Seattle OIR briefs council as 1,442 bills vie for action in 2025 state session

Office of Intergovernmental Relations Director Mina Hashemi told the Seattle City Council on Feb. 3 that the 2025 Washington legislative session had entered its fourth week and that “1,442 bills have been introduced and legislative business is moving quickly.”

Why it matters: Several measures now moving in Olympia could affect Seattle budgets, public safety operations, housing policy, utility planning and child-care funding. The city’s OIR team outlined which bills align with the council’s legislative priorities and which items the city is monitoring or has formally supported.

OIR’s presentation, given by Hashemi and Anna Johnson, grouped bills under the council’s priorities. Johnson said the briefing would “first give you an update on all of our Seattle priorities,” then summarize major committee action from the first three weeks of session. She emphasized OIR selected bills for the briefing because they either “have a big impact on the city of Seattle” or have become high-profile in Olympia.

Public safety and criminal justice were among the first policy areas OIR raised. Hashemi and Johnson flagged Senate Bill 5098, described as restricting weapons in certain locations including parks and…