[Legislativecommittee1] [External] FW: WLTA End of Session Legislative Overview

[Ben Case]

Following up on HB 1081- the Professional Buyer requirement to get a survey-

Do any of you have a contact at DOL or the Real Estate commission?  Or better yet any ideas of which entity is going to firm up (or has?!) the requirements of the Contract documentation.

Ben Case


Walla Walla Team Leader

[Team Member Photo]
TitleOne
5 E. Main St.
Walla Walla, Washington 99362
TitleOneCorp.com<https://www.titleonecorp.com/>
Direct: 509-516-2573
Office: 509-525-4300
[There is a Difference]<http://www.titleonecorp.com/>

From: Legislativecommittee1 <legislativecommittee1-bounces at washingtonlandtitle.com> On Behalf Of George Peters
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2025 4:06 PM
To: 1 WLTA Legislative Committee <legislativecommittee1 at washingtonlandtitle.com>
Subject: [External] [Legislativecommittee1] FW: WLTA End of Session Legislative Overview

FYI

George

George Peters, WTP
Executive Director
Washington Land Title Association
https://washingtonlandtitle.com<https://washingtonlandtitle.com>
Mail: PO Box 328, Lynnwood, WA 98046
Delivery: 6817 208th St SW, #328, Lynnwood, WA 98036
206-437-5869 (Mobile)
206-260-4731 (Fax)
execdirector at washingtonlandtitle.com<mailto:execdirector at wltaonline.org>

[WLTA Logo w-Ring Blue 1a][cid:image002.jpg at 01DBF4C1.FD88D470]
This is a confidential communication intended solely for the named recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy it and call George Peters at 206-437-5869 immediately. Thank you.

From: Sam Miller <sam at sound-gov.com<mailto:sam at sound-gov.com>>
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2025 2:59 PM
To: JP Kissling (jpkissling at fitico.com<mailto:jpkissling at fitico.com>) <jpkissling at fitico.com<mailto:jpkissling at fitico.com>>; Maureen Pfaff <maureen at olypentitle.com<mailto:maureen at olypentitle.com>>; Michelle Taylor <mjtaylor at firstam.com<mailto:mjtaylor at firstam.com>>; George Peters <execdirector at washingtonlandtitle.com<mailto:execdirector at washingtonlandtitle.com>>
Cc: Carrie Tellefson <carrie at sound-gov.com<mailto:carrie at sound-gov.com>>
Subject: WLTA End of Session Legislative Overview


Good afternoon all,



Below is my final legislative session overview. We will send out a final bill tracker after the 20 day period passes in which the governor has to sign legislation. Please don't hesitate to contact Carrie or me with any questions you may have.



Sine Die 2025


The 2025 Washington State legislative session has been one of the most tumultuous and emotionally charged sessions in recent memory, marked by significant political tension, major fiscal challenges, and the deaths of two beloved legislators. From the opening days, the atmosphere was fraught with division. Deep ideological splits over how to address the state's financial crisis created a highly charged environment where lawmakers frequently clashed not only along party lines but also within their own caucuses.


The most pressing issue was the staggering $16 billion budget deficit. The reality of the shortfall quickly consumed legislative discussions, setting the tone for the months ahead. Proposed cuts sparked widespread protests and added to the strain inside the building. In response, a range of revenue ideas were volleyed around the Capitol, from new taxes on capital gains to expanded sales tax bases and proposals for bond measures.


The session was further shaken by the death of former House Speaker Frank Chopp (D-43). A towering figure in state politics for decades, Chopp's passing was mourned across party lines, with tributes highlighting his enduring legacy on affordable housing and social justice issues. Adding to the heavy mood, Senator Bill Ramos (D-5) passed away while in office a mere two weeks from Sine Die.


The final $77.8 billion operating budget includes nearly $6 billion in cuts and close to $9 billion in new revenue over the four-year outlook - significantly less revenue than legislative Democrats had initially sought. Governor Ferguson (D) previously rejected each version of the revenue plan, citing concerns that the proposals were "too risky." The final budget also steers clear of furloughs for state employees, an option both Governor Ferguson and Senate Democrats had floated earlier in the session. It remains unclear whether Governor Ferguson will support the budget in full or issue partial vetoes. His decision will be closely watched, as it could either cement cooperation with the legislative majority or trigger a new round of political negotiations in a special session.

Please enjoy a list of all of the bills passed by the 2025 Legislature linked here<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Y7SHEic-5UTB9MyAE1tFsrvehQNjnimCNHqjfOK7f_4/edit?usp=sharing>. Many are still subject to Governor Ferguson's signature. Bills that are delivered to the governor more than five days before the Legislature adjourns have five days to be acted on. Bills that are delivered fewer than five days before the Legislature adjourns have 20 days to be acted on by the governor. Both are counted as calendar days, not business days. Sundays are not counted, but Saturdays and state holidays are counted.



Best regards,
Sam

Sam Miller
Government Affairs Consultant
mobile: (253) 432-0804
sam at sound-gov.com<mailto:sam at sound-gov.com>

[cid:image003.png at 01DBF4C1.FD88D470]<https://bit.ly/soundgovsolutions>

This email originated from outside the organization. Do not click links or open any attachments unless you recognize the source of the email.



BEWARE OF CYBER-FRAUD! Before wiring any funds, call the intended recipient at a number you know is valid to confirm the instructions and be wary of any request to change wire instructions you already received.

This email may be confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify us immediately and delete this copy from your system.

In our ongoing focus on your security, we have changed our encryption provider to Mimecast encryption. This may require you to create a new account.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.washingtonlandtitle.com/pipermail/legislativecommittee1/attachments/20250714/8f61199b/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 6078 bytes
Desc: image001.jpg
URL: <http://lists.washingtonlandtitle.com/pipermail/legislativecommittee1/attachments/20250714/8f61199b/attachment-0002.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 68742 bytes
Desc: image002.jpg
URL: <http://lists.washingtonlandtitle.com/pipermail/legislativecommittee1/attachments/20250714/8f61199b/attachment-0003.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image003.png
Type: image/png
Size: 14347 bytes
Desc: image003.png
URL: <http://lists.washingtonlandtitle.com/pipermail/legislativecommittee1/attachments/20250714/8f61199b/attachment-0001.png>