Blog

Hi neighbors,  

I’m back in our district following this legislative session and want to hear from you. I’ll be hosting coffee chats across the district later this month. You can sign up at the links below: 

• Pioneer Square 

• • Friday, April 24th at 9:00 to 11:00am 

• • Register here. 

• South Park 

• • Sunday, April 26th at 10:00am to 12:00pm  

• • Register here.  

• White Center 

• • Wednesday, April 29th at 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.  

• • Register here.  

Can’t make these times? You can always contact me or my legislative assistant and we will work to find a time. 

Beginning May 4, I will be under election year restrictions on official channels until after the election is certified. This means: no more e-newsletters, no social media posts, and no new content on my website. My office will remain open, however, and if you need help with state agencies or have questions about policy please call or email. You can find my contact information below.

Email me: Emily.Alvarado@leg.wa.gov 

Email my legislative assistant: KT.Lewis@leg.wa.gov 

Call my office: (360) 786-7667 

Legislative hotline: 1 (800) 562-6000 

Telephone relay service: 1 (800) 833-6384 (voice); 1 (800) 833-6388 (TTY) 

I look forward to meeting,  

Emily 

Hi neighbors,   

Last Thursday was Sine Die, the final day of the 2026 Legislative Session. Here’s an update on the state budgets, bills I passed, highlights from the session, and what’s next.   

Millionaires Tax  

After a historically long debate in the House, the Legislature passed a bill that will impose a 9.9% tax on personal income over $1 million a year (less than 1 percent of Washingtonians would pay). I was proud to vote for the Millionaires Tax because it will generate over $3 billion a year for K-12 education, health care, and childcare, and expand the Working Families Tax Credit, returning money to Washingtonians who need it most. The Millionaires Tax will also fund free school lunch and breakfast for all Washington students. This is a significant step toward rebalancing our unfair tax system and ensuring that the wealthiest people in our state contribute to a thriving state. 

Budget 

Operating budget 

We updated the 2025-2027 budget in response to increased need for services as well as rising costs. The supplemental operating budget protects key investments in Apple Health (Medicaid), the Washington College Grant, long-term care, and behavioral health, maintaining access to essential services families rely on every day.  

I heard concerns from many constituents regarding funding cuts to child care, health care, and Running Start. I share these concerns and frustrations, especially as we navigate the impacts of devastating federal cuts from HR1. That’s why I voted against the rollback to the estate tax, opposed certain tax preferences, proposed the Apple Health Employer Assessment that would have helped fund health care, and pushed for new revenue to be directed towards programs that support children and families.  I’m committed to navigating these circumstances responsibly, while fighting to preserve the services our communities rely on.  

Capital & Transportation Budgets  

The supplemental capital budget includes nearly $3.5 million for permanently affordable homeownership in South Park, $1.5 million for sports facility equity, $2.5 million for the Chinese Garden and Cultural Center, $412,000 for the Vashon Community Pool, and reallocates $634,000 to Food Lifeline.  

The supplemental transportation budget plan would fund ongoing district projects, including improvements along the Rapid Ride H route, pedestrian safety in White Center, and improvements to the Seattle Ferry Terminal. 

Legislative Victories 

In this short session, we strengthened labor protections, addressed utility costs, created a path to much-needed housing, and fought to make Washington more fair and just.    

We passed several bills to safeguard our communities from federal overreach. We protected our democratic process by passing HB 1916 to prevent mass challenges to voter rolls, SB 5892 to prohibit sharing of personal voter information, and HB 1750 to strengthen remedies when voting rights violations occur. We passed SB 5855, which prohibits law enforcement from wearing masks during interactions with the public, meaning ICE officers cannot conceal their identities.  

I am proud to report that three bills I sponsored are on their way to the Governor’s desk!  After four years, we finally passed my bill to stop Washington from the harmful practice of intercepting federal benefits from young adults in Foster Care. This will put dollars back in the pockets of young adults who need it, providing more financial stability and opportunity. 

I’ve continued to focus on making housing more affordable. My legislation passed will remove barriers to siting shelters, transitional housing and permanent supportive housing our communities desperately need, so we can bring people inside. My bill SB 6026 responds to our state’s housing shortage, allowing residential development in commercially zoned land and removing barriers to building homes. A key part of making housing affordable is preserving the housing we have; my bill SB 6027 lets local governments use existing revenue tools to preserve affordable housing, ensuring that existing affordable housing is well maintained and residents have services and support.  

Despite these victories, there is so much work left to do. Especially in these times, it feels hard to settle for incremental progress. You can count on me to keep pushing for bold action to strengthen our schools and make housing, child care, and health care more accessible and affordable for all.  

Your Voice Matters! 

Thank you to everyone who has called, emailed, or visited Olympia to share your opinions and priorities.  Your input and feedback are essential to shaping the policies we move forward.  

