House rules
The Washington State House rules establish procedures and protocols for conducting legislative business in the House of Representatives. These rules provide the framework for how bills are processed, committees operate, and representatives conduct official business.
Preface
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That permanent House rules for the Sixty-ninth Legislature be adopted as follows:
PERMANENT RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SIXTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE 2025-2026
Rule 13. Final Passage
Rules relating to bills on final passage are as follows:
(A) BUDGET BILLS. No final passage vote may be taken on an operating budget, transportation budget, or capital budget bill until twenty-four (24) hours after the bill is placed on the third reading calendar. The twenty-four (24) hour requirement does not apply to conference reports, which are governed by the Joint Rules of the Senate and the House of Representatives, or to bills placed on the third reading calendar by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present.
(B) RECOMMITMENT BEFORE FINAL PASSAGE. A bill may be recommitted at any time before its final passage.
(C) FINAL PASSAGE. No bill shall become a law unless on its final passage the vote be taken by yeas and nays, the names of the members voting for and against the same be entered on the journal of each house, and a majority of the members elected to each house be recorded thereon as voting in its favor. (Article II, section 22)
(D) BILLS PASSED - CERTIFICATION. When a bill passes, it shall be certified to by the chief clerk, said certification to show the date of its passage together with the vote thereon.