Summit Law Blog

Key Legislative Changes following the 2025 Legislative Session & Other Notable Developments

HB 1096 and SB 5559 represent key steps toward increasing housing supply in Washington. HB 1096 requires local jurisdictions to establish a process for administrative lot splitting, while SB 5559 outlines procedures for unit lot subdivisions. Together, these laws lay the foundation for more flexible and affordable housing options across the state.  

In recent years, the governance of Washington’s HOAs has become a growing concern for both lawmakers and residents. To address this concern, the state enacted the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act (WUCIOA) in 2018, establishing modern standards for how HOAs should operate.

However, the law only applied to communities formed after its passage and to existing communities that chose to opt in, leaving many older HOAs largely exempt until January 1, 2028. To address these disparities sooner, the legislature passed Senate Bill 5129 (SB 5129), which begins taking effect July 27, 2025, with full implementation by January 1, 2026.

In this blog post, we discuss five issues you'll want to figure out before moving forward with the sale of your closely-held business. Deciding to sell your company is a major transition, and while the prospect of a successful exit is exciting, it's important to approach the process with a clear strategy and defensible positions. 

Washington has been grappling with a housing shortage for years, as home prices and rents continue to outpace income growth. To help address the crisis, Washington passed House Bill 1110, often referred to as the “middle housing” bill, in 2023.

On June 9, 2025, Governor Tina Kotek signed SB 426 into law, marking a significant change to wage liability for Oregon's construction industry. Aimed to combat wage theft, Oregon's new legislation introduces strict joint and several liability, making property owners and direct contractors legally responsible for unpaid wages owed to "unrepresented employees" (workers not covered by a collective bargaining agreement) of a direct contractor or subcontractor, regardless of their tier in the contracting chain. As a result, an unrepresented employee can seek payment from the ...

Valerie Shmigol attended IAPP’s Global Privacy Summit (“IAPP GPS25”) in Washington D.C. 

You can easily form your own LLC with Washington State, without the need to pay a third-party service.

On schedule, Washington State's AI Task Force ("Task Force") published its Inaugural Report ("Report"). Spanning 49 pages, the Report largely reiterates familiar information, offers one policy recommendation, and leaves us with many lingering questions. Let's dive in. 

Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”) Update as of December 26, 2024.

In an article for Washington State Bar News, University of Washington School of Law Professor Jeffrey M. Feldman recently met with Judge Morgan Christen of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Transferring a rental property into an LLC can be a smart asset protection and estate planning move, but it is not without its challenges. In this blog post, we will explore the pros and cons of transferring a rental property into an LLC to help you decide whether an LLC would be right for your rental business. 

Washington has recently passed a law simplifying the lease execution process for landlords and tenants of commercial property.

On May 8-10, 2024, members of Summit Law Group’s Labor and Employment team attended and presented at another successful Labor Relations Institute (“LRI”) in Yakima, WA, organized by the Association of Washington Cities (“AWC”).

The Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”) took effect on January 1, 2024.