Legislative Update

Washington Capitol

It’s been a busy first half of the 2018 Washington legislative session! The big news out of Olympia: lawmakers resolved the contentious water rights issue that stalled the budget for months, allowing Gov. Jay Inslee to sign a $4.2 billion capital budget that pays for construction projects across the state.


The big news out of the WSBA Legislative Affairs Office: our Bar-request legislation, Senate Bill 6040, passed the Senate – unanimously! – and is now under consideration in the House. SB 6040 addresses electronic voting at corporate meetings under the Washington Business Corporation Act. It would allow corporations to remotely hold shareholder meetings like other major corporate law jurisdictions, such as Delaware. The WSBA Corporate Act Revision Committee of the Bars’ Business Law Section proposed the legislation.

A public hearing on this legislation is scheduled in the House Judiciary Committee at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15. A member of the Business Law Section will testify in favor of the bill. If you’re interested in watching, please check the TVW schedule for a direct video link.

Only five weeks left in this 60-day legislative session with many more issues to be considered. Stay tuned and please get in touch with any comments or questions.