The 2026 legislative session has come to a close. I wanted to take some time to reflect on what happened in Olympia, what I worked on for the 20th District, and what it all means moving forward.
This session was shaped by some of the biggest issues facing our state: affordability, taxes, public safety, energy costs, government accountability, and the overall direction of Washington.
Families across our district are already feeling the strain of higher prices on housing, groceries, fuel, insurance, and utilities. At the same time, the Legislature entered session facing serious budget challenges and major policy disagreements over how to respond. Too often, I believe the majority party chose higher taxes, more spending, and policies that move our state further away from the affordability and accountability people are asking for.
Still, session was not only about the bills I opposed. It was also about the work I advanced, the priorities I fought for, and some meaningful investments that will make a real difference here at home. I want to begin there.
Good news for the 20th District | Capital budget investments that matter
One of the clearest bright spots of the 2026 session was the supplemental capital budget—Senate Bill 6003.
The capital budget is one of the most important tools the Legislature has because it funds projects people can actually see and use in their lives, including schools, public health facilities, water systems, community spaces, and other long-term investments.
As the assistant ranking member on the House Capital Budget Committee, I have the opportunity not only to advocate for projects that matter here at home in the 20th District, but also to work on investments that support communities across Washington. That role gives me a direct voice in conversations about how the state funds critical local infrastructure, and it is one of the ways I work to make sure practical community needs are not overlooked.
This year’s supplemental capital budget included strong statewide investments, including more than $71 million for school modernization, $55 million for homeownership opportunities, and more than $30 million for flood response.
I was glad to help secure meaningful investments for the 20th District, including:
$6 million for construction at Green Mountain School in Woodland.
$1.552 million for Public Health Building renovations and upgrades in Centralia.
$1.545 million for the Carlisle Lake Dam Safety Improvement Project in Onalaska.
$772,000 for the Yacolt Community Center in Yacolt.
$150,000 for the detox/inpatient substance use disorder building in Chehalis.
$100,000 for the Port of Ridgefield Waterfront Park in Ridgefield.
$100,000 for the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds 4-H barn roof replacement in Centralia.
$48,000 for school modernization planning in the Napavine School District in Napavine.
$45,000 for the Forest Grange Renovations and Revitalization Project in Chehalis.
$30,000 for surface and drainage improvements at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds in Centralia.
These are practical investments that reflect real needs in our communities. They support students, strengthen public health infrastructure, improve safety, address water and flood concerns, and invest in community spaces that bring people together.
The work I advanced this year
Along with fighting for district projects, I also introduced legislation focused on practical issues affecting people in our communities. Some of these bills moved through parts of the legislative process, but none passed the Legislature this year. Even so, the work was important, and I intend to keep building on it.
House Bill 2336 focused on fairness, transparency, and privacy in workers’ compensation independent medical exams. It would have created a secure, Department of Labor and Industries-approved third-party recording platform so that, when exams are recorded, they are handled consistently and securely. These exams can have a major impact on injured workers and their claims, and clear rules help protect everyone involved.
House Bill 2343, which I introduced with my seatmate, Rep. Ed Orcutt, addressed water quality concerns tied to publicly owned or operated game farms. The bill would have required publicly operated facilities to follow the same groundwater, permitting, and manure-management standards as comparable private operations. This proposal was rooted in public health, clean drinking water, and the principle that the state should be held to the same standards it expects of others.
House Bill 2430 focused on the crime victim penalty assessment. The bill sought to strengthen support for crime victims while ensuring assessments are applied fairly, consistently, and in a way that reflects a person’s ability to pay. Victim services matter, and those programs need reliable support. At the same time, justice should be clear and workable.
House Bill 2574 would have created a clear process for removing deceased candidates for nonpartisan office from ballots. It may sound narrow, but in unexpected situations, election officials and voters need straightforward rules. This bill was about preserving clarity, fairness, and public confidence in local elections.
House Bill 2690 addressed low-income energy assistance and clarified existing requirements for electric utilities to provide that assistance without expanding those requirements beyond what the current law intends. At a time when utility costs remain a real concern for many families, clarity and accountability in these programs matter.
What defined this session
Beyond district projects and my own legislation, this was a session defined by major battles over taxes, spending, affordability, public safety, and whether Olympia would listen to the people it serves.
Washington entered the 2026 session with another multi-billion-dollar budget deficit and an affordability crisis that is continuing to hit families from every direction. Yet instead of focusing on sustainable budgeting and meaningful relief, the majority responded with tax increases, budget transfers, reserve drawdowns, and revenue-generating regulations. Most significantly, Democrats passed Senate Bill 6346, creating the state’s first income tax despite significant public opposition and serious economic concerns.
The affordability debate did not stop there. Lawmakers also considered a long list of proposals that would have increased the cost of everyday life in ways many families would have felt directly.
House Bill 1607, also known as the bottle bill, would have added a new deposit fee to beverage containers, increasing upfront costs for consumers and creating a new government-run collection system.
House Bill 2233 would have doubled the paper bag fee from 10 cents to 20 cents, adding yet another cost at the grocery store at a time when families are already stretched thin.
House Bill 2421 would have imposed a new tire fee, adding to the costs for drivers already facing higher prices for fuel, insurance, and vehicle maintenance.
House Bill 1420 targeted clothing and textile producers with new regulatory requirements, a proposal that would have added costs across the supply chain and likely been passed on to consumers.
House Bill 2373 would have shifted the cost of utility bill assistance programs onto ratepayers, meaning families and businesses paying electric bills could have seen higher costs to cover those mandates.
