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February 20, 2026
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
On Tuesday, the Senate reached another key point of this year’s 60-day session. It was “floor cutoff,” the last day we could pass bills that originated in the Senate, other than those that will be part of a budget package. During the days leading up to this important cutoff, we spent many hours daily debating and voting on bills and amendments.
With cutoff behind us, the Senate is back in the committee phase of session, this time to hold public hearings on bills passed by the House earlier this session.
 A Senate floor session last year.
Democrats pass income-tax bill out of Senate
Unfortunately, the most consequential and controversial bill of this year’s session is one step closer to becoming law.
Democrats controlling the Senate voted 27-22 Monday to create a state income tax in Washington, despite voters having rejected such a tax numerous times over the past century. Senate Bill 6346 would impose a 9.9% tax on individual income over $1 million.
I joined all 18 other Republicans and three Democrats in voting against this bill.
The bill’s proponents say it would only tax people making more than a million dollars a year, but you can almost guarantee Democrats will come back and lower the income-tax threshold once the people initially paying this new income tax take their money and move out of Washington. Once that happens, people making much less than a million will have to pay this income tax as well. History tells us everyone eventually will have to pay this state income tax, not just millionaires.
During my floor speech opposing SB 6346, I mentioned how the Legislature in previous years has created or raised taxes with promises to sufficiently fund K-12 education or health care. (Go here to see a Q&A on the history of certain taxes.)
The same thing’s happening with the income tax. People out there actually are being told it will fund health care and education. I realize why that’s part of the marketing strategy, because those causes are understandably popular – but the truth is, nowhere in this bill does any section dedicate one penny to education and health care. It just isn't there.
This reminds me how we were told years ago that if the state just collected some more “sin” taxes, we could fund health care, which I think is called the Basic Health Plan. Well, that didn't work either because of an insatiable appetite for tax money that doesn't go where people say it's going to go.
Also, supporters of the tax claim they want to rebalance Washington’s tax code, but SB 6346 earmarks only a small percentage of the state’s haul from an income tax (estimated at $3.5 billion annually) for any kind of tax relief. The biggest part of that would benefit big corporations, not families. All the other money taken in would just go into the state general fund, a giant pot of money that can be spent on pretty much anything.
If enacted, SB 6346 would override Initiative 2111, the measure approved by the Legislature with bipartisan support in 2024 that banned state and local income taxes in Washington.
Remember, nearly 450,000 voters in our state signed I-2111, sending it to the Legislature. But now the Democrats are ignoring the voters’ wishes – yet again. It’s important to remember that Washington voters have rejected an income-tax proposal 11 times! Democrats just thumbed their noses at voters and ignored the will of the people. They even included a provision in this bill that makes it impossible for voters to challenge it at the ballot box.
SB 6346 would hit married people filing jointly who make a combined income of $1 million the same way it hits individuals. This proposal would punish marriage.
Democrats defeated several Republican amendments to the proposal, including:
- Allowing people the right to vote via referendum on the state income-tax bill.
- Specifying that the bill is unconstitutional because it violates well-established state constitutional limitations on property taxes.
- Removing the marriage penalty provision from the bill.
- Providing a sales-and-use tax exemption for diapers.
SB 6346 now goes to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
 Senator Schoesler testifying in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee this week on SB 5919.
Schoesler wildfire bill receives House hearing
On Wednesday morning I walked over to the John L. O’Brien Building (a familiar place, as my office was there for many of my 12 years as a state representative) to testify on one of my bills.
The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 5919, my proposal that would encourage fire districts and insurance providers to collaborate and develop voluntary incentives to promote wildfire-mitigation best practices related to agricultural activities. The panel is scheduled to vote on the bill next Tuesday.
As I told committee members this week, SB 5919 aims to encourage incentives, much as auto-insurance companies provide discounts for students with good grades.
You can view my testimony on the bill before the House panel here.
Meetings this week
With the Senate finishing up its long run of floor sessions Tuesday, I’ve been able to resume holding meetings with different people. Here is a recap of those meetings:
- On Wednesday morning, I sat down with state Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Kelly Susewind.
- Later Wednesday I met with Lincoln County Public Health officials.
- On Thursday morning, I had meetings with an eastern Washington representative of the Washington State School Retirees’ Association, Spokane County Commissioner Al French and Washington State University President Elizabeth Cantwell.
- This morning I met with members of the Washington State Auto Dealers Association’s Grassroots Team.
- This afternoon I will join other legislators on a tour to the top of the Capitol Dome, hosted by the Department of Enterprise Services.
 Senator Schoesler with Senate page Izzy Gonzalez.
Sponsoring Spokane student as page
Earlier this month, I had the honor of sponsoring Senate page Izzy Gonzalez, a student at Joel E. Ferris High School in Spokane.
Izzy is the daughter of Lindsae and Carlos Gonzalez of Spokane. She enjoys speech and debate at school, and baking at home. She took part in the Page Program to widen her interests and learn about the legislative process. She hopes to study at the University of Washington and eventually become a lawyer.
The Senate Page Program provides an opportunity for Washington students to spend a week working at Legislature. Students transport documents between offices, as well as deliver messages and mail. Pages spend time in the Senate chamber and attend page school to learn about parliamentary procedure and the legislative process. Students also draft their own bills and engage in a legislative mock session.
Good Bill of the Week: SB 6347
It isn’t often when a bill introduced by a Democrat is my Good Bill of the Week, but it’s also rare that a Democrat files a sensible bill about taxation! It’s Senate Bill 6347, sponsored by 47th District Senator Claudia Kauffman of Kent. This proposal would roll back the estate-tax rate hikes that the Democrat-controlled Legislature imposed last year, lowering Washington’s highest estate-tax rate from 35% (which is by far the highest in the U.S.) to 20%. The Seattle Times this week published a story about the bill.
The Senate passed this measure 38-11 on Monday, with all of the no votes coming from Democrats.
Bad Bill of the Week: SB 5502
Nowadays, it seems like pop, energy drinks and other bottled beverages cost more. If Senate Bill 5502 becomes law, it would raise the cost even higher by creating a 10-cent-per-beverage-container tax. Although SB 5502 has not advanced this session, it’s very possible it could be pushed through as “necessary to implement the budget” (or NTIB, in Olympia-speak). It’s my Bad Bill of the Week.
Let me know if you need help or have an idea
If you wish to discuss an issue or concern with me, or if you need help with a problem involving state government, please reach out to me by email at mark.schoesler@leg.wa.gov or give my legislative office a call at 360-786-7620. I'd like to hear from you!
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I welcome your comments about anything in this newsletter and questions about what I’m doing on your behalf in the state Senate. Please call, email or write using the contact information at the end of this report.
Click here to visit my legislative webpage!
Legislative Email: Mark.Schoesler@leg.wa.gov
Legislative Phone: (360) 786-7620
Toll-Free: 1 (800) 562-6000
Olympia Address:
417 Legislative Building
P.O. Box 40409
Olympia WA 98504-0409
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