Priority Actions
Support Rent Stabilization
HB 1217, also known as "Rent Stabilization," is one of the most important bills of the session because it could help to reduce the number of people who evolve into homelessness because they can’t afford rent. This bill would improve the current situation of rent gouging and short notices to tenants, making them unable to adjust to rent increases. It would limit rent and fee increases to 7% during any 12-month period and prohibit rent and fee increases during the first 12 months of a tenancy for tenants subject to the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act and the Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act, regardless of the length or type of lease, with certain exemptions. It would also provide a variety of other tenant protections.
The long title is “Improving housing stability for tenants subject to the residential landlord-tenant act and the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act by limiting rent and fee increases, requiring notice of rent and fee increases, limiting fees and deposits, establishing a landlord resource center and associated services, authorizing tenant lease termination, creating parity between lease types, and providing for attorney general enforcement.” HB 1217 passed the House as a second substitute and was referred to the Senate Housing Committee, where it had a public hearing on March 19. It is scheduled for executive session on Wednesday, March 26. Please help move this bill out of committee toward full passage.
⚠️ Contact the Senate Housing Committee HERE in support of this bill before Wednesday, March 26.
Support New Revenue
Progressive Revenue Package. This biennium, Washington State is experiencing budget challenges greater than in recent years because of a combination of lower tax revenues coming in and increased need for services. This is in part because the state’s inequitable tax structure relies on revenues that fall disproportionately on people of lower incomes than on people of higher incomes. Progressive revenues that would raise funds from people who have more resources and currently pay less in their share of income would help to balance the state’s tax structure, making it more fair, while generating more money for needed state programs.
A proposal for a package of new revenues was announced by the Senate this week. Please ask your legislators to support this package so that people in need of health care, aging and disability services, early childhood education and more can continue to receive what they need.
⚠️ Contact your legislators HERE and ask them to vote for this proposal.
Support the Right to Repair for Digital Devices
There’s a huge amount of e-waste! For example, on average, Washington disposes of 8,700 phones every day. This bill, HB 1483, Right to Repair (Supporting the servicing and right to repair of certain products with digital electronics in a secure and reliable manner), would make it possible for small businesses to repair these items. Extending the life of computers, tablets and cellphones, and appliances reduces the burden on manufacturing new products – therefore also decreasing greenhouse gas. This bill will lower costs for consumers, get used digital electronics into the hands of people who need them. This bill requires digital electronic product manufacturers to make repair information, parts and tools available to independent repair businesses and owners and will help people keep using their items longer instead of them winding up in the garbage.
⚠️ Sign in PRO on HB 1483 HERE by Wednesday, March 26 at 7 am.
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