Bills: SB5223, SB5928, SB6071, SB5995, SB5966, SB5841, SB6061, SB5944, SB5520, SB6087, SB6076, SB5916, SB6016, SB6137, SB6009, SB5833, SB6161, SB5890, SB5973, SJM8015, SB5816, SB5053, SB5249, SB5536, SB5834, SB5837, SB5872, SB5879, SB5899, SB5925, SB6019, SB6148, SB6190, SB6237, SB6086, SB5574, SB5873, SB5992, SB5924, SB6134, SB6263, SB5395, SB6282, SB5905, SB6302, SB5950, SB6074, SB6096, SB5970, SB5609, SB5827, SB5838, SB5845, SB5862, SB5880, SB5901, SB5922, SB5943, SB5971, SB5975, SB5981, SB5982, SB5984, SB5988, SB5994, SB6034, SB6035, SB6070, SB6097, SB6110, SB6246, SB6248, SB6278, SJM8016, SB5496, SB6054, SB5835, SB5907, SB6031, SB6155, SB6158, SB6227, SB5947, SB6247, SB6085, SB6234, SB6274, SB6194, SB5909, SB5868, SB6026, SB5974, SB6044, SB5906, SB6081, SB6239, SB5923, SB6323, SB6210, SB6045, SB6106, SB5346, SB6089, SB6170, SB5954, SB5968

Keywords: criminal offense, fingerprinting, law enforcement, state regulations, public safety, wildfire risk, disclosure, safety, environmental policy, risk assessment, overpayment recovery, modernization, health care, legislation, zero emission, cargo handling, port district, environmental impact, grant allocation, healthcare

Bills: SB5223, SB5928, SB6071, SB5995, SB5966, SB5841, SB6061, SB5944, SB5520, SB6087, SB6076, SB5916, SB6016, SB6137, SB6009, SB5833, SB6161, SB5890, SB5973, SJM8015, SB5816, SB5053, SB5249, SB5536, SB5834, SB5837, SB5872, SB5879, SB5899, SB5925, SB6019, SB6148, SB6190, SB6237, SB6086, SB5574, SB5873, SB5992, SB5924, SB6134, SB6263, SB5395, SB6282, SB5905, SB6302, SB5950, SB6074, SB6096, SB5970, SB5609, SB5827, SB5838, SB5845, SB5862, SB5880, SB5901, SB5922, SB5943, SB5971, SB5975, SB5981, SB5982, SB5984, SB5988, SB5994, SB6034, SB6035, SB6070, SB6097, SB6110, SB6246, SB6248, SB6278, SJM8016, SB5496, SB6054, SB5835, SB5907, SB6031, SB6155, SB6158, SB6227, SB5947, SB6247, SB6085, SB6234, SB6274, SB6194, SB5909, SB5868, SB6026, SB5974, SB6044, SB5906, SB6081, SB6239, SB5923, SB6323, SB6210, SB6045, SB6106, SB5346, SB6089, SB6170, SB5954, SB5968

Keywords: criminal offense, fingerprinting, law enforcement, state regulations, public safety, wildfire risk, disclosure, safety, environmental policy, risk assessment, overpayment recovery, modernization, health care, legislation, zero emission, cargo handling, port district, environmental impact, grant allocation, healthcare

Bills: SB5223, SB5928, SB6071, SB5995, SB5966, SB5841, SB6061, SB5944, SB5520, SB6087, SB6076, SB5916, SB6016, SB6137, SB6009, SB5833, SB6161, SB5890, SB5973, SJM8015, SB5816, SB5053, SB5249, SB5536, SB5834, SB5837, SB5872, SB5879, SB5899, SB5925, SB6019, SB6148, SB6190, SB6237, SB6086, SB5574, SB5873, SB5992, SB5924, SB6134, SB6263, SB5395, SB6282, SB5905, SB6302, SB5950, SB6074, SB6096, SB5970, SB5609, SB5827, SB5838, SB5845, SB5862, SB5880, SB5901, SB5922, SB5943, SB5971, SB5975, SB5981, SB5982, SB5984, SB5988, SB5994, SB6034, SB6035, SB6070, SB6097, SB6110, SB6246, SB6248, SB6278, SJM8016, SB5496, SB6054, SB5835, SB5907, SB6031, SB6155, SB6158, SB6227, SB5947, SB6247, SB6085, SB6234, SB6274, SB6194, SB5909, SB5868, SB6026, SB5974, SB6044, SB5906, SB6081, SB6239, SB5923, SB6323, SB6210, SB6045, SB6106, SB5346, SB6089, SB6170, SB5954, SB5968

