Governor signs package of bills covering education, health, public safety and economic incentives

The governor signed a wide-ranging package of bills in a ceremonial event that included legislators, tribal representatives and invited guests.

The bills signed on the record included measures to expand civil remedies, update consumer‑protection penalties, boost school supplies funding, protect libraries, extend semiconductor tax incentives and authorize new local infrastructure and environmental programs. The governor repeatedly thanked sponsoring legislators and noted guests from affected communities.

Among the measures, the governor said House Bill 1958 ‘‘allows victims of stealthing to sue the perpetrator for damages and any other relief the court deems appropriate’’ and thanked Representative Berry for leadership on the measure. The governor also described House Bill 2494 as increasing per‑pupil funding for materials and operating costs by $21, saying the adjustment ‘‘will help schools offset rising costs and particularly the steep rise in insurance.’’ For consumer protection the governor noted a bill increasing penalties for antitrust violations, saying a corporation could be required to disgorge up to three times the profit made in some cases.

Votes at a glance (all described in the signing ceremony as signed by the governor):
• HB 1958 — permits civil claims for victims of stealthing; outcome: signed. (SEG 076)
• HB 1985 — cost‑of‑living adjustment for PERS Plan 1 and TRS Plan 1 retirees; outcome: signed. (SEG 105)
• HB 2720 — increases antitrust remedies under the Consumer Protection Act (disgorgement up to three times profits); outcome: signed. (SEG 194)
• HB 2115 — privacy protections for providers prescribing abortion medication; outcome: signed. (SEG 235)
• HB 2266 — requires construction employers to provide private bathrooms and lactation storage; outcome: signed. (SEG 268)
• HB 2295 — authorizes regulation of hospital‑at‑home programs (partial veto noted); outcome: signed with partial veto. (SEG 339)
• HB 2424 — updates cooperative fish and wildlife management with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Nation; outcome: signed. (SEG 394)
• HB 2482 — extends semiconductor tax incentives; outcome: signed. (SEG 496)
• HB 2494 — increases per‑pupil funding by $21; outcome: signed. (SEG 551)
• SB 5632 — allows striking workers access to health insurance while on strike; outcome: signed. (SEG 630)
• SB 5784 — updates crop‑damage compensation for deer and elk (section 6 vetoed; pilot requested with WDFW and Yakama Nation); outcome: signed with partial veto. (SEG 657)
• SB 5824 — raises petition signature thresholds and expands voter participation for library dissolutions; outcome: signed. (SEG 722)
• SB 5825 — improves guardianship navigation at hospital discharge; outcome: signed. (SEG 787)
• SB 5828 — authorizes appointment of water commissioners for adjudications; outcome: signed. (SEG 836)
• SB 5890 — aims to reduce ballot rejection through voter education and support for county election officers; outcome: signed. (SEG 869)
• SB 5897 — administrative updates to the Business Licensing Service statutes; outcome: signed. (SEG 903)
• SB 5919 — incentives for capture of biogenic carbon dioxide (landfills, digesters, wastewater); outcome: signed. (SEG 915)
• SB 6013 — property tax exemption for nonprofits building mutual self‑help housing; outcome: signed. (SEG 971)
• SB 6015 — adjusts residential parking development rules to reduce costs; outcome: signed. (SEG 1023)
• SB 6017 — allows Point Roberts to use fuel tax revenue for transportation improvements; outcome: signed. (SEG 1040)
• SB 6040 — directs review of prompt‑pay statutes for small businesses; outcome: signed. (SEG 1059)
• SB 6047 — allows confidentiality for auction bidding information under the Climate Commitment Act; outcome: signed. (SEG 1081)
• SB 6087 — raises the share of fire insurance premium monies to the Fire Service Training Account from 20% to 22%; outcome: signed. (SEG 1165)
• HB 1948 — encourages customer adoption of 100% renewable electricity programs to complement the Clean Energy Transformation Act; outcome: signed. (SEG 1175)
• SB 6121 — allows flame cap kilns for agricultural/forestry residue and supports biochar production; outcome: signed. (SEG 1261)
• SB 6316 — allows DOT to defer sales and use tax for the Portage Bay Bridge project; outcome: signed. (SEG 1324)
• HB 2124 — strengthens preschool and childcare eligibility and support; outcome: signed. (SEG 1343)

The governor noted a small number of partial vetoes and requests for cooperative studies rather than statutory studies (for example, section 6 of SB 5784 was vetoed and the governor requested a pilot agreement between the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Yakama Nation). Several bills included implementation or administrative follow‑up tasks for agencies named in the respective measures.

Context and next steps: the ceremony was largely ceremonial—each bill description included the sponsor names cited by the governor; final implementation depends on agencies and local governments named in each law. Where the governor noted a partial veto, the affected section will not take effect unless later amended by the Legislature. Several bills call for agency rule‑making, program development or cooperative agreements, which will determine precise implementation timelines.

Speakers quoted in the ceremony appear in the transcript as ‘‘Governor’’ (unnamed) and two other attendees/participants who exchanged brief remarks and assisted with the ceremonial aspects of the event. Direct quotes in this report are attributed to the governor as spoken in the transcript.