Welcome to the 2024 Legislative Tracker for Washington State.
We want to help you follow important — and just interesting — proposals in Olympia this session.
We’ll continue updating this bill tracker throughout the session, which is scheduled to end on March 7. Feb. 13 is the deadline for this legislative session’s policy bills to pass out of their house of origin. Feb. 26 is the deadline for bills to pass out of the opposite house committee. March 1 is the deadline for bills not related to the budget to pass out of both houses.
We’ve color-coded each bill status to help you keep track of where measures stand: Green means the bill appears to be still alive. Yellow means its future is in question. Red means we believe the measure is dead for this year.
But beware of zombie bills 🧟 — legislation related to the budget does not have a deadline. That means that even if a bill appears dead, it could come back to life if lawmakers decide that it’s tied to the budget. Here’s the complete legislative deadline calendar.
If you notice we’re not tracking a bill that you think should be included, we want to hear from you! Send us the bill number and why you think it’s important in the form below. ⬇️
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In the weeks leading up to each election (and occasionally during the legislative session), Crosscut's Election newsletter will provide you with everything you need to know about races, candidates and policy in WA state.
Donna Gordon Blankinship
Frequently Asked Questions
This year’s legislative session begins Jan. 9 and is scheduled to end on April 23.
Feb. 17 is the last day to pass policy bills out of committee in their house of origin. Bills that concern the budget have longer deadlines. March 8 is the deadline for passing bills out of their house of origin. Then lawmakers have until March 29 to pass them out of committee in the other house and until April 12 to pass them out of the opposite house.
The final weeks of the session are supposed to be focused on the budget, differences between the houses and initiatives.
The pandemic upended plans for in-person constituent meetings so not every lawmaker will see you in the flesh. But you can still email, call or Zoom with your lawmaker.
You can find every legislator’s contact information to schedule a meeting here.
If you have no idea which legislative district you live in or who your lawmakers are — each district has two representatives and one senator — this map and the “district finder” will help.
If you want to testify for or against a piece of legislation, you can do so virtually, in person or in writing. First, figure out where the bill originates and register to testify with the appropriate House or Senate committee. You will find most of this information on each bill page and we do our best to include links to these pages in our stories. The House and Senate tip sheets to help you navigate the tech if you want to testify virtually.
You can also submit written testimony, or come to a hearing and sign up to testify in person. Find schedule information on the committee pages or on this daily meeting schedule page. Remote testimony registration closes one hour before the hearing's listed start time.
There’s parking all over the government campus, in lots and at meters. Here’s a map of the campus that includes parking information. The Capitol is also called the Legislative Building. Committee hearings are held in nearby buildings, but stop by the Capitol even if the House and Senate are not in session so you can see where the action happens and also visit the gift shop, which has some fun souvenirs. Outside the gift shop are some information racks. Look for the “how a bill becomes a law” comic book to bring home to your family.
Get familiar with the Washington State Legislature's website. The main page lists the day's schedule, including hearings and floor sessions.
The Legislature has a Bill Information page. The more you already know about the bill, the easier it will be to find. Here are some tips:
Search for bills by topic, by sponsor, by date of introduction and, of course, by bill number, if you already know it. All numbers for bills in the House of Representatives start with “HB,” and all numbers for those in the Senate start with “SB.”
Warning: Bill names and topic descriptions are often cryptic, so you may need to use your detective skills to find a specific bill. The bill numbers are listed on committee agendas, so if you know a bill is going to be heard soon, scan the committee agenda. If you can’t find a bill, call the committee staff listed on the committee page or call your lawmaker’s office for help. They are public employees, which means they work for you and will be glad to help.
Once you find the bill page you're interested in, you can see which committee the bill has been referred to, a detailed history of its progress and its current status in the Legislature. You can also click "comment on this bill" on the right to submit written comments to legislators.
The actual text of the bill isn’t always the best way to gain an understanding of its content and intent, but other documents on this page can help, including the “bill analysis” under “bill reports.”
Email News Editor Donna Blankinship or our state politics reporter Joseph O’Sullivan.
Have feedback for us on the ballot tracker? We want to hear what you think. Message digital content manager Madeline Happold.