Stay in touch 

Starting on May 4th, I will be subject to election year limitations. This means I can’t send out email updates or social media posts from my office, but I’ll be in touch after the election results are certified in December. You are still welcome to reach out with any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas.  

Phone: 360.786.7667   

Telephone Relay Service: 1.800.833.6388 (TTY)   

Legislative Hotline: 1.800.562-6000   

Email me at Emily.Alvarado@leg.wa.gov or my legislative assistant KT Lewis at KT.Lewis@leg.wa.gov. 

Sincerely, 

Emily 

Hi neighbors,  

With another key legislative deadline behind us, here’s an update on bills that are still moving and what I’m hearing from you. 

What I’m saying on the Senate floor 

My office is receiving lots of feedback regarding the Millionaires Tax, which passed the Senate this Monday. Our existing tax structure is unbalanced and regressive. As part of the Millionaires Tax, we are doubling our small business tax credit and expanding eligibility for the Working Families Tax Credit. This will help working families and small businesses thrive while ensuring everyone pays their fair share.

I’m proud to share that my bill that caps medical debt interest at 1% passed the Senate on February 6th. This legislation is a key step in addressing the healthcare affordability crisis. Here’s what I had to say on it: 

Protecting our democracy 

There is more we can and must do in Washington to safeguard our democracy and ensure that every vote counts, especially for historically disenfranchised communities. Several policies are moving through the House and Senate to protect our state and local elections: 

• HB 1710 creates state-level ‘preclearance’ for jurisdictions with voting rights violations and prevents unjust voting systems before they happen.  

• HB 1750 strengthens remedies under the Washington Voting Rights Act when vote suppression or dilution has occurred.  

• SB 5892 protects voter data and limits how voter rolls can be shared.  

• SB 6035 ensures those that people with disabilities, those overseas, in the military, and on tribal reservations have voting access.  

Standing up for health care 

Federal cuts resulting from H.R. 1 will leave significant gaps in healthcare coverage for many Washingtonians. It is more important than ever that we step up to fill these gaps to ensure our communities can access essential health services.   

• HB 2548 aims to create more transparency in healthcare by notifying the Attorney General when hospitals and provider organizations are acquired by private equity. In doing this, it creates a mechanism for awareness that can help limit market consolidation and combat rising healthcare costs. 
• SB 5917 helps ensure patients can access the resources necessary to safely navigate an abortion or miscarriage.

• SB 5947 establishes the Washington Health Care Board. I support universal health care, and this bill is the first step towards implementing a state-based universal health care system. The state must be ready if the option becomes available at the federal level. 
• SB 5395 limits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in prior authorizations for Public Employee/School Employee Benefit Board health plans. This ensures coverage decisions remain in the hands of healthcare professionals. 

Responding to your concerns about the Triangle Route 

Reps. Fitzgibbon and Thomas and I sent a letter to Washington State Ferries to elevate the concerns of constituents, particularly how the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route is identified as having the only relief vessel to support the entire system. We’ll continue to advocate for more equal distribution and watch for the revised Service Contingency Plan, which is due to be released in March.  

Town hall on Monday 

Reps. Fitzgibbon and Thomas and I are hosting a virtual town hall on Monday, Feb. 23rd at 6:00pm.  We’ll discuss what’s happening in Olympia and answer your questions. Feel free to submit questions in advance using this link. You can join via Facebook or YouTube. 

If you have any accessibility needs, please contact my office at Emily.Alvarado@leg.wa.gov with ‘Accessibility’ in the subject line. 

Contact 

You can always reach my office by email or phone. 

Phone: 360.786.7667  

Telephone Relay Service: 1.800.833.6388 (TTY)  

Legislative Hotline: 1.800.562-6000  

Email me at Emily.Alvarado@leg.wa.gov.   

In solidarity,  

Emily 

Dear Neighbors,

I want to take a quick moment to remind you of my upcoming virtual town hall. Reps. Fitzgibbon and Thomas and I are hosting a virtual town hall on Monday, February 23, from 6-7 p.m. We’ll discuss what’s happening in Olympia and answer your questions. Feel free to submit questions in advance using this link. You can join via Facebook or YouTube.

If you have any accessibility needs, please contact my office at Emily.Alvarado@leg.wa.gov with ‘Accessibility’ in the subject line

I look forward to seeing you there,

Emily

Friends and neighbors,

We’re hard at work in this short legislative session. I remain committed to making housing, health care, and child care more affordable and accessible and protecting our community against federal overreach.

District updates 

Reps. Fitzgibbon and Thomas and I are hosting a virtual town hall on Monday, February 23, from 6-7 p.m. We’ll discuss what’s happening in Olympia and answer your questions. Feel free to submit questions in advance using this link. You can join via Facebook or YouTube.

