Everything to know about WA laws going into effect July 1
Washington gas tax and tolls to increase July 1
Washington's gas tax will increase by 6 cents per gallon, continuing to go up 2% each year to account for inflation, on July 1. Fox 13 reporter Nia Wong has more information.
OLYMPIA, Wash. - Governor Bob Ferguson recently signed off on the first legislative session of his term. Some laws have already gone into effect from that session, however a new batch are set to become law on July 1.
Keep reading for what you need to know about the new laws, and how they could impact your life.
Increase in fees, taxes, and tolls
Already among the highest in the nation, Washington's gas tax will increase by another six cents starting in July. It will then continue to increase 2% each year to account for inflation.
For Seattle drivers, SR-99 tunnel tolls are set to increase on July 1. This is part of a larger plan to increase tolls every 3 years to pay for the $200 million the state borrowed for construction.
Estate taxes and transfer tax changes
SB 5813 aims to increase funding for education by creating a more progressive rate structure for the capital gains tax and estate tax.
Rates for Washington taxable estates are increased as follows for estates of decedents dying on or after July 1:
Washington Taxable Estate Value (Current rate vs new rate)
$0 to $1,000,000 – remains at 10%
$1,000,000 to $2,000,000 14% to 15%
$2,000,000 to $3,000,000 15% to 17%
$3,000,000 to $4,000,000 16% to 19%
$4,000,000 to $6,000,000 18% to 23%
$6,000,000 to $7,000,000 19% to 26%
$7,000,000 to $9,000,000 19.5% to 30%
$9,000,000 and up 20% to 35%
"A qualified nonfamilial heir may be eligible for the estate tax deduction for a farm. A ‘qualified nonfamilial heir’ means an employee of the farm who materially participated in farming operations on the farm and who acquired the property, or to whom the property passed from the decedent," reads a section of SB 5813's final report.
Worker protections
Wage Equality and Anti-Discrimination
HB 1905 was passed in the 2023-2024 session. It will go into effect in July 2025 to significantly expand the Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act by extending protections to a broader set of protected classes.
- Protected classes now include age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, veteran or military status, disability, and the use of service animals. Employers must ensure that compensation practices and workplace policies are free from discrimination across this expanded list.
Immigration-Related Protections
SB 5104 prohibits employers from using immigration status to coerce employees regarding wage payment violations, conditions of labor, or agricultural labor requirements. This law reinforces protections for immigrant workers and aligns with broader federal and state anti-retaliation frameworks.
Coming into effect July 27
- Under HB 1875, Washington State’s paid sick leave law will be expanded to include time off for immigration-related proceedings.
- Mini-WARN Act – Employers with 50+ full-time staff must now give 60 days’ written notice before mass layoffs or closures.
Recently enacted laws in Washington
Below are some of the laws Governor Ferguson has signed into law in recent months, during and immediately following the 2025 legislative session in Olympia.
Giving unemployment to striking workers
- The new bill created a path to collecting benefits while on strike.
Requiring clergy to report abuse
- Washington's new law mandates clergy to report suspected child abuse, even from confessions. This has since sparked debate over religious freedom.
BEAM Act, cracking down on reckless, speeding drivers
- The BEAM Act cracks down on reckless speeding in Washington state.
Restricting armed forces from entering Washington
- New legislation empowers Washington to stop out-of-state military forces from entering its borders.
Washington state operating budget
- Ferguson signed lawmakers' two-year operating budget into law, capping a months-long process to close a multi-billion dollar funding gap.
- Annual rent increases will be capped for most Washington renters after House Bill 1217 was signed into law.
- Governor Bob Ferguson has signed a wide-ranging Right to Repair bill into law, aiming to improve consumer protections from costly device
Featured
Washington gas tax increase to go into effect July 1
The first increase of its kind in about 10 years goes into effect on Tuesday in WA.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Washington State Legislature, Olympia News Bureau and original FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews.
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