On May 21, 2019, Gov. Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5861.

The bill extends respectful workplace code of conduct provisions to all members of the legislative community.

Effective July 28, 2019, Senate Bill 5861 requires The Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate to develop a training course based on the legislative code of conduct and any policies adopted by either chamber.

Lobbyists will be required to attest to reading and completing the training course when filing a lobbyist registration statement with the Public Disclosure Commission.

Lobbyists currently registered are required to update registration materials to include the attestation by December 31, 2019.

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Gov. Jay Inslee partially vetoed and signed into law a bill addressing campaign finance reporting and enforcement requirements.

The governor vetoed provisions in House Bill 2938 relating to independent expenditure reporting and special reporting requirements for large contributors.

Signed into law are provisions in the bill limiting the attorney general’s enforcement jurisdiction to matters referred from the Public Disclosure Commission, as well as provisions amending filing procedures for citizen’s enforcement actions.

The law takes effect June 7, 2018.

The Washington State Legislature adjourned sine die on March 8.

House Bill 2938, which increases penalties for campaign finance violations, and Senate Bill 5991, which requires nonprofit organizations that participate in political campaigns to file organizational statements and periodic disclosure statements, have passed both chambers are on the governor’s desk.

Gov. Jay Inslee has 20 days from the days he received these bills to sign or veto the bills.

On July 20, the Washington Legislature adjourned its third special session sine die.

Lawmakers were unable to reach agreement on a budget bill due to negotiations breaking down on a water-rights bill that was tied to the budget.

Gov. Jay Inslee indicated that he would not call lawmakers back for another overtime session unless they have a firm plan that will lead to a vote on the capital budget.

On June 21, the Washington Legislature adjourned its second special session sine die.

Lawmakers were unable to reach agreement on a budget bill during the session forcing Gov. Jay Inslee to call for another special session to start immediately after adjournment.

A two-year operating budget needs signed into law by June 30 or the state faces a partial government shutdown.

On May 23, the Washington Legislature adjourned its first special session sine die.

Lawmakers were unable to reach agreement on a budget bill during the session forcing Gov. Jay Inslee to call for a second 30-day special session to start immediately after adjournment.

A two-year operating budget needs signed into law by June 30 or the state faces a partial government shutdown.

Governor Jay Inslee has signed a bill into law increasing disclosure in political advertising. Senate Bill 5258 was passed by the Washington State Legislature and delivered to the governor on April 23.

The bill requires a series of political advertisements supporting or opposing ballot measures sponsored by the same political committee, each of which is under $1,000, to include information on the advertisement’s top five contributors once the cumulative value of the advertisements reaches $1,000. Under the current law, information on the top five contributors is only required for individual advertisements in excess of $1,000.

This law will take effect on July 28, 2013, but with the first state elections not due to take place until 2014, we will probably not see how big of an impact this new disclosure requirement will have.