My Bill Passes the House; Upcoming Town Hall and Bills to Watch

Legislative update from Representative Mike Steele

information released

Dear Friends and Neighbors: The 2025 session has been a busy one—filled with policy discussions, budget debates, and a multitude of legislative proposals. As the first year of Washington’s two-year cycle, known as the “budget” session, this is the longer, four-month session where lawmakers craft the state’s biennial budgets and take up a broad range of policy issues. With a scheduled adjournment date of April 27, the Legislature operates under a series of deadlines designed to keep the process moving.

We’ve already reached a key milestone: the Policy Committee Cutoff on Feb. 21 By this deadline, bills had to be approved by their respective policy committees to advance, except those assigned to fiscal committees. Now, attention turns to the next major deadline—Fiscal Committee Cutoff on Feb. 28—when bills in committees such as Finance and Transportation must be voted out to remain under consideration.

All of this leads up to the House of Origin Cutoff on March 12 at 5 p.m. By then, any bill that hasn’t passed out of its chamber of origin will be considered dead for the session. These deadlines help keep the Legislature on track to complete its work on time. However, it is important to point out that bills deemed “necessary to implement the budget” (NTIB) remain active beyond these deadlines and can be brought forward at any time.

Expanding retirement benefits for volunteer firefighters

I’m pleased to share that the House recently passed my bill to expand eligibility for volunteer firefighters to participate in the Washington State Deferred Compensation Program. House Bill 1156 is an important step toward providing stability for those who dedicate their time and efforts to protecting our communities.

Volunteer firefighters put their lives on the line to keep us safe, yet they have not had access to the same retirement savings tools available to other public servants. HB 1156 officially recognizes them as employees under the state’s deferred compensation program, making them eligible to participate in a retirement savings plan. This would allow them to set aside a portion of their earnings for the future under federal savings guidelines, with investment options managed by the state.

HB 1156 now moves to the Senate for further consideration.

Read more here: House approves Rep. Mike Steele’s bill expanding retirement savings options for volunteer firefighters

Join us for a 12th District Virtual Town Hall

With so many important policy decisions being made in Olympia, it’s more important than ever to hear directly from the people of the 12th District about their top concerns. I invite you to join us for a 12th District Virtual Town Hall hosted by Sen. Keith Goehner, me, Rep. Mike Steele, and Rep. Brian Burnett to share your thoughts and ask questions.

• When: Thursday, March 20, 2025
• Time: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
• Register here

I hope you’ll take this opportunity to engage in the legislative process—we look forward to hearing from you!

Notable bills to watch

I want to take a moment to highlight a few bills moving through the Legislature this session that may raise concerns. I’ve included links to help you find more information on these bills.

House Bill 1458 seeks to add new mandates on construction projects that would increase housing costs and slow development. It requires builders to meet strict carbon reduction targets, adding costly compliance requirements, excessive government oversight, and a new state-run database that creates unnecessary red tape. At a time when Washington is struggling with a housing crisis, we should be working to expand development, not making it more expensive and difficult.

• HB 1458 was recently heard in the Capital Budget Committee, where I serve as ranking member. You can find more information on House Bill 1458 here and watch the video replay of the hearing that took place this week.

House Bill 1921 would impose a road usage charge, essentially creating a double tax on drivers. This bill charges Washingtonians 2.6 cents per mile for road maintenance while siphoning off additional funds for rail, bike lanes, and public transit. It’s a costly program that places yet another financial burden on drivers. For more information on this proposal, click here.

House Bill 1607 would create a complicated and costly recycling refund program for beverage containers. This bill forces producers to implement a 10-cent deposit system, ultimately raising prices for consumers and imposing new compliance costs on businesses. Washington already has effective local recycling programs—this bill adds layers of bureaucracy without solving the real issues.

Staying informed and making an impact

Many people ask me how they can stay informed about policy proposals they may find concerning. To help with this, House Republicans have launched a Stop Bad Bills page, which provides detailed information, news articles, and videos explaining the potential impacts of certain proposals on Washington.

I encourage you to explore the information on each bill—some you may agree with, while others you may not, and I understand. Regardless, staying informed is always valuable. After the House of Origin cutoff, the site will distinguish between bills still moving forward and those that did not advance, while keeping all bills accessible for reference and sharing.

In addition to learning more, I invite you to take the survey or share your story about how a particular bill has affected you or your family. Your experiences and feedback are powerful tools in shaping policy discussions and ensuring lawmakers understand these proposals’ real-world impact.

Fix Washington: Solutions

The next question I often hear is: What are you doing to offer solutions? My colleagues and I are committed to advocating for better policies while also putting forward meaningful solutions through our Fix Washington agenda. We’ve introduced several bills aimed at addressing some of the state’s biggest challenges. I encourage you to visit the website to learn more about the legislation proposed this session and the ideas we’re working on to make a difference.

Grateful for your engagement and encouragement

Thank you for the many emails, phone calls, and visits to my office—your engagement and encouragement mean a great deal to me. Hearing from you and knowing that so many of you are standing up for the values and priorities of the 12th District keeps me motivated every day. I am committed to fighting for policies that support our communities, strengthen our economy, and keep Washington a great place to live and work.

Your voice makes a difference, and I am grateful to represent and serve you.

Sincerely,

Mike Steele