April 1, 2024

Recapping the 2024 Legislative Session
We made it through another legislative session! 2024 was most remarkable for being a fairly normal short session. It lacked some of the policy and budget drama of recent short sessions. However, having six initiatives to the Legislature was notable, as was the fact that the Legislature adopted some of those initiatives outright instead of sending them to voters, for the first time in recent memory.

That doesn’t mean we didn’t see some good news for cities—we had several policy wins, new budget investments, and success in keeping some problematic proposals from passing. As we move into the legislative interim, it is so important for city officials to continue your engagement with legislators, especially in an election year. Take time to connect with them post-session: thank them for their work, invite them to give a legislative update to your city council, and plan to hold ongoing connects over coffee or tours of your community.

Finally, thank you to all our city officials for working with us during the legislative session. Your involvement makes AWC such a powerful voice for our 281 cities and towns. We look forward to seeing you at our Annual Conference in Vancouver this June.

Candice Bock
Government Relations Director

City outcomes for the 2024 Legislative Session
The legislative session adjourned in early March after an intense 60 days of work. Great progress was made in several high-priority areas for cities. Read about the pros and cons of the Legislature’s action on our four priorities and other significant issues. For more details on what’s next and what it means for your city, register for our 2024 legislative session recap webinar on April 11.

Work begins soon to update AWC’s Statement of Policy
AWC’s Statement of Policy is the foundational policy guidance that drives our legislative work, including development of our annual legislative priorities and agenda. We review the Statement of Policy every four years to identify areas potentially in need of an update—2024 is one of those years. The work will begin in April, led by a committee of city officials from across the state. If you aren’t familiar with this policy document, please review it and share feedback you’d like the committee to consider by Monday, April 8.

Weigh in on AWC’s 2025 legislative agenda
With the 2024 session fully behind us, we have begun to look ahead to 2025. AWC’s Legislative Priorities Committee will start work in May considering issues for AWC’s 2025 legislative agenda. The committee will make its final recommendations to the Board in September. If you have ideas for legislative proposals that you would like the committee to consider, please complete this survey.

Register for the 2024 Legislative Session recap
April 11 | Online
Join the AWC Advocacy Team for a full recap of city-related issues from the 2024 legislative session. Your lobbyists will give an overview of the outcomes for 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 2025. This webinar is for AWC members only. Register now!

Tell us how you like our new bill tracker
This year, we implemented a new bill tracker tool to better assist cities in following legislation and engaging with the legislative process. We’d love to hear about your experience with the tracker, how you used it, and if it enhanced your ability to engage during the session. Please take 3-4 minutes to provide your input and help us improve the tool. Take the survey.

Read the articles below for an overview of session outcomes in each issue area. To check the final status of specific bills, use the AWC bill tracker.

Affordable housing
Affordable housing continues to see a lot of attention. More

Broadband & telecommunications
Washington State prepares for BEAD funding, but work remains to expand digital adoption and equity. More

Budget & finance
Status quo session with the first typical supplemental budget process in a few years means modest budget and financial impacts for cities. More

Economic development
Tax Increment Financing survived an attack from junior taxing districts that would have gutted the nascent tool. More

Emergency management
Legislature approves three emergency management bills on extreme weather, emergency response grants, and emergency management plans. More

Energy
Legislature continues to prioritize decarbonization and energy assistance for low-income households. More

Environment & natural resources
Organics and packaging and water, oh my! More

General government
This session was heavy in elections policy ideas, but light on elections bills that could make it through. A few non-election general government bills were considered. More

Homelessness
Another light year for legislation tackling homelessness. More

HR, labor relations, & pensions
A mostly quiet year for HR, labor relations, and pensions, with a few bills of consequence making it through. More

Human services
The Legislature acted on several important behavioral health bills addressing housing for certain behavioral health patients, public education on fentanyl risk, and standards for 23-hour crisis stabilization centers. More

Land use & planning
Land use issues continue to strike the Legislature’s fancy. More

Open government
Another quiet year on public records and open public meetings as legislators shy away from reforms. More

Public safety & criminal justice
A lot of early activity in public safety, but only a few bills made it across the finish line, including several aimed at law enforcement recruitment. The Legislature also adopted the police pursuits initiative. More

Public works & infrastructure
PWAA remains untouched, Legislature looked closely at prompt pay practices in public works. More

Transportation
Project cost overruns and traffic safety loomed large over the 2024 short session. More

Department of Justice (DOJ) issues letter reminding local officials of their land use regulation obligations under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). The letter also provides information about the DOJ's efforts to enforce this federal civil rights law. More

Alternative Response Team Grant program closes Friday, April 12 – Submit your application now. Cities are eligible to apply for state grant funds through AWC to support new alternative response team programs. More

CityVoice Podcast: AWC CEO Deanna Dawson on women in leadership
In case you missed it last week, check out this engaging interview with Deanna Dawson, AWC’s first woman CEO, as she discusses her path to city service, what motivates her work, and the challenges and rewards of being a woman in a leadership position. Listen now!

City advocacy continues year-round
As we focus on recapping the 2024 session, it’s also important to continue our advocacy work and look ahead to 2025. Take a few minutes to contact your legislators and thank them for their service. Invite them to speak to your city council. Plan to host them for tours and other opportunities to connect and keep them up to date on what is happening in your community. The interim is the time to build relationships and understanding between your city and your legislators. Find more ideas for year-round advocacy.

wacities.org/Advocacy | Legislative issues
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