Over a dozen laws that were passed between 2023 and 2025 will take effect in January. Here’s what they do.

WASHINGTON, USA — Over a dozen new laws are taking effect in Washington state in 2026. 

These laws increase protections for workers, modify the state’s impaired driving deferred prosecution statutes and make technical changes to Washington law. 

Check here for all the laws that went into effect this year. 

Here’s what you should know about the laws that will take effect in the Evergreen state come January: 


HB 1162

This bill requires health care settings to conduct timely investigations of workplace violence incidents and to annually update workplace violence prevention plans based on investigation findings, an analysis of systemic and common causes of workplace violence incidents, and other factors. 


HB 1213

This bill expands protections for workers utilizing the state Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program. 

The bill lowers the employer size threshold for employment protection rights in the PFML and provides an employee with protection if he or she began employment with a qualifying employer at least 180 calendar days before taking leave. Health care coverage protection during any period in which an employee receives PFML benefits and is also entitled to employment protection is expanded. 

Small employers will have better access to grants to offset the costs of employees’ use of the PFML program. 


HB 1440

This bill makes changes to existing laws governing seizure and forfeiture proceedings and reporting. 

These changes included serving notice of seizure and possible forfeiture upon the owner of seized property within 15 days, establishing a hearing process for seized property, and specifying the disposition of proceeds from the sale of seized property. 


SSHB 1524

Second-Substitute House Bill 1524 supports and expands upon previous legislation enacted to protect isolated workers who are especially vulnerable to sexual violence in the workplace. Isolated employees are defined as workers who spend at least 50% of their time alone, for example, hotel, motel, or retail employees, security guards, janitors, or housekeeping staff.

The state found 17% of workplaces with isolated workers are following the state’s requirements on protecting their employees. This bill adds to who is considered an isolated employee, and empowers the state Labor and Industries department (L&I) to enforce the requirements enacted in the 2019 legislation. Employers must document they have completed training related to the protection of isolated employees. Required by the bill, employers need to make panic buttons available and provide those records to the L&I upon request. 


HB 1533

This bill allows a qualifying employer operating a journey-level electrical apprenticeship program to hire an apprentice to perform specialty electrical work outside the program without having to change the apprentice’s status in the program, subject to certain situations. 


SHB 1879

Substitute House Bill 1879 allows a hospital employer and employee to mutually agree to waive a meal or rest period and the timing of those periods, subject to certain conditions. 

A hospital and an employee may voluntarily agree to waive: 

The meal period, if any, in a work shift of less than eight hours The second and/or third meal period in a work shift of eight hours or longer, so long as at least one meal period is provided and taken during the shiftThe timing requirements for meal and rest periods are so long that the meal period starts no earlier than the third hour worked and no later than the second-to-last hour scheduled.


HB  2003

This bill requires a Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement for any person 15 or older fishing recreationally for steelhead or salmon in the Columbia River and its tributaries. 

Proceeds from the endorsement will go toward facilitating recreational salmon and steelhead selective fishing opportunities on the Columbia River and its tributaries, including monitoring, hatchery production, pinniped removal and enforcement.


SB 5101

This bill expands access to leave and safety accommodations to include workers who are victims of hate crimes or bias incidents. 

Leave and Safety Accommodation grants employees the right to take reasonable leave from work to obtain assistance in certain situations. An employer cannot refuse to make a reasonable safety accommodation unless it would place undue hardship on the employer’s business. An accommodation may include a transfer, reassignment, or modified schedule. 


SB 5127

This bill puts additional requirements on collector vehicle and horseless carriage license plates to improve compliance and public safety. 

This includes requiring a particular insurance policy, and that owners have a second registered vehicle for daily use. 


SB 5206

This bill increases the number of cannabis-related advertising signs a retailer is permitted to have outside their licensed premises to four, and does not include trade name signs or billboards in that count. 

Up to two trade name signs are allowed. 

Businesses of vapor product licensees or cigarette or tobacco licensees are not allowed to advertise cannabis products. 


SB 5486

This bill requires movie theaters open to the public to offer closed and open captioning services. 

Open captioning is always in view on the main screen and cannot be turned off, whereas closed captioning may be delivered through an accessible device or glasses that show the captions. 

All theaters must provide closed captioning devices. 

For movies that offer open captioning, companies that operate five or more theaters must offer a certain number of screenings during specific periods, such as the first two weeks after a movie’s release, and during peak business hours, which display open captioning. Theaters must advertise the times for open captioned screenings the same way they do for other screenings. 

Companies that operate four or fewer theaters must provide an open-captioned screening within eight days of receiving a request.


SB 5498

Senate Bill 5498 requires that health plans reimburse for a 12-month supply of contraceptives to all prescriptions, instead of only refills.


SB 5528

This bill requires that the installation of electric vehicle supply equipment at state-owned facilities be performed by persons certified by the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program or a nationally recognized program. 


SB 5689

This bill adds an option for blood type information to be added to driver’s licenses and ID cards, making the information more accessible to first responders. 

The DOL will have the rulemaking authority and direction to develop processes and documentation requirements for individuals to submit their blood type information, and then coordinate with health care providers, emergency responders and blood banks to educate the public about why it may be beneficial to include this information on an ID or driver’s license. 


Bill passed in 2023/2024 that will take effect in 2026:


HB 1493

This bill makes a number of changes to state laws related to impaired driving.

A 10-year look-back period, during which, if a person has three or more prior DUI or physical control offenses, the penalty is increased from a gross misdemeanor to a felony, is lengthened to 15 years.

A person will have a “serious traffic offense” counted against them on their driver’s license if they are convicted of first-degree negligent driving and reckless endangerment when that conviction is the result of a DUI or physical control charge, or a vehicular homicide or assault charge while under the influence. 

This bill clarifies when a defendant must apply for a probationary license, or may be exempt from an ignition interlock device, when a person may enter a deferred prosecution agreement and clarifies requirements for mental health and substance abuse treatment as a condition of completing a deferred prosecution agreement. The bill also outlines a sentencing alternative for those convicted with a felony DUI.Â