Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: Enacted 7 D cosponsors

SB 5156 — Concerning elevator standards in smaller apartment buildings.

Last action — Effective date 6/11/2026.

  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 January 07, 2025. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Bob Ferguson (Democratic) on March 23, 2026.

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.

  • 7 sponsors

    1 primary, 6 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (7 D).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 4 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

41 added · 43 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendments to Senate Bill 5156 involve changes to regulations concerning building codes for housing, particularly focusing on accessibility and safety standards. New sections were added that mandate the state building code council to set rules for apartment buildings of up to six stories and 24 units regarding elevator sizing and emergency communication systems. Additionally, a technical advisory group will be established to review existing safety requirements specific to smaller apartment buildings, ensuring that safety measures are cost-effective. These changes aim to facilitate the construction of more accessible housing while maintaining safety standards, which is crucial for enhancing housing availability for diverse communities.

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ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5156 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By Senate Housing (originally sponsored by Senators Salomon, Bateman, Liias, Nobles, Riccelli, Shewmake, and Stanford) READ FIRST TIME 01/28/25.
S-0333.1 SENATE BILL 5156 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By Senators Salomon, Bateman, Liias, Nobles, Riccelli, Shewmake, and Stanford Prefiled 01/07/25.
Read first time 01/13/25.
Referred to Committee on Housing.
and adding new sections to chapter 19.27 RCW.
and amending RCW 19.27.042.
NEW SECTION.
A new section is added to chapter 19.27 RCW to read as follows:
RCW 19.27.042 and 2023 c 47 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
The state building code council shall adopt, by rule, for the 2027 technical codes, standards for cities and counties to allow, for apartment buildings with at most six stories and at most 24 units in total, passenger elevators minimally sized to meet federal accessibility requirements.
(1) Effective January 1, 1992, the legislative authorities of cities and counties may adopt an ordinance or resolution to exempt from state building code requirements buildings whose character of use or occupancy has been changed in order to provide housing for indigent persons.
NEW SECTION.
The ordinance or resolution allowing the exemption shall include the following conditions:
Sec.
(a) The exemption is limited to existing buildings located in this state;
2.
(b) Any code deficiencies to be exempted pose no threat to human life, health, or safety;
A new section is added to chapter 19.27 RCW to read as follows:
(c) The building or buildings exempted under this section are owned or administered by a public agency or nonprofit corporation;
(1)(a) The state building code council shall convene a technical advisory group to examine requirements for elevator hoistway opening protection and for two-way visual emergency communications devices, and evaluate whether current requirements properly balance cost and safety for small apartment buildings.
and (d) The exemption is authorized for no more than five years on any given building.
(b) The technical advisory group convened under this subsection, in addition to the requirements under RCW 19.27.033, must include:
An exemption for a building may be renewed if the requirements of this section are met for each renewal.
1 ESSB 5156 (i) At least one position for a representative of the Washington state fire chiefs association;
1 SB 5156 (2) By January 1, 1992, the state building code council shall adopt, by rule, guidelines for cities and counties exempting buildings under subsection (1) of this section.
(ii) One building code official;
(3) By July 1, 2026, the state building code council shall adopt, by rule, standards for temporary emergency shelters and make them available for local adoption.
(iii) One position for a state elevator inspector;
(4) By March 31, 2026, the state building code council shall adopt, by rule, standards for cities and counties to allow all passenger and freight elevators to meet the most current version of global safety and related standards or, in the alternative, the current north American standards, and standards for cities and counties to allow passenger elevators no larger than those that accommodate a wheelchair for apartment buildings with at most six stories and at most 24 units in total.
(iv) One representative from a major elevator manufacturing company;
(v) One representative of labor involved in the installation, maintenance, and repair, or any combination thereof, of elevators;
(vi) One representative of a nonprofit with expertise in elevators that is based in the state of Washington;
(vii) One representative from a disability rights group;
(viii) One representative from a senior citizen advocacy group;
(ix) One developer of small multifamily buildings;
and (x) One architect of small multifamily buildings.
(2) It shall be the intent of the state building code council and the department of labor and industries to support national and international standards harmonization efforts in order to foster the most competitive elevator sector possible, improve the affordability of elevators, and minimize modifications to model codes that increase costs.
2 ESSB 5156
2 SB 5156
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Action History

