The new laws going into effect in Washington on Jan. 1, and how they may impact you.

Expanded protections under Paid Family and Medical Leave (HB 1213)

Starting in 2026, workers will receive job protection after 180 days on the job, instead of the current requirement of 12 months and 1,250 hours worked. The law also lowers the employer size threshold for those protections. In 2025, the current threshold for those protections. The measure also aims to prevent employees from taking separate blocks of protected leave under both the federal Family and Medical Leave Act and the state program. The update creates a process that allows employers to count FMLA leave at the same time as state PFML for job-protection purposes. State officials are expected to release guidance on notice requirements by late 2025.

Updated unemployment benefits eligibility for workers affected by strikes and lockouts (SB 5041)

Beginning in 2026, Washington will limit unemployment benefits for workers who lose work because of a strike. Striking employees will be ineligible for benefits until either the second Sunday after the strike begins or the day the strike ends. After that, they may receive up to six weeks of benefits following the standard one-week waiting period, unless the strike is later ruled unlawful, in which case the benefits must be repaid. 

Workers must also repay any benefits that overlap with retroactive wages they receive. For employers, any benefits paid to striking workers will be charged only to that employer’s experience rating, but businesses may be able to lower their unemployment tax rate by making a voluntary contribution to the state trust fund if they qualify under SB 5041. 

New minimum wage in WA in 2026

The minimum wage for Washington will increase in 2026. 

Right now, for 2025, the minimum wage sits at $16.66, one of the highest in the nation. In 2026, that number will rise to $17.13, beginning on Jan. 1.

Employers must update payroll and notice postings per Washington Labor & Industries.

WA’s new luxury vehicle tax law (ESSB 5801)

The law creates two luxury taxes on high-value vehicles and noncommercial aircraft beginning Jan. 1, 2026, including an 8% tax on the portion of a vehicle’s sale, lease or transfer price above $100,000. Commercial vehicles and those weighing more than 10,000 pounds — except motor homes — are exempt.

WA’s new B&O surtax/surcharge on very large businesses

A 0.5% temporary surcharge will apply to taxpayers with taxable income over $250 million from Jan. 1, 2026, to December 30, 2029, per the Washington State Legislature page.

Washington will also increase the business and occupation (B&O) tax rate for manufacturing, retailing, and wholesaling to 0.5% starting Jan. 1, 2027, and adjust other rate categories. Beginning Oct. 1, 2025, the B&O tax rate for services rose for businesses with gross receipts over $1 million.

The surcharge on financial institutions went into effect at 1.5% starting Oct. 1, 2025, and the advanced computing surcharge will rise to 7.5% with a $75 million annual cap beginning Jan. 1. The legislation also clarifies the B&O tax deduction for investment income.

Retail and consumer protections 

New statutes going into effect next month will include the following: 

• Service Contracts
• Solicited Real Estate
• Sodium Nitrite
• Medical Cannabis Database
• Alcohol Service in Public
• Insurance/Affordable Units
• Liquor Food Service Options
• Wine & Spirit Sales Limits
• Liquor Permits & Licensing
• Manufactured Homes/Organizations Sale
• Disability Insurer Filings
• Cannabis Advertising
• Insurance Statutes
• Cannabis Industry Agreements
• Reports of Fire Losses
• Medical Debt
• Mobility Equipment Repair
• Bail Bond Agents/Immigration

Other Tobacco Product Tax expansion 

Senate Bill 5814 will expand the definition of tobacco products in order to categorize them under the Other Tobacco Tax. Beginning on Jan. 1, this tax will also apply to products containing nicotine, whether they are produced from tobacco or synthetically. 

The OTP tax is in addition to retail sales and use, B&O, and “litter taxes” that may apply, according to Alvarez & Marsal.

Expanded leave rights for employees affected by hate crimes (SB 5101)

Updated Safety Standards for Isolated employees (HB 1524)

On Jan. 1, 2026, Washington will strengthen safety rules for employees who work alone. The law applies to hotels, motels, retail stores, security firms and property service companies that have at least one isolated worker, such as a janitor, housekeeper or security guard. The update expands what counts as an “isolated” work situation and adds new requirements for panic buttons, incluing training and record keeping. Employers who break the rules can face fines of up to $1,000 for a willful violation and up to $10,000 for repeated violations.

