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State ban on high-capacity magazines takes effect
Starting July 1, the sale of ammunition magazines with more than 10 rounds will be banned in Washington state. Importing, manufacturing and distributing them will be outlawed, too.
WASHINGTON - Starting July 1, several new laws will go into effect for Washington state, including new gun restrictions, alerts for missing Indigenous people, increased toll rates and increased license plate fees.
Sale of high-capacity ammo magazines banned
Starting July 1, the sale of ammunition magazines with more than 10 rounds will be banned in Washington state. Importing, manufacturing and distributing them will be outlawed, too.
The only magazines allowed for sale and importing will be those with a maximum capacity of 10 cartridges under a measure pushed through by Democrats and signed by Gov. Jay Inslee earlier this year.
Any high-capacity magazines owned as of July 1 are unaffected by the law.
Several gun rights organizations have filed a federal lawsuit to block the ban.
Read more about the changes here.
SR 99 tunnel toll rates increase
Beginning July 1, toll rates for the SR 99 tunnel in Seattle will increase by five to 10 cents, depending on the time of day.
The increase is part of the scheduled toll rate plan adopted by the Washington State Transportation Commission (WTSC) when the initial rates were set in 2018. This plan will implement a 3% toll rate increase every three years. This is subject to change pending any WSTC rulings.
See the increases below or click here.
Missing Indigenous Persons alert
HB 1725 was created to establish a first-of-its-kind in the nation alert system for missing Indigenous peoples.
The law creates a system similar to Amber Alerts and so-called silver alerts, which are used respectively for missing children and vulnerable adults in many states.
The system will notify law enforcement when there’s a report of a missing Indigenous person. It will also place messages on highway reader boards and on the radio and social media, and will provide information to the news media.
The law attempts to address a crisis of missing Indigenous people — particularly women — in Washington and across the United States.
While the bill went into effect on June 9, the alerts won't actually start until July 1.
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Washington state signs nation's first alert system for missing Indigenous people
Washington has made history on Thursday-- the state has become the first in the United States to create an alert system that will help find missing Indigenous women and people. Gov. Jay Inslee signed House Bill 1725 into law, which will launch the advisory.
Increase in WA license plate cost
Fees to get new Washington state license plates and to replace them will increase starting July 1.
The following increases will take place on July 1, according to the Department of Licensing:
- Original plate: Increases from $10 to $50
- Replacement plate: Increases from $10 to $30
- Original motorcycle plate: Increases from $4 to $20
- Replacement motorcycle plate: Increases from $4 to $12
These are provided by auto dealers to buyers for use until permanent plates are received.
- Increases from $15 to $40
Stolen vehicle check:
Affects vehicles previously registered in another state and registering for the first time in Washington. The vehicle is checked against national and state databases for any titling or other issues.
- Increases from $15 to $50 (then to $75 starting July 1, 2026)
Free or discounted hospital care
Starting July 1, 4 million Washington residents will qualify for free or discounted care at hospitals across the state, giving Washington the strongest protections in the country for out-of-pocket hospital costs.
House Bill 1616 guarantees free hospital care to one million people who are currently eligible for discounted care, and expands discounted care to an additional one million.
All Washingtonians within three times the federal poverty level are now eligible for financial support. The legislation establishes two tiers of assistance — one for large health care systems, which make up approximately 80% of hospital beds, and another for smaller independent hospitals, which are primarily in rural areas.
Affordable hospital care eligibility under HB 1616