[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6348152,"mediaKeyId","2243211-c93a17763262622ea364afac26fe9d53","parentId",2243211,"title","Senate Ways & Means advances six bills; substitutes and amendments adopted, weapons measure sent to Transportation","audioSeconds",277,"startMs",3490000,"endMs",3767000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2243211-c93a17763262622ea364afac26fe9d53&start=3490&end=3767","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2243211-c93a17763262622ea364afac26fe9d53/thumbnail_3490000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6348152/Washington/Senate-Ways-Means-advances-six-bills-substitutes-and-amendments-adopted-weapons-measure-sent-to-Transportation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6348152-224a8bd77cd8a8f6ae05be5a11c72173/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448109&Signature=ikmn2Zg5z94HPEcNOI0AAi1JqMI-6fimnD8TKlPTlKTHyqSs5oO7hCZ9eoRO1yWzHC24yk69zn2tI97cE1DWxRntrITlvXE1ZZA9OQeSNbJNdGIesooB4n1F52R~LQ37xBQu4k487bUSiM41~1x1Xt9xYgDG1FfBh6DT3~KAAzcApK-97f6BzlwSZ3aNyFfooKfFoGG3eAo-tsV~Vw8nHI648EDI8pRF3WjZxv0abX38KdbON-T2cQlj6bTwSqse7bLuyte71TN-AKf3c7s1DLzttVZArmpN-Snzf0oyqWSFZIR6gux~6gog3Ho5Hm0LtZCgn526Ii29j5Xvy0DFrw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Senate Ways & Means ","date","2025-02-06T00:00:00Z","article","The Washington State Senate Ways & Means Committee met in executive session and moved multiple bills forward. Committee members adopted proposed substitutes and amendments on several measures and voted to forward them to the Rules Committee. The committee also reported one substituted bill without recommendation to the Transportation Committee.

Key actions (voice votes):

- Substitute Senate Bill 5168 (eliminating the state actuary appointment committee and moving duties to the pension funding council): committee adopted a proposed substitute and voted to give the substitute a \"due pass\" recommendation and send it to the Rules Committee.

- Senate Bill 5306: the committee voted to give the bill a due pass recommendation and send it to the Rules Committee (the transcript records a voice vote; no roll-call tally was provided).

- Senate Bill 5252 (property tax exemption changes for nonprofit assembly halls; an amendment from Senator Robinson was adopted): the committee adopted the amendment, rolled it into a substitute and voted to give substitute SB 5252 a due pass recommendation to the Rules Committee.

- Senate Bill 5316 (technical and administrative changes to the Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act): the committee adopted an amendment sponsored by Senator Hasegawa, rolled the amendment into a substitute and voted to give substitute SB 5316 a due pass recommendation to the Rules Committee.

- Senate Bill 5431 (technical changes to state tax and revenue statutes identified by the Department of Revenue): the committee adopted an amendment sponsored by Senator Schussler, rolled it into a substitute and voted to give substitute SB 5431 a due pass recommendation to the Rules Committee.

- Substitute Senate Bill 5098 (restrictions on possession of weapons on premises of state or local public buildings, parks or playgrounds where children are likely to be present): the committee voted to report the substitute without recommendation to the Transportation Committee; staff noted a signage fiscal impact below one referral threshold but above another.

Why it matters: The committee's actions move these bills further along the legislative calendar and signal support for technical and administrative changes, property tax exemption adjustments and pension governance changes, while referring the weapons measure to Transportation for further consideration. The record shows voice votes and adoption of several amendments; the transcript did not include roll-call tallies or specific dissenting votes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Ways & Means - 2/6/2025 4:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","In executive session the committee adopted substitutes and amendments and recommended most bills be sent to the Rules Committee with a due-pass recommendation; substitute SB 5098 (weapons restrictions on public premises where children are present) was reported without recommendation to the Transportation Committee.","taxTitle","Ways & Means, Senate, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20513,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6348156,"Witnesses back SB 5297 to ease matching rules, add emergency grants for early learning facilities",600,2217000,2817000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2243211-c93a17763262622ea364afac26fe9d53&start=2217&end=2817","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2243211-c93a17763262622ea364afac26fe9d53/thumbnail_2217000.jpg","/articles/6348156/Washington/Witnesses-back-SB-5297-to-ease-matching-rules-add-emergency-grants-for-early-learning-facilities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6348156-c41e992e8ffaa7cd1dc606256953359e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448109&Signature=VwS7Xu6o-9ZTP6SvJEv9mmonvhbY4zQGIL3-j9o4Hnki9O8uViRarC23hAAJfyPVoa8z47~4KIZXKNeMeuZvqBkOOAZ5DzJrxJsPnmmMiyFSxQwZGujkMLWUxxL9PegOrEVxJ6p3JeWBTBkoOFvwof9SzIrcyZi093iz5w5sFSRn33ao2wDiMbiB3tqhjeNQYAh6T7XxVdCYeZrL5T30e5fVVZTKMzImSN5aDVvG8cqlzbxu8VT7hh3iiK3CM4X9Iok8MDR63lW4f8fixHozjrX9Naew26uKUNyxmvangXnMvGLGrpJbT4lVy9l3DXg~jHyjPoKLBxuXnqjscYvT8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Wendy Brown, staff to the Senate committee, opened the public hearing with a staff report on Senate Bill 5297, which would change the Early Learning Facilities (ELF) Grant and Loan Program administered by the Department of Commerce.

