Today is the 43rd day of the 2025 Legislative Session in Washington State. Friday, February 21 marked the first major cutoff, the House and Senate Policy Committee Cutoff. After Friday, the only new bill that can be heard and passed out of committee will be in the House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees. That Fiscal Committee Cutoff occurs next week on Friday, February 28.
After that cutoff, only initiatives and alternatives to initiatives, budgets and matters necessary to implement budgets (NTIB), matters that affect state revenue, messages pertaining to amendments, matters of differences between the two houses, and matters incident to the interim and to the closing of the session may be considered. While committees will still be hearing bills from the opposite chamber (House or Senate), the focus will shift to more bills being heard and passed off the Floor with the entire House or Senate voting on legislation. While Floor debates have already been occurring, the more controversial and difficult bills will start to make their way to the Rostrum.
Operating, Capital & Transportation Budget
The next big focus for the Legislature will shift towards one of the most important tasks which is passing an Operating, Capital and Transportation
budget. Governor Ferguson has been very engaged with letting people know that he wants cuts before new taxes. In an attempt to release his plan on how to cut $1.8 billion over the next two years, the Governor cancelled a planned trip to the National Governors Association meeting that was held this week in Washington D.C. He has been meeting with budget leaders and has planned meetings with House Leadership in the upcoming weeks. We should start to see budget proposals from Senate and House Democrats in about a month.
Attached is an updated report of top Priority Bills that we are tracking (see below).
We will keep you updated on important and relevant legislation throughout the session.
If you are wanting or asked to testify on a bill, please click this link on instructions and helpful hints on the testimony process.
