Washington 2019-2020 Regular Session Status: Enacted 8 D cosponsors

SB 5063 — Providing prepaid postage for all election ballots.

Last action — Effective date 7/1/2019.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed House
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced December 31, 2018. Enacted.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 82% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 17 sponsors

    1 primary, 16 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (8 D).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 3 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

1 added · 1 removed

Plain-language change summary

The main change in SB 5063 is the addition of a requirement for counties to provide prepaid postage for all election ballots, ensuring that voters do not have to pay for mailing their ballots back. This is designed to reduce barriers to voting, making it easier for citizens to participate in elections. Previously, reimbursement for postage was subject to budget allocations, but the new amendment aims to guarantee that all voters can return their ballots without any cost, thus promoting greater voter participation and engagement in the democratic process.

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S-2348.1SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5063State of Washington66th Legislature2019 Regular SessionBySenate Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Nguyen, Hasegawa, Billig, Carlyle, Cleveland, Conway, Darneille, Frockt, Palumbo, Hunt, Wilson, C., Pedersen, Keiser, Kuderer, Saldaña, Mullet, and Takko;
Z-0326.1SENATE BILL 5063State of Washington66th Legislature2019 Regular SessionBySenators Nguyen, Hasegawa, Billig, Carlyle, Cleveland, Conway, Darneille, Frockt, Palumbo, Hunt, Wilson, C., Pedersen, Keiser, Kuderer, Saldaña, Mullet, and Takko;
by request of Governor Inslee)READ FIRST TIME 03/01/19.AN ACT Relating to prepaid postage for all election ballots;
by request of Governor InsleePrefiled 12/31/18.Read first time 01/14/19.Referred to Committee on State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections.AN ACT Relating to prepaid postage for all election ballots;
RCW 29A.04.420 and 2013 c 11 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:(1) Whenever state officers or measures are voted upon at a state primary or general election held in an odd-numbered year under RCW 29A.04.321, the state of Washington shall assume a prorated share of the costs of that state primary or general election.(2) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the state shall reimburse counties for the cost of return postage on mail and absentee ballots for all elections.(3) Whenever a primary or vacancy election is held to fill a vacancy in the position of United States senator or United States representative under chapter 29A.28 RCW, the state of Washington shall assume a prorated share of the costs of that primary or vacancy election.(((3)))(4) The county auditor shall apportion the state's share of these expenses when prorating election costs under RCW 29A.04.410 and shall file such expense claims with the secretary of state.(((4)))(5) The secretary of state shall include in his or her biennial budget requests sufficient funds to carry out this section.
RCW 29A.04.420 and 2013 c 11 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:(1) Whenever state officers or measures are voted upon at a state primary or general election held in an odd-numbered year under RCW 29A.04.321, the state of Washington shall assume a prorated share of the costs of that state primary or general election.(2) The state shall reimburse counties for the cost of return postage on mail and absentee ballots for all elections.(3) Whenever a primary or vacancy election is held to fill a vacancy in the position of United States senator or United States representative under chapter 29A.28 RCW, the state of Washington shall assume a prorated share of the costs of that primary or vacancy election.(((3)))(4) The county auditor shall apportion the state's share of these expenses when prorating election costs under RCW 29A.04.410 and shall file such expense claims with the secretary of state.(((4)))(5) The secretary of state shall include in his or her biennial budget requests sufficient funds to carry out this section.
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, return envelopes for all election ballots must include prepaid postage.
Return envelopes for all election ballots must include prepaid postage.
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Action History

  1. Effective date 7/1/2019.

  2. Chapter 161, 2019 Laws.

  3. Governor signed.

  4. Delivered to Governor.

  5. Speaker signed.

  6. President signed.

  7. Passed final passage; yeas, 44; nays, 5; absent, 0; excused, 0.

  8. Senate concurred in House amendments.

  9. Third reading, passed; yeas, 83; nays, 10; absent, 0; excused, 5.

  10. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

  11. Committee amendment(s) adopted as amended.

  12. Held on second reading.

  13. Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.

