Friends and neighbors,
We are rapidly moving toward Sine Die, the last day of session. That means we are in full-time floor action, debating bills and passing legislation. You can tune in to all of the action live at https://tvw.org/.
The House’s Operating budget was passed on March 31st and the Transportation Budget on April 2nd. They’re now in the Senate for thoughtful conferencing and challenging negotiations.
The capital budget adoption will be closer to the end of session.
As we approach the conclusion of the 2025 legislative session, set to adjourn on April 27, here’s a roadmap of key milestones leading up to Sine Die:
We are making great progress. Here’s a quick rundown of some of my bills that are still in play.
Bill Update
HB 1174 – strengthens court interpreter credentialing, clarifies the process for obtaining an interpreter and limits when a person with limited English proficiency is responsible for paying the interpreter.
Navigating the criminal justice system is confusing enough for most people, now imagine doing it as a non-native English speaker. This bill is a significant step toward making our court systems more accessible and just for those who are the most vulnerable. This bill has passed the legislature and is on its way to the Governor’s desk.
HB 1815 protects kids in our youth corrections systems by removing the ‘prison riot’ charge for facilities operated by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
A ‘prison riot’ sounds dangerous and extreme – and it is. But as it works now, any minor fight between two or more incarcerated kids can result in this charge. This can lead to many more years of imprisonment for even small skirmishes. This bill has passed the House and the Senate and is one step closer to the Governor’s desk.
SB 5721 ensures drivers have the right to an appraisal when their vehicle is damaged.
This is a senate companion to a similar bill I sponsored this session. Currently, it is too difficult for drivers to resolve a dispute with their car insurance company if they believe the company should cover more of the cost of a repair. This bill will protect consumers and make sure there’s an affordable pathway for accountability and fairness when ensuring their vehicles are safe to drive. This bill is still under consideration.
SB 5184 changes minimum parking requirements for local governments to make housing development more affordable.
This bill is a senate companion to a similar bill I sponsored this session. We need to do everything we can make it easier to build houses if we are going to fully address the state’s housing shortage crisis. Modernizing parking requirements in our state will make it cheaper to build homes and reflect our state’s transition toward more and a variety of forms of transportation. This bill has passed the House and the Senate and is one step closer to the Governor’s desk.
Building Homes, Building Hope.
As chair of the Housing Committee, we are pursuing a wide range of policies, like rent stabilization, that will help us make the housing market more fair for working families. This is building on important work that we’ve already been doing.
Over the past 7 years, we’ve passed nearly 30 bills aimed and reducing red tape, expanding available housing options, using existing spaces, and incentivizing construction. This year we, have 12 bills still working their way through the process. These bills, include tax incentives for housing, encouraging construction around transit hubs, simplifying the process for getting approval for building condominiums, and ensuring parking requirements aren’t an undue burden for housing construction.
You can see what the Housing Committee has accomplished this year by clicking the graphic below, or by going to: tinyurl.com/buildbetterwa
Our state is over 200,000 units short of meeting its housing needs and Washington must build one million homes over the next 20 years to meet growing demand. These policies will help reduce unnecessary barriers so developers can construct new units, as well as help renters, mobile homeowners, and homeowners stay in their homes.
I remain dedicated to pursuing legislation that supports hardworking families in our district and all over in Washington and protects consumers in this state.
Keep an eye out for my next legislative update to see where these policies land.
Thank you,
Rep. Strom Peterson