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.

AWB POSTS LEGISLATIVE SESSION WRAP-UP VIDEOS; SPECIAL SESSION UNDER CONSIDERATION TO FIX DRUG POSSESSION LAW

End of session: It was a mixed bag for employers this legislative session. Legislators took important steps to boost housing supply, jumpstart sustainable aviation fuel production, and slow spending as risk of a recession grows. At the same time, there were several missteps and missed opportunities.

New videos: In short videos, AWB’s government affairs team breaks down the session by topic area and relevant legislation to employers.

Bob Battles shares a wrap-up on employment law
Mike Ennis discusses land use, housing and transportation legislation
Emily Shay gives an update on tax and budget issues
Amy Anderson shares an overview of health care, child care and workforce bills
Peter Godlewski reviews energy and environment policies

Possible special session: The regular 105-day legislative session ended on April 23, but there is talk of a special session to find a solution to the state’s drug possession law after the Legislature failed to pass a fix. A stopgap measure expires on July 1, and without action, there will be no penalty in state law for drug possession. Gov. Jay Inslee can call on lawmakers to convene for a 30-day special session.

Governor Bill Action List Link to what the Governor has signed or vetoed

The Washington State Legislature has recessed for the 2023 season. There are hundreds of bills heading to the Governor’s desk for his signature. Check out the progress of the bills by clicking the link above.

