Monday, February 22 serves as the fiscal committee cutoff
for all bills introduced this session. What does this mean? Hundreds of bills
were either amended to pass out of the fiscal committee or they will no longer
proceed (unless they are deemed NTIB, or necessary to implement budget.” In
next week’s newsletter, we will provide an update on pertinent bills that did
not survive past the fiscal committee cutoff.
On Friday, February 19, Governor Inslee signed HB
1368 (sponsored by 3rd District Representative Timm Ormsby),
which appropriate $2.2 billion in federal funding that has been allocated to
states in response to the ongoing COVID emergency. Taking effect immediately,
the bill provides:
- $714
million in assistance for K-12 schools
- $618
million for public health’s response to COVID, including testing,
investigation and contact tracing; and funding for vaccination efforts
- $365
million for emergency eviction, rental and utility assistance
- $240
million for business assistance grants
- $50
million for child care
- $26
million for food banks and other food programs
- $91
million for income assistance, including $65 million for relief for the
state’s immigrant population
Bill and Action Tracking
- SHB
1095—This legislation provides a business and occupation tax, a
public utilities tax, and a retail sales tax exemption for qualifying
grants received after February 29, 2020, that are related to a national or
state emergency proclamation. Both the House and Senate passed this bill and
it is waiting for the Governor’s signature.
- SHB
1333—This bill extends the expiration of the local sales and use
tax for public facilities in rural counties until December 31, 2054.
The extension only applies to those counties that imposed the full
capacity of the tax prior to August 1, 2009. The substitute bill clarifies
that the extension of the expiration of the tax rate applies to those
counties that no longer meet the definition of a rural county, but met the
definition as of August 1, 2009 (Whatcom & Benton).
- SHB
1170—This legislation establishes a goal to double the state’s
manufacturing employment base in 10 years, requires the Department
of Commerce to prepare a biennial report to the Legislature on the
state of manufacturing in Washington and requires the Department to
convene a manufacturing council to advice and consult on the development
of the report and recommendations.
- SSB
5096—This bill, if passed, would impose a 7 percent capital gains
tax on the sale or other voluntary exchange of long-term capital gains
assets by individuals. The tax does not apply to real estate,
retirement accounts, livestock related to farming or ranching,
agricultural lands, assets acquired and used by a sole proprietorship and
timber and timberlands.
- HB
1406—The bill establishes a one percent wealth tax on intangible
financial assets of more than $1 billion.
