The House Hot Sheet for Week 6 of the 2023 Legislative Session
Monday
Monday starts off with expected floor action in the morning. Later in the afternoon, the Education Committee has scheduled executive session on HB 1565 from Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self (D-Mukilteo) to create an online employment database for school job postings and HB 1658 from Rep. Clyde Shavers (D-Oak Harbor) to allow high school students to earn elective credit for paid work.
Also in the afternoon, the Housing Committee is considering executive action on HB 1129 from Rep. Mia Gregerson (D-SeaTac) to provide greater opportunities to purchase manufactured or mobile home community property. At the same time, the Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry Committee will hold a public hearing on HB 1387 from Rep. Bill Ramos (D-Issaquah) requiring the criminal justice training commission to establish a program to recruit and train a pool of applicants who may be employed by certain law enforcement agencies in the state and HB 1715 from Rep. Lauren Davis (D-Shoreline) to enact comprehensive reforms to protect victims of domestic violence and other violence involving family members or intimate partners.
Near the end of the day, the Appropriations Committee will hold a public hearing on HB 1784 from Rep. Gregerson to fund food assistance programs and an executive session on HB 1024, The Real Labor, Real Wages Act, from Rep. Tarra Simmons (D-Bremerton).
Tuesday
Tuesday kicks off with an 8:00 AM hearing in the Finance Committee on HB 1473 from Rep. My-Linh Thai (D-Bellevue) to create a more fair tax system through a narrowly tailored property tax on extreme wealth derived from the ownership of stocks, bonds, and other financial intangible property. Also up for a public hearing is HB 1556 from Rep. April Berg (D-Mill Creek) to create a primary residence property tax exemption. Later in the morning, the Local Government Committee will hold a hearing on HB 1723 from Rep. Davina Duerr (D-Bothell) to add environmental justice as a planning goal in the Growth Management Act.
The 1:30 PM committee hearings include possible executive session in Consumer Protection & Business on HB 1424 from Rep. Berg to end the puppy mill to pet store pipeline and HB 1559 in Postsecondary Education & Workforce, prime sponsored by Rep. Debra Entenman (D-Kent), to study and provide improved food and basic need support to college students.
During the 4:00 PM hour, Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry will hold possible executive session on HB 1470 from Rep. Ortiz-Self to require private detention facilities doing business in Washington to comply with the same accountability standards as public institutions. The Environment & Energy Committee has executive session scheduled on Rep. Tana Senn’s (D-Mercer Island) HB 1368, which would require and fund the purchase of zero emission school buses.
Wednesday
A busy Wednesday morning begins with executive session scheduled in the Local Government Committee on HB 1596 from Rep. Shelley Kloba (D-Kirkland) to increase affordable housing in communities by allowing counties and cities to establish Affordable Housing Exemption Programs. The Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee is scheduled to vote on HB 1720 from Rep. Mike Chapman (D-Port Angeles). HB 1720 is bipartisan legislation to improve salmon recovery and riparian habitat through a voluntary, regionally focused grant program.
The House will meet on the floor at 10:30 AM for floor action. After floor votes, the Consumer Protection & Business Committee has executive session scheduled on the TSWIFT Consumer Protection Act (HB 1648) from Rep. Kristine Reeves (D-Federal Way) which cracks down on unfair treatment of consumers and limits “dynamic pricing” sales. Rep. Jessica Bateman’s (D-Olympia) HB 1724, to increase the trained behavioral health workforce is scheduled for public hearing in the Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee.
Thursday
In the morning, the Regulated Substances & Gaming Committee is hearing public testimony on Rep. Entenman’s HB 1790 to expand and improve the social equity in cannabis program. The Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry Committee has possible executive session scheduled on HB 1363 from Rep. Alicia Rule (D-Blaine) to modify the vehicular pursuits law. And the Environment & Energy is holding possible executive session on HB 1509 from Rep. David Hackney (D-Tukwila) improve community solar projects.
The House will meet later in the morning to commemorate the Day of Remembrance.
In the afternoon, the Appropriations Committee has possible executive session scheduled on HB 1784 from Rep. Gregerson.
Friday
Friday is Policy Committee Cutoff, with final executive sessions in Postsecondary Education & Workforce on HB 1823 from Rep. Joe Timmons (D-Bellingham) improving the state student loan program. The Heath Care & Wellness Committee has possible executive session scheduled on HB 1678 from Rep. Marcus Riccelli (D-Spokane) to authorize limited dental therapy in Washington state. And the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee will consider a vote on Rep. Strom Peterson’s (D-Edmonds) proposal to ban octopus farming (HB 1153).