Keywords: criminal offense, fingerprinting, law enforcement, state regulations, public safety, wildfire risk, disclosure, safety, environmental policy, risk assessment, overpayment recovery, modernization, health care, legislation, zero emission, cargo handling, port district, environmental impact, grant allocation, healthcare

Bills: SB5223, SB5928, SB6071, SB5995, SB5966, SB5841, SB6061, SB5944, SB5520, SB6087, SB6076, SB5916, SB6016, SB6137, SB6009, SB5833, SB6161, SB5890, SB5973, SJM8015, SB5816, SB5053, SB5249, SB5536, SB5834, SB5837, SB5872, SB5879, SB5899, SB5925, SB6019, SB6148, SB6190, SB6237, SB6086, SB5574, SB5873, SB5992, SB5924, SB6134, SB6263, SB5395, SB6282, SB5905, SB6302, SB5950, SB6074, SB6096, SB5970, SB5609, SB5827, SB5838, SB5845, SB5862, SB5880, SB5901, SB5922, SB5943, SB5971, SB5975, SB5981, SB5982, SB5984, SB5988, SB5994, SB6034, SB6035, SB6070, SB6097, SB6110, SB6246, SB6248, SB6278, SJM8016, SB5496, SB6054, SB5835, SB5907, SB6031, SB6155, SB6158, SB6227, SB5947, SB6247, SB6085, SB6234, SB6274, SB6194, SB5909, SB5868, SB6026, SB5974, SB6044, SB5906, SB6081, SB6239, SB5923, SB6323, SB6210, SB6045, SB6106, SB5346, SB6089, SB6170, SB5954, SB5968

Keywords: criminal offense, fingerprinting, law enforcement, state regulations, public safety, wildfire risk, disclosure, safety, environmental policy, risk assessment, overpayment recovery, modernization, health care, legislation, zero emission, cargo handling, port district, environmental impact, grant allocation, healthcare

Summary: The Senate convened with roll call, the colors presented by the Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a prayer by Pastor Jesse Bradley. The journal was approved, and the chamber received House messages announcing passage of several bills, including House Bill 1687, Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1960, House Bill 102, and Substitute House Bill 1. The Senate then adopted Senate Resolution 8684, which honored Washingtonians with ties to Team USA at the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Milano-Cortina. Senator Riccelli spoke in support, praising the athletes’ determination and Washington connections. The resolution passed by voice vote. The Senate next considered gubernatorial appointments. Brian C. Bennett was confirmed 49-0 as Director of the Washington State Lottery, with Senator Lovick speaking in support and highlighting Bennett’s public service and transition-team work. Angela Ramirez was then confirmed 49-0 as Secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services, with Senators Claire Wilson and Christian praising her experience, commitment, and attention to human services issues. After the confirmations, the Senate stood at ease for caucuses.

Bills: SJM8016, SB6230, SB5234, SB6081, SB6265, SB6170, SB6131, SB6155, SB6176, SB6238, SB6253, SB6311, SB6032, SB6262

Keywords: bridge repair, infrastructure, emergency funding, transportation, public safety, cash transactions, pennies, currency, economic efficiency, financial regulation, snowmobile, snowmobile registration, vehicle registration fees, registration fee, Department of Licensing, DOL, recreational vehicles, winter recreation, vintage snowmobile, parks and recreation