\"The Department of Commerce administers the Early Learning Facilities Program, which provides grants and loans to eligible organizations and school districts to plan, renovate, purchase and construct early learning facilities,\" Brown said. She summarized the bill's main changes: removing match requirements for applicants experiencing financial hardship, encouraging Commerce to leverage private and public matching funds when feasible, prohibiting Commerce from considering the level of project match when selecting projects for funding, expanding project eligibility for slot conversions, adding tribal compact schools as eligible recipients, and establishing an emergency grant program funded from the early learning facilities revolving account, subject to appropriation.

Witnesses supporting the bill described practical barriers created by current match rules and emergency needs that can take learning spaces offline. Bridal Hallock of Start Early Washington and the Early Learning Facilities Coalition told the committee the coalition informed provisions in the bill and highlighted facility emergencies such as flooding: one Spokane center reported approximately $120,000 in flood-related expenses, of which insurance covered about $90,000, leaving a $30,000 shortfall.

\"The top need that they found was flooding from broken pipes,\" Hallock said, giving examples of centers that faced long closures and large uninsured gaps.

Dave Pringle of the Department of Commerce described Commerce's experience administering the program. He said Commerce and its contracted public–private partnership have administered roughly $200,000,000 in grants over the last seven years and leveraged more than $350,000,000 in nonstate funds, and that Commerce administers a $20,000,000 loan pool through a CDFI collaboration that supported 13 new childcare facilities. Commerce's fiscal note estimated an impact to the general fund of $278,000 in the 2025–27 biennium and $434,000 over four years to set up the emergency grant program, run a solicitation for a contractor and complete an environmental justice assessment.

Julie Jerman Murray, founder and executive director of the Rosalie Murray Memorial Foundation, said her nonprofit is developing Birdie's Nest, a therapeutic childcare center in Spokane that would serve 48 children ages 3 to 6 with disabilities. She said construction costs are estimated at $2,500,000 and that current ELF matching requirements forced her to pledge personal savings via a promissory note during the predevelopment phase.

\"This project simply can't be completed on a reasonable timeline without investment from the ELF Fund,\" Jerman Murray said, adding that the bill's moderation of matching requirements would ease the burden on financially constrained providers.

Why it matters: Testimony emphasized both the capital scarcity facing childcare providers and the acute, sometimes-uninsurable shocks (flooding, system failures) that can close facilities for months. Proponents urged legislative changes to prioritize emergency grants and provide hardship-based match waivers so providers can keep facilities open or bring new capacity online.

