Legislature, bills pass halfway point of the 2020 Session

Feb 12, 2020
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Written by wpengine
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Inside Washington Retail

State legislators passed the halfway point of the 60-day 2020 Legislative Session yesterday. Washington Retail is participating in the shaping of several retail-related bills that must emerge from their introductions into either house before passing to the Senate or House for further consideration.

February 19 is the last day bills can be considered in their respective house of origin.

Here’s a summary of key bills under consideration by Washington Retail:

  • Senate Bill 6281 – Washington Retail is considering several amendments to a bill designed to protect consumer data and establish enforcement resulting from online purchases.
  • House Bill 1159 – This WR-backed bill would allow law enforcement to question shoppers known to be concealing merchandise before leaving a store. Thirty-six other states allow the practice. Other states use this authority to discourage organized retail theft. The bill is eligible for a vote by the full House of Representatives.
  • Senate Bill 6182 – The statewide bill requiring televisions in public spaces to be showing closed captioning is being amended to eliminate a requirement of a similar Seattle ordinance that requires each specific brand to be displaying closed captioning. The state bill would reduce closed captioning to one set among possibly many of the sales floor.
  • Senate Bill 5717 – A Senate Labor & Commerce Committee has taken no action on a bill mandating employee scheduling practices among retailers. It is patterned after a Seattle ordinance requiring schedules to be posted two weeks in advance with fines for certain necessary adjustments.
  • Senate Bill 6516 – Would reduce full time to a 32-hour workweek. After its introduction, the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee has taken no action on the bill.
  • House Bill 2360 – The bill to require manufacturers of needles used outside a health care setting to establish a statewide recycling program to collect and dispose of used sharps. It has been referred to an Appropriations Committee.
  • Senate Bill 6110 – The bill would direct the Health Care Authority to design a wholesale prescription drug importation program from Canada. The bill remains in a Senate Committee on Health and Long-Term Care.

Please watch for weekly newsletter updates on key bills until adjournment, scheduled on March 12.