2023 Legislative Session Bill Watch List

Below is a list of bills that were tracked during the 2023 Legislative Session

click “more” below

Bill #	Abbrev. Title	Short Description	Status
HB 1013	Regional apprenticeship prgs	Establishing regional apprenticeship programs.	Signed by Governor
HB 1050	Apprenticeship utilization	Expanding apprenticeship utilization requirements.	On to Governor’s office
HB 1051	Robocalls & telephone scams	Concerning robocalling and telephone scams.	Signed by Governor
HB 1052	Nonprofit housing/tax ex.	Providing a property tax exemption for qualified real and personal property owned or used by a nonprofit entity in providing qualified housing funded in whole or part through a local real estate excise tax.	No further movement
HB 1068 (SB 5212)	Injured worker medical exams	Concerning injured workers’ rights during compelled medical examinations.	On to Governor’s office
HB 1085	Hotel Size product Ban		On to Governor’s office
HB 1106	Unemployment/voluntary	Concerning qualifications for unemployment insurance when an individual voluntarily leaves work.	On to Governor’s office
HB 1155 (SB 5351)	Consumer health data	Addressing the collection, sharing, and selling of consumer health data.	On to Governor’s office
HB 1187	Employee-union privilege	Concerning privileged communication between employees and the unions that represent them.	On to Governor’s office
HB 1197	Workers’ comp. providers	Defining attending provider and clarifying other provider functions for workers’ compensation claims, and adding psychologists as attending providers for mental health only claims.	On to Governor’s office
HB 1200	Employee information/unions	Requiring public employers to provide employee information to exclusive bargaining representatives.	On to Governor’s office
HB 1217	Wage complaints	Concerning wage complaints.	On to Governor’s office
HB 1254		Clarifying ambiguities in statutory provisions administered by the department of revenue relating to periodic adjustments	Signed by Governor
HB 1258	Tourism Funding	Increasing tourism to Washington state through enhancement of the statewide tourism marketing account and changing necessary match requirements.	On to Governor’s office
HB 1265		– Establishing a property tax exemption for adult family homes that serve people with intellectual or developmental disabilities and are owned by a nonprofit	On to Governor’s office
HB 1303		– Concerning the administration of property taxes	Signed by Governor
HB 1458	Apprenticeship programs/UI	Concerning unemployment insurance benefits for apprenticeship program participants.	Signed by Governor
HB 1658	HS Credits for working	Authorizing public high school students to earn elective credit for paid work experience.	Signed by Governor
HB 1670	Raising the limit factor for property taxes.		No further movement
HB 1694	Health Care Workers	Addressing home care workforce shortages.	On to Governor’s office
HB 1730	Minors working in 21+ Establishments	Allowing people 18 years of age or older to work in certain 21 year and older establishments.	Signed by Governor
SB 5088 (HB 1309)	Contractor registration	Adding references to contractor registration and licensing laws in workers’ compensation, public works, and prevailing wage statutes.	Signed by Governor
SB 5089	Factory assembled structures	Making changes to factory assembled structures, manufactured or mobile homes, commercial coaches, conversion vending units, medical units, recreational vehicles, and park trailers requirements, including adding board members to the factory assembled structures advisory committee.	Signed by Governor
SB 5110	Labor practices/penalties	Adding penalties for certain prohibited practices in chapter 49.44 RCW.	No further movement
SB 5111	Sick leave/construction	Concerning payments for accrued and unused sick leave for certain construction workers.	On to Governor’s office
SB 5123	Cannabis/employment	Concerning the employment of individuals who lawfully consume cannabis.	On to Governor’s office
SB 5171	Consumer products/gender	Addressing consumer gender discrimination.	No further movement
SB 5176	Employee-owned coop UI	Concerning unemployment insurance benefits for officers of employee-owned cooperatives.	Signed by Governor
SB 5217	Musculoskeletal injuries/L&I	Concerning the state’s ability to regulate certain industries and risk classes to prevent musculoskeletal injuries and disorders.	Signed by Governor
SB 5236	Hospital staffing standards	Concerning hospital staffing standards.	Signed by Governor
SB 5240	Unemployment ins. appeals	Concerning unemployment insurance benefits appeal procedures.	No further movement
SB 5284	Campaign finance disclosure	Concerning campaign finance disclosure.
SB 5286	Paid leave premiums	Modifying the premium provisions of the paid family and medical leave program.	Signed by Governor
SB 5316	Background check fees	Concerning background check and licensing fees for programs administered by the department of children, youth, and families.	On to Governor’s office
SB 5331	Job search requirements/UI	Concerning job search requirements for unemployment insurance benefits.	Signed by Governor
SB 5352	Concerning vehicular pursuits.	will allow vehicle pursuits by law enforcement if there is reasonable suspicion to believe that a person in the vehicle has committed or is committing a crime.	On to Governor’s office
SB 5452		– Authorizing impact fee revenue to fund improvements to bicycle and pedestrian facilities:	Signed by Governor
SB 5454	RN PTSD/industrial insurance	Concerning industrial insurance coverage for posttraumatic stress disorders affecting registered nurses.	On to Governor’s office
SB 5499	Nursing Compact	Concerning the multistate nurse licensure compact.	Signed by Governor
SB 5536	Possession Controlled Substance	Concerning controlled substances, counterfeit substances, and legend drug possession and treatment.
SB 5592	Requireing AED at Fitness Center	Requiring semiautomatic exteran defibrillators at fitncess centers	No further movement
SB 5770	Providing State and local property tax reform		No further movement
SHB 1009	Military spouse employment	Concerning military spouse employment.	On to Governor’s office
SHB 1056	Postretirement employment	Repealing some postretirement employment restrictions.	On to Governor’s office

The South Kitsap Chamber of Commerce seeks to inform our members about legislation that may affect their businesses. We share from a number of different sources in order to give our members a broad perspective.

Thank you to our partners at the Association of Washington Businesses, the Washington Retail Association and the Washington Hospitality Association for all their hard work on keeping us informed and representing our interests.

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.

Bill Information

Contacting Your Representative How to reach your district representative

State District 26


Representative Michelle Caldier (R) 26th Legislative District Committees: Website (360) 786 – 7802 EMAIL	Representative Spencer Hutchins (R) 26th Legislative District Committees: Health Care & Wellness Transportation Housing Website (360) 786-7964 EMAIL	Senator Emily Randall (D) 26th Legislative District Committees: Higher Education & Workforce Development Health & Long Term Care Transportation Website (360) 786 – 7650 EMAIL

State District 35


Representative Travis Couture (D) 35th Legislative District Committees: Human Services, Youth, & Early Learning Appropriations Capital Budget Environment & Energy Website (360) 786-7902 EMAIL	Representative Dan Griffey (R) 35th Legislative District Committees: Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry Local Government Transportation Website (360) 786-7966 EMAIL	Senator Drew MacEwen (R) 35th Legislative District Committees: Environment, Energy & Technology Business, Financial Services, Gaming & Trade Labor & Commerce Transportation Website (360) 786-7902 EMAIL

2022 Legislative Review Representative voting record on key business issues

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 […]