  1. Effective date 6/11/2026.

  2. Chapter 145, 2026 Laws.

  3. Governor signed.

  4. Delivered to Governor.

  5. Speaker signed.

  6. President signed.

  7. Passed final passage; yeas, 41; nays, 6; absent, 0; excused, 2.

  8. Senate concurred in House amendments.

  9. Third reading, passed; yeas, 93; nays, 1; absent, 0; excused, 4.

  10. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

  11. Committee amendment(s) adopted with no other amendments.

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

  13. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

  14. HOUS - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).

  15. Executive action taken in the House Committee on Housing at 1:30 PM.

  16. Public hearing in the House Committee on Housing at 10:30 AM.

  17. First reading, referred to Housing.

  18. Third reading, passed; yeas, 41; nays, 7; absent, 0; excused, 1.

  19. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

  20. Floor amendment(s) adopted.

  21. Returned to second reading for amendment.

  22. Rules suspended.

  23. Placed on third reading by Rules Committee.

  24. By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

  25. By resolution, returned to Senate Rules Committee for third reading.

  26. Public hearing in the House Committee on Housing at 1:30 PM.

  27. First reading, referred to Housing.

  28. Third reading, passed; yeas, 42; nays, 6; absent, 0; excused, 1.

  29. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

  30. 1st substitute bill substituted (HSG 25).

  31. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

  32. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

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

  34. Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Housing at 10:30 AM.

  35. Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Housing at 10:30 AM.

  36. First reading, referred to Housing.

  37. Prefiled for introduction.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 6 co-sponsors · 144 not signed on · 12 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (6)

Not signed on (144)

144 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 144 →

"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 (#6)

Passed 41 Yea · 6 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democrat 25302
Republican 16300
Total 41602
% of votes cast 84%12%0%4%
How each member voted (49)
Member Party Vote
Adrian Cortes Democrat Yea
Annette Cleveland Democrat Yea
Bob Hasegawa Democrat Nay
Claire Wilson Democrat Yea
Claudia Kauffman Democrat Nay
Deborah Krishnadasan Democrat Yea
Derek Stanford Democrat Yea
Drew Hansen Democrat Yea
Emily Alvarado Democrat Yea
Jamie Pedersen Democrat Yea
Javier Valdez Democrat Yea
Jesse Salomon Democrat Yea
Jessica Bateman Democrat Yea
John Lovick Democrat Yea
June Robinson Democrat Yea
Lisa Wellman Democrat Yea
Liz Lovelett Democrat Yea
Manka Dhingra Democrat Yea
Marcus Riccelli Democrat Yea
Marko Liias Democrat Yea
Mike Chapman Democrat Yea
Noel Frame Democrat Yea
Rebecca Saldaña Democrat Not Voting
Sharon Shewmake Democrat Yea
Steve Conway Democrat Nay
T'wina Nobles Democrat Yea
Tina Orwall Democrat Yea
Vandana Slatter Democrat Yea
Victoria Hunt Democrat Yea
Yasmin Trudeau Democrat Not Voting
Chris Gildon Republican Yea
Curtis King Republican Yea
Drew MacEwen Republican Nay
Jeff Holy Republican Yea
Jeff Wilson Republican Yea
Jim McCune Republican Yea
John Braun Republican Yea
Judy Warnick Republican Yea
Keith Goehner Republican Yea
Keith Wagoner Republican Yea
Leonard Christian Republican Nay
Mark Schoesler Republican Nay
Matt Boehnke Republican Yea
Nikki Torres Republican Yea
Paul Harris Republican Yea
Perry Dozier Republican Yea
Phil Fortunato Republican Yea
Ron Muzzall Republican Yea
Shelly Short Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Final Passage as Amended by the House (#30)