If you have any accessibility needs, please contact my office at Emily.Alvarado@leg.wa.gov  with ‘Accessibility’ in the subject line.

Fighting for affordability 

Housing:

I’m bringing back my bill from last year (SB 5496) to block large investors from excessive purchasing of single-family homes. We have a tough housing market — the last thing we need is private equity firms buying up homes that families can afford.

I’ve also introduced SB 6069, which removes barriers to transitional and permanent supportive housing and indoor emergency shelters. To truly address homelessness, we need to plan for housing that is affordable across all income levels.

To check out my other housing bills, click here: SB 6026, SB 6027, and SB 6028.

Health care access:

SB 5993 limits interest on medical debt to 1%. The cost of health care is increasingly unsustainable and forces patients to shoulder more of the costs and go into debt. One in 5 Washingtonians report having outstanding medical bills. If passed, Washington would join many states that have capped interest rates for medical debt between 1-3%.

SB 6173: H.R. 1 has devastated health care coverage across the country, and hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians will lose access this year. It’s up to us to fill the gaps. This legislation would require some of the largest employers in the state to contribute to investments in Apple Health for their employees— a reasonable expectation that keeps people and communities healthy.

SB 6067 protects health care for workers who are injured on the job.

Child care and supporting youth: 

I’m fighting to make child care accessible for working families. SB 5500 makes DCYF report on the actual costs to deliver high-quality child care, so we can better set child care subsidy rates, helping workers and families alike.

My bill SB 5911 empowers youth in extended foster care by returning funds they’re entitled to so they can meet their own needs and better prepare for the future.

Other affordability bills I love:

• HB 2481 bans surveillance pricing and surge pricing in retail grocery stores.

• SB 6171 requires large new data centers to pay their full infrastructure costs, source clean electricity, and avoid shifting costs onto everyday ratepayers.

• SB 6162 helps keep seniors in their homes by expanding the senior citizen property tax relief program.

• Rep. Thomas’s HB 2355 creates clear, enforceable labor protections for domestic workers across Washington. This includes nannies, child care providers, and home care workers.

Fixing our tax code 

Washington is facing a budget deficit, and we continue to have an unsustainable, upside-down tax code. Between federal cuts to health care and education and inflation driving up the cost of everything from food to housing, family budgets are stretched thin.

This session, we must pursue progressive revenue options to protect the progress we’ve made and avoid further devastating cuts to our communities.

This week, Senate Democrats introduced SB 6346, a bill to establish a tax on millionaires. It would tax those making over $1 million a year at 9.9% on income above $1 million. Less than 1% of the wealthiest Washington households would be subject to the tax. Asking millionaires to step up and pay a little more will help balance our tax code, but more importantly, fund schools, health care, and other necessities families are struggling to afford.

Protecting our communities 

I will continue fighting to protect our communities and stand up against the federal overreach that has left so many Washingtonians living in fear. I stand firmly against the weaponization of personal information and the intimidation of our neighbors. In our state, all families deserve safety, and privacy must be defended.

I am proud to share that Senate Bill 5855, sponsored by Sen. Javier Valdez, passed the Senate. The bill prohibits law enforcement officers from hiding behind masks while interacting with the public, protecting families and neighbors from aggressive, warrantless raids that have caused fear for far too long.

The following bills help further protect our communities:

• SB 5876 bans the unauthorized possession, creation or use of law enforcement badges or insignia so legitimate officers are easily identifiable.

• SB 5852 requires employers to notify workers about federal I-9 audits, protects workers from retaliation, limits federal access to employment records, and establishes enforcement tools to ensure workers’ rights are respected. Workers should never live in fear of losing their jobs or being exploited.

• SB 5892 prevents the federal government from seizing Washingtonians’ sensitive voter data.

• SB 6002 prohibits ALPR ‘Flock’ camera data sharing for immigration enforcement or tracking legal activities and prohibits ALPR cameras in sensitive places like schools and food banks.

• SB 6286  levies fines against ICE detention facilities that prevent inspections. The money gathered from the fines would be put into a fund to help people and families ICE has harmed.

• SB 6081 prevents unauthorized disclosure of sex designation information and past changes, which will protect the right to privacy for transgender and gender-diverse Washingtonians.

I recognize that BIPOC and immigrant communities are living in fear. I’ll do whatever I can to protect our community and make sure the 34th district is a safe, welcoming place for everyone.

Meeting with constituents

Thank you to everyone who has traveled to the capitol to share your stories and advocate for change. I’ve met with parent preschool advocates, local business owners and health care providers, Interfaith Action Network, and housing and homelessness advocates to name a few. Your input matters to me. You can always reach out to my office to share your thoughts.

Contact  

You can always reach my office by email or phone.  

