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Bills · 2023-2024 Regular Session

SB 566

Died at session end Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: covenants not to compete in employment contracts.

Contracts Employment Trade practice

  1. Introduced, stopped here
  2. Passes Senate, not reached
  3. Passes Assembly, not reached
  4. Governor signs, not reached
  5. Law, not reached

Unfamiliar terms? Glossary

What this bill does

Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, a restrictive covenant in an employment contract that

prohibits an assistant, servant, or agent from competing with his or her employer or

principal during the term of the employment or agency, or after the termination of

the employment or agency, within a specified territory and during a specified time

is lawful and enforceable if the restrictions imposed are reasonably necessary for the

protection of the employer or principal. Such a covenant that imposes an

unreasonable restraint is illegal, void, and unenforceable even as to any part of the

covenant or performance that would be a reasonable restraint.

This bill makes most such covenants illegal, void, and unenforceable after the

termination of employment or agency. A nondisclosure agreement related to

personal information of the the employer or principal or the customers of the

employer or principal or a restrictive covenant prohibiting the unauthorized use by

a former employee or agent of a customer list or intellectual property owned or

licensed by the employer or principal is not illegal, void, or unenforceable under the

bill.

Sponsors

Introduced by: Agard (D) , Carpenter (D) , Larson (D) , Smith (D) , Spreitzer (D) , Taylor (D) , Wirch (D)

22 cosponsors

Bare (D) , Billings and Madison , C. Anderson (D) , Cabrera (D) , Conley (D) , Considine (D) , Emerson (D) , Goyke (D) , Haywood (D) , J. Anderson (D) , Jacobson (D) , Joers (D) , Ohnstad (D) , Ortiz-Velez (D) , Palmeri (D) , Ratcliff (D) , Shankland (D) , Shelton (D) , Sinicki (D) , Snodgrass (D) , Stubbs (D) , Subeck (D)

Full history

  1. Oct 23, 2023 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Larson, Agard, Carpenter, Smith, Spreitzer, Taylor and Wirch; cosponsored by Representatives J. Anderson, C. Anderson, Bare, Cabrera, Conley, Considine, Emerson, Goyke, Haywood, Joers, Ohnstad, Ortiz-Velez, Palmeri, Ratcliff, Shankland, Shelton, Snodgrass, Stubbs, Subeck and Sinicki

  2. Oct 23, 2023 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Labor, Regulatory Reform, Veterans and Military Affairs

  3. Oct 27, 2023 · Senate

    Representative Jacobson added as a cosponsor

  4. Nov 10, 2023 · Senate

    Representatives Billings and Madison added as cosponsors

  5. Apr 15, 2024 · Senate

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1