OLYMPIA, Wash. — Several high-profile bills, including a 32-hour work week mandate and new regulations for social media algorithms, have failed to advance as the Washington State legislative session enters its final weeks.
Measures addressing immigration enforcement hiring and child safety online were also among the proposals that did not receive enough support to move forward in Olympia.
With only three weeks remaining in the session, lawmakers hit an impasse on several contentious pieces of legislation that seemed destined not to proceed this session. While some proposals saw significant debate regarding labor costs and discrimination, others failed to clear the House before key deadlines. These failures come as the state Capitol prepares to wrap up its business for the current legislative session.
House Bill 2611, introduced by Rep. Shaun Scott of Seattle, sought to establish a 32-hour work week for employees across the state. The proposal followed the implementation of a similar law in San Juan County. Despite citing reported results in San Juan County, Scott’s proposal for a state-level law on work hours did not advance.
Scott advocated for the measure as a necessary step to modernize the workforce. Opponents of the legislation argued that the change would lead to significant labor cost increases and might force employers to reduce services or cut staff to manage the transition.
Legislators also declined to advance a bill that would have restricted local law enforcement agencies from hiring immigration enforcement agents hired during the current term of President Donald Trump.
The proposal failed to gain enough support amid questions regarding whether the hiring ban was discriminatory toward individual applicants.
Efforts to regulate digital platforms also stalled with the failure of House Bill 1834. The bill sought to protect minors in Washington by regulating what it defined as addictive feeds and algorithms used by social media companies.
Several other measures are also unlikely to become law before the end of the session. These include proposals addressing homeless encampments, copper wire thefts, artificial intelligence, and a potential hike in marijuana taxes. Although these bills did not advance this year, they could be reintroduced during the next legislative session.
The legislative session is scheduled to conclude in three weeks. Lawmakers have until then to finalize remaining bills that did advance and have met key legislative deadlines.
©2026 Cox Media Group