Summary: The committee’s work session focused first on ignition interlock device compliance. Traffic Safety Commission staff described a Yakima County pilot that provides enhanced probation supervision and support for DUI-affected drivers, reporting that compliance with interlock installation rose from roughly 16%–20% before the program to 41% after implementation among the medium- and high-risk population. Staff identified major barriers as cost, confusing and inconsistent procedures, and transportation access, and suggested policy changes such as allowing payment plans and simplifying compliance pathways. JLARC then presented its preliminary audit, estimating an overall 41% installation/completion rate statewide, finding that installation rates rise with income, that financial assistance reaches only about 11% of eligible users on average, and that the Department of Licensing and State Patrol need clearer coordination, goals, and a formal agreement to jointly administer the program. The State Patrol also reported on a Snohomish County outreach pilot that made 616 contacts, found many drivers were unaware of financial assistance, and identified some drivers as physically unable to drive, without vehicles, unable to afford the program, or subject to active warrants; the patrol said it would continue similar outreach in Yakima and use data analysis to target compliance efforts. The committee then received a broader traffic safety update from the Traffic Safety Commission. Staff reported that serious injuries and fatalities in traffic crashes rose sharply over the last several years, though 2024 showed some improvement, including a 9% drop in fatalities and a 15% drop in impaired-driving fatalities from 2023. Pedestrian deaths remained high, while unrestrained and speeding-related fatalities also remained significant concerns. The commission also presented telematics-based research showing that targeted enforcement and visible police presence can reduce speeds; one project found each additional hour of officer presence per mile was associated with a 5.6 mph decrease in average speed. A second telematics project using opt-in insurance-based data showed high rates of phone use and speeding among drivers, and the commission said local agencies are using the tool for corridor-level enforcement planning and evaluation. In public hearing, the committee heard Senate Joint Memorial 8016, which asks federal officials to treat the Fairfax Bridge closure and replacement as an emergency and to accelerate federal review. The sponsor and several supporters from Wilkeson, Carbonado, recreation groups, and nearby communities said the bridge closure has hurt tourism, emergency response, and access to Mount Rainier and surrounding recreation areas. Testimony was entirely in support, and the chair announced 67 pro and zero con sign-ins. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6230, which would require cash transactions to be rounded to the nearest five-cent increment in light of the Treasury’s decision to stop minting pennies. Staff explained the bill’s rounding rules and noted a Department of Licensing fiscal note of about $186,000 for technology changes; retail and food industry representatives supported the bill but asked for amendments on permissiveness, tax treatment, consumer protections, and local preemption. During executive session, staff briefed several bills and substitutes, including snowmobile registration fee increases, gender-designation record confidentiality, streamlined salvage-title transfers, utility and fish-barrier-related changes, inflation adjustments for emergency state highway work thresholds, public-health authority language for the Traffic Safety Commission, special parking privilege renewal changes, expired registration enforcement, oil tanker tug-escort requirements, and transit board labor-member provisions. No final votes were taken in the portion of the meeting provided, though the committee waived the five-day notice to hear the day’s public hearing bills.

Bills: SB6252, SB6265, SB6081

Keywords: transit support grant, free transit, fare-free transit, zero-fare policy, community college students, technical college students, public transportation, youth transit, student transportation, Washington State, Department of Transportation, local sales tax, voter-approved sales tax, equity, environmental justice, low-barrier access, bus pass, rail transit, public transit agency, transit agency grants

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held public hearings on several measures. First, it heard Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1980, which would allow local authorities in King County, with transit agency approval, to let private employer transportation services use certain business access and transit lanes under a two-year pilot with fees, performance standards, reporting, and a 10-year sunset. Staff and the sponsor said the bill was revised from a prior version to add the pilot structure, labor input, vehicle markings, and annual reporting. Supporters, including Bellevue business and transit representatives, said the measure would improve mobility, reduce congestion, and help employers and transit work together; the bill was then held after public hearing. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6081, as a proposed substitute, which would exempt sex designation change records and related supporting documents from public disclosure in Department of Licensing and Department of Health records, restrict sharing of those records without consent, and keep updated credentials from showing that a change occurred. Staff said the bill would have about a $1 million fiscal impact over four years for DOL, mostly IT changes, with minimal or absorbable impacts for other agencies. The prime sponsor and many supporters described the bill as a privacy and safety measure for transgender Washingtonians, while one opponent argued it would undermine accurate records; the public hearing was closed. Next, the committee heard Senate Bill 6252, which would expand the transit support grant program’s zero-fare requirement so transit agencies receiving those grants must also allow students enrolled in degree- or certificate-seeking programs at community and technical colleges to ride free. Staff said the bill is broad and could reduce fare revenue for local transit agencies by an estimated $10.9 million to $12.2 million annually, with a revised fiscal note expected for King County Metro. The sponsor and supporters said the bill would improve access to education, especially for older and rural students, while transit advocates noted implementation and funding concerns; the public hearing was then closed. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 6265, which would modernize the transfer of ownership for totaled vehicles to insurers by allowing supporting documents and limited powers of attorney to be transmitted electronically with non-notarized signatures. Staff said the bill has no fiscal impact and is intended to simplify the process after total-loss claims. The sponsor and industry witnesses said the change would reduce paperwork and hardship for consumers, and the public hearing was closed. The committee also announced that amendment requests for 14 bills scheduled for executive session on Thursday were due by noon the next day.

