The Washington State Legislature wrapped up its 2025 legislative session in April, and Governor Bob Ferguson has been busy signing bills into law. You may recognize some of these bills from our bill tracker, and some might be new to you, but take a gander to find out what’s changing in Washington.
Workers’ rights
Concerning unemployment insurance benefits for striking or lockout workers.
Sponsor: Sen. Marcus Riccelli (D-Spokane)
Bill Cosponsors: Conway, Hasegawa, Saldaña, Salomon, Stanford, Dhingra, Nobles, Trudeau, Valdez, Bateman, Lovelett, Cleveland, Frame, Orwall, Pedersen, Slatter, Wellman, Wilson, C.
The new law allows people unemployed due to a labor strike to receive up to six weeks of unemployment insurance benefits after a qualifying strike or lockout, which is when unionized workers boycott their shifts to convince employers to grant them demands. Benefits would start 15 to 21 days after the strike begins, depending on what day the strike starts. If the contract is resolved before that time, no benefits would be issued.
The bill also requires the state Employment Security Department to produce an annual report on the number of strikes that happen in Washington and the impact of strikes on the unemployment insurance trust fund. A sunset clause requires state lawmakers to review the policy in 2036 and decide whether to extend the law or let it expire.
Effective date 7/27/2025.
Protecting employees from coercion in the workplace based on immigration status.
Bill Sponsor: Sen. Bob Hasegawa, D-11
Bill Cosponsors: Bateman, Conway, Nobles, Saldaña, Stanford, Valdez, Wellman, Wilson, C.
The bill requires the state’s Department of Labor and Industries to investigate complaints of coercion and would allow the agency to impose civil penalties against employers when violations occur. During the complaint process, when a worker files a complaint, the department will notify the employer. Language in the bill was added to make a worker’s personal information confidential to anyone other than the department and the employee.
Effective date 7/1/2025.
Pregnancy loss gets a reprieve
Concerning dignity in pregnancy loss.
Bill Sponsor: Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-45
Bill Cosponsors: Wellman, Cleveland, Bateman, Pedersen, Wilson, C., Hasegawa, Liias, Nobles, Salomon, Slatter, Stanford, Valdez
The law removes coroners’ and medical examiners’ jurisdiction over cases involving miscarriages, stillbirths or abortions unless other criminal circumstances — like violence or homicide — were involved. It also ensures pregnancy loss isn’t subject to unwarranted legal scrutiny. The bill repeals a century-old law that critics argue could be used to criminalize individuals who experience an abortion, miscarriage or stillbirth.
Effective date 7/27/2025.
Clarifying hate crimes
Clarifying a hate crime offense.
Bill Sponsor: Rep. Cindy Ryu, D-32
Bill Cosponsors: Ryu, Ramel, Leavitt, Berry, Taylor, Reed, Thai, Obras, Macri, Cortes, Callan, Parshley, Fosse, Gregerson, Goodman, Pollet, Kloba, Berg, Davis, Ormsby, Salahuddin, Reeves, Hill
The new law aims to clear confusion caused by the existing language in RCW 9A.36.080, which defines a hate crime as one committed “because of” a victim’s identity. Jurors have grappled with whether a defendant’s bias needs to be the sole motive behind the crime or just one factor. The uncertainty has led to “not guilty” verdicts in cases where bias was one of several motives. The new law adds the phrase “in whole or in part” in front of “because of.” The goal is to make it clearer that hate crimes can be charged even if bias is just one factor behind the offense.
In 2023, Governor Jay Inslee signed ESB 5623, reclassifying hate crimes as crimes against persons and allowing for community or therapeutic treatment in addition to jail time. It also expanded the definition of hate crimes to include assaults that do not result in physical injury.
Effective date 7/27/2025
Farmer compensation
Concerning compensation in frontier counties for deer and elk damage.