House Bill 2515 targeted data centers with new taxes and policies, raising concerns about Washington’s competitiveness at a time when technology, infrastructure, and energy policy are increasingly intertwined.
House Bill 2100 proposed a payroll tax on employers for salaries above a certain threshold, creating yet another cost on job creators and raising serious concerns about the message Washington is sending to employers and innovators.
Republicans were successful in defeating many of those measures, but the sheer number of proposals aimed at adding new costs tells you a great deal about the direction of the session.
Public safety was another major dividing line this year. At a time when violent crime remains elevated, and more than half of violent crimes in Washington go unsolved, Republicans pushed back against a number of proposals that would have weakened accountability, reduced penalties, or made it harder for communities and law enforcement to respond effectively.
Some of those proposals were stopped.
House Bill 2389 would have allowed dangerous juvenile offenders to be released earlier, despite ongoing concerns about repeat violent crime and whether the system is doing enough to protect the public. House Republicans fought it, and it did not pass.
House Bill 2403 would have softened sex offender registration requirements, a troubling proposal given the importance of registration rules for community awareness, victim protection, and law enforcement oversight. Republicans opposed it, and it did not pass.
House Bill 2489 would have allowed encampments on all public property, further restricting the ability of local communities to address unsafe or disruptive camping situations in parks, public spaces, and other shared areas. Republicans pushed back on that bill as well, and it did not pass.
House Bill 1125 passed and lowered criminal sentences, a policy Republicans opposed because it moved in the wrong direction at a time when many Washingtonians are asking for stronger accountability and safer communities.
House Bill 1178 also passed and reduced penalties for certain drug and gang crimes, raising serious concerns about softening consequences for offenses that directly harm neighborhoods and fuel broader public safety problems.
But some public safety bills did make it through.
Senate Bill 5974, the anti-sheriff bill, became one of the most controversial public safety fights of the session. Republicans spent hours debating and offering amendments because of the serious implications it carried for local control, public safety, and the will of the voters. Although House Republicans forced an extended fight over it, this bill passed and was signed into law by the governor.
There was also a broader fight over economic competitiveness and the message Washington is sending to employers, job creators, and industries already navigating high costs in this state. In this area, too, some proposals were defeated, while others were enacted.
Several of the proposed tax increases Republicans opposed did not pass.
House Bill 2098 would have increased B&O taxes on large tech companies, adding to concerns that the state continues to treat major employers as a revenue target rather than a partner in economic growth.
House Bill 2100 proposed a payroll tax on employers, adding yet another cost to job creation and sending a troubling message to businesses already weighing whether Washington remains an affordable place to grow and hire.
Other bills did pass, adding to concerns about Washington’s long-term competitiveness.
Senate Bill 6231 passed, increasing sales taxes on data center improvements. The recap notes it was believed dead before being revived in the final moments of the session, and it is expected to generate more than $200 million over four years. Republicans opposed it because of the message it sends to an industry tied closely to technology, infrastructure investment, and future economic growth.
House Bill 2487 passed, increasing B&O taxes on insurance carriers. The broader recap warned that those higher costs would likely be passed down to families and small businesses through higher premiums.
House Bill 2089 passed, removing a tax deduction for first-time homebuyer loans, making it harder for aspiring homeowners to catch a break at a time when housing affordability is already a major barrier.
House Bill 2442 passed, increasing local sales and property taxes and giving local governments more authority to raise costs on residents who are already being squeezed from all sides.
Senate Bill 6228 passed, increasing B&O taxes on warehousing and reselling prescription drugs, another example of a proposal that risked raising costs in ways that could eventually hit consumers and the health care system.
That is why I would describe this session as one in which the minority had to spend a great deal of time playing defense, countering harmful ideas, forcing debate, and pressing for accountability. That work matters. Every bad bill stopped, every amendment offered, and every public concern raised makes a difference for the people we represent, even when the final outcome is mixed.
The people sent initiatives. Olympia refused to hear them.
The people of Washington sent two initiatives to the Legislature for consideration: IL26-638, protecting girls’ sports, and IL-26-001, restoring parents’ rights.
The majority-party Democrats chose not to hold public hearings on the initiatives and not to allow them to come to the House and Senate floors for votes. Republicans in the House and Senate held listening sessions for both initiatives on February 3 to give people a chance to be heard on their opinions of them.
If these two initiatives had come to the House floor, I would have voted for them.
Since no legislative action was taken, both initiatives will advance to the November ballot, and Washington voters will decide whether they pass or not.
Mark your calendars | Virtual town hall on April 13
You can register for the event by clicking here or on the photo below.
Session is over, but my work continues
Although the Legislature has adjourned, my responsibility to serve the 20th District does not end when session does.
Being your state representative is a year-round job. In the months ahead, I will continue meeting with local leaders, employers, schools, families, and community organizations throughout the district. I will keep helping constituents navigate state government, listening to concerns, preparing legislation for the next session, and advocating for policies that make Washington more affordable, more accountable, and more responsive to the people it serves.
The session may be over, but I am still your representative year-round and remain committed to serving the people of the 20th District every step of the way.
Thank you for the opportunity to represent you. It is an honor to serve the 20th Legislative District.
Sincerely,
Peter Abbarno
State Representative Peter Abbarno 20th Legislative District RepresentativePeterAbbarno.com 425B Legislative Building | P.O. Box 40600 | Olympia, WA 98504-0600 peter.abbarno@leg.wa.gov 360-786-7896 | Toll-free: (800) 562-6000
