Dear friends and neighbors,
We have been working hard on policies to improve Washingtonian’s lives and we’re now more than halfway through the 2025 legislative session! As we have done for many years, your 40th District legislative team will be holding a town hall this weekend to meet with you and answer your questions about our work in Olympia. I hope you can join Rep Debra Lekanoff, Rep Alex Ramel, and myself this Saturday, March 15, from 11 a.m. to noon at the Mt. Vernon Library Commons.
Bills on the move
Today we passed one of the major “cutoffs” of the 105-day session, where bills must pass their chamber of origin to stay alive. Here are a few of my bills that passed the Senate and now move to the House of Representatives for consideration.
SB 5284, the Recycling Reform Act, would modernize Washington state’s recycling system by creating a producer responsibility program to require manufacturers and consumer brands to reduce unnecessary packaging, fund statewide collection services, and ensure materials put in curbside bins are recycled. I’m really excited about this opportunity to reduce pollution, improve recycling rates, and divert materials away from landfills. Nearly 500,000 Washington households who don’t have any service will have access to curbside recycling once adopted! You can read coverage of the bill’s passage here and you can watch my floor remarks here.
SB 5559 would create more affordable housing in communities across Washington by improving the subdivision process so it’s easier to sell smaller footprint lots for ADUs and other housing. With home ownership out of reach for many families, this tool will complement our Middle Housing policies to create more opportunities for people to build equity and economic prosperity.
SB 5576 would give local governments new revenue options to fund affordable housing and community services by allowing counties or cities to adopt a four percent excise tax on short-term rental lodging. In committee, we found language to exempt folks that are helping make ends meet by renting out a room in their home. This is another tool to address our housing gaps, especially in areas of the state where seasonal tourism drives up demand for vacation homes, which in turn reduces the availability of long-term rentals for local residents.
Thanks for taking the time to read my newsletter and I hope to see you on Saturday at the town hall! Follow me on Facebook and Instagram for more updates throughout the session.
Best,
Sen. Liz Lovelett
