Wednesday was 1st cutoff for bills in the 2024 session. Here’s what stalled, what moves on

Wednesday evening marked the first cutoff for lawmakers during the 2024 legislative session as bills had to be passed from their committee of origin in order to still be considered this year.

In a surprise move Wednesday with the clock ticking, one of the most widely-discussed bills this session did not make the first cutoff.

Senate Bill 5961 is aimed at capping rent increases at 5% for each 12 month period. However, an amendment was added to the bill in the Senate Housing Committee that increased that percentage to 15%, with the ability for local governments to determine a lower percentage. It also increased an exemption for newer construction from 10 years to 15 years.

Sen. Annette Cleveland, D-Vancouver, explained her reasoning for concerns about the bill in a news release Wednesday. Her biggest issue with the bill, she said, is that rent increases are capped at 15% annually.

“This is stated clearly and unequivocally and would not create a one-time increase; landlords would be able to increase rent by 15 percent year after year, well in excess of the typical economic growth of household salaries and means,” Cleveland said. “The math is brutal. What renter could afford a 15 percent increase in rent with each new year?”

Additionally, Cleveland said that “many researchers have documented real-world problems caused by existing rent control programs.”

Many were disappointed that the bill stalled in the Senate.

In a news release Thursday, Rachael Myers, executive director of the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance said that while the organization was disappointed that “market rate housing developers, private equity property investors and corporate landlords, and their allies in the legislature, continue to push false narratives in an attempt to block passage of rent stabilization policy this legislative session” they wouldn’t let the bill’s stalling deter them.

“This legislation is critical in order to stop the excessive rent increases that are a key driver in the on-going racial disproportionately in housing stability and evictions that Black, Indigenous and people of color face,” Myers said. “This is as much of a racial justice issue as it is a housing stability and anti-homelessness issue and we are determined to keep fighting.”

A companion bill in the House that caps rent increases at 5% is still alive and was already voted out of executive session in the House Housing Committee. The bill had a public hearing in the House Appropriations Committee on Jan. 24 but has not yet been scheduled for an executive session.

Bills with fiscal notes are not necessarily considered dead just yet–sometimes they can later be used to implement the budget, so there is a chance some legislation that didn’t quite meet the deadline can be revived later in the session.

The next deadline is Feb. 5 when bills must be passed from Transportation Committees in both chambers, House fiscal committees, and the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Lawmakers will then have just over a week to pass bills from their chamber of origin by the 13th.

Here’s what is still moving, and what has stalled so far in the Legislature.

Passed out of committee

HB 2270 – Sponsored by Rep. Melanie Morgan, D-Spanaway, would create a pathway to establish a statewide Department of Housing. The bill has heavy support from House Democrats, and was passed out of executive session on Tuesday. On Wednesday the bill was referred to the House Appropriations Committee but has not been scheduled for a public hearing.

HB 2286 – Sponsored by Rep. J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, a high-risk salmon and steelhead capital grant program under the Recreation and Conservation Office would be created under this proposed legislation. The bill also directs the RCO to prioritize projects depending on their need, and requires the grant advisory committee to “consult with the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to determine the watersheds that contain critical salmon and steelhead stocks.”

The legislation passed out of executive session in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday and referred to the Capital Budget Committee.

HB 2194 – Sponsored by Rep. Shelley Kloba, D-Bothell, this proposed bill would allow home production and possession of up to four cannabis plants for individuals 21 and over. The household limit for cannabis plants would max out at 10. Those without medical licenses who grow more than four but less than 11 plants could face a class 1 civil infraction, while those who grow more than 11 plants could potentially face a class C felony.

The bill passed out of the House Regulated Substances and Gaming Committee on Monday, and was referred to the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.

SB 6058 – Sponsored by Sen. Joe Nguyen, D-White Center, at the request of the Department of Ecology, this legislation would link Washington’s carbon market with both California and Quebec. Currently, California and Quebec are already linked.

The bill was referred to Senate Ways and Means on Monday and is scheduled for a public hearing in that committee Friday. A companion bill in the House is scheduled for executive session out of the House Appropriations Committee Feb. 5.

SB 6205 – Starting no later than the 2025-26 school year, this bill would require that schools offer instruction on the “meaning and history” of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Sponsored by Sen. Jim McCune, R-Graham, the bill passed out of executive session in the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee Wednesday.

Stalled in committee

HB 1902 – Sponsored by Rep. Liz Berry, D-Seattle, this legislation is related to a bill passed during the 2023 legislative session that required a 10-day waiting period before purchasing firearms. Under the newest proposal, dealers may not transfer firearms to a purchaser or transferee until the buyer is able to provide a valid permit to purchase.

The bill had a public hearing on Jan.16, but was never scheduled for an executive session. A companion bill in the Senate was also introduced this session but did not get a public hearing.

SB 5963 – Under this bill, gun owners would be required to maintain homeowner’s insurance for accidental or unintentional discharge of a firearm. Sponsored by Sen. Patty Kuderer, D-Bellevue, the bill had a public hearing Monday in the Senate Law and Justice Committee, but did not make it to an executive session.

HB 2196 – The second attempt at lowering the blood alcohol content limit from .08% to .05% in Washington stalled in the House Community Safety, Justice, and Reentry Committee Tuesday after lawmakers did not vote on the measure.

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Brandy Donaghy, D-Mill Creek, and a similar version of the bill was introduced in 2023 by Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek. There is still a chance Lovick’s bill could be brought back this session, as it was placed on second reading in the Senate Tuesday.

Passed out of chamber

HB 1961 – Under this legislation, all acts of Animal Cruelty in the First Degree would be classified as a seriousness level III offense. Currently, there is no consistent legal punishment for such acts, which the bill’s sponsor said “only benefits abusers.” The proposal would make the law more uniform if passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Jay Inslee.

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Sam Low, R-Lake Stevens, and passed the House Monday with a 95-1 vote.

SB 5841 – Passed unanimously by the Senate on Thursday, drivers who severely disable or kill the parent of a child while under the influence of drugs or alcohol would be required to pay child support until the minor turns 18.

The bill is sponsored by Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, along with some Senate Republicans and other Senate Democrats.

SB 5804 – This legislation would require all school districts, charter schools and State-Tribal Education Compact Schools to keep opioid reversal medication in each school. By September 1, 2024 schools would also be required to adopt policy related to opioid overdose. Initially introduced to require the medication in high schools, a substitute version of the bill expands the requirement to all schools.

Sponsored by Kuderer, the bill passed from the debate floor unanimously on Thursday.