Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I’m excited to share important updates from our legislative session as we continue our commitment to expanding safe, affordable housing for every Washingtonian.
New Sales and Use Tax Remittance Program for Affordable Housing (HB 1717)
I’m proud to sponsor HB 1717, a comprehensive bill that establishes a sales and use tax remittance program designed to fund affordable housing development. Here’s what this landmark legislation will do:
- Clear Definitions for Affordable Housing: The bill defines “affordable housing” for both homeownership and rental contexts. For owner-occupied homes, affordable housing is for low-income households whose total housing costs (excluding telephone) do not exceed 38 percent of their income. For rental properties, this threshold is set at 30 percent.
- Empowering Local Governments: Cities and counties will have the authority to adopt resolutions that create tax remittance programs. These programs allow eligible organizations—including nonprofit and for-profit developers, public housing authorities, and other qualified applicants—to access remitted funds from local sales and use taxes.
- Facilitating Development and Long-Term Affordability: The remitted funds will be dedicated to acquiring, rehabilitating, or constructing affordable housing units. The program establishes clear procedures for application, conditional approval, construction timelines, and rigorous reporting standards to ensure projects remain affordable for at least 40 years.
- Supporting Community Investment: Local governments can use these remittance moneys to not only build housing but also support essential community services, including operations and maintenance of new housing developments and behavioral health programs.
If passed, this law takes effect on January 1, 2026, and represents a significant step forward in our mission to ensure that all families have access to quality, affordable housing.
Other Highlight Initiatives
In addition to HB 1717, I am sponsoring several other bills this session that have resonated strongly with our communities:
- HB 1054: County ferry Maintenance and Repair
This bill allows counties to extend unit priced contracts for ferry maintenance and repair for up to 10 years. By enabling longer-term contracts, counties can better schedule proactive maintenance, secure improved drydock rates, and ensure safe, reliable ferry services that are critical for community mobility.
I chose to feature this topic in my YouTube video this week. Discussing ferries is crucial right now because they are a lifeline for many communities, especially those on islands or in rural areas, such as those in my district. Reliable ferry service is essential for getting children to school, workers to jobs, and patients to medical care. With challenges like limited drydock availability and the need for proactive maintenance, ensuring our ferries remain safe and dependable is more important than ever.
- HB 1292: Cost-of-Living Adjustments for PERS and TRS Plan 1 Retirees
This bill ensures that retirees in Plan 1 of the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) and the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) receive ongoing cost-of-living adjustments to their monthly benefits. Starting July 1, 2026, retirees will get annual adjustments based on inflation, capped at 3 percent per year. The bill also establishes a new funding policy to manage the costs of these adjustments while maintaining employer contribution rate stability. This legislation is vital for in helping our public service retirees keep up with the rising cost of living and provides a sustainable funding strategy for the future. If passed, this would be effective July 1, 2025.
- HB 1158: Improving Community Inclusion Services for People with Disabilities
This bill strengthens community inclusion services for individuals with developmental disabilities by requiring the Department of Social and Health Services Developmental Disabilities Administration to contract directly with service providers instead of counties. It establishes clear service standards—including appropriate client ratios, opportunities for peer interaction, and provisions for incidental personal care—to promote greater independence and community integration for DDA clients.
- HB 1162: Preventing Workplace Violence in Health Care Settings
This bill enhances workplace safety in health care settings by requiring timely investigations of violence incidents and annual updates to violence prevention plans based on those findings. It mandates that hospitals, hospices, home care agencies, and community mental health centers analyze incident data to identify and address systemic issues. If passed, the bill takes effect on January 1, 2026.
You can track all of the activity on my bills here: 2025 Bills Sponsored by Rep. Leavitt.
Looking Ahead, Town Hall
The work we are doing now sets the foundation for a future where affordable housing is a reality for every family in Washington, and where families and communities feel safe and supported. I am grateful for your engagement as we continue to push for policies that build stronger, more inclusive communities. If you are in the Steilacoom area on Saturday, March 15, please consider joining me and other community members for a Session Town Hall. This is your chance to hear updates on how things are going in Olympia, and to ask questions about upcoming changes in law. Questions can be submitted early via this web form: Questions for Town Hall. The event is free and open to the public.
Thank you for joining me on this journey toward a brighter, more equitable future. It’s an honor to serve the beautiful 28th LD!