Police accountability
Democratic lawmakers introduced a broad range of police accountability legislation heading into the 2021 session, following last year's Black Lives Matter protests over several high-profile killings of Black people by police.
While this isn't an exhaustive list, here are some of the key police reform bills we're following this year. Read more here.
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Bill number: House Bill 1310
What it does: Would set a standard that police can use deadly force only “when necessary to protect against an imminent threat or serious physical injury or death.” The measure would also require officers to employ de-escalation tactics when possible, and consider retreating or calling for backup before using physical force. The state attorney general would be tasked with developing model policies for use of force and de-escalation tactics.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature and will go to Gov. Inslee for a signature next.
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Bill number: House Bill 1054
What it does: Establishes new rules for police tactics, including banning the use of military equipment by police. Bans police use of chokeholds and restricts the circumstances in which police can use other types of neck restraints. Bans police use of tear gas in most circumstances. Bans the use of no-knock warrants and prohibits shooting at moving vehicles.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature and will go to Gov. Inslee for a signature next.
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Bill number: Senate Bill 5051
What it does: Makes it easier to decertify a police officer for misconduct, dishonesty or excessive use of force, so troubled officers can't leave one police department and start working at another. Closes a loophole that allows officers to resign in lieu of termination, thereby avoiding investigation. Read more here.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature and will go to Gov. Inslee for a signature next.
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Bill number: House Bill 1267
What it does: Creates an Office of Independent Investigations within the governor's office to investigate police uses of deadly force.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature, now on Gov. Inslee's desk awaiting a signature.
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Bill number: House Bill 1203
What it does: Would require any police department of 15 officers or more to establish a community oversight board. The boards' duties would include fielding complaints, investigating allegations of police misconduct, making recommendations on discipline and participating in the hiring of new police chiefs.
Current status: Failed to receive a House floor vote before a key deadline to advance. Appears to have stalled this session.
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Bill number: House Bill 1202
What it does: Would create a state cause of action allowing people to sue police officers in their individual capacity for violating people's constitutional rights. The measure would allow police to face civil lawsuits in situations where they may be unable to be sued in federal court due to the doctrine of qualified immunity.
Current status: Did not receive a floor vote in the House before a key deadline to advance. Appears to have stalled this session.
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Bill number: Senate Bill 5134
What it does: Would ban the use of arbitration to appeal police discipline, forcing appeals of police firings and suspensions to go to a civil service commission, hearing examiner or administrative law judge. Would allow disciplinary decisions to be overturned only when the discipline was arbitrary, capricious, or done for illegal reasons. Read more here.
Current status: Failed to make it out of a Senate committee, missing key deadlines to advance.
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Bill number: House Bill 1507
What it does: Would authorize the state Attorney General's Office to investigate and prosecute police officers for abuses of force.
Current status: Did not make it out of a House committee. Is not advancing this session.
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Bill number: Senate Bill 5259
What it does: Requires police agencies to report all uses of force to the state Attorney General's Office. Would require the Attorney General's Office to create a statewide program for collecting, reporting, and publishing use of force data.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature, now on Gov. Inslee's desk awaiting a signature.
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Bill number: Senate Bill 5066
What it does: Would make it mandatory for police officers to report any misconduct they see. Read more here.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature and will go to Gov. Inslee for a signature next.
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Bill number: House Bill 1088
What it does: Requires police agencies to notify prosecutors within 10 days about any misconduct that could cast doubt on an officer’s testimony. The measure would also require police agencies to check whether potential new hires are on their local county’s Brady list. Read more here.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature, now on Gov. Inslee's desk awaiting a signature.
Pandemic relief
Bill number: House Bill 1368
What it does: The $2.2 billion COVID relief plan would help renters, small businesses, schools and others struggling during the pandemic-induced economic downturn. Read more here.
Current status: Signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee on Feb. 19, took effect the same day.
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Bill number: Senate Bill 5061
What it does: Ensures pandemic-related layoffs (between March 22 and May 30 of 2020) won’t excessively drive up businesses’ unemployment tax rates. Read more here.
