HB1717 — Initially announced as the first bill on the calendar before the chair changed course.
HB1717 — The proposed substitute authorizes local sales and use tax remittance programs for affordable housing.
HB1717 — House Bill 1717 is discussed in a continuous hearing where multiple witnesses testify in support of the bill. The testimony describes it as a local option incentive for affordable and housing development, including a sales and use tax rebate intended to offset construction costs and create new local funding sources for affordable housing developers. Speakers such as Curtis Steinhard, Ben Stuckert, and Bo Baker express support, with Baker noting Southport will continue supporting the bill. The discussion ends with a question about how the remittance program would work between counties and cities, followed by the formal conclusion and closure of the hearing on House Bill 1717.
HB1859 — House Bill 1859 is introduced and briefed as a measure to promote affordable housing on property owned by religious organizations. The discussion explains that the bill lowers the affordability threshold needed to qualify for a density bonus, requires local implementation policies, and creates a new sales and use tax exemption for qualifying affordable housing projects owned by, built on land owned by, or developed in partnership with nonprofit religious organizations. The bill also exempts that tax preference from the automatic 10-year expiration. The sponsor frames the proposal as a targeted, fiscally prudent way to unlock housing supply on already serviced land owned by mission-driven partners, reducing financing barriers while trading limited tax revenue for guaranteed affordability and less reliance on public subsidy.
HB1859 — The committee reopened the hearing on House Bill 1859 and received extended public testimony. Multiple witnesses spoke in support, saying the bill would help affordable housing projects on church or other religious-organization property by recalibrating affordability requirements, providing a sales and use tax exemption or deferral, and helping projects become financially feasible. Some testimony emphasized that the bill could encourage development and help specific projects get over the line. Later speakers raised concerns and questions about Section 3, subsection 2, including possible county planning implications and whether the provision creates an unfunded mandate. Additional testimony supported the bill but urged changes so that homeownership projects are included, noting the current language appears to focus on rental projects and may have unintentionally left out homeownership.
HB1859 — Patricia Roundy testifies in support of the bill.
Christina King — Initially named as the briefing presenter for House Bill 1717.
Christina King — Committee staff member introduced the proposed substitute for HB 1717 and began the briefing.
Serena Dolly — Serena Dolly is introduced as the presenter for House Bill 1859 and then opens the briefing by greeting the chair and committee members and identifying herself as committee staff.
Cyndy Jacobsen — Representative Jacobsen asks about the bill, noting she previously voted for it, then follows up by questioning why the bill specifically targets faith-based organizations and whether it is correcting a prior imbalance or issue in the law. The later reference to her question shows the discussion continues as part of the same exchange.
Cyndy Jacobsen — A question was directed to Representative Jacobsen after the witness testimony.
Osman Salahuddin — Representative Osman Salahuddin introduces himself as the prime sponsor of House Bill 1859 and explains that Washington is facing a serious housing shortage, noting the need for more than 1 million new homes over the next 20 years and framing the bill as a response to that challenge.
Osman Salahuddin — The mayor thanked him for introducing the legislation; the transcript misstates his name as 'Osmond Salahoodine'.
Amy Walen — Referenced as sharing a district with Bellevue Presbyterian.
Amy Walen — Representative Zahn is mentioned twice in nearby sponsor remarks, with the transcript likely mishearing the name in both instances. The references appear to point to the same person and are part of the same discussion, so they are best treated as one consolidated mention.
Joe Fitzgibbon — The prime sponsor is being addressed in the exchange; the transcript refers to the sponsor responding to the question.
Janice Zahn — Janice Zahn expressed support for the bill and asked whether Bellevue’s faith-owned property super bonus would cover both rental and affordable homeownership units. She then noted that the bill as drafted excludes homeownership and suggested that it be amended to include it. The discussion continued with reference to the affordability threshold and a willingness to work on potential amendments.
Janice Zahn — Referenced as having mentioned Bellevue and related use of the policy.
Larry Springer — Asked whether the sales tax remittance works better for faith-based owned property because land costs are already absorbed by the landowner.
Yasmin Trudeau — Representative Salahuddin is addressed during the HB 1859 hearing, and the exchange concludes with thanks to him before the public hearing on HB 1859 is suspended and the committee opens the public hearing on HB 1717.