Committee members asked Commerce staff and advocates about how match waivers would work in practice; Commerce said it uses match as a readiness tool but will work with stakeholders on implementation. No formal committee vote on SB 5297 occurred during the hearing.","Stakeholders, including Start Early Washington and childcare developers, told the Senate committee that Senate Bill 5297 would reduce barriers to facility projects by waiving match requirements for applicants in financial hardship and by establishing emergency grants; Commerce staff described likely startup costs in a fiscal note.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6348160,"Mercy Housing Northwest says rising insurance, nonpayment and land costs threaten affordable portfolio",950,1257000,2207000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2243211-c93a17763262622ea364afac26fe9d53&start=1257&end=2207","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2243211-c93a17763262622ea364afac26fe9d53/thumbnail_1257000.jpg","/articles/6348160/Washington/Mercy-Housing-Northwest-says-rising-insurance-nonpayment-and-land-costs-threaten-affordable-portfolio","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6348160-7bc1a599df1671c7dbcf892412fc939d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448109&Signature=aTdjQYPNWDJtnmazd942~67beI8CpusiYLkUJ~HVtp8e7hKEIPMBhVgDnRztQBzM4hkhVEa5hDtsCCiJtmAvpPzNvzUg5DkBZiMXZnOnhjYprXcdhnIeHtM17xANYIHn-kbAoXj7BWWStEhxf9JPLepBNVmiZ1yxAthE1-XeSeER1EOo4SG2Er16KHojo8tC~O8LU5VMB00r-p2T7G~GyqWXgzpsjzwoWaP3gp5Qto6OGOh5s0UHNuUd6lnQIlRIvM9y8zSzmn~UXqFe~iS70TuXixkyDjNN7eULGhUKnnJxIrfuJViv78duaC9ThI1gmT3ZPeC0jYlLiVNa86rxag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Joe Thompson, president of Mercy Housing Northwest, told the Senate committee he has spent 37 years working in affordable housing and described operations and development challenges that threaten the nonprofit's ability to deliver and maintain subsidized homes.

\"During those 37 years, I've never seen a greater need for affordable housing than today,\" Thompson said. He described an aging portfolio—about 60 percent of Mercy's Washington properties are more than 20 years old—and estimated roughly $15,000,000 in outstanding capital needs across that portfolio.

Thompson told senators that nonpayment of rent remains high following the pandemic and that Mercy is carrying more than $1,100,000 in tenant rent unpaid for more than 60 days. At the same time, operating costs have risen sharply; he cited property insurance hikes approaching 50 percent in recent years as an acute pressure.

On the development side, Thompson said Washington needs nearly 650,000 affordable homes below 60 percent of area median income over the next 20 years and that funding programs are oversubscribed. Mercy reported a development pipeline of nearly 1,700 new units targeting families and special-needs populations, but Thompson argued that state funding must be increased and more flexible to respond to higher per-unit and per-project costs.

He urged changes to the Housing Trust Fund's funding rules: eliminate the current per-project cap (which he said has been $5,000,000 for a single project), consider per-bedroom rather than per-unit caps so larger family units are funded appropriately, and balance funding between preservation of existing affordable stock and new construction.

Thompson also described operational strain from nonpayment and rising costs that have pushed some organizations into the red for the first time. \"We currently have over $1,100,000 in nonpayment of tenant rent that is over 60 days past due,\" he said, and added that insurance and other operating cost increases have squeezed margins.

Despite those challenges, Thompson highlighted resident services results such as Mercy Scholars, a youth-focused program at some properties that he said improved high school graduation rates at one farmworker property to 98 percent after program investments.

Why it matters: Mercy Housing Northwest asked the committee to consider higher, more flexible per-unit funding levels in the state Housing Trust Fund and targeted preservation dollars to keep a large, aging subsidized portfolio viable while also supporting new units where shortages are greatest.

The presentation was followed by questions from senators about Mercy's geographic focus and willingness to pursue projects in eastern Washington; Thompson said Mercy currently concentrates in western counties and has transferred eastern holdings to local operators in several communities.","Mercy Housing Northwest President Joe Thompson told the Senate committee the organization faces large capital needs in an aging portfolio, rising operating costs and tenant nonpayment; he urged increased and more flexible Housing Trust Fund funding and changes to per-project funding limits to support both preservation and new construction.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6348165,"DSHS tells Senate committee housing shortages push seniors and people with disabilities into costlier care settings",930,316000,1246000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2243211-c93a17763262622ea364afac26fe9d53&start=316&end=1246","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2243211-c93a17763262622ea364afac26fe9d53/thumbnail_316000.jpg","/articles/6348165/Washington/DSHS-tells-Senate-committee-housing-shortages-push-seniors-and-people-with-disabilities-into-costlier-care-settings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6348165-71261a9226e9fe4ddd7e2df6fb658580/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448109&Signature=kos00PqLfbeMTpEVuemZW5UG4yPIy-bM42z6B8IebveKLvFXtfutt8lu059Dq6TFpiptTifZ3h37Hw6-VE1-4lPyu7KrqGSbXPbG45If7EAQra3S04l1-iehHq8~4utCu6RINcQ5y4-5zHXg4ZX6bs9Veu3CS2sdJ-8kBx8uwCEDiOv1fsN-cNz-~L~kCMlxYl96lHGfbtNtD7tNWpck-Pb4IR8n5S20AkMTEDjaz8PIWzlDf2fBSSnh1uIa3hVX7XBS7bsguNtxUuC5VynmHgD~agQBsQNrBq3AmsKw5W7k~z~XPJiN~wAp6kPU0ppDhJZnHjAQMfSXNsUI54tMaw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bea Rector, assistant secretary for the Aging and Long Term Support Administration at the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, told the Senate committee that DSHS does not focus exclusively on housing but increasingly must intervene because many of the clients it serves—older adults and people with disabilities—cannot compete with market rents.