Current status: Signed by Gov. Jay Inslee, took effect Feb. 8.
Climate
The state Legislature is considering many climate-focused bills this year. We reported on several that aim to tackle the climate crisis and the housing crisis simultaneously, including one that would increase housing density in some areas by 50%. You can read that story here.
Washington also became the ninth state to ban single-use plastic bags in 2020, but the pandemic has delayed any implementation since then. Read more here.
Here is some more climate legislation we’re watching:
Bill number: House Bill 1075
What it does: Direct the state to set mandatory emission-reduction targets for ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft. Read more here.
Current status: Passed out of a House committee, but didn't receive a vote on the House floor before a March 9 deadline to advance. Looks dead this session.
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Bill number: House Bill 1216
What it does: Authorize the state to pay for guidance, grant money and other resources to help cities build up and manage their urban forests. Read more here.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature, now on Gov. Inslee's desk awaiting a signature.
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Bill number: House Bill 1091
What it does: Impose a clean fuel standard that would require the makers of gasoline and diesel to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions over time. Read more here.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature, now on Gov. Inslee's desk awaiting a signature.
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Bill number: Senate Bill 5126
What it does: Known as the Washington Climate Commitment Act, this measure would create a cap-and-trade program in Washington similar to one that exists in California. It would create a marketplace where polluters could buy and trade allowances, which could be used to help meet the emission reduction requirements. Money generated through the marketplace would be used to pay for clean energy programs and social equity measures, according to supporters, who include Gov. Jay Inslee. Read more here and here.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature and will go to Gov. Inslee for a signature next.
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Bill number: Senate Bill 5373
What it does: Would enact a tax on carbon emissions, using the money raised through the tax to create a bond program that would finance infrastructure investments and economic recovery programs. The measure is known as Washington STRONG. Read more here.
Current status: Did not make it out of a Senate committee. Is not advancing this session.
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Bill number: Senate Bill 5141
What it does: Would push state agencies to address environmental inequities that disproportionately hurt Black, Latino and Asian residents. The bill would prod — but not exactly require — government agencies to meet the needs of communities of color that the state has failed to protect from pollution. Read more here.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature and will go to Gov. Inslee for a signature next.
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Bill number: House Bill 1168
What it does: Would see Washington spend an additional $125 million over the next two years to extinguish, prevent and live with wildfires. Read more here.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature unanimously. Gov. Jay Inslee is expected to sign the bill.
Taxing the rich
Democrats are pushing multiple proposals to tax the wealthiest Washingtonians, and it can be confusing to parse through them all. We’re here to help. You can read more about each proposal here, but here’s a quick breakdown:
Bill number: Senate Bill 5096 — Capital gains tax
What it does: Apply a 7% tax on sales of assets that exceed $250,000 in a given year. Those assets are typically stocks or bonds.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature and will go to Gov. Inslee for a signature next.
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Bill number: House Bill 1406 — Wealth tax
What it does: Apply a 1% tax on all Washington residents whose worldwide wealth exceeds $1 billion, likely fewer than 100 people total.
Current status: Did not make it out of a House committee. Is not advancing this session.
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Bill number: House Bill 1465 — Estate tax
What it does: Increase the tax rate on wealthy people’s estates that would be passed on when they die. This bill would specifically increase the tax rate on estates valued at $3 million or more.
Current status: Did not make it out of a House committee. Is not advancing this session.
Health care
The state Medicaid system saw enrollment jump 11% during the pandemic and now the program insures more than one in five Washington residents. The spike has lawmakers looking to expand a few aspects of Medicaid, and you can read about some of them here.
Here are a couple of the bills:
Bill number: Senate Bill 5068
What it does: Extends Medicaid coverage during new mothers’ postpartum period.
Current status: Signed into law by Gov. Inslee on April 16.
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Bill number: House Bill 1275
What it does: Increase payment rates to Washington’s nursing homes, many of which have closed during the pandemic.
Current status: Did not make it out of a House committee. Is not advancing this session.
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Bill number: Senate Bill 5203
What it does: Enable Washington to buy or make generic drugs in response to rising costs of lifesaving medications. Read more here.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature, now on Gov. Inslee's desk awaiting a signature.