  14. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

  15. Scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 09:00 AM

  16. Minority; do not pass.

  17. APP - Majority; do pass with amendment(s) but without amendment(s) by State Government & Tribal Relations.

  18. Scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 09:00 AM

  19. Referred to Appropriations.

  20. Scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations at 08:00 AM

  21. SGOV - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).

  22. Scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations at 08:00 AM

  23. First reading, referred to State Government & Tribal Relations.

  24. Third reading, passed; yeas, 42; nays, 3; absent, 0; excused, 4.

  25. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

  26. 1st substitute bill substituted.

  27. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

  28. 1st substitute bill substituted.

  29. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

  30. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

  31. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

  32. Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 01:30 PM

  33. WM - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

  34. WM - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

  35. Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 03:30 PM

  36. Referred to Ways & Means.

  37. Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections at 08:00 AM

  38. And refer to Ways & Means.

  39. SGTE - Majority; do pass.

  40. Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections at 08:00 AM

  41. First reading, referred to State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections.

  42. Prefiled for introduction.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 16 co-sponsors · 134 not signed on · 6 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (16)

Not signed on (134)

134 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 134 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Final Passage as Amended by the House (#2)

Passed 44 Yea · 5 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 24300
Republican 7200
Democrat 13000
Total 44500
% of votes cast 90%10%0%0%
How each member voted (49)
Member Party Vote
Bailey — Yea
Becker — Yea
Billig — Yea
Brown — Yea
Carlyle — Yea
Darneille — Yea
Das — Yea
Ericksen — Nay
Frockt — Yea
Hawkins — Yea
Hobbs — Yea
Honeyford — Nay
Keiser — Yea
Kuderer — Yea
McCoy — Yea
Mullet — Yea
O'Ban — Yea
Padden — Nay
Palumbo — Yea
Randall — Yea
Rivers — Yea
Rolfes — Yea
Sheldon — Yea
Takko — Yea
Wilson, L. — Yea
Zeiger — Yea
Van De Wege — Yea
Annette Cleveland Democrat Yea
Bob Hasegawa Democrat Yea
Claire Wilson Democrat Yea
Jamie Pedersen Democrat Yea
Jesse Salomon Democrat Yea
Joe Nguyen Democrat Yea
Lisa Wellman Democrat Yea
Liz Lovelett Democrat Yea
Manka Dhingra Democrat Yea
Marko Liias Democrat Yea
Rebecca Saldaña Democrat Yea
Steve Conway Democrat Yea
Victoria Hunt Democrat Yea
Curtis King Republican Yea
Jeff Holy Republican Nay
Jim Walsh Republican Yea
John Braun Republican Yea
Judy Warnick Republican Yea
Keith Wagoner Republican Yea
Mark Schoesler Republican Yea
Phil Fortunato Republican Nay
Shelly Short Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Final Passage as Amended by the House (#41)