Bill Sponsor: Shelly Short, R-Addy
Bill Cosponsors: Chapman, Dozier, Wagoner, Warnick
The law allocates a minimum of 20% of available funds specifically for claims of crop damage from elk and deer arising from frontier one counties — areas with a population density of 20 people or fewer per square mile. To be eligible for compensation, commercial crop owners must have grown or produced agricultural products valued at more than $10,000 in the previous year or be in their first year of agricultural production. They must also show efforts to prevent wildlife damage. Compensation for claims will only be issued if the assessed damage equals or exceeds $1,000, according to guidelines set by the Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission.
As of 2024, the designated frontier one counties include Pend Oreille, Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan, Lincoln, Adams, Columbia, Garfield, Klickitat, Skamania, Jefferson and Wahkiakum.
Effective date 7/27/2025.
Immigrants’ rights
Concerning private detention facilities.
Bill Sponsor: Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self, D-Mukilteo
Bill Cosponsors: Sponsors: Fey, Reed, Ramel, Leavitt, Mena, Macri, Callan, Farivar, Gregerson, Simmons, Peterson, Wylie, Ormsby, Fosse, Hill
The law paves the way for the state’s Department of Health to inspect the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma and enforce compliance with state and federal laws there. It establishes added standards for such facilities in areas like medical care, sanitation and ventilation, along with new safeguards against abuse.
The bill also expands the definition of private detention facilities to include those run by nonprofit organizations after The GEO Group, a for-profit company which runs the Tacoma facility, claimed to be singled out under existing law. The nonprofit Martin Hall Juvenile Detention Facility, near Spokane, is included under the new law.
State lawmakers have been calling for more transparency at the for-profit immigrant detention center in Tacoma. Previous efforts have landed the state in court battles with The GEO Group.
Effective date 5/12/2025.
Immigration enforcement
Declaring civil immigration enforcement as unprofessional conduct of bail bond recovery agents.
Bill Sponsor: Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma
Bill Cosponsors: Torres, Hasegawa, Nobles, Valdez, Wilson, C.
The law expands the list of unprofessional conduct for bail bond agents to include enforcement of a civil immigration warrant. The Department of Licensing could take disciplinary action against agents found to be in violation.
Bail bond agents already largely lacked the authority to get involved in immigration issues. The law aims to provide clarification about those boundaries and the penalties for crossing them. It would also prevent agents from sharing a defendant’s immigration status with anyone outside their business.
Effective date 7/27/202.
Right to Repair
Establishing a right to repair mobility equipment for persons with physical disabilities.
Bill Sponsor: Sen. Drew Hansen, D-Bainbridge Island
Bill Cosponsors: Frame, Hasegawa, Lovelett, Short, Stanford, Valdez
The goal of the law is to aid wheelchair users, ensuring they and independent repair shops have access to parts, tools, and information needed to keep their equipment working. Many repairs that wheelchair users need involve fixes such as batteries, wheels, joysticks and bearings. Currently, a lack of access to tools and information limits repair options, causing service delays that can drag on for weeks or even months. This can become a quality of life issue and even cause health problems for wheelchair users.
The bill makes Washington the eighth state in the country with a Right to Repair law.
Effective date 7/27/2025.
Supporting the servicing and right to repair of certain products with digital electronics in a secure and reliable manner to increase access and affordability for Washingtonians.
Bill Sponsor: Mia Gregerson, D-33
Bill Cosponsors: Reeves, Wylie, Berry, Doglio, Fitzgibbon, Davis, Reed, Ramel, Bergquist, Peterson, Macri, Fosse, Ormsby, Hill, Simmons
Currently, manufacturers can restrict access to the tools, parts, and information needed for consumers in Washington to fix electronic devices and household appliances. When devices can’t be fixed, consumers are often left with no other option but to pay high prices for repair or replacement of the item, which adds to e-waste issues. The Right to Repair looks to ban these restrictions, make repair more affordable and accessible for Washingtonians and reduce electronic waste.The law also requires manufacturers to make documentation, tools and parts needed for diagnostics and maintenance available to independent repair businesses.
Effective date 7/27/2025.
Sophia Mattice-Aldous is a Murrow News fellow working directly with newsrooms at The Newport Miner and RANGE Media through a program administered by Washington State University. Her reporting is available for use via Creative Commons with credit.
