
March 17, 2025 Cutoff marks major shift to session’s second half Last week, we noted that session had reached the halfway point, marked by a major cutoff deadline—the March 12 deadline for bills to pass out of their house of origin. That cutoff significantly reduced the number of bills advancing through the process. Notably, our Bill Hot Sheet has shrunk by at least a page as we remove bills that failed to advance. The good news is that a number of our priority issues are still alive and part of legislative discussions. Additionally, a few not-so-good bills didn’t make it through and are considered dead* for the session. This week also marks the start of the public-facing work on budget proposals. On Tuesday, March 18, the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council will share the updated state revenue forecast, which will foreshadow the release of legislative budget proposals scheduled for Monday, March 24. We expect the majority party proposals to include substantial cuts as well as new revenue options. Watch for more information next week. If you have questions about any of the goings-on at the Legislature, reach out to the Government Relations team. Candice Bock Government Relations Director Bills can always be resurrected, so nothing is truly dead. Another opportunity to impact the preemptive parking bill* SB 5184 begins by claiming that the amount of parking needed for a project should be determined on a case-by-case basis, not a one-size-fits-all regulation, particularly for housing. The bill goes on to establish a one-size-fits-all regulation for all cities over 20,000 population statewide—and not just for housing, but also for commercial development. More Thanks to your efforts, two city priority public safety funding bills gain critical legislative support Mere hours after we issued an AWC Action Alert to you on Tuesday, two of our priority public safety funding bills were scheduled, voted on, and passed in their respective houses. Thank you for contacting your legislators to let them know why your city supports these critical public safety bills! We are working with legislators to improve HB 2015 for all cities and encourage you to contact your representatives to bring SB 5775 to a hearing in the House. SB 5060 has unfortunately failed to advance but could still be revived down the stretch. Washington city officials take on the other Washington Nearly 100 city officials from Washington state went to Washington, D.C., last week to the National League of Cities Congressional City Conference. They attended informative sessions, heard from the Vice President, and met with members of Washington’s congressional delegation. AWC hosted a packed room to hear from our U.S. Senators. Check out a few of the key takeaways. Senators need to hear your city’s story: Speak up now against AI bargaining bill AWC needs cities to continue engaging with their senators to oppose HB 1622. This is a critical time to make sure city voices are heard on this problematic legislation that creates new burdens and costs for cities and interferes with city leaders’ ability to make business decisions about the best tools to serve their communities. Contact your senator and the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee today. More Washington state housing bills update at house of origin cutoff AWC Deputy Director of Government Relations Carl Schroeder gives an update on several bills with potential impacts to Washington cities, including bills on public camping, parking requirements, and proposals that would raise revenue to fund affordable housing. Bills covered include HB 1907 / SB 5711, SB 5576, HB 1380, HB 1195, HB 1443, and more. Washington state housing bills update at house of origin cutoff on Vimeo. Watch the video. Register for the 2025 Legislative session recap webinar May 22 \| Online Session isn’t over yet, but we are already looking forward to post-session. Join the AWC Government Relations team in May for a full recap of city-related issues from the 2025 legislative session. AWC’s lobbyists will share the outcomes of AWC’s legislative priorities, summarize the impacts of passed legislation on cities, and talk through the adopted state budgets. Stay to the end to learn how to make the most impact during the legislative interim in preparation for 2026. Register now! Visit AWC’s bill tracker for easy access to the bills you’re most interested in and to filter by the information you’re looking for, whether it’s a brief description of a bill, the status of bills you’re tracking, or AWC’s comprehensive coverage. Tip: Don't forget to bookmark the tracker and check it regularly for the latest updates. This week’s bill highlights: Affordable housing Concerning permit approval bill continues to advance (SB 5729) More Both lot-splitting bills are still alive—pick your poison (HB 1096 & SB 5559) More Economic development Bill rethinking the formation of public facilities districts dies (HB 1037) More Emergency management Pets in emergency shelters bill gets a hearing on the other side (HB 1201) More HR & labor relations House committee planning quick action on UI benefits for strikers. Cities need to act fast (SB 5041) More Sign in and support police grievance arbitration bill (SB 5473) More Cities oppose bill undermining grievance settlements (SB 5503) More Human services Bill formalizing co-response in Washington advances to Senate (HB 1811) More Land use & planning Mandatory use of a hearing examiner bill is on fast track in House (SB 5719) More Public safety & criminal justice Bill aimed at deterring repeat traffic infractions moves through the Legislature (SB 5705) More Expanded medical exemptions to drug, paraphernalia prosecutions clears House vote (HB 1574) More Bill to limit roles of law enforcement volunteers dies in House (HB 1399) More Competency evaluations bill passes House after amendments remove AWC-opposed cap and fines (HB 1218) More Restriction on weapons in public buildings and parks moving quickly through Legislature (SB 5098) More Bill to classify speeding 30 mph over the limit as reckless driving passes Senate (SB 5238) More Public works & infrastructure City concerns addressed in “Dig Law” striker; stakeholder work still underway (SB 5627) More City authority to require apprenticeship utilization plans restored in responsible bidder bill (HB 1549) More Affordable housing construction exempted from prevailing wage bill (SB 5061) More Electrical inspector qualifications limited in adopted amendment, heads to opposite chamber (SB 5265) More Transportation Local government input reflected in Senate-adopted version of vehicle debris bill (SB 5215) More Congress takes debate on federal budget down to the wire. The Senate passed a six-month continuing resolution on March 14, the deadline to avoid a federal government shutdown. More AWC seeks two senior city staff members with expertise in transportation and engineering to serve on the WSDOT Local Programs Bridge Replacement Advisory Committee. Apply by March 19. More Submit comments on proposed changes to water system plan requirements by April 11. The Department of Health requests public comment on changes it has proposed related to the rule on a new climate resilience element in HB 1811. More Celebrate open and responsive government with Sunshine Week! This Sunday marked the start of the annual National Sunshine Week, which runs March 16-22. Sunshine Week is a national initiative that brings together news organizations, advocacy groups, and residents to discuss the importance of open government and freedom of information. More AWC Salary and Benefit Survey launches next week. Are you ready? The 2025 Salary and Benefit Survey is planned to open for data entry on March 24. Please check to make sure the right people at your city have access to the survey and double check your AWC login information. Reach out to research@awcnet.org with any questions! More Want the latest on all the legislative action? Join AWC’s City Action Call this Friday (city members only) During the legislative session, AWC hosts City Actions Calls every Friday at 12:30 pm. In these meetings, AWC lobbyists provide legislative updates and city officials have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback. The calls occur every Friday during the legislative session. You’ll need to register each week. Connect with your legislators at local town halls Legislators have been hosting their own town hall meetings, sometimes in person and sometimes virtually. Check your legislators’ websites to find out when and where they will be, and plan to attend. Listening in and voicing the issues important to your city at local town halls is a great way to ensure your legislators and constituents are aware of your city's legislative needs.
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