With less that 20 days to go, the 2026 legislative session enters the stretch run this week. Both chambers will release and hold public hearings on their supplemental operating, transportation and capital budget proposals, while policy committees will be hard at work determining whether to move bills forward ahead of Wednesday’s opposite house policy committee cutoff. Floor action will pick back up again at the end of the week as the Senate begins to vote on bills sent over from the House.
OPERATING AND TRANSPORTATION BUDGETS REVEALED
Monday, Feb. 23 @ 10 a.m. (Operating); 11 a.m. (Transportation)
Ways & Means Chair Sen. June Robinson, Vice Chair for Operating Derek Stanford and Vice Chair for Finance Noel Frame will officially introduce and answer questions about the 25-27 supplemental operating budget (SB 5998) during a news conference. Senate Transportation Chair Marko Liias will follow with an introduction and news conference of the 25-27 supplemental transportation budget (SB 6005.) You can watch both press conferences on TVW. Operating can be seen here, and Transportation is here.
JOB FREEDOM
Monday, Feb. 23 @ 10:30 a.m.
The Labor & Commerce Committee will hear public testimony on House Bill 1155, sponsored by Rep. Liz Berry. Non-compete agreements leave Washington workers at a disadvantage. This bill expands the current law to essentially ban all non-compete covenants and agreements for workers. Watch on TVW.
DETENTION CENTER OVERSIGHT
Monday, Feb. 23 @ 1:30 p.m.
The Human Services Committee will hear public testimony on House Bill 2464, sponsored by Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self. The bill creates new reporting requirements for private detention facilities, such as the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, which is being used as an ICE processing center. It requires reporting allegations of neglect and abuse, injuries, deaths and other emergencies to the state Department of Health and local law enforcement. Watch on TVW.
OPERATING BUDGET
Monday, Feb. 23 @ 4 p.m.
The Ways & Means Committee will hear public testimony on Senate Bill 5998, the 25-27 supplemental operating budget. Watch on TVW.
MILLIONAIRES TAX
Tuesday, Feb. 24 @ 8 a.m.
The House Finance Committee will hear public testimony on the Millionaires Tax (Senate Bill 6346), sponsored by Sen. Jamie Pedersen. The bill would create a tax on approximately 1% of the wealthiest households in the state, generating money that would go to public schools, health care and other programs Washington families rely on, while cutting sales taxes, taxes on small businesses, and expanding the Working Families Tax Credit. Watch on TVW.
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Tuesday, Feb. 24 @ 11 a.m.
Senate and House Democratic leaders will answer questions from the press on Tuesday. Watch on TVW.
TRANSPORTATION BUDGET
Tuesday, Feb. 24 @ 4 p.m.
The Transportation Committee will hear public testimony on Senate Bill 6005, the 25-27 supplemental transportation budget. Watch on TVW.
CAPITAL BUDGET
Tuesday, Feb. 24 @ 4 p.m.
The Ways & Means Committee will hear public testimony on Senate Bill 6003, the 25-27 supplemental capital budget. Watch on TVW.
