2024 Legislative Session
Securing Critical Access to Women's Healthcare
- Addressing maternal health outcomes.
- Protecting access to reproductive care services.
- Establishing equitable, comprehensive emergency preparedness & recovery health infrastructure for vulnerable populations.
Ensuring Safety for All Women
- Addressing gender-based violence, including domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, and the epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.
- Establishing safe community initiatives, including safe use of technology & preventing gun violence.
- Funding behavioral health systems to address mental health and substance abuse connected to gender-based violence.
Promoting Economic Security & Economic Opportunity for All Women
- Funding affordable, accessible education.
- Ensuring equitable employment opportunity, advancement, and compensation, including promoting implementation of Women on Corporate Boards legislation.
- Eliminating workplace gender-based harassment & discrimination.
- Establishing supportive, accessible systems and funding for childcare, eldercare, and family leave.
- Addressing the economic impact of climate change.
Session Recap
WSWC Priority Bills
SHB 1905 - Including protected classes in the Washington equal pay and opportunities act. PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
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Thanks to the legislature’s passage of SHB 1905, the Equal Pay & Opportunities Act (EPOA) will now expand to include all protected classes, not just gender, allowing claimants to identify with more than one protected class. This expansion will take effect in July 1, 2025.
HB 2266 - Concerning sanitary conditions for construction workers who menstruate or express milk. PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
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The passage of HB 2266 establishes sanitary conditions must be maintained for workers to manage menstrual and pumping needs. As Washington state has the highest percentage of women construction workers in the nation, this bill ensures workers are equipped to succeed in environments that are healthy and safe.
HB 2098 - Authorizing the women's commission to solicit gifts, grants, and endowments from public or private sources. - DIED
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The addition of “To solicit” to WSWC’s RCW would allow the agency to enter into the public-private partnerships, outlined in WSWC's RCW, in which private funding is included. This clarity will be helpful as the Commission grows and expands its programmatic work and partnerships.
WSWC Engaged Legislation
Gave Testimony
SHB 1905- Including protected classes in the Washington equal pay and opportunities act. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
SB 5894 - Including protected classes in the Washington equal pay and opportunities act. - DIED/ Companion bill SHB 1905 was Passed/Enacted
HB 2266 - Concerning sanitary conditions for construction workers who menstruate or express milk. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
HB 2098 - Authorizing the women's commission to solicit gifts, grants, and endowments from public or private sources. DIED
HB 2115 - Concerning prescription labels for medications used for abortion. PASSED/SIGNED ACTED
Submitted written testimony
SB 6107 - Concerning sanitary conditions for construction workers who menstruate or express milk. - DIED/Companion bill HB 2266 was Passed/Enacted
SB 5580 - Improving maternal health outcomes. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
HB 1877 - Improving the Washington state behavioral health system for better coordination and recognition with the Indian behavioral health system. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
SB 5937 - Supporting crime victims and witnesses by promoting victim-centered, trauma-informed responses. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
SB 5950 - Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations. - WSWC received two additional Full-Time Equivalent Employees in the supplemental operating budget.
SHB 2230 - Promoting economic inclusion by creating the Economic Security for All (EcSA) grant program. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
Signed in WSWC’s position
SB 6151 - Concerning the provision of an ultrasound. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
SB 6038 - Reducing the costs associated with providing child care. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
SB 5853 - Extending the crisis relief center model to provide behavioral health crisis services for minors. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
HB 2118 - Protecting the public from gun violence by establishing additional requirements for the business operations of licensed firearms dealers. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
HB 1903 - Reporting lost or stolen firearms. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
HB 1999 - Concerning fabricated intimate or sexually explicit images and depictions. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
HB 1958 - Concerning nonconsensual removal of or tampering with a sexually protective device. PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
HB 1956 - Addressing fentanyl and other substance use prevention education. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
HB 1954 - Harmonizing language relating to reproductive health care services and gender-affirming treatment. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
SB 5804 - Concerning opioid overdose reversal medication in public schools. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
HB 2048 - Concerning supervision of domestic violence in criminal sentencing. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
HB 2104 - Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations. - WSWC received two additional FTEs in the supplemental operating budget.
SB 5904 - Extending the terms of eligibility for financial aid programs. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
HB 1455 - Eliminating child marriage. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
HB 2075 - Concerning licensing of Indian health care providers as establishments. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
HB 1895 - Modifying the working families' tax credit by clarifying the refundable nature of the credit, the application requirements, and the eligibility verification process. - PASSED/GOVERNOR ACTED
SB 5960 - Concerning prescription labels for medications used for abortion. - DIED/Companion bill HB 2115 was Passed/Enacted.
SB 5839 - Modifying the working families' tax credit by clarifying the refundable nature of the credit, the application requirements, and the eligibility verification process. - DIED/Companion bill HB 1895 was Passed/Enacted.
SB 5923 - Addressing fentanyl and other substance use prevention education. - DIED/Companion bill HB 1956 Passed/enacted.
SB 5819 / HB 1915 - Making financial education instruction a graduation prerequisite and a required component of public education. - DIED
HB 2242 - Supporting sexual assault survivors at institutions of higher education. - DIED
HB 2058 - Increasing student access to free meals served at public schools. - DIED
HJR 4208 - Removing gendered terms from the Constitution. - DIED
SB 5873 - Providing adequate and predictable student transportation. - DIED
SB 5241 - Concerning material changes to the operations and governance structure of participants in the health care marketplace. (Keep our Care Act, KOCA) - DIED
Important bills that died during the legislative process
SHB 1094 / SSB 5125 - Creating the Washington future fund program.
2SHB 1151 / SB 5204 - Mandating coverage for fertility services.
HB 1944 - Establishing a running start for the trades grant program.
HB 1951 - Promoting ethical artificial intelligence by protecting against algorithmic discrimination.
SHB 2098 - Authorizing the women's commission to solicit gifts, grants, and endowments from public or private sources.
HB 2101 - Eliminating child care licensing fees.
HB 2145 - Concerning medically necessary treatment of a mental health or substance use disorder.
SHB 2237 - Concerning limitations in parenting plans.
SHB 2242 - Supporting sexual assault survivors at institutions of higher education.
HB 2346 - Updating the governor's interagency coordinating council on health disparities.
HB 2360 - Creating the Washington digital empowerment and workforce inclusion act.
SJR 8202 - Amending the Constitution to address reproductive freedom.
HJR 4208 - Removing gendered terms from the Constitution.
ESB 5241 - Concerning material changes to the operations and governance structure of participants in the health care marketplace. (Keep Our Care Act/KOCA)
2SSB 5477 - Implementing the recommendations of the Washington state missing and murdered indigenous women and people task force.
SSB 5873 - Providing adequate and predictable student transportation.
SB 5964 / HB 2058 - Increasing student access to free meals served at public schools.
SB 6267 / SHB 2184 - Authorizing payment for parental caregivers of minor children with developmental disabilities.
