Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.
SB5156 • 2026
Concerning elevator standards in smaller apartment buildings.
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.
Elevators/smaller apartments
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
0 • Housing
Plain English: 5156-S.E AMH HOUS H3660.1 ESSB 5156 - H COMM AMD By Committee on Housing ADOPTED 03/04/2026 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "NEW SECTION.
41 • Riccelli
Plain English: 5156-S AMS RICC S1703.1 SSB 5156 - S AMD 41 By Senator Riccelli PULLED 02/19/2025 On page 1, after line 13, insert the following:1 "The department may amend the global safety and related standards 2 adopted under this section if it determines that they do not result 3 in substantially similar outcomes as the North American standards as 4 they relate to firefighter and emergency operation features and 5 entrapment communication protocols." 6 EFFECT: Allows the department of labor and industries to amend the global safety and related standards adopted under this act if it determines that they do not result in substantially similar outcomes as the North American standards as they relate to firefighter and emergency operation features and entrapment communication protocols.
520 • Salomon
Plain English: 5156-S AMS SALO S4221.1 SSB 5156 - S AMD 520 By Senator Salomon PULLED 02/05/2026 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "NEW SECTION.
548 • Salomon
Plain English: 5156-S AMS SALO S4722.2 SSB 5156 - S AMD 548 By Senator Salomon PULLED 02/06/2026 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "NEW SECTION.
557 • Salomon
Plain English: 5156-S AMS SALO S4722.3 SSB 5156 - S AMD 557 By Senator Salomon ADOPTED 02/13/2026 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "NEW SECTION.
1st substitute bill substituted.
Elevators/smaller apartments
AN ACT Relating to elevator standards in smaller apartment 1 buildings; and amending RCW 19.27.042. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3 Sec. 1. RCW 19.27.042 and 2023 c 47 s 1 are each amended to read 4 as follows: 5 (1) Effective January 1, 1992, the legislative authorities of 6 cities and counties may adopt an ordinance or resolution to exempt 7 from state building code requirements buildings whose character of 8 use or occupancy has been changed in order to provide housing for 9 indigent persons. The ordinance or resolution allowing the exemption 10 shall include the following conditions: 11 (a) The exemption is limited to existing buildings located in 12 this state; 13 (b) Any code deficiencies to be exempted pose no threat to human 14 life, health, or safety; 15 (c) The building or buildings exempted under this section are 16 owned or administered by a public agency or nonprofit corporation; 17 and 18 (d) The exemption is authorized for no more than five years on 19 any given building. An exemption for a building may be renewed if the 20 requirements of this section are met for each renewal.21 S-0333.1 SENATE BILL 5156 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By Senators Salomon, Bateman, Liias, Nobles, Riccelli, Shewmake, and Stanford Prefiled 01/07/25. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee on Housing. p. 1 SB 5156 (2) By January 1, 1992, the state building code council shall 1 adopt, by rule, guidelines for cities and counties exempting 2 buildings under subsection (1) of this section. 3 (3) By July 1, 2026, the state building code council shall adopt, 4 by rule, standards for temporary emergency shelters and make them 5 available for local adoption. 6 (4) By March 31, 2026, the state building code council shall 7 adopt, by rule, standards for cities and counties to allow all 8 passenger and freight elevators to meet the most current version of 9 global safety and related standards or, in the alternative, the 10 current north American standards, and standards for cities and 11 counties to allow passenger elevators no larger than those that 12 accommodate a wheelchair for apartment buildings with at most six 13 stories and at most 24 units in total.14 --- END --- p. 2 SB 5156