The bill amends existing laws regarding the direct review of administrative decisions by the court of appeals, specifically targeting RCW 36.70C.150. It introduces new provisions that allow for the transfer of judicial review of land use decisions from the superior court to the court of appeals, provided that all parties consent to the transfer and agree to base the review on the existing record. Notably, the bill stipulates that parties waiving their right to seek attorneys' fees and costs under RCW 4.84.370 must do so upon consenting to the transfer. Additionally, it clarifies that the provisions of RCW 36.70C.090 do not apply to matters transferred under this section.

The bill also includes several repeals of previous legislative sections, specifically from 2024 c 347 and 2021 c 305, and makes amendments to the expiration and effectiveness dates of certain sections. A significant change is the introduction of a provision stating that a party's withholding of consent to transfer is inadmissible as evidence at trial and cannot be used against that party in any proceeding. This aims to streamline the process and encourage cooperation among parties involved in land use decision reviews.

Statutes affected:
Original bill: 36.70C.150
Substitute bill: 36.70C.150