House passes package of bills on student supports, buildings, public safety and other issues

The House of Representatives met in floor session and on the record advanced and passed a series of bills addressing student supports, building-efficiency compliance, public-safety protections for transit workers, and several technical or programmatic changes.

House Bill 1540, which would expand eligibility for the Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness program to include an accredited tribal college, passed on third reading after floor debate. Representative Timmons (Representative, 40 Second District) urged passage, saying, "basic needs insecurity is impacting students at our post secondary institutions around the state. This includes housing insecurity and, food insecurity and students, unfortunately, experiencing homelessness." Representative Couture (Representative, 30 Fifth District) opposed or signaled a mixed vote on fiscal grounds, warning the chamber that the state faces a large budget shortfall; she said the cost implications must be weighed during a period of constrained resources. The clerk recorded 62 yays, 33 nays and 3 excused; the bill was declared passed.

On energy and buildings policy, Substitute House Bill 1543 — revising compliance pathways for the clean buildings performance standard — passed unanimously among voting members present. Representative Dolio (Representative, 20 Second District) said the bill incorporates stakeholder recommendations on alternative compliance pathways and timing, and Representative Dye (Representative, Ninth District) urged support for approaches that preserve innovation while meeting efficiency goals. The clerk announced 96 yays, 0 nays and 2 excused; the substitute bill was declared passed.

Several other bills were advanced and approved with recorded roll-call tallies. Highlights include:

- House Bill 1130 (utilization of developmental disabilities waivers): Sponsors said the bill aims to prioritize those most in need and reduce costly hospital stays by directing the Developmental Disabilities Administration to gather and use information to prioritize limited supports. Representative Farfar (Representative, 40 Sixth District) described the policy as intended to serve people in community settings; Representative Graham (Representative, Sixth District) raised safety and criminal-justice concerns related to specific populations and said he would vote no. The clerk reported 90 yays and 7 nays; the bill was declared passed.

- Substitute House Bill 1325 (changing certain fish and wildlife low-level violations to infractions): Brought at the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s request, sponsors said the change reduces prosecutorial burden and more effectively deters low-level violations. The clerk reported 97 yays, 0 nays and 1 excused; the substitute bill was declared passed.

- House Bill 1347 (clarifying cannabis testing accreditation roles between agencies): Sponsors described the measure as a technical cleanup clarifying the roles between the Department of Ecology and the Department of Agriculture for lab accreditation. The clerk recorded 95 yays, 2 nays and 1 excused; the bill was declared passed.

- House Bill 1616 (expanding unlawful transit conduct coverage to ferries): Representative Reid (Representative, 30 Sixth District) said the bill makes ferries transit authorities so ferry workers have the same protections as other transit employees; Representative Barkas (Representative, Second District) urged support. The clerk reported 97 yays, 0 nays and 1 excused; the bill was declared passed.

- Substitute House Bill 1720 (allowing certain medication-assistance tasks by nonpractitioners in community-based care settings): Sponsors said the bill permits limited assistance — such as preparing an insulin pen for a resident to self-administer — in certain settings to free practitioner time. The clerk reported 97 yays, 0 nays and 1 excused; the bill was declared passed.

- House Bill 1372 (modifying JLARC work plans and the Sunset Act): Sponsors said the bill extends the Sunset Act’s effective period, allows certain studies despite litigation, and gives JLARC scheduling flexibility. The clerk reported 97 yays, 0 nays and 1 excused; the bill was declared passed.

- House Bill 1484 (relating to exceptional sentences / protections for survivors when sexual assault results in pregnancy): Representative Salahuddin (Representative, 40 Eighth District) described the bill as restoring protections for survivors and urged passage; the clerk recorded 97 yays, 0 nays and 1 excused and declared the bill passed.

- House Bill 1156 (allowing volunteer firefighters to participate in a public-employee deferred compensation program where an agency participates): Sponsors said the measure is a recruitment and retention tool for mostly rural volunteer departments. The clerk reported 97 yays, 0 nays and 1 excused; the bill was declared passed.

All votes were announced by the clerk following roll-call procedures; where roll-call tallies were given, they are recorded above exactly as announced on the floor. Several bills were described on the floor as technical cleanups or stakeholder-driven adjustments rather than policy overhauls. Where members raised fiscal or safety concerns during discussion, those concerns were recorded on the floor but did not prevent final passage.

The House adjourned to its next stated session time following completion of the day’s calendar.

Votes at a glance (selected bills, chamber-declared outcomes and recorded tallies): House Bill 1540 — passed; 62 yays, 33 nays, 3 excused. Substitute House Bill 1543 — passed; 96 yays, 0 nays, 2 excused. House Bill 1130 — passed; 90 yays, 7 nays (excused count not specified on record). Substitute House Bill 1325 — passed; 97 yays, 0 nays, 1 excused. House Bill 1347 — passed; 95 yays, 2 nays, 1 excused. House Bill 1616 — passed; 97 yays, 0 nays, 1 excused. Substitute House Bill 1720 — passed; 97 yays, 0 nays, 1 excused. House Bill 1372 — passed; 97 yays, 0 nays, 1 excused. House Bill 1484 — passed; 97 yays, 0 nays, 1 excused. House Bill 1156 — passed; 97 yays, 0 nays, 1 excused.

(Where the clerk provided an explicit roll-call tally during the session, that tally is reproduced above.)