List of rulemaking activity

Financial responsibility hearings

  • Driver licensing
Completed

Current rule(s)

Administration of the Financial Responsibility Act – Procedures (Chapter 308-102 WAC)

These rule changes update and clarify the process of financial responsibility hearings. We're making the rules comply with the law, simplifying parts of the rule that are hard to read, and using more inclusive language.

Current step

March 13, 2023

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

Public hearing held January 25, 2023

Commercial driver license (CDL) definitions

  • Driver licensing
Completed

Current rule(s)

Definitions (WAC 308-100-005); Minimum training requirements (WAC 308-100-033); Employer certification (WAC 308-100-035); Examination requirement for commercial driver's license (WAC 308-100-040); Examination fees (WAC 308-100-050); Intrastate waiver (WAC 308-100-100); Serious traffic violations (WAC 308-100-130); Third-party testing fee (WAC 308-100-180)

We changed the current definitions related to commercial driver's license (CDL) holders to make it easier to get a CDL. This includes clarifying rules about training, testing, and reporting requirements for CDL holders, training providers, and employers. Our goal is to allow Washington to train more CDL holders, improve agency efficiency and oversight, and ensure that we're following state laws and federal regulations.

Public records disclosure and fees

  • Public records and data privacy
Completed

Current rule(s)

Public records disclosure (Chapter 308-10 WAC); Disclosure of names and addresses of individual vessel owners (Chapter 308-93-087 WAC)

We're updating rules based on the requirements of the Public Records Act, chapter 42.56 RCW. These rules give full access to public records about government conduct while respecting individuals' privacy rights. A 2017 update to RCW 42.56.120 clarified and expanded what agencies may charge for creating copies of records. We're adopting those 2017 changes as rules and updating the rules to match our current processes.

Current step

April 6, 2023

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

Public hearing held February 21, 2023

Whitewater river outfitter licensing fees

  • All business and professional licensing
    • Whitewater river outfitters
Completed

Current rule(s)

Fees (308-312-060 WAC)

We're increasing our fees to cover the costs of running the whitewater river outfitter program.

Current step

November 30, 2022

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

Public hearing held November 29, 2022

Timeshare licensing fees

  • All business and professional licensing
    • Timeshares
Completed

Current rule(s)

Timeshare fees (308-127-160 WAC)

We're increasing our fees to cover the costs of running the timeshare program.

Current step

April 27, 2023

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

Public hearing held April 25, 2023

Real estate broker education and license renewals

  • All business and professional licensing
    • Real estate
Completed

Current rule(s)

Broker first active renewal (WAC 308-124A-785); Continuing education clock hour requirements (WAC 308-124A-790); Course titles reserved for prescribed curriculum courses (WAC 308-124H-810); General requirements for course approval (WAC 308-124H-820); Secondary education provider course content approval application (WAC 308-124H-825)

We're proposing rules requiring new and current real estate licensees to take instructional courses about fair housing and preventing unfair housing practices. We'll be responsible for providing the curriculum. The proposed rules would add the fair housing course to the current rules, edit the rules to be clearer, create new requirements for licensees, and subject licensees to audits.

Real estate licensing and education fees

  • All business and professional licensing
    • Real estate
Completed

Current rule(s)

Real estate fees (WAC 308-124A-775); Real estate course, school, and instructor approval fees (WAC 308-124H-990)

We're increasing our fees to cover the costs of running the real estate program.

Limousine vehicle requirements

  • All business and professional licensing
    • Limousines
Completed

Current rule(s)

Definitions (308-83-10 WAC)

We're decreasing the wheelbase requirement for executive sedans and SUVs as well as the passenger requirements for executive vans. This means that more modern vehicles will now meet the definition of a limousine.

Current step

April 6, 2023

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

Public hearing held April 4, 2023

Landscape architect licensing fees

  • All business and professional licensing
    • Landscape architects
Completed

Current rule(s)

Fees (WAC 308-13-150)

We're increasing our fees to cover the costs of running the landscape architect program.

Current step

October 20, 2022

Rule change adopted

Public hearing or comments

Public hearing held November 22, 2022

Alternative qualifications for appraisers

  • All business and professional licensing
    • Appraisers
Completed

Current rule(s)

Real estate appraisers (Chapter 308-125 WAC)

We aligned this rule with industry recommendations. The rule change gives real estate appraisers an alternative way to get licensed.