Dear friends and neighbors,

The Legislature worked hard in the 2025 session to improve consumer protections – and with good results! Several new laws will strengthen safeguards for people in Washington, including new “right to repair” laws, banning medical debt from credit scores, and new protections for property owners.

Strengthening consumer protections and safeguards

  • HB 1483 requires electronics manufactures to give independent repair providers and owners access to parts, tools, and repair information for their electronic devices. Consumers face high costs when repairing their digital electronics in part because manufacturers restrict access to repair parts, tools, and documentation. These restrictions push users to replace, rather than repair, otherwise fixable electronic devices, stifling small independent repair businesses and worsening our e-waste crisis. The “right to repair” law will encourage a new generation of small business owners to specialize in electronics repair, bringing down repair costs, making used and refurbished electronics more affordable, and reducing e-waste.

  • SB 5680 requires manufacturers of mobility devices like wheelchairs make the information and tools intended for use with the equipment available to any independent repair provider and owner allowing users of mobility aid devices to fix and maintain their device more easily. The legislation specifies that the manufacturer is not liable for any damage caused by independent repair providers or the owner unless that damage is attributable to design or manufacturing defects.
  • SB 5480 removes medical debt from credit score reporting in Washington, protecting people from financial harm after medical emergencies. A poor credit score can block access to housing, transportation, or employment. A study from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society found that 6 in 10 Washingtonians couldn’t afford an unexpected $500 medical bill, and nearly 1 in 3 live in a household with medical debt — even with insurance.
  • HB 1081 ensures property owners have a right to appraisal at the expense of the potential buyer when corporations solicit the sale of real estate.
  • SB 5721 requires auto insurance policies to have a right-to-appraisal provision, so insurers and consumers can reach a fair and timely agreement on the cost of a damaged vehicle’s loss.
  • HB 1209 places restrictions on the sale and shipment of sodium nitrite products and imposes civil penalties on those in violation. The bill is called “Tyler’s Law,” named for a young person who died after using this lethal product, which had been advertised online as a suicide aid.
  • SB 5291 updates the WA Cares program by adding safeguards, such as prohibiting withdrawals by out-of-state participants and exempting active-duty military members. It also sets standards for supplemental insurance coverage.
  • SB 5528 ensures electric vehicle charging stations at state-owned facilities are installed by workers certified through nationally recognized programs, improving safety and reliability.
  • HB 1874 requires cosmetology programs to include training on textured hair, promoting equity in the beauty industry and ensuring all clients receive informed, respectful care.
  • HB 1023 allows multi-state professional licensing, so workers, especially military spouses, can practice across state lines without repeating licensing processes.
  • SB 5628 protects consumers from lead contamination by establishing a threshold for lead cookware at 90 parts per million beginning January 1, 2026, and 10 parts per million beginning January 1, 2028. These restrictions do not apply to the internal elements of electronic cooking devices.
  • SB 5651 ensures people facing wage garnishment can keep a modest amount in their bank account, helping them cover essentials instead of falling deeper into poverty and reducing reliance on public services. The bill increases the exemption from $2,000 to $5,000, in line with other states, reflecting rising costs for food, housing, and other necessities.
  • SB 5122 ensures documents already shared with federal oversight agencies are also made available to the state attorney general to support decisions on antitrust enforcement.

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter. If you missed my newsletters on public education, housing, community projects, transportation, environmental protections, LGBTQ rights, public safety, or worker protections, they are available on my website. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions at Jamie.Pedersen@leg.wa.gov.

Best wishes,

Jamie