The South Kitsap Chamber of Commerce believes in keeping our members informed on important legislative issues that face local businesses. Navigating the governmental landscape can be very complicated and time-consuming. The Chamber relies on many partners to help us keep our membership educated.
Our goal is to provide our members with information and resources to make informed decisions that are happening on a Federal, State, and local level. Below are some of the bills we are currently tracking along with the write-ups provided by our advocacy partners.
Governor Bill Action List
Link to what the Governor has signed and Vetoed
The Washington State Legislature has recessed for the 2022 season. There are hundreds of bills heading to the Governors desk for his signature. Check out the progress of the bills by clicking the link above.
2022 Legislative session review
AWB highlights ‘the good, the bad & the ugly’ in the post-session legislative webinar.
What passed the Legislature this year, what failed to pass, and how did lawmakers help or hinder employers? AWB’s Government Affairs team broke down the 2022 session issue by issue during a webinar last week.
Washington State 2022 Legislative Session Bill watch list and links
| Bill Number | Link | Description | Source | ||
| HB | 1076 | Link | Workplace violations/ Qui tam/ Whistleblower | This bill would allow whistleblowers to bring actions on behalf of the state for violations of workplace protections. It would create a professional plaintiffs class resulting in frivolous lawsuit. This bill remains alive from the 2021 session. We do not expect it to move in the 2022 session. | AWB |
| HB | 1486 | Link | Unemployment eligibility | expands eligibility to receive unemployment insurance benefits to those who voluntarily quit their jobs. Under current law, there are a limited number of circumstances when an employee can receive UI benefits after voluntarily leaving their job. This bill, which was opposed by WR during the 2021 session, was resurrected this week and moved immediately to the House Floor for a potential floor vote. Under the bill, a person would be eligible for UI benefits if they leave a job due to a family member’s death or need to care for a child or adult. -ON HOUSE FLOOR | WRA |
| HB | 1614 | Link | Consumer Product Theft | addressing online marketplace consumer product theft and safety. WR supports this high-priority legislation. | WRA |
| HB | 1656 | Link | Theft & Concealment | would modify the definition of theft by adding the term concealment. This bill has been around for several years now and WR has been supporting this very vigorously. This bill will be heard tomorrow, Friday, January 21, and WR is asking members to help testify or invite their loss prevention agents to this hearing to make a good showing. | WRA |
| HB | 1677 | Link | employer tax incentives for veterans and miltary families | Extends certain tax credits to businesses who hire veterans and qualifying employees | Bill Report |
| HB | 1732 | Link | Long Term Care | delay the implementation of the long-term services and supports trust program by 18 months, and establish voluntary exemptions to the long-term services and supports trust program for certain populations. – Signed by GOVENOR | WRA |
| HB | 1733 | Link | Long Term Care | delay the implementation of the long-term services and supports trust program by 18 months, and establish voluntary exemptions to the long-term services and supports trust program for certain populations. SIGNED BY GOVENOR | WRA |
| HB | 1760 | Link | Dual Credit Support | expand eligibility for dual credit options, especially for low-income students. Dual credit programs, in which high school students receive college credit while working towards their high school diploma, have been critically important preparing the next generation workforce and providing opportunity to pursue a post-secondary education without incurring large student debt/costs. | AWB |
| HB | 1788 | Link | Concerning Vehicular Pursuits | Allows a peace officer to engage in a vehicular pursuit when there is reasonable suspicion that a person in the vehicle has committed or is committing a violent offense, escape offense, or driving under the influence offense, subject to certain safety restrictions. • Establishes additional requirements for supervisory control of vehicular pursuits. | Bill Report |
| HB | 1858 | Link | Alleviating consumer inflation by leveraging the state’s significant budget surplus to reduce taxes on producers of certain consumer staple goods. | This proposal reduces the tax rates for the following tax classifications : – General manufacturing from 0.484% to 0.2904% – Timber manufacturing from 0.2904% to 0.2384% (plus surcharge ) – Timber processing for hire from 0.2904% to 0.2384% (plus surcharge ) – Timber extracting/extracting for hire from 0.2904% to 0.2384% (plus surcharge ) – Timber manufacturers or extractors wholesaling from 0.2904% to 0.2384% (plus surcharge ) – Manufacturing of semiconductor materials from 0.275% to 0.165% – Urban transportation from 0.6% to 0.24% (plus surcharge ) – Motor transportation from 1.8% to 0.72% (plus surcharge ) – Log transportation from 1.28% to 0.512% (plus surcharge ) |
Bill Report |
| HB | 2026 | Link | Road Usage Charge | which implements a 2.5 cent per mile charge on vehicles, otherwise known as the Road Usage Charge (RUC). | AWB |
| HB | 2031 | Link | Increases in UI Taxes | provide additional relief from increases in unemployment insurance taxes due to the COVID 19 pandemic by adjusting “social taxes” over the next year. These bills also use general fund money to relieve employees from the large increases in Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums anticipated because of the pandemic. WR is still reviewing these bills and is pleased that additional relief is under consideration. | WRA |