Bills: SB5973, SB5892, SB6081, SB5842, SB5827, SB5968, SB6034, SB6035, SB5888, SB6123, SB5853

Keywords: initiative, referendum, ballot measure, petition, signature gathering, circulator, per-signature pay, paid circulator, election integrity, voter fraud, ballot title, Secretary of State, Code Reviser, direct democracy, citizen lawsuit, civil penalties, Washington elections, initiative process, referendum process, grassroots petition

Summary: The Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections Committee met on January 23, 2026, first in executive session on several election- and government-related bills, then in public hearing on three measures. In executive action, the committee held SB 6035 and SB 5842 for the following week, then considered SB 5973 on initiative and referendum signature-gathering rules, SB 5892 on voter registration database disclosure, SB 6081 on protecting sex designation information in vital records and licensing records, SB 5877 on veterans’ civil service preference, SB 5968 on permitting/licensing deadlines and reporting, and SB 6034 on codifying the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs. The committee rejected a series of amendments to SB 5973, including proposals to remove or weaken the 1,000-signature prefiling requirement, change or narrow citizen enforcement provisions, add ID and training requirements, and alter penalties. The committee then advanced the proposed substitutes or bills for SB 5973, SB 5892, SB 6081, SB 5877, SB 5968, and SB 6034 to the Rules Committee or the next committee, with do-pass recommendations as applicable. During the SB 5973 debate, supporters said the bill was intended to curb pay-per-signature practices and fraud in the initiative process, while opponents argued it would burden constitutional initiative rights and create barriers to participation. Several amendments were offered by Senators Fortunato and Wilson to reduce or eliminate the prefiling signature threshold, add disclosure or training requirements, narrow enforcement, and reduce penalties; all were rejected or, in one case, withdrawn. The committee then approved the proposed substitute and sent the measure forward. SB 5892 and SB 6081 drew no amendments in executive session and were advanced without controversy, while SB 5877 and SB 5968 were also moved forward with proposed substitutes. SB 6034, which would formally establish the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs as a cabinet agency and require annual reporting, was likewise advanced. In public hearing, the committee heard SB 5888, which would remove Senate confirmation for members of the Washington State Women’s Commission. Senator Wellman said the change would align the commission with similar bodies and correct an inconsistency; the commission’s representative supported the bill, noting the governor would retain appointment authority and that the current process had created delays. The committee then heard SB 6123, expanding a public-records exemption for voluntarily supplied personal demographic information to local government employees. A Pierce County HR director testified in support, saying the exemption would build trust while preserving aggregate reporting and compliance obligations; the bill drew extensive support and opposition sign-ins. Finally, the committee heard SB 5853, Senator Wilson’s proposal to create a statewide emergency public official notification system for targeted threats. Wilson said the bill was meant as a non-privileged safety and awareness tool; the Secretary of State’s office said it supported the concept but preferred the Military Department to operate the system rather than VoteWA. The hearing closed with 192 people signed in in support and none opposed.

Bills: SB6081, SB5902, SB6034, SB6035, SB5892, SB5973

Keywords: SB 6081, Washington privacy, sex designation, gender marker, nonbinary, transgender, vital records, birth certificate, death certificate, fetal death, stillbirth, driver license, ID card, Department of Licensing, public records exemption, confidential records, record sealing, data sharing, government records, privacy

Summary: The committee held public hearings on six bills. SB 6081 would restrict public disclosure of sex designation change records held by the Department of Licensing and Department of Health, with the sponsor and most testimony arguing it is a privacy and safety measure for transgender people; one opponent argued it would reduce transparency and could affect law enforcement and other uses. SB 5902 would update voter notification and address-change procedures, including allowing more electronic notice options and reducing mailed notices for some automatic voter registration updates; county auditors and the Secretary of State supported it as a cost-saving, efficiency measure, while some testimony opposed it. SB 6034 would formally establish the Governor’s Office on Indian Affairs in statute as a cabinet-level agency and expand its duties; the sponsor and tribal representatives supported it as a technical fix and affirmation of tribal-state relations, with no opposition noted in testimony. SB 6035 would require regular county auditor meetings with tribes on election access and authorize an electronic ballot return portal for certain voters, including military, overseas, disabled, and some tribal voters. Supporters said it would improve access and coordination, while the Secretary of State and several others opposed the electronic portal portion over cybersecurity and secret-ballot concerns, and some witnesses urged limiting the bill to tribal outreach and drop boxes. SB 5892 would centralize requests for voter registration database records through the Secretary of State and make unauthorized disclosure of protected voter data a felony; the Secretary of State, former Secretary of State Sam Reed, and several voting-rights groups supported it as a privacy and anti-retaliation measure, while opponents argued it would hinder federal review of voter rolls and election transparency. SB 5973 would ban pay-per-signature compensation for initiative and referendum signature gathering, require 1,000 supporting signatures before a ballot title is issued, and create a citizen-enforcement mechanism for violations; supporters said it would reduce fraud, misleading tactics, and “ballot title shopping,” while opponents called it a barrier to direct democracy and said existing enforcement tools are sufficient. No votes were taken; each bill was heard and the hearings were closed.