Review of the 2024 Legislative Session
Democrats tried to let sex offenders off community supervision, reduce prison sentences for dangerous offenders, shut down rural hospitals if they didn’t want to provide sex-change surgeries or abortions, and give the governor power to decertify elected sheriffs.
If you think that’s bad, there’s more:
Bad Democrat Bills Passed
HB 1589 Paves the way to a natural gas ban starting with Puget Sound Energy customers, which number 900,000. They will be forced to electrify their homes to the tune of $30K-$74K in the near future if Initiative 2117 does not pass or
SB6058 Further links WA’s costly carbon tax market to California and Quebec.
SB 5444 Expands Gun-free zones to many new places including zoos and parks (making it illegal for citizens to defend themselves from criminals who pay no attention to gun-free zones.)
SB 6063 Removes the “persistent offender” label from juveniles and requires re-sentencing
SB 5917 Expands the definition of a “hate crime.” Conflicts with the 1st amendment.
SB 5778 Restricts employer speech on political and religious matters, blatantly anti-first amendment.
Good Republican Bills Killed by Democrats
SB 5010 Would have added Fentanyl to the childhood endangerment laws
SB 5387 Would have provided property tax and rental relief, first $250K exemption and give renters a tax credit.
HB 1365 Would have helped clean up the Puget Sound and raw sewage spill prevention
Bad Democrat Bills killed by Republicans and the public
SB 5770 Would have tripled the property tax growth rate and sharply raising rental prices.
HB 2030 Would have restored rights to dangerous felons, including Green River Killer Gary Ridgway.
HB 2078 Would have let sex offenders off of community supervision.
HB 2001 Would have reduced prison sentences for dangerous and violent offenders.
HB 5241 Would have forced rural hospitals to provide gender-affirming care and abortion or be shut down.
HB 2027 Would have allowed the governor to decertify and essentially fire elected County Sheriffs
HB 1868 Would have banned gas-powered lawn equipment (mowers, etc.) by 2026. Use would be punishable by jail time.
Note These bills will be back next year. Democrats don’t give up that easily. That’s why we need more Republicans!
Overview
Six people’s initiatives dominated the flow of the session. Democrats initially refused to hear all of them, defying the state constitution saying they should be a priority to everything else, save the budget (Amendment 7, Article 1, Section 1). Eventually , the Democrats caved on 3 of the 6, while ignoring the other three, which will be on the November ballot.
Republicans were successful at killing some of the terrible legislation from Democrats, including sharply raising property taxes and rent and a bill that would have ended rural hospitals as we know them.
Republicans successfully got some key legislation into law and stopped new tax increases in 2024. On the other hand, other critical legislation from republicans, like adding Fentanyl to child endangerment laws, were blocked by Democrats.
Republican Wins/Republican Bills Passed
Initiative 2113 Restores police vehicular pursuits of criminals, repeals Democrats’ anti-public-safety law (HB 1054 in 2021) that law enforcement said was the key factor in a huge spike in crime.
Initiative 2111 Enshrines state law making income taxes illegal in WA, (WA Supreme Court goes against 49 states and the IRS in calling capital gains an excise tax.)
Initiative 2081 Establishes a Parental Bill of Rights in public education, transparency in education.
The 2024 Operating budget had no new taxes. A major Republican win.
The 2024 Capital Budget prioritized school construction and repairs, especially in Eastern WA.
SB 5886 Provides more firefighter safety state funding
HB1941 Provides home health services to Medicaid-eligible children with complex medical issues
SB 6238 More property tax exemptions for widows and widowers of honorably discharged veterans.
SB 5891 Makes trespassing on a public school bus a felony.
SB 5906 Implements a statewide drug overdose prevention and education program.
SB 6099 Creates a statewide tribal opioid prevention treatment account
SB 5792 Cuts red tape for building multiunit residential buildings
SB 6047 Adds more transparency to executive sessions held by publicly owned natural gas utilities
SB 5647 Provides school safety training for temporary employees
SB 6234 State screening for infants for branched-chain ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase deficiency
SB 5852 Added funds for the special education safety net.