Politics Bulletin: 24 January 2025

 Seattle City Council

Governance, Accountability, & Economic Development, 9:30 a.m.

Chair: Sara Nelson (Citywide)

Vice Chair: Robert Kettle (7, Downtown/Belltown/Queen Anne)

Members: Joy Hollingsworth (3, Central), Maritza Rivera (4, Northeast), Rob Saka (1, Southwest)

SPECIAL MEETING

On the agenda:

1. Briefing: C.B. 120933 (Residential uses in the Stadium Transition Area Overlay District, by CM Sara Nelson (President, Citywide).

King County Council

No meetings today.

Washington House of Representatives

The House meets in pro forma session at 9:55.

Committee Meetings

Consumer Protections & Business, 8:00 a.m.

Chair: Walen

Ranking Member: McClintock

Seattle Members: Berry, Hackney (vice chair), Ryu, Santos, 

King County Members: Kloba, Reeves, Steele, Walen (chair)

On the agenda:

1. Briefing: The Consumer Protection Act
2. H.B. 1199 (Increasing insurer accountability for violations of the Insurance Code, by Rep. Taylor, by request of the Insurance Commissioner.)
3. H.B. 1230 (Requiring that experience-rated group disability income insurers include all applicable rating factors and credibility formulas in rate manual filings with the Insurance Commissioner, by Rep. Hackney.)

Healthcare & Wellness, 8:00 a.m.

Chair: Bronoske

Ranking Member: Schmick

Seattle Members: Davis, Macri

King County Member: Low, Obras, Thai

On the agenda:

1. H.B. 1077 (Raising awareness of pain control options for intrauterine device placement and removal, by Rep. Walen.)
2. H.B. 1186 (Expanding the situations in which medications can be dispensed or delivered from hospitals and healthcare entities, by Rep. Parshley.)

Following the public hearing, the committee will proceed to executive session for the purposes of considering the following four bills. The bills may be voted out of committee.

1. H.B. 1129 (Concerning health plan coverage of fertility-related services, by Rep. Stonier.)
2. H.B. 1190 (Allowing additional health professions to access the University of Washington Health Sciences Library, by Rep. Marshall.)
3. H.B. 1234 (Concerning the Mental Health Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists, & Social Workers Advisory Committee, by Rep. Simmons.)
4. H.B. 1238 (Creating an Advisory Council on Rare Diseases, by Rep. Low.)

Postsecondary Education & Workforce, 8:00 a.m.

CANCELLED.

More information:

Rep. Dave Paul, Chairman

(360) 786-7914 / 1 (800) 562-6000

State Government & Tribal Relations, 8:00 a.m.

CANCELLED.

More information:

Rep. Sharlett Mena, chairwoman

(360) 786-7996 / 1 (800) 562-6000

Early Learning & Human Services, 9:00 a.m.

Chair: Bergquist

Ranking Member: Eslick

Seattle Members: Bergquist (chair)

King County Members: Burnett (asst. ranking member), Eslick (ranking member), Goodman, Penner, Taylor

On the agenda:

The committee will be in executive session today, to consider the following bills. One or multiple bills may be voted out of committee.

1. H.B. 1028 (Addressing child exposure to violence, by Rep. Goodman.)
2. H.B. 1243 (Addressing the burden of unintentional overpayments on older adults and adults with disabilities served by the Dept. of Social & Health Services, by Rep. Simmons, by request of the Dept. of Social & Health Services.)
3. H.B. 1272 (Extending a program to address complex cases of children in crisis, by Rep. Callan.)

Agriculture & Natural Resources, 10:30 a.m.

Chair: Reeves

Ranking Member: Dent

Seattle Members: none

King County Members: Reeves (chair), Springer

On the agenda:

Three briefings:

1. Water 101
2. Water Conditions & Climate Change
3. Water Priorities by topic & jurisdiction
1. Tribal, local government, agricultural, salmon.

Civil Rights & Judiciary, 10:30 a.m.

