H-0932.2
HOUSE BILL 1895
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Richards, Paul, Walen, Rule, Volz, Springer, and Shavers
Read first time 02/07/25. Referred to Committee on Finance.
AN ACT Relating to establishing a business and occupation tax credit for small business employers providing educational assistance to employees; adding a new section to chapter 82.04 RCW; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that Washington state faces immense workforce challenges to fill both high paying blue and white-collar jobs. The legislature further finds that nearly half of Washington state high school students are not going into an accredited program after school; this means that high school students are not going to college, community college, or trade school. Rather, these students are largely entering the workforce in predominately low-wage jobs. The legislature intends to work with small businesses to support them while they support their employee's reeducation or training, whether that is through trade school, community college, or college, to ultimately fill high-wage jobs in trades or other industries. The legislature intends to provide small businesses with tax relief in exchange for investments in their employee's education at an accredited institution and participation in the financial aid process to help improve access to the Washington college grant, among other financial aid options. By partnering with small businesses, the legislature intends to help these businesses invest in their employee's long-term success. The legislature intends that the success of this tax preference to be measured through the increased growth of small businesses and in enrollment in accredited institutions.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 82.04 RCW to read as follows: