Home | About Deb | News & Media | Email Updates | The Ledger | Contact
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The Washington State Legislature has reached its first major date of the 2026 session, the policy committee cutoff. The Wednesday deadline marked the point when bills had to be voted out of their policy committees to continue moving forward. I want to share an update on two bills I’m sponsoring that are still moving through the legislative process:
House Bill 2168 – Overdose Mapping and Community Response
One of my top priorities is battling Washington’s drug crisis and devastating overdose epidemic. Communities need better tools to respond. My HB 2168 would establish a statewide overdose mapping system to identify where overdoses are occurring in real time, allowing emergency responders, public health officials, and local communities to better direct resources and save lives.
House Bill 2151 – Factory-Built Structures and Housing Affordability
Housing affordability remains one of the greatest challenges facing families, especially first-time homebuyers. My HB 2151 supports the use of factory-built and modular structures as safe, efficient, and code-compliant housing options. These homes can be built more quickly and at a lower cost, helping expand the housing supply and make homeownership more attainable for working families.
Initiatives before the Legislature, and before the people
This session, two citizen-led initiatives were submitted to the Legislature with hundreds of thousands of signatures from Washington voters. The Legislature has the option to act on these initiatives, but the majority party has refused to hear or advance them. As a result, both initiatives will go directly to the people for a vote this November.
Initiative IL26-001 – Restoring the Parents’ Bill of Rights: With more than 416,000 signatures, this initiative would restore the bipartisan Parents’ Bill of Rights passed by the Legislature in 2024 and largely dismantled in 2025. It reaffirms parents’ rights to access school records, review classroom materials, receive timely information about academic performance, and be notified before medical or mental health services are provided at school.
Initiative IL26-638 – Defending Equity in Interscholastic Sports: Submitted with more than 445,000 signatures, this initiative focuses on protecting fairness in girls’ sports by requiring that athletic competition divided by sex remain based on biological sex, using the same medical verification already required for student athletes through routine sports physicals.
For more, check out our Initiatives to the Legislature page.
New Income Tax Proposal Introduced
Despite strong public opposition, the majority party introduced legislation this week to impose an income tax in Washington state — even though voters have rejected similar unconstitutional income tax proposals ten times.
Below is a summary of House Bill 2724/Senate Bill 6346:
- Imposes a 9.9% income tax on individuals with Washington taxable income over $1 million, a threshold that would also capture many small businesses.
- Applies to married couples earning $1 million combined, not $1 million each.
- Projected to raise approximately $4 billion per year.
- Amends the voter-approved I-2111 (passed in 2024) by stating that the prohibition on an income tax does not apply to this act.
- Applies to income from public pensions, despite current law prohibiting state and local taxation of those funds.
- Scheduled to begin in January 2028.
This proposal raises serious constitutional, economic, and fairness concerns. I believe voters deserve transparency and a voice when it comes to major tax policy changes. For more information, you can go to our Stop Bad Bills page.
As the session continues, we now move into fiscal committees, budget discussions, and floor action. I remain committed to accountability, affordability, and ensuring your voices are heard.
Capitol Campus visitors
One of the highlights of session is meeting with people from the district. This week we had the opportunity to visit with many constituents, groups, and organizations.
Stay in touch
Thank you for staying engaged, and please don’t hesitate to contact my office with questions or concerns.
There are several ways to keep track of what is happening in Olympia and with our state government. Below are some websites that can help you follow the action.
- My legislative website: You will find my contact information, bio, news releases, email updates, opinion pieces, bills, and other information.
- Capitol Buzz: Sent out each weekday, featuring stories from media outlets throughout the state, including newspapers, radio, and television.
- How you can be involved in the legislative process: This includes a citizen’s guide to effective legislative participation.
- Committee Sign-In – Remote Testimony: Testify on legislation during public hearings.
Sincerely,
Deb Manjarrez
