---
type: "Bill"
title: "Removing the acreage limit on the property tax exemption for nonprofit public assembly halls and meeting places."
description: "Removing the acreage limit on the property tax exemption for nonprofit public assembly halls and meeting places."
jurisdiction: "us/states/wa"
legislature: "Washington Legislature"
session: "2025-2026"
identifier: "SB 5252"
citation: "Washington SB 5252 (2025-2026)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Shewmake"]
version_count: 4
action_count: 38
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2025-01-14"
last_action: "2026-03-16"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/fdba1404-7cfe-481b-8d9d-14357a544c59"
source_url: "https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary/?BillNumber=5252&Year=2025&Initiative=false"
source_hash: "1084290bf1f7543eb953be0b0e85a451e01e518664e3f63a0a830fc6e1991134"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-wa"]
---

# Washington SB 5252 (2025-2026) — Removing the acreage limit on the property tax exemption for nonprofit public assembly halls and meeting places.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Biennium/2025-26/Htm/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5252.htm)
2. **Engrossed Substitute Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Biennium/2025-26/Htm/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5252-S.E.htm)
3. **Substitute Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Biennium/2025-26/Htm/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5252-S.htm)
4. **Substitute Passed Legislature** (committee substitute) — [source](http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Biennium/2025-26/Htm/Bills/Senate%20Passed%20Legislature/5252-S.PL.htm)

## Votes

- 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#10) — **96–0** (pass) · lower
- 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#6) — **48–1** (pass) · upper
- 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#20) — **47–1** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Shewmake — primary (person)
- Chapman — cosponsor (person)
- Nobles — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2025-01-14** First reading, referred to Ways & Means. `reading-1`
- **2025-01-28** Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 4:00 PM.
- **2025-02-06** Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 4:00 PM.
- **2025-02-06** WM - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass. `substitution`
- **2025-02-06** Minority; without recommendation. `committee-passage-unfavorable`
- **2025-02-10** Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- **2025-03-10** Placed on second reading by Rules Committee. `reading-2`
- **2025-03-12** 1st substitute bill substituted (WM 25). `substitution`
- **2025-03-12** Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading. `reading-3`
- **2025-03-12** Third reading, passed; yeas, 47; nays, 1; absent, 0; excused, 1. `reading-3`
- **2025-03-14** First reading, referred to Finance. `reading-1`
- **2025-03-21** Public hearing in the House Committee on Finance at 1:30 PM.
- **2025-04-04** Executive action taken in the House Committee on Finance at 8:00 AM.
- **2025-04-04** FIN - Majority; do pass. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2025-04-07** Referred to Rules 2 Review. `referral-committee`
- **2025-04-27** By resolution, returned to Senate Rules Committee for third reading.
- **2026-01-12** By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- **2026-01-13** Placed on third reading by Rules Committee. `reading-3`
- **2026-01-21** Rules suspended.
- **2026-01-21** Returned to second reading for amendment.
- **2026-01-21** Floor amendment(s) adopted.
- **2026-01-21** Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading. `reading-3`
- **2026-01-21** Third reading, passed; yeas, 48; nays, 1; absent, 0; excused, 0. `reading-3`
- **2026-01-26** First reading, referred to Finance (Not Officially read and referred until adoption of Introduction report). `reading-1`
- **2026-01-26** First reading, referred to Finance. `reading-1`
- **2026-02-19** Public hearing in the House Committee on Finance at 1:30 PM.
- **2026-03-02** Executive action taken in the House Committee on Finance at 8:00 AM.
- **2026-03-02** FIN - Majority; do pass. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-03-02** Referred to Rules 2 Review. `referral-committee`
- **2026-03-04** Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading. `reading-2`
- **2026-03-05** Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading. `reading-3`
- **2026-03-05** Third reading, passed; yeas, 96; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 2. `reading-3`
- **2026-03-06** President signed. `passage`
- **2026-03-06** Speaker signed. `passage`
- **2026-03-09** Delivered to Governor. `executive-receipt`
- **2026-03-16** Governor signed. `executive-signature`
- **2026-03-16** Chapter 67, 2026 Laws. `became-law`
- **2026-03-16** Effective date 6/11/2026. `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/fdba1404-7cfe-481b-8d9d-14357a544c59`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Washington legislature records).