'Title only' bills subject of banking industry lawsuit

OLYMPIA – Bankers are suing the state Legislature for enacting unlawful taxes under a “title only” bill.

On Nov. 5, the Washington Bankers Association, represented by former State Attorney General Rob McKenna, filed suit over House Bill 2167, a title-only tax increase passed in the waning hours of the 2019 legislative session.

House Bill 2167 was introduced April 10 and only included one sentence: “The legislature intends to enact legislation concerning tax revenue.”

Without following regular procedures, on April 26, a substitute bill taxing “specified financial institutions” was introduced an...