Retirement & Health Benefits - April 18, 2025

This week’s report is short. As the legislative chambers bounce bills back and forth in order to achieve final passages/agreements, battle over proposed revenue bills and await the mysterious, (soon to appear?) budget. Much is in play.

Governor Action Bills

Below is a short list of bills that have made or will make it to the Governor for his action. At this point, letters to his office outlining concerns or advocating support is the only option available for potential influence on the success or failure of a bill.

The address to address a desired action by the Governor is:

Email the Governor
or call 1-800-833-6384 or 360-902-4111.
Other contact information would be Sahar.fathi@gov.wa.gov

1. HB 5478: Concerning benefits authorized to be offered by the public employees’ benefits board. This bill would allow HCA to the following employee-paid, voluntary benefit plans: 39 (a) Emergency transportation; (b) Identity protection © Legal aid; (d) Long-term care insurance; (e) Noncommercial personal automobile insurance; (f) Personal homeowner’s or renter’s insurance; (g) Pet insurance; (h) Specified disease or illness-triggered fixed payment insurance, hospital confinement fixed payment insurance, (i) Travel insurance.

   This bill passed both Houses and will be sent to the Governor for action.

2. HB 1936: Extending the expiration of certain school employee postretirement employment restrictions to 2027.

   The bill passed both Houses and will be sent to the Governor for action.

Bills with Fiscal Impact /Costs:

1. E2SHB 1213: Expanding protections for workers in the state paid family and medical leave program.

   This second substitute House bill extends employment protection rights and coverage protections in the Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Program.

   It passed both Houses and will be sent to the Governor for action.

2. HB 1270: Concerning automatic deferred compensation enrollment for county, municipal, and other political subdivision employees.

   This bill allows local governments to automatically enroll new employees in Deferred Compensation Programs.

   This bill passed both Houses and will be sent to the Governor for action.

3. SHB 1308: Concerning access to personnel records.

   This bill requires a private employer (including school districts) to provide an employee or former employee with a copy of the employee’s personnel file within 21 calendar days of a request, and a public employer to do so in accordance with the Public Records Act.

   • Requires a private employer to provide to a former employee, upon written request, a statement of the employee’s discharge date and reasons, if any, for the discharge.
   • Allows a private cause of action by an employee or former employee against a private employer for violations of the requirements to provide a copy of a personnel file and a written discharge statement.
   
   

   It passed both Houses and will be sent to the Governor.

2SHB 1524: Concerning workplace standards and requirements applicable to employers of isolated employees.

This bill passed both Houses has been sent to the Governor for signature.

3. 2SHB 1788: Concerning workers’ compensation benefits. This bill modifies/increases the percentages of wages an injured worker, particularly those unmarried with children, may receive for workers’ compensation benefits.

   The bill passed both Houses and will be sent to the Governor for action.

4. ESHB 1875: Allowing the use of paid sick leave to prepare for or participate in certain immigration proceedings.

   The bill passed both Houses and will be sent to the Governor for action.

5. HB 1934: Concerning the disclosure of information pertaining to complainants, accusers, and witnesses in an employment investigation.

   This bill amends the Public Records Act by requiring employee images, agency job titles, email addresses, and phone numbers be redacted in workplace investigations of discrimination or harassment, except that the names and titles of elected officials are not redacted if they are the complainants. It requires that alteration of employee voices on audio recorded during the investigation retains inflection and tone.

   It has passed both Houses and is awaiting action from the Governor.

6. ESSB 5041: An act relating to unemployment insurance benefits for striking or lockout workers.

   This bill passed both Houses and will be sent to the Governor for action.

7. SSB 5101: Expanding access to leave and safety accommodations to include workers who are victims of hate crimes or bias incidents.

   This bill passed both Houses and will be sent to the Governor for action.

8. ESSB 5291: Implementing the recommendations of the long-term services and supports trust commission.

   The bill passed both Houses and will be sent to the Governor for action.

Fred Yancey

The Nexus Group LLC