Chair: Taylor

Ranking Member: Walsh

Seattle Members: Farivar (vice chair)

King County Members: Burnett, Entenman, Goodman, Salahuddin, Taylor (chair), Thai, Walen

On the agenda:

1. H.B. 1163 (Enhancing requirements relating to the purchase, transfer, and possession of firearms, by Rep. Berry.)
2. H.B. 1132 (Limiting bulk purchases and transfers of firearms and ammunition, by Rep. Farivar.)
3. H.B. 1152 (Establishing secure storage requirements for firearms in vehicles and residences, by Rep. Doglio.)
4. H.B. 1118 (Concerning restoration of the right to possess a firearm, by Rep. Simmons.)
5. H.B. 1007 (Concerning requisites of notice in small claims actions, by Rep. Low.)

Labour & Workplace Standards, 10:30 a.m.

CANCELLED.

More information:

Rep. Liz Berry, chairwoman

(360) 786-7860 / 1 (800) 562-6000

Local Government, 10:30 a.m.

Chair: Duerr

Ranking Member: Klicker

Seattle Members: none

King County Members: Duerr (chair), Hunt, Zahn 

On the agenda:

The committee may meet for executive session. If it does, the committee will consider the following six bills, and may vote some or all of them out of committee.

1. H.B. 1054 (Concerning county ferry maintenance and repair contracts, by Rep. Leavitt.)
2. H.B. 1015 (Concerning energy labeling of residential buildings, by Rep. Duerr.)
3. H.B. 1212 (Concerning the siting of childcare centers, by Rep. Duerr.)
4. H.B. 1183 (Concerning building code and development regulation reform, by Rep. Duerr.)
5. H.B. 1175 (Allowing small business establishments in residential zones, by Rep. Klicker.)
6. H.B. 1037 (Concerning formation of Public Facility Districts, by Rep. Dent.)

Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans, 10:30 a.m.

Chair: Ryu

Ranking Member: Barnard

Seattle Members: Ryu (chair), Thomas

King County Members: Kloba (vice chair), Penner

On the agenda:

1. H.B. 1271 (Permitting early deployment of State Fire Service resources, by Rep. Nance.)
2. H.B. 1360 (Concerning advancement of quantum economic development, by Rep. Ryu.)

Washington Senate

The Senate meets in pro forma session at 12:30 p.m.

Committee Meetings

Health & Long-Term Care, 8:00 a.m.

Chair: Cleveland

Ranking Member: Muzzall

Seattle Members: none

King County Members: Orwall (vice chair), Slatter

On the agenda:

1. Briefing: Healthcare quality
2. S.B. 5228 (Updating the Governor's Interagency Coordinating Council on Health Disparities, by Sen. Riccelli.)
3. S.B. 5258 (Implementing State Auditor recommendations for reducing improper Medicaid concurrent enrollment payments, by Sen. Gildon.)
4. S.B. 5121 (Concerning health plan coverage of fertility-related services, by Sen. Frame.)

Following the public hearing, the committee will proceed to executive session to consider the following three bills and may vote some or all out of committee.

1. S.B. 5051 (Consolidating regulatory authority for nursing assistants, by Sen. Bateman, by request of the State Board of Nursing.)
2. S.B. 5239 (Concerning the retention of hospital medical records, by Sen. Slatter.)
3. S.B. 5244 (Providing an exemption for Women, Infants, & Children Program staff to perform hematological screening tests, by Sen. Riccelli, by request of the Dept. of Health.)

Labour & Commerce, 8:00 a.m.

Chair: Saldaña

Ranking Member: King

Seattle Members: Alvarado, Saldaña (chair)

King County Members: Ramos

On the agenda:

1. S.B. 5039 (Removing the exclusion from interest arbitration of Washington management service employees at the Dept. of Corrections, by Sen. Conway.)
2. S.B. 5040 (Expanding the definition of "uniformed personnel" to all law enforcement officers employed by a city, town, or county, by Sen. Stanford.)
3. S.B. 5044 (Allowing collective bargaining over contributions for certain supplemental retirement benefits, by Sen. Ramos.)
4. S.B. 5054 (Providing tax exemption for the first 20,000 gallons of wine sold by a winery in Washington, by Sen. Warnick.)
5. S.B. 5061 (Requiring certain wages in public works contracts to be at least the prevailing wage in effect when the work is performed, by Sen. Conway.)

