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.
Cutoff bill roundup – what’s dead and alive
Here’s a roundup of bills I introduced that passed out of committee and can be scheduled for debate on the floor of the House this session:
HB 1012 and HB 1215 have already passed the House and are working their way through the Senate.
- HB 1012 – Allows the women’s commission to accept gifts
- HB 1215 – Removes references to pregnancy from the Advance Health Directive
Eight more bills that I introduced this session have been passed out of their policy committees and are now awaiting to be heard or voted on in the Rules or Appropriations committees.
- HB 1200 – Allows parents providing extraordinary care for their developmentally disabled children to be paid as caregivers
- HB 1219 – Makes the Interbranch Advisory Committee a permanent body
- HB 1385 – Aligns state law with federal guidelines around background checks for people seeking certification and credentialing in the developmental disabilities area
- HB 1403 – Revises regulations around condo construction liability to encourage development
- HB 1509 – Makes changes to the Family Reconciliation Services system to implement a community-centric based model that better serves families
- HB 1620 – Gives courts and judges clearer guidelines around developing parental plans to better address safety concerns for the children involved
- HB 1696 – Makes minor modifications to improve implementation of the original Covenant Homeownership Program bill
- HB 1909 – Establishes a task force to explore the unification of Washington’s court system
A quick budget briefing
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.
Traveling this year? The REAL ID deadline is May 7, 2025
On May 7, 2025, the federal REAL ID Act goes into effect nationwide. Beginning on that date, if you don’t have a REAL ID-compliant driver license or ID card, you won’t be able to fly in the U.S. or enter a restricted federal facility. Click here to learn more or visit click here to see if you’re ready for this change.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmJW-LiwnmM
Link to see if you’re ready to travel: https://realidwa.com/quiz-language-picker/
Girl Scout Day is March 13
I am so excited for Girl Scout Day in Olympia. As a third generation Girl Scout and lifetime member, this is one of my favorite days of session. If you are involved with a troop and want to join us at the Capitol on March 13, check out the Girl Scouts of Western WA website for information on how to register. Don’t wait though – registration closes February 27!
A Grumpy Flashback Friday
All of our Grumpy Animals have made their debut! We’ve got some creative folks in our House Democratic Caucus ranks, as evidenced by the names and bios they’ve come up with for our grumpy friends. Find the backstory for each one of these fluffy creatures on my Facebook page. With fiscal cutoff fast approaching, the levity and humor they bring to long legislative nights will be very much needed.
Celebrating Children’s Day the Grumpy way
You can always find more grumpy content at my Facebook page along with bill updates, committee news, and more photos of life at the Leg.
-Jamila