TVW Coverage - January 23, 2025

The 105-day 2025 legislative session. Lots of House and Senate committee hearings, starting at 8am and continuing throughout the day. Plus, the WA Supreme Court is in session this morning.

Legislative Committee Hearings…

8am Senate Health & Long-Term Care: Public hearing SB5064 advisory council on rare diseases, SB5019 prepacked medication distribution, SB5244 hematological screening tests; work session on health care affordability.

8am Senate Business, Financial Services & Trade: Public hearing? SB5219 mortgage lending fraud prosecution account, SB5141 group disability income insurers, SB5207 electronic media service refunds, SB5251 lodging tax revenues, SB5280 virtual currency kiosks, SB5294 professional license dedicated accounts.

8am House Education: Public hearing HB1285 financial education instruction, HB1289 survey info on public school system, HB1296 safe and supportive public education system.

8am House Environment & Energy: HB1303 increasing environmental justice, HB1329 electric utility wholesale power purchases; votes on bills including HB1018 fusion energy facilities, HB1154 solid waste facility protection.

8am House Community Safety: Public hearing HB1125 judicial sentencing discretion, HB1233 work programs for incarcerated persons; votes on bills including HB1091 sexually violent predators, HB1131 Clemency and Pardons, HB1137 prison disciplinary proceedings.

8am House Housing: Public hearing HB1204 senior shared housing/manufactured home communities; vote on HB1108 task force on housing cost driver analysis.

10:30am Senate Law & Justice: Public hearing SB5169 testimony of children, SB5142 eminent domain property reclaim, SB5198 traffic infraction/training alternative; votes on bills including SB5105 fabricated depictions of minors, SB5093 dignity in pregnancy loss, SB5060 police hiring grants, SB5099 firearm dealer additional requirements.

10:30am Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education: Public hearing SB5008 assessment/diagnostic/learning tools in schools, SB5009 student transport/vehicle types, SB5120 learning assistance program, SB5177 historically marginalized groups; work session rural school districts; votes on SB5181 parents rights initiative, SB5190 school energy performance standards.

1:30pm House Capital Budget: Work session on affordable housing financing.

1:30pm House Finance: Public hearing HB1047 rural fire district sales tax exemption, HB1060 newspapers and eligible digital content, HB1094 property tax exemption for rehab services; votes on bills including HB1004 increasing personal property tax exemption, HJR4200 taxation of personal property.

1:30pm Senate Higher Ed & Workforce Development: Public hearing SB5275 Passports to Careers, WA College Grant, SB5304 homeless/foster youth tribal college, SB5308 WA guaranteed admissions program; work session on degree attainment; votes on SB5110 tribal elder tuition waivers, SB5158 student athlete insurance.

1:30pm Senate Local Govt: Public hearing SB5155 salmon project permit streamlining, SB5154 county auditor duties, SB5221 personal property distraint; work session on Salmon Habitat Recovery Pilot Program.

1:30pm Senate Ag & Nat Resources: Public hearing SB5303 Yakima River Basin Integrated Plan, SB5305 environmental accelerator/salmon projects; work session on WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife organizational review.

4pm House Appropriations: Public hearing HB1156 volunteer firefighter deferred comp, HB1260 document fee admin costs, HB1270 automatic deferred comp county workers, HB1300 professional license dedicated accounts, HB1349 pension service credit purchase/leaves of absence.

4pm House Transportation: Public hearing HB1061 residential parking flexibility, HB1371 veteran parking privileges, HJM4000 Martin Luther King Jr. Way naming, HJM4001 Russ Blount Memorial Bridge naming.

4pm Senate Ways & Means: Public hearing SB5085 closed WA retirement plans, SB5113 COLAs TERS1/PERS1, SB5357 actuarial funding pensions, SB5114 retirement benefits end of death month, SB5168 state actuary appointment/removal/salary, SB5306 pension service credit; work session on WA pension systems.

4pm Senate Transportation: Work session—cities, counties, ports, transit agencies, metropolitan planning organizations/regional transportation planning organizations.

Two cases before the WA Supreme Court this morning…

9am State of WA v Shawn Lamar Bell: Did the trial court err when it excused an allegedly inattentive juror, who was a person of color?

10am Darren Lee Arends v State of WA: Does the right to petition to restore firearm rights vest when an individual satisfies the statutory requirements? ?

Plus other coverage…

9am Puget Sound Partnership Salmon Recovery Council: Legislative updates, implementation plan for salmon recovery plan addendum, Nisqually watershed update, 10-year watershed chapter update strategy, HEAL Act and PSAR program.

9am Columbia River Policy Advisory Group: Columbia River Basin water supply and demand forecasts, legislative and budget update, public comment.

9:30am WA State Public Disclosure Commission: Enforcement request for review, management team updates, enforcement update, Caseload Management Workgroup report, legislative update, agency rulemaking, more.

9:30am Division 1 Court of Appeals/Seattle:

Sound Action v. WA State Shoreline Hearings Board, King County, and Mike Spranger: Sound Action argues King County violated the State Environmental Policy Act and other laws when it issued a permit for a proposed aquaculture farm near Vashon Island.?

Whaley v. Alpine Fire & Safety Systems, Inc.: Brad and Amy Whaley own a building that was damaged in an accidental fire. After their property insurer, Ohio Security, denied coverage, the Whaleys sued for breach of contract and bad faith. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of Ohio Security. The Whaleys appeal the dismissal of their claims.

Madero Construction, LLC v. Fullwiler Construction, Inc.: General contractor appeals the trial court’s damages award on subcontractor’s breach of contract claim and its dismissal of general contractor’s negligent misrepresentation claim.?

?Douglas, Jr. v. Dept. of L&I:?John Douglas filed a claim for benefits under the Industrial Insurance Act based on an occupational disease. The Department of Labor and Industries (Department) denied the claim, and the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals affirmed. After a jury trial, the superior court affirmed the Board’s decision. In this appeal, Douglas challenges the trial court’s refusal to give his suggested jury instructions concerning compensable consequences and its decision to use the special verdict form suggested by the Department.