Status report on pro-worker bills

OLYMPIA, WA (Feb. 24, 2025) — The Washington State Legislative Session is progressing; Friday was the deadline for bills to pass out of policy committees, and Friday, February 28 will be the cutoff for budget-related bills to pass fiscal committees. Bills then must be voted on in their house of origin by March 12.

Many pro-worker bills remain viable in both the House and the Senate. Below is an update — effective today — on the status of priority legislation listed in the 2025 Legislative Agenda of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO.

SB 5041 — Concerning unemployment insurance benefits for striking or lockout workers.
Passed Senate Labor & Commerce; scheduled for a hearing in Ways & Means on February 25
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HB 1644/SB 5756 — Concerning the safety and health of working minors.
HB 1644 passed House Labor & Workplace Standards; now in Rules. SB 5756 was not moved out of committee by cutoff.

SB 5062/HB 1128 — Establishing a child care workforce standards board.
SB 5062 passed Senate Labor & Commerce; now in Ways & Means. HB 1128 likewise moved forward, now in Appropriations.

HB 1622/SB 5422 — Allowing bargaining over matters related to the implementation of artificial intelligence.
HB 1622 passed House Labor & Workplace Standards; scheduled for a hearing in Appropriations today. SB 5422 is likewise scheduled for a hearing in Ways & Means on February 25. 

HB 1764/SB 5578 — Raising the minimum wage and passing paid vacation.
Both bills received hearings but were not moved out of committee by cutoff.

HB 1237/SB 5246 — Facilitating predictable and timely application decisions by the energy facility site evaluation council.
Both bills received hearings but were not moved out of committee by cutoff.

Other bills supported by Labor are also moving forward. That includes HB 1162, preventing workplace violence in health care settings; SB 5217, requiring that breaks for pumping milk be paid breaks and exempts lactating people from jury duty; SB 5548/HB 1788, improving the workers compensation time-loss formula; HB 1570, creating a collective bargaining framework for student workers who are not currently covered in state law; and HB 1549, modifying the responsible bidder criteria for public works projects, among others.