| HB | 2037 | Link | Use of Force | Modifies the standard for use of physical force by peace officers by defining “physical force” and authorizing peace officers to use physical force in additional specific circumstances. | Bill Report |
| SB | 5064 | Link | Concerning unemployment insurance for voluntary quits | Provides for unemployment benefits for individuals that voluntary quit due to childcare or other dependent care needs | Bill Report |
| SB | 5515 | Link | B & O Tax Credit | Aims to encourage economic growth by providing a state business tax credit for new employment positions in the hospitality industry. | AWB |
| SB | 5517 | Link | Employment of individuals that lawfully use cannabis | AWB continues to oppose any legislation that would restrict a zero tolerance drug policy. | AWB |
| SB | 5533 | Link | Consumer Product Theft | addressing online marketplace consumer product theft and safety. WR supports this high-priority legislation. | WRA |
| SB | 5649 | Link | Modifying the Washington state paid family and medical leave act. | 1. Modifying the Washington state paid family and medical leave act. The original bill would have provided up to 14 calendar days of paid family leave, within existing leave limits, to certain employees in specified situations. Specifies that leave taken by certain employees in the first six weeks after giving birth must be medical leave, unless the employee chooses to use family leave. Expires the collective bargaining exception contained in the Paid Family and Medical Leave program. Authorizes the Employment Security Department (ESD) to issue a predetermination of eligibility and benefits prior to the employee’s start of leave. Requires ESD to publish a list of employers with approved voluntary plans on its website. | AWB |
| SB | 5719 | Link | Dual Credit Support | expand eligibility for dual credit options, especially for low-income students. Dual credit programs, in which high school students receive college credit while working towards their high school diploma, have been critically important preparing the next generation workforce and providing opportunity to pursue a post-secondary education without incurring large student debt/costs. | AWB |
| SB | 5761 | Link | Concerning employer requirements for providing wage and salary information | This bill requires employers to disclose in job postings the hourly or salary compensation, or a range, and a general description of all of the benefits and other compensation, rather than providing wage and salary information only upon request of an applicant after the initial job offer. It also removes the requirement that if no wage scale or salary range exists, the employer must provide the minimum wage or salary expectation prior to posting the position, making a position transfer, or making the promotion. ON THE FLOOR CALENDAR | AWB |
| SB | 5873 | Link | UI and PFML Premium Relief: | Concerning unemployment insurance, family leave, and medical leave premiums. (Only the Senate bill survived cut-off.) As a result of the PFML solvency issue, this bill was modified in the policy committee. The FML provisions in the bill have been removed. Only the UUI provisions remain. It will help every employer by reducing premiums in 2022. The remaining UI provisions in the bill would do the following: Decreases the maximum social tax (social cost factor) for 2022 and 2023: 2022 reduced to .5% (current law is .75%) 2023 reduced to .7% (current law is .85%) Under current law, the social tax is graduated based on a multiplier for the employer’s specific rate class varying from 40% of the social tax up to 120%. Under the bill, for 2023 for small employers (10 or fewer employees), if their rate class is greater than 7, the rate class is 7 for purposes of the graduated rate multiplier only. The rate class multiplier for rate class 7 is 64%. Corrects statutory references in two unemployment statutes. The bill addresses some of the concerns AWB has raised regarding the UI system. It will help every employer by reducing premiums in 2022. The Senate bill is on the floor. AWB supports the bill as introduced. |
AWB |
| SB | 5873 | Link | Increases in UI Taxes | provide additional relief from increases in unemployment insurance taxes due to the COVID 19 pandemic by adjusting “social taxes” over the next year. These bills also use general fund money to relieve employees from the large increases in Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums anticipated because of the pandemic. WR is still reviewing these bills and is pleased that additional relief is under consideration. | WRA |
Write-up information is from our partners, the Association of Washington Businesses (AWB) and the Washington Retail Association (WRA). Write-ups are for informational purposes only.
Tracking a bill in the Washington Legislature Get more information on a bill
For more information on the details about a specific bill that is currently before the legislature for consideration you can click on the link below.
You can also sign up for email alerts to be updated when there is movement on a bill.
Contacting Your Representative How to reach your district representative
State District 26
 |
|
 |
|
Representative Michelle Caldier (R)
(360) 786 – 7802
|
Representative Jesse Young
(R)
(360) 786 – 7964
|
Senator Emily Randall
(D)
(360) 786 – 7650
|
State District 35
 |
 |
 |
|
Senator Tim Sheldon
(D)
(360) 786-7668
|
Representative Dan Griffey
(R)
(360) 786-7966
|
Representative Drew MacEwen (R)
(360) 786-7902
|
