Bills · 2023-2024 Regular Session
Relating to: covenants not to compete in employment contracts.
Contracts Employment Trade practice
- Introduced, stopped here
- Passes Senate, not reached
- Passes Assembly, not reached
- Governor signs, not reached
- 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
- 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
- Oct 23, 2023 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Labor, Regulatory Reform, Veterans and Military Affairs
- Oct 27, 2023 · Senate
Representative Jacobson added as a cosponsor
- Nov 10, 2023 · Senate
- Apr 15, 2024 · Senate
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1