November 13, 2023

Session is less than two months away. Are you ready?
I know, I know. We always say that session is right around the corner. But this time it’s especially true. The 2024 legislative session begins on January 8 and ends on March 7. We like to describe these short sessions as a sprint, so it is really important to prepare now, because it will go by fast.

One of the best things you can do is adopt your own city legislative agenda. For inspiration, check out examples from other cities. Once you have finalized your agenda, please share it with us. We’d like to see what you have done and share it on our website. Now is also a good time to connect with your legislators and makes plans to stay in touch with them during session. Be proactive and schedule regular check-in calls. Finally, register for our 2024 legislative session preview webinar on November 29 to hear what we expect this session, our city priorities, and tips for being a strong city advocate. (Note that this is an AWC city members-only event.)

I also want to highlight the two items below in the “Multimedia mash-up” section. We are proud to release our most recent State of the Cities report, focused on public safety and criminal justice issues. We also want to thank all the cities that participated in this year’s City Conditions Survey. Check out the summary below and find even more great information in the report, including the collective results of the survey to share with your communities and your legislators.

On behalf of the AWC Government Relations team, we also wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. We are thankful for all our amazing city officials.

Candice Bock
Government Relations Director

Congress must act by November 17 to keep the federal government operating.
See NLC’s September checklist of steps to take if a federal shutdown seems likely and watch for more information this week. More

Ballot initiatives for 2024 going to the Legislature
Signature-gathering efforts are underway to certify a handful of initiatives to the Legislature for the 2024 ballot. All five initiatives could have a direct or indirect impact on cities. Details and the complete text are available from the Secretary of State, and the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) has information on rules regarding campaign activity. More

U.S. Department of Justice releases new report on recruitment and retention for the modern law enforcement agency
Washington is facing historic vacancies in law enforcement as cities across the state struggle to hire and maintain police officers necessary to do critical public safety work. The report lists several recommendations to address law enforcement officer eligibility; hiring and training practices; benefits and incentives; work-life balance and officer wellness; diversity, equity, and inclusion; agency culture; public image of law enforcement; and pipeline programs. More

AWC proposes changes to the Wildland-Urban Interface Code
The State Building Code Council (SBCC) agreed to further delay the effective date of the 2021 state building codes, including the Washington Wildland-Urban Interface Code (WWUIC). The new effective date for all 2021 state building codes is March 15, 2024. AWC has been working with a group of cities to encourage the SBCC to take this opportunity to improve the WWUIC. We believe that these changes would make the codes more implementable and still protect public safety. Please contact the SBCC before November 17 to express your support for these amendments. More

Broadband Office accepting public comment on state’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program initial proposal (Vol II).
View the draft proposal, then submit your feedback form by November 30.

Last chance to influence draft middle housing model ordinances
Under the authority of HB 1110, the Department of Commerce has released draft model ordinances for middle housing for cities under 25,000 in population and those over 25,000. More information, including a draft user’s guide and the comment form, is found on the agency’s middle housing website. The public comment period ends on December 6.

Sign on to support an improved recycling system for Washington
AWC supports product stewardship and extended producer responsibility for consumer packaging products for Washington. The WRAP Act bill will return in the 2024 session. This approach will make product manufacturers responsible for paying for the cost of recycling their packaging—saving money for residents through lower recycling bills, expanding curbside recycling service to all residential garbage customers, and achieving better recycling outcomes for our communities. Add your name to the strong and growing coalition of local elected officials who support packaging producer responsibility.

New State of the Cities report just dropped
The city landscape is changing: populations are changing, expectations are changing, demands are increasing, and with that, law enforcement and the criminal justice system must continue to change, too. In this year’s State of the Cities report, AWC examines the present conditions of public safety, along with the current state of criminal justice and behavioral health systems, to explore challenges that cities face and discover areas where cities can learn from each other. Read the report.

2023 City Conditions Survey results available now!
This fall, AWC surveyed Washington’s cities and towns to learn about current conditions in cities. A special thanks to the 143 cities that participated in our survey this year. Survey findings highlight four main takeaways: city responses align closely with city legislative priorities, lingering post-pandemic concerns remain, infrastructure looms large, and future finances are top-of-mind for cities. Read a snapshot of what we learned.

Register for AWC’s 2024 legislative session preview
November 29 | Online
Sign up now for a preview of the 2024 legislative session on Wednesday, November 29, from noon to 1:15 pm. We will talk about what to expect in the upcoming session, review AWC’s legislative agenda, and share helpful advocacy tools and tips. This an AWC members-only event. Register here.

Attend a briefing on the Assessment of Washington’s Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG)-Supported Multi-Jurisdictional Task Force Program. The JAG Advisory Committee will hear the findings of the report on November 16 at 10 am. More

Cities with a population of 200,000 or less can apply for funding to help provide public defense services for individuals charged under SB 5536. Applications due November 27. More

CityVoice Podcast: Summit Law’s Kristin Anger on “Annual Holiday Party Pitfalls” (published Dec. 2022) Kristin Anger specializes in labor & employment law. We revisit Kristin’s December 2022 interview with AWC’s HR Insights for timeless advice on “Annual Holiday Party Pitfalls.” Listen to the podcast.

End-of-year focus on state revenues and budgets. The quarterly state revenue forecast and expected release of the Governor’s proposed supplemental budgets will occur in the next month. Read AWC’s letter outlining 2024 city budget priorities. More

B&O tax cities need to adopt technical update to B&O model ordinance. SB 5199, changing the definition of printing and publishing income for local business and occupation (B&O) taxes, takes effect on January 1, 2024. More

ARPA obligation deadline is around the corner. The first major deadline for obligating State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is on December 31, 2024. More

Information for cities on McKinsey class action opioid settlement. Unlike previous settlement processes, the state is not involved in this settlement, there is no sign-on process, and cities do not need to take affirmative action to participate in the settlement. More

Motor vehicle theft and an update on litigation involving Kia and Hyundai vehicles. A federal judge granted preliminary approval to an amended settlement agreement in the class action lawsuit covering about 9 million Hyundai and Kia vehicles. More

Self-insured cities can still weigh in on new “good faith” rules. L&I is holding a stakeholder meeting on December 4 for draft rules to implement HB 1521, imposing a “duty of good faith and fair dealing” on self-insured cities. More

PFML premium rates to come down in 2024. State Paid Family & Medical Leave premiums are expected to drop from 0.8% to 0.74%. More

State transportation revenues forecasted to continuously decline, remain below pre-pandemic levels. A new report from the Washington Research Council looks at the state transportation budget and long-term funding challenges. More

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