Dear friends and neighbors,
📢 We made it to cutoff! The first one anyway. For those who are new to the legislative process, cutoff is an important and sometimes sad milestone of session, and there are four of them. Today is the house of origin policy cutoff, or the final day for bills to pass out of committee that are not necessary for implementing the state’s biennial budget.
The reason you might see a lawmaker wiping away a tear or two is because not every bill that gets introduced passes committee – otherwise we’d be in Olympia all year! That’s when we say a bill “died in committee”. It doesn’t mean the hard work lawmakers and stakeholders put into that bill goes to waste, it just means that the sponsor will have to wait until the next legislative session for a chance to pass the bill out of the House.
The next important cutoff milestone is this Friday, when any bills remaining in fiscal committees likely won’t advance this session.
Bills moving & bills snoozing
Here’s a quick roundup of legislation I introduced this session that has passed committee:
- HB 1222 has already passed the floor of the House with bi-partisan support. This bill carves out an exemption to the Public Records Act for the Washington State Gambling Commission concerning records that contain sensitive information that could result in harm to customers or businesses if released.
- HB 1274 retroactively applies the requirement to exclude certain juvenile convictions from an offender score regardless of the date of the offense.
- HB 1362 institutes a gambling treatment diversion pilot program to allow for deferred sentencing and treatment of individuals with a gambling-related disorder.
- HB 1461 streamlines and modernizes statutory framework governing joint operating agencies to support existing assets and support new facility development.
- HB 1532 authorizes the city of Kent to impose a local option sales-and-use tax funding community vitality & safety.
- HB 1703 creates a business & occupation tax credit to support the Washington State Horse Racing Commission.
The budget, briefly
🏛️ This year, budget writers in Olympia are grappling with a $12 billion shortfall in the state budget. Speaker Jinkins’ self-described “wonky take” on this issue highlights the unpredictability of revenue growth when balancing the budget over four years, as well as how Washington’s regressive tax structure places the heaviest burden on working families and low-income households. Listen to Speaker Jinkins scoop here.
Members of Color Caucus 2025 priorities
The Washington State House Democrats Members of Color Caucus is committed to defending and protecting the rights of marginalized groups in our state and illuminating communities that have traditionally been pushed into the shadows by bringing them into the conversation and offering a seat at the table.
In 2025 the caucus is focused on ensuring equitable access to critical services like healthcare and housing and sharing resources for growth and development to strengthen our state’s economic bedrock. We recognize that our work is even more vitally important to the people of our state as uncertainty leads to heightened anxiety around protected rights and access to resources.
Traveling this year? The REAL ID deadline is May 7, 2025
If you’re flying in 2025, pay attention to new federal requirements. Why? Because if you don’t, they won’t let you on the plane.
REAL ID is a federal law, though Washington state has worked hard to help people get the ID they need to comply and fly.
Of course, you still need a passport to fly overseas. That hasn’t changed. What’s new is the requirements for flying domestically. The days of showing your driver’s license and getting through security are over.
Here’s what you can use:
- U.S. Passport
- U.S. Passport Card
- U.S. Military ID
- Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)
- Federally recognized tribal-issued photo ID
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
- Foreign Passport
Before your buy a plane ticket, please make sure your passport is current—or that you have another form of acceptable identification.
For more information, visit the state Department of Licensing page about REAL ID or the federal Homeland Security FAQ.
Flashback Friday
Thank you to the Racial Equity Team for hosting House and Senate legislators of the Members of Color Caucus at their legislative reception!
Another great Nuclear Energy Caucus meeting in the books!
Thanks for following along with me for another week in review! You can always follow my Facebook page to get more updates from the legislative session.
Until next time,