Following the public hearing, the committee will proceed to executive session to consider S.B. 5191 (Concerning Paid Family Leave premium collection for dockworkers, by Sen. Conway), and may vote to pass it out of committee.

Environment, Energy, & Technology, 10:30 a.m.

Chair: Shewmake

Ranking Member: Boehnke

Seattle Members: none

King County Members: Dhingra, Ramos, Slatter (vice chair), Wellman

On the agenda:

1. S.B. 5036 (Transitioning to annual reporting of statewide emissions data, by Sen. Boehnke.)
2. S.B. 5236 (Concerning emission of greenhouse gases used for anesthetic purposes, by Sen. Slatter.)
3. S.B. 5174 (Concerning wood burning devices, by Sen. Shewmake, by request of the Dept. of Ecology.)
4. S.B. 5360 (Concerning environmental crimes, by Sen. Trudeau.)

Housing, 10:30 a.m.

Chair: Bateman

Ranking Member: Goehner

Seattle Members: Alvarado (vice chair), Salomon

King County Members: Goehner (ranking member), Orwall
On the agenda:

1. S.B. 5148 (Ensuring compliance with the housing element requirements of the Growth Management Act, by Sen. Bateman.)
2. S.B. 5184 (Concerning minimum parking requirements, by Sen. Bateman.)
3. S.B. 5249 (Concerning siting kit homes, by Sen. Jeff Wilson.)

Following the public hearing, the committee will proceed to executive session to further consider S.B. 5156 (Concerning elevator standards in smaller apartment buildings, by Sen. Salomon), and may vote it out of committee.

State Government, Tribal Affairs, & Elections, 10:30 a.m.

Chair: Valdez

Ranking Member: Jeff Wilson

Seattle Members: Hasegawa, Valdez (chair)

King County Members: Fortunato, Kauffman

On the agenda:

The committee will start in executive session to consider seven bills. The committee may vote to send some or all out of committee.

1. S.B. 5176 (Implementing prompt pay recommendations from the Capital Projects Advisory Review Board, by Sen. Valdez.)
2. S.B. 5011 (Labelling ballot drop boxes, by Sen. Jeff Wilson.)
3. S.B. 5143 (Concerning the Ethics in Public Service Act, by Sen. Gildon.)
4. S.B. 5034 (Eliminating the expiration of the Interagency Muli-Jurisdictional System Improvement Team, by Sen. Boehnke.)
5. S.B. 5014 (Concerning election security, by Sen. Boehnke.)
6. S.B. 5077 (Concerning expansion of voter registration services by government agencies, by Sen. Valdez.)
7. S.B. 5225 (Concerning candidate filing requirements, by Sen. MacEwen.)

Following the executive session, the committee will hold a public hearing on the following bills:

1. S.B. 5152 (Concerning state employee access to peer-reviewed journals, by Sen. Warnick.)
2. S.B. 5049 (Concerning the Public Records Exemptions Accountability Committee, by Sen. Jeff Wilson.)

United States House of Representatives

United States Senate

The Senate convenes at 10:00 a.m./7:00 a.m.

Following remarks by Majority Leader John Thune, and by Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, the Senate will resume consideration of the nomination of Peter Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense.

Absent an agreement, and if all time is used, the Senate will vote on final confirmation at approximately 9:00 p.m./6:00 p.m.

Following the result of the vote, the Senate will vote on closing debate on the nomination of Kristi Noem to be Secretary of Homeland Security.

The Majority Leader has requested debate to end on the following topics:

1. Nomination of Kristi Noem to be Secretary of Homeland Security
2. Nomination of Scott Bessent to be Secretary of the Treasury
3. Nomination of Sean Duffy to be Secretary of Transportation
4. Motion to proceed to H.R. 23 Illegitimate Court Counteraction (ICC) Act (by Rep. Chip Roy of Texas.)

President of the United States

No schedule for the President has been released as of 10:00 p.m. Pacific on Thursday.