WashingtonHB 16212025-2026 Regular SessionHouse

Authorizing superior courts to appoint housing court commissioners.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Courts can add commissioners for evictions

Washington superior courts can appoint attorneys as housing court commissioners and add needed support staff. County lawmakers must approve creating commissioner positions, and a majority of the county’s superior court judges must approve appointments. Positions can be full-time or part-time, and commissioners can also hold another commissioner position allowed by law. County lawmakers set pay for commissioners and investigators, who serve at the appointing judges’ pleasure. With separate approval from a majority of judges, commissioners can handle eviction cases involving residential and manufactured or mobile-home tenancies. Their powers include receiving filings, ordering investigations, holding hearings, preparing written reports for the record, and issuing orders and findings. Commissioners must follow fairness standards and court procedures, provide supervision as directed, and remain subject to superior court review and revision. The state court office must provide training as soon as reasonably practical, but not before July 26, 2025. Training covers both landlord-tenant laws, eviction show-cause hearings, and unlawful detainer procedures; the office can work with the Office of Civil Legal Aid. The law took effect immediately.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Nicole Macri
Democratic • House

Cosponsors

Alex Ramel
Democratic • House
Jamila Taylor
Democratic • House
Natasha Hill
Democratic • House
Strom Peterson
Democratic • House
Timm Ormsby
Democratic • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 243 • No: 0

House vote • 4/21/2025

Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Yes: 97 • No: 0 • Other: 1

Senate vote • 3/26/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Yes: 49 • No: 0

House vote • 3/3/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage