Last week we wrote about the intense pace of this year’s legislative work. We anticipated complexities with conducting an online legislative session, but legislators introduced and scheduled hearings for more bills than anyone expected. Thankfully, after an intense first few weeks, the Legislature seems to have found its groove for the pace of work. New bills continue to be introduced, but not quite at the same rate as before. Overall, there are fewer bills up for hearings this week. As of Friday, there were more than 800 bills introduced. By comparison, in 2020, a total of 1,799 bills were introduced, of which 380 passed the Legislature.

AWC’s weekly bill Hot Sheet

While the rhythm of session may now be more manageable, a lot of work remains. AWC continues to track and work on a wide range of bills. To learn about the key bills that we’re closely tracking, check out our weekly Hot Sheet.

Several bills viewed as particularly important to COVID-19 response and recovery are moving through the Legislature. There has been early action on bills targeting COVID-19 relief funds from the federal government, including:

• Changes to unemployment insurance to avoid large rate increases;
• B&O tax relief on grant funds to businesses; and
• Changes to the Open Public Meetings Act for emergencies.

Additionally, AWC is pleased to see action on proposals for a statewide transportation package. This is a priority for Washington cities. The House Transportation Committee Chair released a proposal two weeks ago and last week the Senate Transportation Committee Chair released that committee’s proposal. Check out our articles on the proposed House and Senate packages and watch our transportation video below. We expect to see the release of additional proposals, after which we hope negotiations will begin in earnest to find compromise on a revenue package that includes significant funding for city needs.

Don’t miss out on City Action Days

AWC’s City Action Days conference online is next week! Join us on February 10 and 11 for the same great content on hot legislative issues from legislative speakers and Governor Jay Inslee. While the event is online and not in Olympia, this is still a great time to make plans to meet with your legislators. If you need help to schedule a meeting with your local legislators, let us know. We are happy to help.

Need help?

As always, if you need assistance or additional information while navigating the legislative process, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Government Relations team.