HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 1300
As Passed House:
February 6, 2025
Title: An act relating to transferring dedicated accounts for certain professional licenses to the business and professions account.
Brief Description: Transferring dedicated accounts for certain professional licenses to the business and professions account.
Sponsors: Representatives Donaghy, Reeves and Ormsby; by request of Department of Licensing.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Appropriations: 1/23/25, 1/27/25 [DP].
Floor Activity:
Passed House: 2/6/25, 96-0.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Repeals six accounts administered by the Department of Licensing and adds the related businesses and professions to the list of professions for which all receipts from licenses and other fees must be deposited into the Business and Professions Account.
  • Transfers fund balances from the six repealed accounts to the Business and Professions Account.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by 31 members:Representatives Ormsby, Chair; Gregerson, Vice Chair; Macri, Vice Chair; Couture, Ranking Minority Member; Connors, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Penner, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Schmick, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Berg, Bergquist, Burnett, Caldier, Callan, Corry, Cortes, Doglio, Dye, Fitzgibbon, Keaton, Leavitt, Lekanoff, Manjarrez, Marshall, Peterson, Pollet, Rude, Ryu, Springer, Stonier, Street, Thai and Tharinger.
Staff: Xianyu Li (786-7094).
Background:

The Department of Licensing (DOL) regulates and issues licenses for a number of businesses and professions, including architects, landscape architects, embalmers, funeral directors, the Funeral and Cemetery Board, certified real estate appraisers, geologists, and appraisal management companies.? The receipts from licenses, registrations, certifications, and other fees for these professions are currently collected under the following six accounts administered by the DOL:

  • the Architects' License Account;
  • the Landscape Architects' License Account;
  • the Funeral and Cemetery Account;
  • the Real Estate Appraiser Commission Account;
  • the Geologists' Account; and
  • the Appraisal Management Company Account.

?

The Business and Professions Account is also administered by the DOL.? It is used only for expenses incurred in carrying out certain business and professions licensing activities of the DOL. ?The DOL collects and deposits receipts from 24 businesses and professions into the Business and Professions Account.
Summary of Bill:

The six accounts administered by the DOL are repealed, and their existing fund balances are transferred to the Business and Professions Account.? The related businesses and professions are added to the list of professions for which all receipts from licenses and other fees must be deposited into the Business and Professions Account.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect on January 1, 2026.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) This bill helps avoid volatility for dedicated accounts with a small amount of members or licensees.? Business communities affected by the six accounts repealed in this bill are in favor of this bill.


(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying:

Alejandro Sanchez, Department of Licensing.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.