Legislative Advocacy

Sustainable Policies, Sustainable Counties



Counties provide constitutionally and statutorily directed state services to all of Washington’s residents. The Washington Association of County Officials (WACO) is working to secure clear and sustainable policies to provide all 39 counties with the foundation to provide sustainable service levels to every Washingtonian.

County Assessors


HB 1181 / HB 1320 / SB 5160 The County Assessors are seeking to modify the Senior / Disabled Veteran Tax Exemption qualifying income levels from dollar thresholds to thresholds based on a percentage of county income. No currently qualified senior loses qualification.

County Auditors


 HB 1291 / SB 5073 The County Auditors are seeking legislation for equitable share of election costs by making counties, cities, towns, districts, and the state pay their proportionate share of elections costs for every election.

HB 1789 Additionally, the County Auditors seek an increase in the licensing filing fee by $1.50. The fee for certain vehicle and vessels has been unchanged for 20 years. Fees collected directly benefit services to the public by counties.

County Clerks

SB 5333 The County Clerks seek to make technical corrections to the language in the parentage statute.

County Coroners


HB 1227 / SB 5300 The County Coroners are seeking the adoption of clear legislative language authorizing coroners to subpoena records and other evidentiary materials.

HB 1550 / SB 5332 Additionally, the County Coroners are seeking a $3 vital records fee increase to increase Death Investigation Fund dollars for training to meet national accreditation standards, and to address the rising cost of autopsy-related testing and toxicology lab backlog. Funding for training has been unchanged since 1999.

County Treasurers

HB 1437 / SB 5132 The County Treasurers seek to eliminate "neglect" from "willfully refuses or neglects to collect" and substitute "in RCW 84.56.300" for "as provided herein" to promote clarity in the statute.

HB 1005 / SB 5131 Additionally, the County Treasurers seek to eliminate certain title signatures and extinguishing liens on treasurer foreclosures of titled manufactured homes in RCW 46.12.700.

County Sheriffs

HB 1750 The County Sheriffs are seeking a change in the Civil Service Hiring Rules to allow counties similar flexibility already afforded cities in hiring under civil service rules.

2019 Handouts

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Legislative Training Videos