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Bill

HB 2325

Establishing a tourism self-supported assessment program to fund statewide tourism promotion.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Andrew Barkis and 8 co-sponsors

Washington creates self-funded tourism promotion program financed by industry assessments instead of state taxes to market the state and boost tourism revenue.

Effective date 6/11/2026.
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Bill Summary · HB 2325

Legislative bill overview

HB 2325 establishes a self-supported assessment program in Washington state where tourism-related businesses contribute funds to support statewide tourism promotion and marketing efforts. The program operates on a dedicated revenue stream generated from participating businesses rather than general state tax revenue.

Why is this important

Tourism is a significant economic driver in Washington, and this bill creates a dedicated, self-funded mechanism to market the state without requiring appropriations from the general fund. This allows tourism promotion to be sustained through industry participation while potentially reducing taxpayer burden for this specific function.

Potential points of contention

  • Assessment fairness and burden: Small tourism businesses may view mandatory assessments as regressive, potentially affecting local operators more heavily than large hospitality corporations; determining appropriate assessment rates and who qualifies creates equity concerns
  • Voluntary vs. mandatory participation: Debate over whether participation should be mandatory for all tourism businesses or voluntary could affect program funding reliability and competitive fairness among industry participants
  • Spending accountability: Questions about how collected funds are allocated, whether benefits are distributed equitably across regions, and oversight mechanisms to ensure monies are spent effectively on actual promotion versus administrative costs

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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