Washington legislature's first deadline claims hundreds of bills — But are they really dead?
This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com
The Washington State Legislature hit its first 'do-or-die' deadline for policy bills on Friday. That means bills that don't significantly impact the budget — those focused more on setting public policy — had to make it out of their committee of origin in either the House or Senate to stay alive.
As of Friday, lawmakers had submitted 1,802 bills this session. Hundreds didn't make the cut.
If you've been following my coverage of this legislative session, you know I've written about dozens of bills on a variety of issues. Here's a list of notable bills that effectively died on Friday.
The bills that didn't make it
House Bill 1536 – Would have increased early intervention for minors caught unlawfully possessing firearms. Previous coverage here.
Senate Bill 5174 – A proposed ban on wood-burning stoves. It actually passed its committee, but on Friday, its sponsor said she won't move it forward this year. Previous coverage here.
House Bill 1512 – Would have prevented law enforcement from pulling over motorists for non-moving violations, like a broken taillight or expired tabs. Previous coverage here.
House Bill 1630 – Would have required dairy farmers and cattle feedlot operators to track methane emissions from their herds. Previous coverage here. It also included a potential study on methane emissions from humans. Previous coverage here.
House Bill 1938 – Proposed the creation of a Washington State Flag Redesign Committee. Previous coverage here.
House Bill 1426 – A groundbreaking proposal that would have introduced the Impaired Driving Protection Order (IDPO), a new legal tool to address impaired driving. Previous coverage here.
House Bill 1739 – Sought to regulate the use of automated checkout systems to protect grocery store clerks from being overwhelmed or exposed to unsafe working conditions. Previous coverage here.
House Bill 1596 – Would have created a special restricted driver's license for individuals with suspended licenses due to excessive speeding or reckless driving. Previous coverage here.
Senate Bill 5482 – Aimed to end the use of dogs by local law enforcement to track problematic wildlife — such as bears, cougars, and wolves — unless explicitly approved by the state. Previous coverage here.
House Bill 1825 – Would have repealed a 30-year-old law barring Washington from actively participating in grizzly bear recovery efforts, which are currently under federal control. Previous coverage here.
Senate Bill 5091 – A Republican-backed bill that would have severed Washington's ties to California's strict vehicle emissions rules. Previous coverage here.
Senate Bill 5578 – Would have put Washington's minimum wage on track to reach $25 per hour by 2032. Previous coverage here.
Dead or just on life support?
That said, nothing ever truly dies in the Washington State Legislature. At any moment, Democratic leadership in the House and Senate could pull a Lazarus move and resurrect a bill from the grave. But let's be real — most of these bills aren't coming back.
For now, these proposals are casualties of the legislative process. But in politics, there's always the next session.
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