business backgrounder | legislative
AWB’ s Grades for the 2025 Legislative Session
Lawmakers took steps to manage costs associated with climate legislation, but added many new taxes and costs on employers over the 105-day session.
Jacqueline Allison
AWB’ s Government Affairs team recaps the most important bills in Washington’ s 2025 legislative session and grades the Legislature’ s performance across key policy areas.
At A Glance
The Legislature adjourned the 2025 session in late April after passing a new two-year budget that includes major new taxes on businesses.
Lawmakers approved controversial bills that enact statewide rent control and extend unemployment insurance to striking workers, while passing the first gas tax increase in nearly a decade.
AWB’ s annual Legislative Review & Vote Record, coming out this summer, will dive deeper into the highs and lows of the session and include the legislative scorecard, which details how every member of the Legislature voted on the most important bills for the state’ s employers and business climate.
Members of AWB’ s Government Affairs team, from left: Morgan Irwin, Max Martin, Lindsey Hueer, Emily Wittman, Peter Godlewski and Elizabeth Carmona.
The Legislature adjourned its budget-writing session on April 27. Watch this summer for AWB’ s Legislative Review & Vote Record for a full session report. In the meantime, here’ s a quick review of the Legislature’ s performance across key policy areas: tax and fiscal, employment law, energy and environment, workforce and education, health care, transportation and housing.
“ If you take that amount of money out of the economy, everyone will feel it.”
— Max Martin, AWB tax and fiscal policy director on historic tax increases passed by the state Legislature.
32 association of washington business