Updated workplace violence laws in healthcare settings (HB 1162)

Under this new Washington state law, healthcare facilities will be legally required to promptly investigate all incidents of workplace violence, rather than reviewing them on a periodic basis. Facilities will be required to annually update their workplace violence prevention plan based on data and incident analysis, implement safety improvements and report to their safety or workplace-violence committees.

Plastic carryout bag fee changes

Starting Jan. 1, Washington will increase the minimum cost of plastic film carry out bags at restaurants and retailers from 8 cents to 12 cents per bag, as part of a 2020 law aimed at reducing single-use plastics. The law encourages shoppers to bring their own bags, while the minimum charge for paper carry out bags will remain at 8 cents. 

Implemented in 2021, Washington’s single-use plastic bag ban prohibits thin, .5 mil disposable plastic bags and sets standards for thicker, 2.25 mil reusable plastic film bags. Additionally, the law mandates that both plastic and paper carryout bags contain at least 40% recycled content.

Source(s) Good Day Seattle, Washington Labor & Industries, Full information is available through the 2025 Washington Legislative session review,

Check back for updates

The federal government cannot directly “end” sanctuary cities due to constitutional protections under the Tenth Amendment and the anti-commandeering doctrine, which prevent forcing local governments to enforce federal immigration laws.

However, it can exert significant pressure through lawsuits, grant prioritization, and public shaming, as seen in 2025 actions by the DOJ and DHS. Success depends on the outcome of ongoing legal battles, the willingness of jurisdictions to resist, and public opinion. Some cities, like Louisville, have complied under pressure, but others, like Chicago and Seattle, remain defiant.

The issue is unlikely to resolve fully, as it reflects deep ideological divides over immigration, federalism, and public safety.

Future Supreme Court rulings could shift the balance, but as of August 2025, sanctuary cities retain significant autonomy to maintain their policies, albeit under increasing federal scrutiny

Source: Grok

https://youtu.be/Jma2BlSBnP0

Albert Fall, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior, resigns in response to public outrage over the Teapot Dome scandal. Fall’s resignation illuminated a deeply corrupt relationship between western developers and the federal government.

Born in Kentucky in 1861, Albert Fall moved to New Mexico in 1887 because doctors told him the dry desert air would improve his health. Fall thrived in his new home, quickly building up a large ranching operation near Las Cruces and investing in silver mining and other ventures. By the turn of the century, Fall was a well-respected and powerful western businessman, and he used his considerable resources to win a seat in the U.S. Senate when New Mexico became a state in 1912.

Citation Information

Article Title

Secretary Fall resigns in Teapot Dome scandal

AuthorHistory.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/secretary-fall-resigns-in-teapot-dome-scandal

Access Date

January 1, 2023

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

December 21, 2021

Original Published Date

November 16, 2009

1492		history.netCatholic forces under King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella take the town of Granada, the last Muslim kingdom in Spain.
1758		The French begin bombardment of Madras, India.
1839		Photography pioneer Louis Daguerre takes the first photograph of the moon.
1861		The USS Brooklyn is readied at Norfolk to aid Fort Sumter.
1863		In the second day of hard fighting at Stone’s River, near Murfreesboro, Tenn., Union troops defeat the Confederates.
1903		President Theodore Roosevelt closes a post office in Indianola, Mississippi, for refusing to hire a Black postmistress.
1904		U.S. Marines are sent to Santo Domingo to aid the government against rebel forces.
1905		After a six-month siege, Russians surrender Port Arthur to the Japanese.
1918		Russian Bolsheviks threaten to re-enter the war unless Germany returns occupied territory.
1932		Japanese forces in Manchuria set up a puppet government known as Manchukuo.
1936		In Berlin, Nazi officials claim that their treatment of Jews is not the business of the League of Nations.
1942		In the Philippines, the city of Manila and the U.S. Naval base at Cavite fall to Japanese forces.
1943		The Allies capture Buna in New Guinea.
1963		In Vietnam, the Viet Cong down five U.S. helicopters in the Mekong Delta. 30 Americans are reported dead.
1966		American G.I.s move into the Mekong Delta for the first time.
1973		The United States admits the accidental bombing of a Hanoi hospital.
1980		President Jimmy Carter asks the U.S. Senate to delay the arms treaty ratification in response to Soviet action in Afghanistan.
1981		British police arrest the “Yorkshire Ripper” serial killer, Peter Sutcliffe.
1999		A severe winter storm hits the Midwestern US; in Chicago, temperatures plunge to -13 ºF and19 inches of snow fell; 68 deaths are blamed on the storm.
2006		A coal mine explosion in Sago, West Virginia, kills 12 miners and critically injures another. This accident and another within weeks lead to the first changes in federal mining laws in decades.