Phone: 360.786.7667   

Telephone Relay Service: 1.800.833.6388 (TTY)   

Legislative Hotline: 1.800.562-6000   

Email me at Emily.Alvarado@leg.wa.gov.    

It’s an honor to serve the 34th Legislative District. Go Seahawks!

Emily  

Hi neighbors,    

The legislature adjourned last week. Although this was a very challenging session, we were able to produce a balanced budget and make progress for the state. 

Notable legislation:  

We passed crucial legislation this session, including creating more safeguards for firearm purchases, improving public safety, expanding recycling across the state, ensuring Washington classrooms are both safe and welcoming, protecting reproductive care, and expanding behavioral health care.  

Investing in the 34th: 

Operating budget  

This year brought incredible challenges. We started out with a significant budget shortfall and had to make difficult decisions and worked to protect people and essential services. The final budget reflects careful adjustments and a balanced approach. We protected core services, like food assistance programs, local housing, support for refugees, and resources for crime victims. At the same time, we made investments in K-12 education, supported state employees and collective bargaining agreements, made careful reductions throughout the budget, and added thoughtful revenue to support our programs.   

Capital budget  

The capital budget covers the state’s school buildings, affordable housing, hospitals, parks, and public lands. 

Schools, Health & Community Facilities: School-based behavioral health clinics at Denny International Middle School/Chief Sealth High School ($175M); Vashon Community Pool funding ($70K); Voice of Vashon digital renovation ($167K); Sea Mar ($1.7M); Seattle International Public Market improvements ($1.3M); Seattle Public Schools Skills Center ($480K); Lower Duwamish Superfund funding ($9.7M); Tramp Harbor dock replacement on Vashon Island ($521K); Maury Island Aquatic Reserve armoring removal ($1.2M).  

We were sure to preserve funds for accessible health care and long-term care, especially as these systems are called into questions at the federal level.   

Arts & Culture: New Vashon Food Bank building ($1.3M); new Mini Mart City Park in Georgetown ($149K); new Rhapsody Project space in Pioneer Square ($200K); Red Eagle Soaring funding in Pioneer Square ($176K); Washington State Black Legacy Institute Funding ($878K); Totem Star Recording Studio at King Street Station ($253K); FIFA World Cup funding ($19.5M); Mukai Cold Process Fruit Barreling Plant funding on Vashon Island ($871K). 

Housing & Shelter: Hummingbird Village ($3M); Mary’s Place Emergency Shelter ($4.5M); The Willows supportive housing ($1M). 

Transportation budget 

The transportation budget preserves our current system while making our transportation infrastructure safer for everyone. The transportation budget includes a set-aside of $4 million for Washington State Ferries to dedicate to Kitsap and Vashon Water Taxi service. I fought hard for a fund swap that will send $10 million in flexible funding for King County to use on a range of services, including continued Water Taxi Service, and the budget reserves funds for ferry electrification so we can maintain our commitment to cleaner waters. 

Bills I sponsored: 

• HB 1217 passed both chambers and is ready for Gov. Ferguson’s signature. This significant legislation will protect renters and manufactured homeowners from excessive rent increases, giving them more stability and predictability in their housing costs.  I am proud of this legislation and the real relief it will provide for working families and older adults in the 34th LD and across the state.  

• SB 5498 will be law! Gov. Ferguson signed legislation that requires that insurance companies cover a full year of birth control when it is first prescribed, building on 2017 legislation that requires coverage of 12-month refills. 

• SB 5595 is ready to sign. The shared streets bill allows cities to create pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly zones where all sorts of travelers can safely share streets.  

• SB 5651 is also headed to the governor’s desk. This bill increases protections for people facing debt and bank garnishment so working families and older adults can have some resources protected when they face financial hardship.  

• SB 5509 makes it easier to build child care centers by removing zoning barriers, helping meet the demand for high-quality child care across the state. Both the House and Senate passed the bill, and it’s headed to Governor Ferguson for final approval. 

• SB 5463 improves access to benefits for injured workers, making sure that employers act in good faith and workers get the benefits they deserve so they can get healthy and return to work safely. This bill is also ready for the governor’s signature. 

Thank you to everyone who has called, emailed, or visited Olympia to share your opinions and priorities.  

Contact   

Starting Monday, May 5, I’m subject to election year limitations. This means I can’t send out email updates or social media posts from my office, but I’ll be in touch after the election results are certified in December.  You are still welcome to reach out to my office.  

There are many ways to stay in touch with me: 

Phone: 360.786.7667   

Telephone Relay Service: 1.800.833.6388 (TTY)   

Legislative Hotline: 1.800.562-6000   

Email me at Emily.Alvarado@leg.wa.gov.    

Thank you for reading and trusting me in this new role.  

Sincerely,    

Emily