Passed 93 Yea · 1 Nay · 4 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 37001
Democrat 56103
Total 93104
% of votes cast 95%1%0%4%
How each member voted (98)
Member Party Vote
Adam Bernbaum Democrat Yea
Adison Richards Democrat Yea
Adrian Cortes Democrat Yea
Alex Ramel Democrat Yea
Alicia Rule Democrat Yea
Amy Walen Democrat Not Voting
April Berg Democrat Yea
Beth Doglio Democrat Yea
Brandy Donaghy Democrat Yea
Brianna Thomas Democrat Yea
Chipalo Street Democrat Yea
Chris Stearns Democrat Yea
Cindy Ryu Democrat Yea
Clyde Shavers Democrat Yea
Dan Bronoske Democrat Yea
Darya Farivar Democrat Nay
Dave Paul Democrat Not Voting
David Hackney Democrat Yea
Davina Duerr Democrat Yea
Debra Entenman Democrat Yea
Debra Lekanoff Democrat Yea
Edwin Obras Democrat Yea
Gerry Pollet Democrat Yea
Greg Nance Democrat Yea
Jake Fey Democrat Yea
Jamila Taylor Democrat Yea
Janice Zahn Democrat Yea
Javier Valdez Democrat Yea
Joe Fitzgibbon Democrat Yea
Joe Timmons Democrat Yea
Julia Reed 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
Lisa Parshley Democrat Yea
Liz Berry Democrat Yea
Mari Leavitt Democrat Yea
Mary Fosse Democrat Yea
Melanie Morgan Democrat Yea
Mia Gregerson Democrat Yea
Monica Jurado Stonier Democrat Yea
My-Linh Thai Democrat Yea
Natasha Hill Democrat Yea
Nicole Macri Democrat Yea
Osman Salahuddin Democrat Yea
Roger Goodman Democrat Yea
Sharlett Mena Democrat Yea
Sharon Tomiko Santos Democrat Yea
Sharon Wylie Democrat Yea
Shaun Scott Democrat Yea
Shelley Kloba Democrat Yea
Steve Bergquist Democrat Yea
Steve Tharinger Democrat Not Voting
Strom Peterson Democrat Yea
Tarra Simmons Democrat Yea
Timm Ormsby Democrat Yea
Zach Hall Democrat Yea
Alex Ybarra Republican Yea
Andrew Barkis Republican Yea
Andrew Engell Republican Yea
April Connors Republican Yea
Brian Burnett Republican Yea
Carolyn Eslick Republican Yea
Chris Corry Republican Yea
Cyndy Jacobsen Republican Yea
Dan Griffey Republican Yea
David Stuebe Republican Yea
Deb Manjarrez Republican Yea
Drew Stokesbary Republican Yea
Ed Orcutt Republican Not Voting
Gloria Mendoza Republican Yea
Hunter Abell Republican Yea
Jenny Graham Republican Yea
Jeremie Dufault Republican Yea
Jim Walsh Republican Yea
Joe Schmick Republican Yea
Joel McEntire Republican Yea
John Ley Republican Yea
Joshua Penner Republican Yea
Kevin Waters Republican Yea
Mark Klicker Republican Yea
Mary Dye Republican Yea
Matt Marshall Republican Yea
Michael Keaton Republican Yea
Mike Steele Republican Yea
Mike Volz Republican Yea
Peter Abbarno Republican Yea
Rob Chase Republican Yea
Sam Low Republican Yea
Skyler Rude Republican Yea
Stephanie Barnard Republican Yea
Stephanie McClintock Republican Yea
Suzanne Schmidt Republican Yea
Tom Dent Republican Yea
Travis Couture Republican Yea

Official roll call →

3rd Reading & Final Passage (#11)

