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Woodinville staff brief council on legislative priorities; Representative Dewar submits $500,000 request for EOC battery
Summary
City staff reported on the 2026 short session and AWC action days, highlighted a $500,000 capital funding request for an emergency backup battery for the city's EOC submitted by Representative Dewar, and flagged several state bills the city is tracking related to housing, permitting, homelessness and immigration policies.
City staff provided a legislative-session update to the Woodinville City Council on Feb. 3, reporting on advocacy work in Olympia and bills the city is monitoring during the 60‑day session that is scheduled to adjourn March 12.
Jared Hill, who presented the update, said the city participated in AWC City Action Days and met with members of the first district and other lawmakers to advance local priorities. Hill said Representative Dewar has submitted the city's capital funding request for a $500,000 emergency backup battery to support the Woodinville Emergency Operations Center; Hill said Representative Dewar has committed to shepherding the request through the budget process.
Hill highlighted several bills on the city's radar: SB 6026 (housing—by‑right residential development in jurisdictions over 30,000), SB 5729 (permitting streamlining that may shift third‑party review costs to cities), HB 2489 (sometimes described as a "homeless bill of rights" that would limit enforcement relating to life‑sustaining activities when shelter is unavailable), and immigration‑related measures including HB 2641 (restrictions on hiring former sworn ICE officers), SB 5855 (officer identification and limits on face coverings), and SB 6002 (oversight and limits on automatic license-plate reader data retention/sharing).
Hill warned that SB 5729’s peer-review funding provision could impose new costs on small cities that rely on outsourced professional review. He also noted that HB 2489 raises concerns for cities that do not operate shelters and rely on regional partners.
Council members thanked staff for quick turnover on the EOC funding application and asked follow-up questions about outreach and timelines. Hill said staff will continue to work with the first‑district delegation and state lobbyists to pursue the funding request.
No formal action was taken on any of the bills at the meeting; the item was an informational briefing and direction to continue legislative advocacy.
