I’d like to provide you an update on where we stand on day 42 of the 60-day legislative session. First, some recent news. Democrats announced on Friday that they will hold public hearings on only three of the six initiatives (see below). This follows weeks of House Republicans pushing for your voice to be heard on these policies.
The public hearings will be held February 27-28. I will provide more details next week. In the meantime, please visit and share this new website we created for all of the initiatives: Initiatives | 2024.
House of origin cutoff
The Legislature hit house of origin cutoff on Tuesday. The lead-up to this cutoff included a lot of hours and days on the House floor voting on amendments and bills. Like every year, several good, bipartisan measures were passed — including 81 bills prime sponsored by House Republicans. There were also some bad bills that were made better or stopped by House Republicans. That’s the role of the minority party. Unfortunately, there was some bad legislation that advanced.
Bad bills that passed
Below you will find bad bills that passed, despite House Republican opposition, and stories on each one of them. These measures are now being considered in the Senate. Note: This is not an exhaustive list.
Now the good news. The bills below appear to be dead. Same caveat: This is not an exhaustive list.
Allow incarcerated felons to vote, run for office, and serve on juries. | House Bill 2030
Prohibit and penalize the use of small gas-powered engines. | House Bill 2051
Change the name and membership of the Sex Offender Policy Board. | House Bill 2177
Judicial dismissal of misdemeanors following completion of court-ordered conditions. | House Bill 1994
Firearms permits for purchase and transfer. | House Bill 1902
State revenue forecast
The state revenue forecast, or tax collections report, was released on Wednesday. Modest revenue growth continues for our state, including an additional $337 million over the four-year outlook. In the context of the operating budget, this is a relatively small change. However, when added to previous forecasts, revenue is now up nearly $3.3 billion compared to the enacted budgets. This means our state continues to have plenty of revenue to pay for its priorities as budget writers craft their proposals.
State budgets
House operating, transportation, and capital budget proposals will be released starting tomorrow. This is a great opportunity for you to weigh in on these proposals, in addition to Senate bills being considered in House committees. You can learn more in our publication The Week Ahead.
Warmly,
Rep. Drew Stokesbary House Republican Leader drew.stokesbary@leg.wa.gov