Passed 41 Yea · 7 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democrat 27300
Republican 14401
Total 41701
% of votes cast 84%14%0%2%
How each member voted (49)
Member Party Vote
Adrian Cortes Democrat Yea
Annette Cleveland Democrat Yea
Bob Hasegawa Democrat Nay
Claire Wilson Democrat Yea
Claudia Kauffman Democrat Nay
Deborah Krishnadasan Democrat Yea
Derek Stanford Democrat Yea
Drew Hansen Democrat Yea
Emily Alvarado Democrat Yea
Jamie Pedersen Democrat Yea
Javier Valdez Democrat Yea
Jesse Salomon Democrat Yea
Jessica Bateman Democrat Yea
John Lovick Democrat Yea
June Robinson Democrat Yea
Lisa Wellman Democrat Yea
Liz Lovelett Democrat Yea
Manka Dhingra Democrat Yea
Marcus Riccelli Democrat Yea
Marko Liias Democrat Yea
Mike Chapman Democrat Yea
Noel Frame Democrat Yea
Rebecca Saldaña Democrat Yea
Sharon Shewmake Democrat Yea
Steve Conway Democrat Nay
T'wina Nobles Democrat Yea
Tina Orwall Democrat Yea
Vandana Slatter Democrat Yea
Victoria Hunt Democrat Yea
Yasmin Trudeau Democrat Yea
Chris Gildon Republican Yea
Curtis King Republican Yea
Drew MacEwen Republican Yea
Jeff Holy Republican Not Voting
Jeff Wilson Republican Nay
Jim McCune Republican Yea
John Braun Republican Yea
Judy Warnick Republican Yea
Keith Goehner Republican Yea
Keith Wagoner Republican Yea
Leonard Christian Republican Nay
Mark Schoesler Republican Nay
Matt Boehnke Republican Yea
Nikki Torres Republican Yea
Paul Harris Republican Yea
Perry Dozier Republican Yea
Phil Fortunato Republican Yea
Ron Muzzall Republican Nay
Shelly Short Republican Yea

Official roll call →

3rd Reading & Final Passage (#16)

Passed 42 Yea · 6 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democrat 23601
Republican 19000
Total 42601
% of votes cast 86%12%0%2%
How each member voted (49)
Member Party Vote
Adrian Cortes Democrat Yea
Annette Cleveland Democrat Yea
Bill Ramos Democrat Yea
Bob Hasegawa Democrat Nay
Claire Wilson Democrat Yea
Claudia Kauffman Democrat Nay
Deborah Krishnadasan Democrat Yea
Derek Stanford Democrat Yea
Drew Hansen Democrat Yea
Emily Alvarado Democrat Yea
Jamie Pedersen Democrat Yea
Javier Valdez Democrat Nay
Jesse Salomon Democrat Yea
Jessica Bateman Democrat Yea
John Lovick Democrat Yea
June Robinson Democrat Yea
Lisa Wellman Democrat Yea
Liz Lovelett Democrat Yea
Manka Dhingra Democrat Yea
Marcus Riccelli Democrat Yea
Marko Liias Democrat Yea
Mike Chapman Democrat Yea
Noel Frame Democrat Yea
Rebecca Saldaña Democrat Yea
Sharon Shewmake Democrat Yea
Steve Conway Democrat Nay
T'wina Nobles Democrat Not Voting
Tina Orwall Democrat Nay
Vandana Slatter Democrat Nay
Yasmin Trudeau Democrat Yea
Chris Gildon Republican Yea
Curtis King Republican Yea
Drew MacEwen Republican Yea
Jeff Holy Republican Yea
Jeff Wilson Republican Yea
Jim McCune Republican Yea
John Braun Republican Yea
Judy Warnick Republican Yea
Keith Goehner Republican Yea
Keith Wagoner Republican Yea
Leonard Christian Republican Yea
Mark Schoesler Republican Yea
Matt Boehnke Republican Yea
Nikki Torres Republican Yea
Paul Harris Republican Yea
Perry Dozier Republican Yea
Phil Fortunato Republican Yea
Ron Muzzall Republican Yea
Shelly Short Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety housing
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 5156?
SB 5156 is sponsored by Derek Stanford (Democrat), Sharon Shewmake (Democrat), Marcus Riccelli (Democrat), T'wina Nobles (Democrat), Marko Liias (Democrat), Jessica Bateman (Democrat), and Jesse Salomon (Democrat).
What is the current status of SB 5156?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 07, 2025. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 5156?
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