Week of February 1st: Legislative Update

Welcome to our weekly legislative update. The session continues to move along at an often unpredictable pace, and we will continue to do our best to keep you informed on where our priority legislation sits in the process.


Quick Bill Status Update

HB 1099 (GMA Climate Bill) – Passed out of the House Environment and Energy Committee on Friday, January 29th, and has been referred to the Appropriations Committee.

HB 1220 (GMA Housing Bill) – Committee hearing on Wednesday, January 27th. We hope to see this bill pass out of committee within a few weeks.

SB 5042 (GMA Vesting Bill) – Committee hearing on January 12th. Moved to the Senate Rules Committee on January 29th.

In collaboration with Front & Centered, we have decided to incorporate our environmental justice bill language into our climate bill and housing bills. Our hope is that focusing our lobbying and organizing efforts on these two bills will increase our chance of passage. Thank you to Front & Centered in partnering with us over the last few months to find ways to integrate environmental justice into the GMA!


GMA Vesting Bill Spotlight

Our Futurewise old-timers may remember the first time our GMA vesting bill was introduced…way back in 2008. That’s over a decade ago! For years, we’ve introduced a bill to close the GMA vesting loophole that allows counties to develop annexed land even if the annexation was later overturned by the Growth Management Hearings Board. But each year, that bill has languished in committee.

This year, we’re excited to have the support of Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, who is a co-sponsor of SB 5042, along with Sen. Jesse Salomon. We secured a committee hearing on the bill our very first week of session and the bill is already on the move to the Senate Rules Committee. We’re hoping to move this bill quickly out of the Senate and through the House. Stay tuned for how you can help!


Op-Ed Highlight Reel

We are bowled over with excitement each time we see a new op-ed published by a Futurewise supporter across the state. Since launching our Washington Can’t Wait legislative agenda, we’ve had 12 op-eds or letters to the editor published. Here are three new ones from the last month:

· Pierce County sprawl causes too much time in cars, buses. State can fix this. – Kirk Kirkland, The News Tribune

· State, county can’t wait for climate change action – Kristin Kelly and Kate Lunceford, The Everett Herald

· Seattle Desperately Needs the GMA to Promote Affordable Housing – Emma Banks, The Urbanist

Week of February 1st: Legislative Update

Welcome to our weekly legislative update. The session continues to move along at an often unpredictable pace, and we will continue to do our best to keep you informed on where our priority legislation sits in the process.


Quick Bill Status Update

HB 1099 (GMA Climate Bill) – Passed out of the House Environment and Energy Committee on Friday, January 29th, and has been referred to the Appropriations Committee.

HB 1220 (GMA Housing Bill) – Committee hearing on Wednesday, January 27th. We hope to see this bill pass out of committee within a few weeks.

SB 5042 (GMA Vesting Bill) – Committee hearing on January 12th. Moved to the Senate Rules Committee on January 29th.

In collaboration with Front & Centered, we have decided to incorporate our environmental justice bill language into our climate bill and housing bills. Our hope is that focusing our lobbying and organizing efforts on these two bills will increase our chance of passage. Thank you to Front & Centered in partnering with us over the last few months to find ways to integrate environmental justice into the GMA!


GMA Vesting Bill Spotlight

Our Futurewise old-timers may remember the first time our GMA vesting bill was introduced…way back in 2008. That’s over a decade ago! For years, we’ve introduced a bill to close the GMA vesting loophole that allows counties to develop annexed land even if the annexation was later overturned by the Growth Management Hearings Board. But each year, that bill has languished in committee.

This year, we’re excited to have the support of Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, who is a co-sponsor of SB 5042, along with Sen. Jesse Salomon. We secured a committee hearing on the bill our very first week of session and the bill is already on the move to the Senate Rules Committee. We’re hoping to move this bill quickly out of the Senate and through the House. Stay tuned for how you can help!


Op-Ed Highlight Reel

We are bowled over with excitement each time we see a new op-ed published by a Futurewise supporter across the state. Since launching our Washington Can’t Wait legislative agenda, we’ve had 12 op-eds or letters to the editor published. Here are three new ones from the last month:

· Pierce County sprawl causes too much time in cars, buses. State can fix this. – Kirk Kirkland, The News Tribune

· State, county can’t wait for climate change action – Kristin Kelly and Kate Lunceford, The Everett Herald

· Seattle Desperately Needs the GMA to Promote Affordable Housing – Emma Banks, The Urbanist

Seattle Comp Plan Dispatch: Final Amendments are Coming

SEATTLE, WA– After more than a year of dedicated efforts, we’re entering the home stretch in finalizing Seattle’s planning guidance for the next decade! This is literally a once-in-a-decade opportunity to play a role in shaping our city’s future, and … Continue reading

Tiffany Wilk Chang
July 28, 2025

Kitsap County Legal Appeal- Update

In April, 2025, Futurewise filed a legal appeal to challenge Kitsap County’s 2024-2027 comprehensive plan. We argue that the plan falls short of state mandates that protect water quality, air quality, transit, and housing supply and affordability. Continue reading

Kate Brunette
July 24, 2025