Yasmin Trudeau — The transcript appears to misrecognize the member name in 'Representative Sally'; context suggests Representative Saldaña addressed the issue of church land availability.
Yasmin Trudeau — Likely the intended legislator in the phrase 'Representative Salahuddin'; the transcript appears to contain a transcription error and should be treated as questionable.
Joshua Penner — Raised concerns about the complexity of local negotiations and financing across many jurisdictions.
Ed Orcutt — Asked staff how the sales and use tax exemption would be administered and whether it would use a rebate or exemption certificate.
Ed Orcutt — Representative Ed Orcutt asks follow-up questions about the remittance program, first clarifying that it would be administered by local governments rather than the state, and then asking whether local governments would know at the start of a project if it would be eligible for remittance. He is subsequently addressed as Ranking Member Orcutt.
Ed Orcutt — Representative Orcutt asked a follow-up question to staff about whether a county could authorize the program.
Ed Orcutt — Asked whether county authorization would also obligate the city's portion to be remitted and how other taxpayers would be affected.
Ed Orcutt — Addressed as Ranking Member Orcutt.
Ed Orcutt — Named as Ranking Member in the committee greeting.
HB1859 — Public hearing on HB 1859 was suspended.
HB1859 — Multiple speakers testified in strong support of HB 1859, describing it as a tool to address the housing crisis by helping congregations and nonprofits develop affordable housing on their land. They emphasized that the bill’s sales and use tax exemptions and added flexibility would reduce development barriers, lower costs, and make more projects shovel-ready, including opportunities for faith-based organizations to put their values into action through housing development. The testimony concluded with a request to advance the bill, after which testimony on HB 1859 was closed and the committee moved into the work session.
HB1717 — Public hearing on HB 1717 was opened and briefing began.
HB1717 — Ryan Donahue testified in strong support of HB 1717 as a targeted way to reduce development costs for affordable home ownership, and the discussion then turned to an amendment that narrows the bill to the local portion of the sales tax, reducing the overall savings.
Mari Leavitt — Representative Mari Leavitt is introduced as the prime sponsor and then opens sponsor testimony on House Bill 1717, thanking Representative Zahn for the proposed amendments. Later references to her in the same discussion note that she is the prime sponsor being addressed and thanked for her work during the interim.
Sharon Shewmake — The transcript appears to mishear 'Representative Zahn' as 'Representative Zon' in the prior section; here the sponsor is referenced as Leavitt, but no additional member mention is clear.
Sharon Shewmake — During the procedural transition into testimony, Vice Chair Street was repeatedly addressed by the chair as the meeting moved through the handoff and opening of testimony.
Sharon Shewmake — Named as Vice Chair in the committee greeting.
Chipalo Street — Vice Chair Street announces the start of public testimony and the remote panel format.
Chipalo Street — Vice Chair Street is called on as the committee moves to the next witness.
Ryan Donahoe — Named as part of the in-person testimony panel.
Alyssa Torres — Alyssa Torres is identified as part of the in-person testimony panel and then testifies, introducing herself as being with South Sound Housing Affordability Partners and speaking in support of House Bill 1717.
Imani Donaldson — Named as part of the in-person testimony panel.
Emani Donaldson — Witness identifies herself as being with Tacoma Pierce County Habitat for Humanity and thanks Representative Leavitt.
Tacoma Pierce County Habitat for Humanity — Organization represented by the witness; cited as facing high construction costs.
Ryan Donahue — Chief advocacy officer for Habitat for Humanity, Seattle-King and Kittitas counties; testified in strong support of HB 1717.
Sharon Santos — The witness addressed Chair Berg and members of the committee.
Sharon Santos — Representative Sharon Santos is introduced as having a question for Reverend Redeemer, then proceeds to ask it. She says she wants the Reverend to address concerns about the homeownership option and explains that her interest is informed by her background as a P.K. who grew up in multiple parsonages.
Jordan Bogie — The chair introduced Jordan Bogie as the next remote presenter, and Bogie then testified as a senior policy analyst supporting the Clark County Council, stating support for the original bill and the remittance program.
Carl Schroeder — Carl Schroeder was introduced as the next witness and then testified on behalf of the Association of Washington Cities in support of the bill, explaining that a Raymond project could not move forward.