As time goes by, fewer and fewer bills are alive. But there are several still worth watching. . . closely. Especially the “Rent Stabilization” bill, which is taking an unusual path through the Senate.
This edition is only going to cover bills still alive today, the 44th day of the 60 day session. Tomorrow is the next cut-off as it’s the last day to read reports from the opposite house in committee, except that bills in the House fiscal committees and the Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees have until Feb 26th. This is an important cut-off distinction, especially for the Rent Control Bill (HB 2114).
HB 2321 Modifying middle housing requirements and the definitions of transit stop.
This bill passed the house on Feb 8th. It was heard in the Senate Committee on Housing and sent to Rules for second reading. A floor amendment in the house added an exemption for parcels and tracts with critical areas or their buffers from meeting minimum density requirements. It also changed language regarding the definition of a major transit stop from a bus rapid transit route funded within a 6-year plan to being a stop under construction. This is likely to reduce the number of locations in which the middle housing mandates will be required. That should make cities happy, but disappoint missing middle housing advocates. It makes the TOD bill more important.
HB 2160 Promoting transit-oriented housing (Companion SB 6024)
This bill passed the house and is schedule for executive session this morning in the Senate Committee on Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs
The current version of this bill would require certain levels of development intensity (via floor area ratios or FARs) at station areas, which are those areas within one-half mile of a train station (light rail), or one-fourth mile of a fixed route transit stop (rapid transit lines).
Note: the companion bill never moved out of committee in the Senate.
HB 1998 Co-Living (Companion SB 5901)
The Senate Committee on Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs Committee took action on this on Feb 15th. It’s been sent to Rules for second reading.
This bill would require jurisdictions to allow co-living housing as permitted use in any zone allowing multifamily housing. It would also limit required parking to 0.25 stalls per sleeping unit and prohibit parking requirements altogether if located within one-half mile of a major transit stop. Like several bills last year, it would require cities and counties to adopt these allowances within 6 months of their next periodic comprehensive plan update.
The companion bill was passed to Rules Committee for second reading way back on the 26th of January but then placed in the Senate’s “X” file, removing it from further consideration.
SB 5934 - Concerning Pollinator Habitat
This passed the Senate 48-1 on Feb 13th. It’s been working its way through the House and is scheduled for executive session in the House Local Government Committee on the 21st at 8am.
The bill would require that local governments update the landscaping standards in new commercial and residential projects to include at least 25% of the planted area as pollinator habitat to the extent practicable.
HB 2354 - Creating an option for impacted taxing districts to provide a portion of their new revenue to support any tax increment area proposed within their jurisdiction and clarifying that a tax increment area must be dissolved when all bond obligations are paid. (Companion Bill SB 6230)
The second substitute House bill is scheduled for action in executive session in the Senate Committee on Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs this morning. The gist of the bill is that Fire Districts are upset that use of tax increment financing (TIF) freezes their levy rates. They argue that this doesn’t allow them to grow their services commensurate with the growth realized as a result of TIF incentivizing growth. The bill would require that jurisdictions enter into negotiations with fire districts, emergency services, and public hospital districts when the impact of TIF effects more than 20% and an increased level of service is expected from these districts.
Note: The senate companion bill died in committee at the cut-off.
HB 2296 - Extending the Comprehensive Plan Review Schedule for Certain Local Governments
This easily passed the House and was moved to Senate Rules committee yesterday for second reading. For those jurisdictions required to complete their periodic comprehensive plan reviews and updates in 2025, this would extend the completion deadline from June 30, 2025 to December 31, 2025. This impacts 10 counties (Clark, Clallam, Island, Jefferson, Lewis, Mason, San Juan, Skagit, Thurston, and Whatcom) and their cities.
HB 1468 - Relating to Impact Fee Deferrals
This bill proposes to repeal the option to allow deferrals until closing of the first sale of property, which subsequently eliminates the need to have liens recorded against properties. A floor amendment from Calahan proposes an alternative deferral that relies on a promissory note. The Senate Committee on Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs is scheduled for executive session this morning and will take the bill up then.
SB 5834 - UGA Swaps
This passed the Senate on a unanimous vote and is scheduled for action in the House Local Government Committee tomorrow at 8:00am. It could still make the cut. SB 5834 proposes to amend RCW 36.70A.110, adding a provision to allow UGA Swaps during a county’s annual review process (aka the annual docket cycle). It would impose the same types of conditions as previously approved swap legislation which limited swaps to the periodic update.
HB 2114 Improving housing stability for tenants (Companion SB 5961)
This is also known as the “Rent Stabilization” or “Rent Control” bill. The House approved an amended version of the bill capping the maximum rent increase to 7% annually versus 5% in the original bill.
As you may recall, the Senate companion bill died a spectacular death in the Senate when it failed to get enough votes to clear the Senate Committee on Housing when Senator Cleveland waited to record her vote until the last minute and then voted against the measure.
Now, instead of the House bill going to the Senate Committee on Housing, it remarkably was sent to Ways & Means where it’s scheduled for a hearing on Feb 22. By sending this to Ways & Means (a fiscal committee) instead of Housing, the bill avoids the Feb 21st cut-off. Ways & Means will have until Feb 26th (the cut off for fiscal committees) to take action.
So why send this to Ways & Means instead of Housing? One probable reason may be to ensure this bill doesn’t die the same death as it’s Senate companion, calculating that a few extra days may be enough time to get the votes to send this to the floor.