Newsletter | My bills and how you can help | Feb. 11, 2025

In Dec. 2024, I began prefiling bills important to the constituents of the 8th Legislative District. Since then, I have filed over two dozen bills.

In Dec. 2024, I began prefiling bills important to the constituents of the 8th Legislative District. Since then, I have filed over two dozen bills, many of which will positively impact Washington State’s energy policy, local agriculture, cybersecurity, and higher education.

Here is a list of my current bills you can help with. I have provided a link to each bill, which will give you more details on the legislation. I’ve also included the last date or future date the bill had action taken. The chair and vice chair are linked to emails, so if you see a bill you’d like to support, please contact the Senators listed below. Let them know you support the bill and want it to progress.

This is important as we approach our first significant cutoff date: February 21. This is the last day for policy committees to read committee reports for bills in their house of origin. However, this cutoff date does not apply to the Senate Ways & Means Committee, which has a February 28 cutoff date.

Make sure the voices of the Mighty 8th are heard.

SB 5542 | Expanding tuition waivers for high school completers at community and technical colleges | Feb 6 | Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development. | Feb 10 | Scheduled for executive session in the Senate Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development at 10:30 a.m.

Chair: T’wina Nobles

Vice Chair: Drew Hansen

 

SB 5543 | Providing equity in eligibility for the college-bound scholarship. | Feb 10 | Scheduled for executive session in the Senate Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development at 10:30 a.m.

Chair: T’wina Nobles

Vice Chair: Drew Hansen

 

SB 5074 | Concerning the payment of turfgrass seed contracts.| Feb 13 | Scheduled for executive session in the Senate Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources at 1:30 p.m.

Chair: Mike Chapman

Vice Chair: Deborah Krishnadasan

 

SB 5014 | Concerning election security | Feb 7 | Executive session in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections. 

Chair: Javier Valdez

Vice Chair: Deborah Krishnadasan

 

SB 5015 | Increasing efficiency at the energy facility site evaluation council by removing the governor from the project approval process. | Jan 13 | First reading, referred to Environment, Energy & Technology. 

Chair: Sharon Shewmake

Vice Chair: Vandana Slatter

 

SB 5078 | Concerning ownership of agricultural real estate. | Jan 13 | First reading, referred to Law & Justice.

Chair: Manka Dhingra

Vice Chair: Yasmin Trudeau

 

SB 5091 | Concerning motor vehicle emission standards for Washington. | Jan 13 | First reading, referred to Environment, Energy & Technology.

Chair: Sharon Shewmake

Vice Chair: Vandana Slatter

 

SB 5092 | Providing a sales and use tax exemption for qualifying farm machinery and equipment | Jan 16 | Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources. | Media | Bill looks to provide tax exemption for farm equipment.

Chair: Mike Chapman

Vice Chair: Deborah Krishnadasan

 

SB 5107 | Concerning underinsured motorist coverage for local government employees.| Jan 20 | Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Local Government.

Chair: Jess Salomon

Vice Chair: Liz Lovelett

 

SB 5113 | Concerning cost-of-living adjustments for plan 1 retirees of the teachers’ retirement system and public employees’ retirement system. | Jan 23 | Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means.

Chair: June Robinson

Vice Chair, Operating: Derek Stanford 

Vice Chair, Capital: Yasmin Trudeau

Vice Chair, Finance: Noel Frame

 

SB 5114 | Paying state retirement benefits until the end of the month in which the retiree or beneficiary dies. | Jan 23 | Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 4 p.m.

Companion Bill: HB 1312 | Jan 27 | Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations.

Chair: June Robinson

Vice Chair, Operating: Derek Stanford 

Vice Chair, Capital: Yasmin Trudeau

Vice Chair, Finance: Noel Frame

 

SB 5302 | Prohibiting the purchase of small unmanned aircraft manufactured or assembled by a covered foreign entity. | Jan 16 | First reading, referred to Law & Justice.

Chair: Manka Dhingra

Vice Chair: Yasmin Trudeau

 

SB 5425 | Modernizing the Energy Independence Act to avoid regulatory duplication and overlap with other laws .| Feb 4 | Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology.

Chair: Sharon Shewmake

Vice Chair: Vandana Slatter

 

SB 5445 | Encouraging utility investment in local energy resilience. | Feb 4 | Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology.

Chair: Sharon Shewmake

Vice Chair: Vandana Slatter

 

SB 5512 | Allowing for the use of centralized surveillance systems by house-banked card rooms | Jan 27 | First reading, referred to Business, Financial Services & Trade.

Chair: Claudia Kauffman

Vice Chair: Adrian Cortes

 

SB 5582 | Concerning the disclosure of critical energy infrastructure information. | Jan 30 | First reading, referred to State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections.

Chair: Javier Valdez

Vice Chair: Deborah Krishnadasan

 

SB 5618 | Concerning transparency in college admissions.| Jan 31 | First reading, referred to Higher Education & Workforce Development.

Chair: T’wina Nobles

Vice Chair: Drew Hansen

 

SB 5619 | Establishing minimum in-state resident enrollment thresholds for public universities. | Jan 31 | First reading, referred to Higher Education & Workforce Development.

Chair: T’wina Nobles

Vice Chair: Drew Hansen

 

SB 5640 | Requiring proof of adequate water supply before permitting new energy facilities | Feb 3 | First reading, referred to Environment, Energy & Technology.

Chair: Sharon Shewmake

Vice Chair: Vandana Slatter

 

SB 5673 | Providing a sales and use tax exemption for manufacturing facilities and green manufacturing facilities. | Feb 5 | First reading, referred to Ways & Means.

Chair: June Robinson

Vice Chair, Operating: Derek Stanford 

Vice Chair, Capital: Yasmin Trudeau

Vice Chair, Finance: Noel Frame

 

SB 5674 | Concerning manufacturing facilities | Feb 5 | First reading, referred to Ways & Means.

Chair: June Robinson

Vice Chair, Operating: Derek Stanford 

Vice Chair, Capital: Yasmin Trudeau

Vice Chair, Finance: Noel Frame

 

SB 5675 | Concerning manufacturing facilities. | Feb 5 | First reading, referred to Ways & Means.

Chair: June Robinson

Vice Chair, Operating: Derek Stanford 

Vice Chair, Capital: Yasmin Trudeau

Vice Chair, Finance: Noel Frame

 

SJM 8010 | Requesting enactment of the Northwest Energy Security Act. | Jan 29 | First reading, referred to Environment, Energy & Technology.

Chair: Sharon Shewmake

Vice Chair: Vandana Slatter