Bills affecting your community in Washington (2026 session)

Enacting an excise tax on large operating companies on the amount of payroll expenses above the minimum wage threshold of the additional medicare tax to fund services to benefit Washingtonians and establishing the Well Washington fund account.

Authorizing the court to order certain conditions during child welfare shelter care hearings.

Expanding eligibility for the students experiencing homelessness and foster youth program to an accredited tribal college.

Modifying shared leave provisions to authorize shared leave for victims of a hate crime and those whose absence is due to immigration enforcement actions against the employee or the employee's relative.

Expanding the scope of programs for postsecondary students experiencing homelessness and former foster youth.

Authorizing cities and counties the ability to levy a household excise tax for the operation, maintenance, and capital needs of animal control and shelter systems.

Standardizing basic training and certification requirements for long-term care workers who provide in-home care for their family members, including spouses or domestic partners.

Making the property tax exemption for multipurpose senior citizen centers permanent.

Clarifying a hate crime offense.

Allowing collective bargaining over contributions for certain supplemental retirement benefits.

Providing a property tax valuation freeze for senior citizens and disabled veterans.

Concerning labor standards and the Washington minimum wage act.

Helping local governments provide information about the impacts of homelessness.

Concerning collective bargaining for certain employees who are enrolled in academic programs at public institutions of higher education.

Providing sufficient funding for the Washington state long-term care ombuds program.

Preventing reductions in access to pediatric primary care and behavioral health services.

Creating a homestead exemption for seniors, persons retired due to disability, and veterans with disabilities.

Reopening the exemption from the long-term services and supports trust program for employees who have purchased long-term care insurance.

Recognizing the tremendous sacrifices made by our military veterans by phasing down the disability rating requirements to ensure more disabled veterans are eligible for property tax relief.

Providing tuition waivers for tribal elders at Washington’s community and technical colleges.