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Bill number: Senate Bill 5140
What it does: Would allow patients to sue a hospital if they are denied medical care to hasten miscarriages or terminate nonviable pregnancies that threaten the patients’ health. It also would allow providers to sue if they are disciplined after ending such pregnancies. Read more here.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature, now on Gov. Inslee's desk awaiting a signature.
Cannabis taxes and more drug legislation
For the first time, Washington state is expected to collect more than $1 billion in marijuana sales taxes over the next two years. You can see how that revenue is spent in our reporting here.
Here are some drug-related bills we’re tracking.
Bill number: Senate Bill 5476
What it does: Makes drug possession a misdemeanor in Washington state and focuses on diverting individuals to service and treatment options before an arrest is made. This was the Legislature's response to the state Supreme Court's Blake decision decriminalizing all drug possession. Read more here.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature, now on Gov. Inslee's desk awaiting a signature.
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Bill number: House Bill 1499
What it does: Make Washington the second state to legalize the personal use of all drugs. The measure would also direct money toward treatment and community-based intervention programs, where drug users and people with mental health problems would be referred to instead of jail. Read more here.
Current status: Appears to be dead, did not advance from committee.
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Bill number: House Bill 1019
What it does: Let adults 21 and over grow cannabis plants at home for recreational use. Each adult would be limited to six home-grown plants, or no more than 15 plants per household. Read more here.
Current status: Appears to be dead, did not advance from committee.
Immigration
Bill number: House Bill 1090
What it does: Ban new private prisons from opening in Washington, and allow private prisons currently operating to do so only until their contracts end. For the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, that contract ends in 2025. Read more here.
Current status: Signed into law by Gov. Inslee on April 14, took effect the same day.
Election reform
Bill number: House Bill 1156
What it does: Allow cities and counties to implement ranked-choice voting in local elections, a method that lets voters rank their choices in order of preference. Read more here.
Current status: Passed committee, but did not receive a vote on the House floor before a March 9 deadline to advance. Looks dead this session.
Education
Bill number: Senate Bill 5030
What it does: Require school districts to implement more comprehensive mental health programs for students, and require counselors to spend 80% of their time providing actual counseling services. Read more here.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature, now on Gov. Inslee's desk awaiting a signature.
Other bills
Bill number: Senate Bill 5010
What it does: Cut the link between credit scores and insurance rates. Read more here.
Current Status: Failed to receive a floor vote in the Senate before March 9 deadline. Leaders have declared it dead.
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Bill number: House Bill 1016
What it does: Make Juneteenth an official government holiday in Washington state. Read more here.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature, now on Gov. Inslee's desk awaiting a signature.
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Bill number: House Bill 1424
What it does: The “puppy mill bill” would ban retail pet sales after an unsuccessful attempt last session. Read more here.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature, now on Gov. Inslee's desk awaiting a signature.
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Bill number: Senate Bill 5226
What it does: Would end debt-based driver's license suspensions and take a stricter approach to moving violations. Read more here.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature, now on Gov. Inslee's desk awaiting a signature.
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Bill number: House Bill 1109
What it does: Concerning survivors of sexual assault, this bill would require law enforcement to report changes to investigations related to forensic analysis, implement a review system of officer-survivor interactions and expand the statutory rights afforded to survivors. Read more here.
Current status: Unanimously passed through both chambers of the Legislature. Awaits the governor's signature.
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Bill number: Senate Bill 5038
What it does: Would make it illegal to openly carry a firearm or other weapon near public demonstrations or on most of the Capitol campus. Read more here.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature, now on Gov. Inslee's desk awaiting a signature.
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Bill number: House Bill 1227
What it does: Concerning foster care, this bill would tighten the standards for removing children from their parents and ensure that disability, poverty, inadequate housing and other conditions that don’t necessarily pose an imminent threat to a child’s physical safety cannot be the only reasons to take kids away. Read more here.
Current status: Passed both chambers of the Legislature, now on Gov. Inslee's desk awaiting a signature.
