With about four weeks left in the 2025 legislative session, many bills have been eliminated from consideration.
During session, bills have to make progress through the legislative process, being heard in committees and eventually passed by the House and the Senate, to avoid missing deadlines. Bills that were not passed by their house of origin before March 12 are considered dead, with the one major exception being bills that are required to implement the state budget.
During this year's session the legislators from the 19th District — Sen. Jeff Wilson, R-Longview, Rep. Joel McEntire, R-Cathmalet, and Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen — have appeared as the primary sponsor for 46 bills or resolutions. Of those, 11 are still alive.
Below is a summary of each of those bills and resolutions and which lawmaker appears as sponsor. To see a previous article about legislation from 20th District lawmakers, visit chronline.com.
Wilson
• Senate Bill 5000 would officially adopt the nickname “The Evergreen State.” Despite the fact that the state of Washington is commonly known as The Evergreen State, including on license plates and memorabilia, the nickname has never been codified as the official state nickname. The bill was passed by the Senate on Feb. 5 and then sent to the House where it was referred to the House State Government and Tribal Relations Committee.
• Substitute Senate Bill 5033 concerns “sampling or testing biosolids for PFAS chemicals.” PFAS chemicals refers to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl, which are called forever chemicals and are used in certain products like cookware, packaging, carpet and others. They can also be toxic to humans in certain contexts. This bill gives the Department of Ecology more time to begin testing certain biosolids for the chemicals. The bill was passed by the Senate on March 7 before being introduced to the House and referred to the House Environment and Energy Committee.
• Substitute Senate Bill 5049 makes changes to the Public Records Exemptions Accountability Committee — also referred to as the Sunshine Committee. The bill changes the committee's meeting requirements from once every quarter to four times each year. The bill report says this is intended to increase attendance by no longer forcing the committee to meet during legislative sessions. The legislation was passed by the Senate Feb. 25 and then introduced to the House where it was referred to the House State Government and Tribal Relations Committee.
• Substitute Senate Bill 5365 changes the definition of recreational facilities in the state of Washington to include community centers and libraries. The goal of this bill is to make available new sources of funding for libraries. The bill was passed by the Senate on Feb. 28 before being introduced to the House and referred to the House Local Government Committee.
• Substitute Senate Bill 5552 instructs the State Building Code Council to create rules on the codes that apply to kit built homes by the end of the year. Kit homes are defined in the bill report as “any structures intended for residential use comprised of prefabricated walls, floors, and roofs which are assembled on-site and are 800 square feet or smaller in size.” The legislation was passed by the Senate on March 4 and then sent to the House where it was referred to the House Local Government Committee.
• Engrossed Senate Bill 5746 would create an advisory committee on property crime committed on electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The bill would require the Interagency Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council, through one of its subcommittees, to address property crimes committed against electric vehicle charging stations and similar infrastructure for two years. The legislation was passed by the Senate March 10 before it was sent to the House and referred to the House Transportation Committee.
• Substitute Senate Bill 5749 gives cities new options to prioritize home construction by creating opportunity zones. It also sets rules about the housing opportunity zones like the ability to waive fees and what kind of areas can be designated an opportunity zone. The bill was passed by the Senate March 7 before being introduced to the House and referred to the House Local Government Committee.
• Senate Resolution 8628 recognizes the contributions that China has made to the state of Washington. The resolution recognizes China’s role as an important trade partner, the significant Chinese population in the state — the largest Asian-American ethnic group in Washington — and the longevity of the Washington State China Relations Council, which was founded in 1979. The resolution has not yet been introduced to the Senate.
McEntire
• Substitute House Bill 1309 is summarized by legislative staff as “an act relating to addressing the impacts of burrowing shrimp on bottom culture shellfish farming through integrated pest management research.” More specifically, the legislation would direct the Washington state Department of Agriculture to establish a pest management research program to address the issue in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor. The bill was passed by the House on March 10 before it was introduced to the Senate and referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural resources.
• Engrossed House Bill 1393 is aimed at allowing cultural expression during graduation ceremonies. The bill would require school districts, charter schools and state-tribal schools to let students wear an item or clothing that is culturally important with their graduation gown during graduation ceremonies. The legislation was passed by the House March 4 before it was sent to the Senate where it was referred to the Senate Committee on Early Learning and K-12 Education.
• House Resolution 4641 honors the life and service of Congresswoman Julia Butler Hansen. As the resolution states,Hansen was the first woman in U.S. history to chair a congressional appropriations subcommittee. Hansen worked closely with Presidents Robert F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. She represented Washington state's 3rd House District for 14 years and served as a member of the state House of Representatives for 21 years before that. Hansen’s family home in Cathlamet is the oldest surviving pioneer structure in Wahkiakum County. The resolution has yet to be introduced to the House.
More information on any of these bills or resolutions can be found using the bill or initiative search tool at https://leg.wa.gov/.
The next major policy deadline for this legislative session is April 16.
Any bills not passed by the opposite house by that time will be considered dead, with the exception of bills necessary to implement the state budget.
The 2025 legislative session officially ends April 27.