\"We are not an agency that focuses specifically on housing,\" Rector said, adding that DSHS uses limited legislative funding and federal dollars where available to wrap services around people so they can remain in the community.

Rector told senators the agency relies on three pillars to keep clients housed: financial assistance, physical housing and supports for activities of daily living. She said about 64 percent of Medicaid clients served by her administration live in their own homes or the homes of a loved one, and that a growing share has moved into community residential settings such as adult family homes and assisted living because those placements can be less costly to state budgets.

The Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) reported severe affordability pressures. DDA staff said a 2022 legislative study estimated roughly 37,000 Washingtonians with intellectual disabilities have unmet housing needs, including about 10,000 living independently and roughly 26,000 living with aging caregivers. Since the Housing Trust Fund set-aside began, DDA and Commerce awarded $44,000,000 for developer set-aside units, producing about 1,600 set-aside homes, the agency said.

\"This information comes from our DDA assessment data where the client self identifies or the family self identifies,\" Chris Peterson of DDA said when senators asked whether DDA counts people as homeless based on self-reporting. Peterson said that self-reporting can include couch surfing, temporary stays with friends or family, use of shelters or other informal housing arrangements.

Rector said Aging and Long Term Support Administration has roughly $24,000,000 in dedicated housing-related funding in the current biennium and that a disproportionate number of older adults experiencing homelessness are ages 65 and older—one cohort that has doubled in percentage terms according to agency data. She warned that when people enter adult family homes or assisted living, the public cost can increase because room and board portions are capped and general fund dollars pick up the remainder.

Department of Social and Health Services speakers recommended several policy directions: expanding rental subsidies or bridge subsidies that temporarily cover the gap between what an individual can afford and market rent; increasing tenancy supports, including legal assistance and ombuds services to prevent inappropriate evictions; prioritizing home modifications and assistive technology; and expanding Housing Trust Fund set-asides for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The Economic Services Administration (ESA), which runs benefit programs including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), presented data showing persistent housing insecurity among families served by TANF—about 14 percent were recorded as homeless in ESA reporting. ESA staff described two refugee- and immigrant-focused housing programs: a Refugee Housing Stabilization Services Grant (federally funded at $18,000,000 for the recent period) that made one-time payments to landlords or utility providers and reportedly reached about 7,600 people between June and December 2024 while dispersing roughly $6,000,000 in rental assistance; and the Washington Migrant and Asylum Seeker Support Project, which uses a hub-and-spoke model and dedicates about 40 percent of its funds to housing assistance.

Why it matters: DSHS officials said the mismatch between fixed incomes for many older adults and people with disabilities and rising housing costs is driving placements into institutional or residential settings that can be costlier to the state. They told the committee that modest state investments in subsidies, legal support and interagency coordination could avert higher long-term costs and keep vulnerable people in less restrictive settings.

DSHS presenters answered senators' questions about demographics, the nature of self-reported homelessness and program limits; committee members pressed for clearer definitions and further data.

The committee did not take formal action during the presentation; witnesses asked the panel to consider funding and statutory changes discussed in their testimony.","Department of Social and Health Services officials told the Senate committee that rising housing costs and limited affordable options are increasing homelessness among seniors and people with disabilities and driving some into residential care; agency staff urged targeted subsidies, legal supports and interagency coordination.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate Ways & Means advances six bills; substitutes and amendments adopted, weapons measure sent to Transportation

Witnesses back SB 5297 to ease matching rules, add emergency grants for early learning facilities

Mercy Housing Northwest says rising insurance, nonpayment and land costs threaten affordable portfolio

DSHS tells Senate committee housing shortages push seniors and people with disabilities into costlier care settings