias that modifies the maximum terms of regional transit authority bond issues.
Friday
The week ends with several large public hearings with lots of Senate bills on the agenda. In Health Care & Wellness, Sen. Saldaña’s SSB 5185, establishing a pilot program that creates a pathway to physician licensure for international medical graduates, is available for public comment. Also receiving a hearing is Sen. Annette Cleveland’s (D-Vancouver) legislation to address 340B Drug Pricing (2SSB 5981).
Also early in the morning, the State Government & Tribal Relations Committee is holding public hearings on two bills from Sen. Kauffman: SSB 6034, concerning statutory establishment of the governor’s office of Indian affairs and 2SSB 6035, ensuring access to voting services for military, overseas, Native American, and disabled voters. Also up for a hearing is SB 6084, legislation to clarify that a voter can only participate in one election (prime sponsored by Sen. Cortes). Finally, the committee will also hear SSB 6081, prime sponsored by Sen. Jamie Pedersen (D-Seattle), which would protect Washingtonians from invasion of privacy, including the unauthorized disclosure of sex designation information and historic sex designation changes in official government records.
Later in the morning, the Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee will hear from the public on ESSB 5906, authored by Sen. Drew Hansen (D-Bainbridge Island), establishing data and personal safety protections within areas of public accommodation for all Washington residents. The Labor & Workplace Standards Committee has a public hearing scheduled for SSB 6014, concerning pregnancy-related accommodations from Sen. Nobles, and SB 6188, addressing asbestos training, prime sponsored by Sen. Hunt. Finally, the Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans Committee is holding a public hearing on legislation from Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island) to regulate artificial intelligence companion chatbots (ESSB 5984).