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WA Fairs Session 2024 Final Report

WA Fairs Session 2024 Report –

The 2024 Legislative Session adjourned sine die Thursday, March 7, ending the 60-day second session of the 68th Legislature. In total, nearly 4,000 bills were introduced during the 2023-24 biennium, nearly 40% more than in the 2021-23 biennium.

In terms of state operating funds, the Legislature added $2.14 billion (+3.1%) to the budget it adopted last year, for a new total of $71.9 billion for the biennium. With the additions to the budget, the Legislature continued its focus on the intertwined issues of housing, homelessness, and mental health, along with enhanced support to address opioid misuse, and funds to address school staffing levels with a focus on paraeducators and administrative staff. Caseloads for state services accounted for about half of the new spending with new policy adjustments accounting for the rest.

During the last weeks of the session, attention turned to six Initiatives to the Legislature, each of which had been certified by the Secretary of State. The Legislature chose to take up three, passing I- 2081 concerning parental rights relating to their children’s public school education; I-2111 concerning; ban on local governments ability to assess and income tax; as well as I-2113 concerning vehicular pursuits by police officers. This leaves three initiatives for the November elections: a repeal of provisions of the Washington Climate Commitment Act (I-2117); the ability for individuals to opt out of the tax that supports the state’s WA Cares Fund (I-2124); and a repeal of the state’s capital gains tax (I-2109).The presence of these initiatives, and the legislature’s decision on how to deal with them, was the biggest issue of 2024.Voters will now have their say on the remaining three in November.

Specific to issues related to Washington Fairs, both the Operating and Capital Budget assistance fairs receive remained unchanged.Not a surprise given the “short” 60-day session when smaller adjustments are made to the budget.Our focus will come this fall as we lay the groundwork for success in 2025.

As for policy legislation, looking at the list below we saw five different pieces of legislation introduced this year or carried forward from 2023. The ticketing bill met a similar fate to last session with hearings in the House but never passing before the required cutoff. We can expect the legislation to be brought back next session.The only bill that did pass specifically dealt with the Southwest Washington Fair.The bill was almost technical in nature, clarifying a statute to allow the fair to account for funds in a more efficient manner.


Monitoring Bills

Bill Details

Status

Sponsor

Position


HB 1157 (SB 5148)

Wild and exotic animals

H Ag&Nr

Leavitt

Concerns

Prohibiting the display of wild or exotic animals for public entertainment or amusement.


3SHB 1648

Ticket sales

H Rules X

Reeves

Neutral

Concerning ticket sales.


HB 2433

Southwest WA fair admin.

Del to Gov

Orcutt

Neutral

Concerning administration of the southwest Washington fair by the Lewis county board of county commissioners.


SB 5148 (HB 1157)

Wild and exotic animals

S Ag/Water/Natur

Liias

Concerns

Prohibiting the display of wild or exotic animals for public entertainment or amusement.


SB 6128

Traveling animal acts

S Law & Justice

Liias

Neutral

Prohibiting the use of certain animals in traveling animal acts.


Keep up with the Latest

Washington State Fairs Association Members – WA Fairs Report Mid-Session 2024

Week four of the 2024 legislative session is close to completion, this coming Tuesday will be the official halfway point of the 60-day session. We passed a major milestone this past Wednesday, the policy committee cut-off. That is the deadline for bills to be moved from committee to receive further consideration. Our next milestone happens quickly, Monday the 5th is the fiscal committee cutoff, that means those policy bills that have a fiscal impact must advance from committee to continue in the process. These cutoffs are the beginning of the funneling process as the legislature works to narrow the universe of legislation that is left in play.

Once we get past the Monday fiscal cutoff, we will spend the next week working on the “floor”. Legislators will use that time voting bills out of the House and Senate moving them to the opposite chamber to repeat the committee process. To date, 3438 bills have been introduced in 2023-24. For comparison 2012-22 had 2835 and 2019-20 had 4638.

Six initiatives to the voters continue to be hanging over anything the legislature does this year. Minority Republicans have used every opportunity they can to bring the initiatives up for a vote while Majority Democrats have blocked the attempts. More and more we are hearing that the potential of lost revenue if the initiatives were to pass has budget writers very cautious to increase spending.

The list below are bills that have a direct impact on Fairs. Two of the bills are moving this year. The rest did not make it past the cut-offs I mentioned above.

HB 2433 – Southwest WA Administration – the bill would clean up the statute allowing the Lewis County Fair to operate the way they are now. There is some gray area in current law that has the potential to impact the way the Fair does business. The issue goes all the way back to the way the fair was originally formed and how it interacted with the County. It’s a good bill for Lewis County and only impacts that Fair.

HB 1648 – Ticket Sales – The bill attempts to regulate several aspects of ticketing including price disclosures and speculative ticketing. The bill also sets up a licensure program for ticket sellers, Fairs would be included in that part of the bill. The legislation was first introduced last year but failed to pass. We have been engaged with the prime sponsor, relaying some concerns we have with the current bill language.
Please contact me if you have any questions or comments.

Bill Detail Status Sponsor Position
HB 1157 Wild and exotic animals H Ag&Nr Leavitt Concerns
(SB 5148) Prohibiting the display of wild or exotic animals for public entertainment or amusement.

3SHB 1648 Ticket sales H Approps Reeves Concerns
Concerning ticket sales.

HB 2433 Southwest WA fair admin. H Rules R Orcutt Neutral
Concerning administration of the southwest Washington fair by the Lewis county board of county commissioners

SB 5148 Wild and exotic animals S Ag/Water/Natur Liias Concerns
(HB 1157) Prohibiting the display of wild or exotic animals for public entertainment or amusement.

SB 6128 Traveling animal acts S Law & Justice Liias Neutral
Prohibiting the use of certain animals in traveling animal acts.

Links –
District Finder – Washington State Legislature
Email Contact Roster - Washington State Legislature
Mike Burgess
MJB Consulting Inc.
Government Affairs
360-223-3020

Driving Directions

  • Feel free to to drop by the Capital and speak with your legislator's office, or the Governor's office.
  • From I-5 Southbound: Take 'Exit 105 to State Capitol,' keep left for Exit 105A, and continue for 0.6 miles. Merge with traffic on the left and continue in the left hand lane of 14th Ave SW through the roundabout (Jefferson St.) and under the tunnel 0.4 mi to Capitol Blvd. Continue across Capitol Blvd to the Capitol Building on Sid Snyder Ave SW (14th Ave becomes Sid Snyder Ave).
  • From I-5 Northbound: Take Exit 105 and bear left for the State Capitol/City Center exit. Cross over Interstate 5 and keep in the left lane on 14th Ave SE. through the roundabout (Jefferson St) and under the tunnel 0.4 mi to Capitol Blvd. Continue across Capitol Blvd to the Capitol Building on Sid Snyder Ave SW (14th Ave becomes Sid Snyder Ave).

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