Some Bills Have Already Failed to Advance This Legislative Session

Lawmakers faced their first major cutoff the week of Feb. 2, when bills did not advance out of policy committees, effectively ending their run. Measures that survived face additional hurdles, including fiscal committee deadlines for bills that cost money and a Feb. 17 deadline to pass out of their chamber of origin, according to lawmakers. Only bills deemed “necessary to implement the budget,” often those involving taxes or spending, are exempt, they added.

A push for a four-day workweek failed to gain traction. House Bill 2611 would have required employers to pay overtime for over 32 hours worked in a week. While San Juan County has adopted a 32-hour workweek for government employees, business groups, including the food, hospitality, and agricultural industries, opposed taking the model statewide. The bill received a hearing but never came to a vote.

Changes to homeschooling requirements also stalled. According to Senate Bill 6261, the age at which parents must file a declaration of intent to homeschool would have been lowered from 8 to 6 years old. Washington is the only state that waits until age 8, according to Superintendent Chris Reykdal of the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Reykdal requested legislation to improve data collection as homeschooling grows. The proposal drew sharp opposition from homeschool advocates and was ultimately sidelined during the short session.

Several public safety and immigration-related proposals also failed. House Bill 2648 stated intent to bar Washington police agencies from hiring officers who joined the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after the start of President Donald Trump’s second term; the bill never made it to a committee vote.

Lawmakers have made child online safety a priority this year, but some efforts fell short. Senate Bill 6111, which would have required parental consent for minors to create social media accounts, stalled amid concerns from the tech industry over constitutionality. House Bill 2400, aimed at protecting children featured in monetized online content such as family vlogs, also failed to advance. Its sponsor, Rep. Kristine Reeves (D-Federal Way), said she plans to continue working on the issue ahead of the 2027 session. Another bipartisan bill targeting children’s access to online pornography did not clear the committee either, according to lawmakers.

Efforts to address food access issues met mixed results. Rep. Darya Farivar (D-Seattle) introduced multiple bills after the closure of a Fred Meyer store left her Lake City neighborhood without a major grocery outlet. A proposal easing zoning restrictions for grocery stores passed the committee, but bills offering tax incentives to grocers in underserved areas and allowing publicly owned grocery stores did not advance.

Judicial reform proposals also stalled. Local Rep. Hunter Abell (R-Inchelium) again proposed requiring state Senate confirmation for Supreme Court and appellate court appointments, citing significant turnover on the court. Gov. Bob Ferguson has already appointed one justice this year, with more changes expected. Abell’s bills did not receive hearings.

Tribal representation on state boards was another issue left unresolved. House Bill 2578 aimed to expand the Fish and Wildlife Commission to include additional tribal members with voting authority. Rep. Debra Lekanoff (D-Anacortes) said she intends to revisit the proposal in future sessions.

Finally, legislation dealing with protests and encampments on college campuses failed to advance. House Bill 2589 would have prohibited unauthorized encampments on campuses, while a separate, Republican-backed bill sought to revoke financial aid from students found liable for property damage during protests. Neither cleared their committees, lawmakers said.

The legislative session is scheduled to end on March 12.