January 15, 2024

City priorities take center stage in week 2 of session
We are excited to see two of AWC’s 2024 priorities as the focus of committee hearings in the early weeks of session. As you know, a short session moves fast and time runs out quickly, so it is good to see our priorities receive early action. On Thursday, January 18, the Senate Ways & Means Committee will hear our priority bill, SB 5770, to revise the arbitrary 1% property tax cap. We need as many city officials as possible to sign in and note their support.

On Tuesday, January 16, the House Local Government Committee will hear two proposals, HB 2211 and HB 2231, to increase funding for cities for public safety, particularly for recruiting and retaining police officers. We need city officials to lend their support for these proposals, too.

Reach out to your legislators and explain why the bills are important to your residents. Ask them to share your message with their colleagues who sit on those committees. Your city voice is so critical during the legislative process, and your legislators want to know how your community is impacted by a legislative proposal. Make sure you are communicating frequently with them throughout session, especially this week on our priority issues.

We are tracking many other bills that impact cities, some of which you can find in our ever-popular Bill Hot Sheet.

Thanks for your engagement and please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions or need help.

Candice Bock
Government Relations Director

Real estate excise tax proposal for funding affordable housing emerges
One of the biggest disappointments of the 2023 legislative session, dubbed by many as the “Year of Housing,” was the failure to advance any proposals to generate new ongoing revenues for housing. Cities will not meet our projected need for over 500,000 new homes affordable to lower-income residents without significant, new, and permanent revenues. We are excited to see HB 2276, the Affordable Homes Act, introduced early in the session this year. The bill adjusts the state real estate excise tax (REET) and adds a real estate transfer tax (RETT) on high-value properties. More

Two bills introduced to provide cities with additional revenue tools for public safety and criminal justice
Exciting news for cities! The Legislature has introduced two new bills giving cities expanded revenue tools for public safety and criminal justice. HB 2211 gives cities the legislative authority to implement up to a 0.3% sales and use tax for criminal justice purposes until January 1, 2027. HB 2231 introduces a new 0.1% sales and use tax for attracting and retaining law enforcement officers, credited against the state tax. The bill also removes the 25% cost share for city, county, or state law enforcement agencies sending new recruits to the CJTC’s Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA), meaning the state would pay 100% of costs. More

Prejudgment interest bill revived for 2024
A bill significantly increasing liability that died in 2023 has been revived in 2024 and is scheduled for a hearing this week. SB 5059 increases the cost of tort claim damage awards against cities and other organizations by charging interest on a tort claim all the way back to the time the injury occurred, sometimes years before a city knew there was an injury at all. AWC opposes SB 5059 and the drastic increase in liability it would entail for cities. Contact your legislators to oppose this costly bill. More

Help revise the property tax cap: Two ways to show your support
Sign on to the city letter in support of AWC’s priority bill to revise the arbitrary property tax cap. Let legislators know that cities can’t wait another generation to fix the structural gap in revenues that limits our ability to respond to community needs and meet new service demands. Then show your support for the bill at the Senate Ways & Means Committee hearing on Thursday, January 18, by signing in to support it or providing written testimony. More

Lend your voice to keep the Affordable Connectivity Program alive
The federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) has helped millions of Americans, including 300,000 Washingtonians, connect to the internet since the program’s launch in 2022. It has also played an important role in broadband network expansion to hard-to-reach areas. Currently the program is at risk of expiring if Congress fails to fund it in the next appropriations bill. Don’t let this happen. Find out more and add your name to a letter to Congress urging continued funding for this important program.

CityVoice Podcast: The shifting landscape of public safety and criminal justice
In this week’s CityVoice Podcast, AWC lobbyist Lindsey Hueer and policy analyst Katherine Walton discuss the new State of the Cities report, The communities we serve: Evolving public safety & criminal justice services. The landscape of public safety and criminal justice has changed, and the role of cities continues to evolve. Learn more about the innovative work cities are doing to address their residents’ needs, as well as shifting expectations, resources, and how it all applies to this year’s legislative session. Listen here.

AWC's new bill tracker
Stay current on city-related bills moving through the Legislature and read AWC’s weekly coverage through our new bill tracker. Learn how to use the tracker with these brief instructions and short video.

Tip: Bookmark the tracker and check back regularly for the latest updates.

Bills added to the tracker this week:

• Affordable housing: Agency approval of GMA Housing Elements (HB 2113)
• Budget & finance: AWC priority bill to revise property tax cap (SB 5770); BLS notice timelines for business license fees (HB 1894/SB 5897); sharing 911 taxes with cities (HB 2258); state tourism funding (HB 1896/SB 6080); tourism promotion fee (HB 2137)
• Economic development: Allowing junior taxing districts to opt out of tax increment areas (HB 2354 & SB 6230)
• Environment & natural resources: Addressing Foster impacts on municipal water supply (HB 2105 & SB 5517)
• General government: Adult entertainment worker safety bill with city preemption language (SB 6105); Statewide aerial imaging program (HB 1990); TSWIFT ticket sales (HB 1648)
• HR & labor relations: Expanding uses of firefighter safety grants (HB 1986/SB 5886); L&I’s stay-at-work program (HB 2127); Applying PFML taxes to small employers (HB 1959)
• Human services: Expansion of liability protections for co-response teams (HB 2088); Establishing legal definition of ‘co-response’ (HB 2245)
• Open government: Limiting vexatious public records lawsuits (HB 2307); Study on improving the public records act (HB 2190)
• Public safety & criminal justice: Additional revenue tools for cities for public safety and criminal justice (HB 2211 & HB 2231)
• Public works & infrastructure: Energy assistance to low-income households (HB 2234); Apprenticeship program objections (HB 2087); Payments to subcontractors of public works (SB 6040)
• Transportation: Automated traffic safety cameras (SB 5959)

JLARC’s online reporting system will open on January 16 for required reporting of 2023 lodging tax expenditures. The reporting system remains the same as last year. The reporting site and guidance can be accessed on JLARC’s website.

An update on the “good faith and fair dealing” rulemaking for self-insured cities. Catch up on the latest developments surrounding the “good faith” rulemaking impacting the 18 cities that self-insure for workers compensation following the passage of HB 1521 (2023). More

Check it out! The Washington Joint Legislative Audit & Review Committee (JLARC) has published its 2022 Public records data dashboards, which include data from 78% of Washington cities and towns. More

AWC Friday city action calls (AWC members only)
Join our city action calls each Friday at 12:30 pm during the legislative session to hear updates from your AWC lobbyists on the latest action on the hill and progress on bills of importance to cities. Make sure to sign up in advance each week. Register now to receive the link for this week’s call.

Connect with your legislators at local town halls
Legislators host local town hall meetings throughout session. Some are hosted in person, and some are virtual. Check your legislators’ websites to find out when and where their town halls are and plan to attend. Listening in and voicing the issues important to your city at local town halls is a great way to ensure your legislators and constituents are aware of your city's legislative needs.

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