Last Wednesday, Washington State House lawmakers approved two bills to delay the WA Cares payroll tax implementation until July 2023. House Bill 1732 passed in a 91-6 vote, with only a few Republicans opposed. The bill is now heading to the Senate for review.

The 18-month delay will give Democratic lawmakers the time to address numerous critiques relating to the original bill, HB 1087. Many of the concerns focused on people who would pay the tax but never qualify for benefits. Under the bill, employees working in Washington state would be a 0.58 percent tax on their earnings unless they opted out. That deadline has since expired.