1492 – The leader of the last Arab stronghold in Spain surrendered to Spanish forces loyal to King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I.

1788 – Georgia became the 4th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

1842 – In Fairmount, PA, the first wire suspension bridge was opened to traffic.

1859 – Erastus Beadle published “The Dime Book of Practical Etiquette.”

1872 – Brigham Young, the 71-year-old leader of the Mormon Church, was arrested on a charge of bigamy. He had 25 wives.

1879 – Thomas Edison began construction on his first generator.

1882 – The Standard Oil Trust agreement was completed and dated. The document transferred the stock and property of more than 40 companies into the control of nine trustees lead by John D. Rockefeller. This was the first example of what became known as a holding company.

1890 – Alice Sanger became the first female White House staffer.

1892 – Ellis Island opened as America’s first federal immigration center. Annie Moore, at age 15, became the first person to pass through.

1893 – The first commemorative postage stamps were issued.

1900 – U.S. Secretary of State John Hay announced the Open Door Policy to prompt trade with China.

1900 – The Chicago Canal opened.

1910 – The first junior high school in the United States opened. McKinley School in Berkeley, CA, housed seventh and eighth grade students. In a separate building students were housed who attended grades 9-12.

1917 – Royal Bank of Canada took over the Quebec Bank.

1921 – The first religious broadcast on radio was heard on KDKA Radio in Pittsburgh, PA, as Dr. E.J. Van Etten of Calvary Episcopal Church preached.

1921 – DeYoung Museum in Golden Gate Park opened.

1929 – The United States and Canada reached an agreement on joint action to preserve Niagara Falls.

1935 – Bruno Richard Hauptmann went on trial for the kidnap-murder of Charles Lindberghs baby. Hauptmann was found guilt and executed.

1942 – The Philippine capital of Manila was captured by Japanese forces during World War II.

1949 – Jack Benny’s television show aired on CBS for the first time. The show had previously been aired on NBC.

1953 – “The Life of Riley” debuted on NBC-TV.

1955 – Panamanian President Jose Antonio Remon was assassinated.

1957 – The San Francisco and Los Angeles stock exchanges merged.

1959 – CBS Radio ended four soap operas. “Our Gal Sunday”, “This is Nora Drake”, “Backstage Wife” and “Road of Life” all aired for the last time.

1960 – U.S. Sen. John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination.

1965 – “Broadway” Joe Namath signed the richest rookie contract ($400,000) in the history of pro football.

1968 – Fidel Castro announced petroleum and sugar rationing in Cuba.

1971 – In the U.S., a federally imposed ban on television cigarette advertisements went into effect.

1974 – U.S. President Richard M. Nixon signed a bill requiring all states to lower the maximum speed limit to 55 MPH. The law was intended to conserve gasoline supplies during an embargo imposed by Arab oil-producing countries. Federal speed limits were abolished in 1995.

1983 – The final edition of Garry Trudeau’s comic strip, “Doonesbury”, appeared in 726 newspapers. “Doonesbury” began running again in September 1984.

1983 – The musical “Annie” closed on Broadway at the Uris Theatre after 2,377 performances.

1985 – The Rebels of UNLV beat Utah State in three overtime periods. The final score of 142-140 set a new NCAA record for total points in a basketball game (282). The game took over three hours to play.

1991 – Sharon Pratt Dixon was sworn in as mayor of Washington, DC. She was the first black woman to head a city of that size and prominence.

1996 – AT&T announced that it would eliminate 40,000 jobs over three years.

1998 – Russia began circulating new rubles in effort to keep inflation in check and promote confidence.

2004 – NASA’s Stardust space probe collected samples from the comet Wild 2. The samples returned to Earth on January 15, 2006.

2008 – The price of oil hit $100 per barrell for the first time.

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