Passed 83 Yea · 10 Nay · 5 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 24603
Republican 18400
Democrat 41002
Total 831005
% of votes cast 85%10%0%5%
How each member voted (98)
Member Party Vote
Appleton — Not Voting
Blake — Yea
Chambers — Yea
Chandler — Nay
Chopp — Yea
Cody — Yea
DeBolt — Yea
Dolan — Yea
Hoff — Yea
Hudgins — Yea
Irwin — Yea
Jenkin — Nay
Kirby — Yea
Klippert — Yea
Kraft — Nay
Kretz — Yea
Maycumber — Yea
McCaslin — Nay
Mead — Yea
Morris — Not Voting
Mosbrucker — Not Voting
Pellicciotti — Yea
Pettigrew — Yea
Sells — Yea
Shea — Nay
Smith — Yea
Sullivan — Yea
Sutherland — Yea
Tarleton — Yea
Vick — Yea
Wilcox — Nay
Young — Yea
Van Werven — Yea
Amy Walen Democrat Yea
Beth Doglio Democrat Yea
Bill Ramos Democrat Yea
Chris Kilduff Democrat Yea
Cindy Ryu Democrat Yea
Dave Paul Democrat Yea
Debra Entenman Democrat Yea
Debra Lekanoff Democrat Yea
Derek Stanford Democrat Yea
Drew Hansen Democrat Not Voting
Gerry Pollet Democrat Yea
Jake Fey Democrat Yea
Javier Valdez Democrat Yea
Joe Fitzgibbon Democrat Yea
John Lovick Democrat Yea
June Robinson Democrat Yea
Kristine Reeves Democrat Yea
Larry Springer Democrat Yea
Lauren Davis Democrat Yea
Laurie Jinkins Democrat Yea
Lillian Ortiz-Self Democrat Yea
Lisa Callan Democrat Yea
Marcus Riccelli Democrat Yea
Mari Leavitt Democrat Yea
Melanie Morgan Democrat Yea
Mia Gregerson Democrat Yea
Mike Chapman Democrat Yea
Monica Jurado Stonier Democrat Yea
My-Linh Thai Democrat Yea
Nicole Macri Democrat Yea
Noel Frame Democrat Yea
Roger Goodman Democrat Yea
Sharon Shewmake Democrat Not Voting
Sharon Tomiko Santos Democrat Yea
Sharon Wylie Democrat Yea
Shelley Kloba Democrat Yea
Steve Bergquist Democrat Yea
Steve Tharinger Democrat Yea
Strom Peterson Democrat Yea
Tana Senn Democrat Yea
Timm Ormsby Democrat Yea
Tina Orwall Democrat Yea
Vandana Slatter Democrat Yea
Alex Ybarra Republican Yea
Andrew Barkis Republican Yea
Carolyn Eslick Republican Nay
Chris Corry Republican Yea
Chris Gildon Republican Yea
Dan Griffey Republican Yea
Drew MacEwen Republican Yea
Drew Stokesbary Republican Yea
Ed Orcutt Republican Yea
Jenny Graham Republican Yea
Jeremie Dufault Republican Nay
Jim Walsh Republican Yea
Joe Schmick Republican Yea
Keith Goehner Republican Yea
Mary Dye Republican Nay
Matt Boehnke Republican Yea
Michelle Valdez Republican Yea
Mike Steele Republican Yea
Mike Volz Republican Yea
Paul Harris Republican Yea
Skyler Rude Republican Yea
Tom Dent Republican Nay

Official roll call →

3rd Reading & Final Passage (#32)

Passed 42 Yea · 3 Nay · 4 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democrat 12001
Unaffiliated 22302
Republican 8001
Total 42304
% of votes cast 86%6%0%8%
How each member voted (49)
Member Party Vote
Bailey — Yea
Becker — Not Voting
Billig — Yea
Brown — Yea
Carlyle — Yea
Keiser — Yea
Kuderer — Yea
McCoy — Yea
Mullet — Yea
O'Ban — Yea
Padden — Nay
Palumbo — Yea
Darneille — Yea
Das — Yea
Ericksen — Nay
Frockt — Yea
Hawkins — Yea
Hobbs — Yea
Honeyford — Nay
Randall — Yea
Rivers — Yea
Rolfes — Yea
Sheldon — Not Voting
Takko — Yea
Wilson, L. — Yea
Zeiger — Yea
Van De Wege — Yea
Annette Cleveland Democrat Yea
Bob Hasegawa Democrat Yea
Claire Wilson Democrat Yea
Jamie Pedersen Democrat Yea
Jesse Salomon Democrat Yea
Joe Nguyen Democrat Yea
Lisa Wellman Democrat Yea
Liz Lovelett Democrat Yea
Manka Dhingra Democrat Yea
Marko Liias Democrat Yea
Rebecca Saldaña Democrat Yea
Steve Conway Democrat Not Voting
Victoria Hunt Democrat Yea
Curtis King Republican Yea
Jeff Holy Republican Yea
Jim Walsh Republican Not Voting
John Braun Republican Yea
Judy Warnick Republican Yea
Keith Wagoner Republican Yea
Mark Schoesler Republican Yea
Phil Fortunato Republican Yea
Shelly Short Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

elections
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 5063?
SB 5063 is sponsored by Bob Hasegawa (Democrat), Billig, Carlyle, Annette Cleveland (Democrat), Steve Conway (Democrat), Darneille, Frockt, Palumbo, Victoria Hunt (Democrat), Joe Nguyen (Democrat), Jamie Pedersen (Democrat), Keiser, Kuderer, Rebecca Saldaña (Democrat), Mullet, Takko, and Claire Wilson (Democrat).
What is the current status of SB 5063?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced December 31, 2018. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 5063?
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