HB 2631
In CommitteeHouse
Agency customer service
Concerning agency delivery of quality customer service.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill makes the customer service standards from Executive Order 25-06 binding for three specific state agencies through a pilot project, requiring them to track service performance, improve digital access, and report regularly on progress. It aims to ensure Washington residents receive consistent, high-quality service regardless of which agency they interact with.
- Requires the Office of the Secretary of State, Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Office of the Insurance Commissioner to participate in a pilot project to improve customer service using standards from Executive Order 25-06.
- Covered agencies must designate a ‘Your Washington liaison’ by July 10, 2026, with authority to coordinate customer experience efforts, submit quarterly performance data, and ensure feedback is used to improve services and digital accessibility.
- Agencies must develop and submit a customer experience improvement plan by December 7, 2026, including metrics, staff training, and plans to simplify services (e.g., reduce steps, increase digital self-service).
- Agencies must submit quarterly progress reports starting March 7, 2027, and a final summary report to the governor and legislature by March 31, 2029.
- Agencies must work with Washington Technology Solutions to integrate services into WA.gov, adopt standardized navigation, and move toward a “one front door” digital service model.
- Requires customer experience metrics to be disaggregated by group (where possible) to identify and address bias or discrimination in service delivery.
Who is affected
- Office of the Secretary of State, Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Office of the Insurance Commissioner — These three agencies must implement customer service standards, designate liaisons, report on service performance, and develop improvement plans under the bill’s requirements.
- General public (residents seeking state services) — Washington residents who interact with these agencies will benefit from improved digital access, clearer communication, and more responsive service delivery, especially as the agencies adopt standardized digital tools and plain-language practices.
- Your Washington (within the Office of the Governor) — This state office coordinates the customer experience efforts, receives performance data and improvement plans from covered agencies, and reports on progress to the governor and legislature.
- Washington Technology Solutions — This state technology division will work with covered agencies to integrate services into WA.gov and ensure digital tools meet accessibility and usability standards.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
Mandating that customer feedback be incorporated into service improvements—especially for vulnerable populations interacting with agencies like Fish and Wildlife (e.g., license renewals, hunting/fishing permits) or Insurance Commissioner (e.g., insurance disputes)—can reduce frustration, delays, and miscommunication in accessing essential services.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 3(2)(d), Sec. 4(1)(b), Sec. 5(1)(c)Standardizing digital access through WA.gov and requiring plain-language communication improves accessibility for low-income residents, seniors, and people with disabilities—reducing barriers to services like business licensing (SOS), insurance complaints (OCI), or wildlife permits (DFW), especially for those without reliable transportation or tech literacy.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 3(3), Sec. 6Requiring staff training on plain language and customer service—especially for agencies that interact with the public on regulatory or licensing matters—can improve clarity and reduce errors, helping small business owners and job seekers navigate state requirements more efficiently.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 5(1)(c), Sec. 5(2)Requiring disaggregation of metrics by demographic group (where possible) is a concrete step toward equity—especially valuable for agencies like DFW (which issues licenses and permits to the public) and OCI (which handles consumer complaints), where bias in service delivery could disproportionately affect communities of color or low-income residents.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 7(2)The requirement to simplify applications, reduce steps, and increase digital self-service—especially for services like business registration (SOS) or insurance licensing (OCI)—can help low- and middle-income residents complete critical tasks (e.g., forming an LLC, filing insurance claims) faster and with less cost, reducing reliance on paid consultants.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 5(1)(a), Sec. 5(3), Sec. 5(4)
Potential Concerns (5)
The requirement to disaggregate customer experience metrics by demographic group may improve identification of bias in service delivery, but the bill does not mandate corrective action or provide enforcement mechanisms—making the utility of disaggregation limited without follow-up policy or resource allocation.
Public SafetyRef: Sec. 3(2)(c), Sec. 4(1)(a), Sec. 5(1)(a), Sec. 7(2)The bill allows Your Washington to contract with a third-party evaluator, but does not specify funding—agencies may need to divert existing resources to support evaluation, potentially increasing administrative burden without new funding.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 7(1)Agencies must develop detailed workflow maps and improvement plans, requiring staff time and possibly external consulting—this increases administrative overhead for state employees, but does not create new jobs or reduce employment risk.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 3(4), Sec. 4(1)(c), Sec. 5(1)(c)The pilot project expires in 2029 and is not automatically extended or made permanent—this creates uncertainty about whether improvements will be sustained, potentially wasting initial implementation effort if the legislature does not act.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 9 (sunset date: April 1, 2029)The bill requires integration with WA.gov and standardized navigation, but does not address whether agencies will have the technical capacity or resources to comply—smaller or less-resourced units within the covered agencies may struggle to meet deadlines without additional IT support.
TransportationRef: Sec. 3(3), Sec. 6
Who Is Most Affected
Residents who interact with the three covered agencies (e.g., applying for business licenses, filing insurance complaints, or obtaining fishing/hunting permits) are likely to benefit from faster, clearer, and more accessible services—especially those with limited digital access, language barriers, or disabilities.
State agency staff in the three covered agencies will face new reporting and coordination duties, but may benefit from improved tools, training, and clearer performance expectations—though without dedicated funding, this could strain existing resources.
Your Washington gains formal authority to coordinate and evaluate customer experience across agencies, increasing its influence—but its effectiveness depends on whether the legislature extends the pilot beyond 2029.
Washington Technology Solutions will be tasked with integrating services into WA.gov and ensuring accessibility—potentially increasing its workload and budget needs, but also expanding its role in statewide digital strategy.