Senator Marko Liias is a lifelong Washingtonian born and raised in the neighborhoods he now serves. He represents the communities of the 21st Legislative District, which includes neighborhoods in Edmonds, Everett, Bothell, Lynnwood, and Mukilteo.
Marko was appointed to the House of Representatives in 2008 and won reelection three times. He was appointed to the Senate in 2014 and is currently serving his third term as a senator.
Throughout his service in the Legislature, Marko has prioritized policies to increase access to public transportation across Washington, provide educational and career opportunities for students, make the state safer and more inclusive for LGBTQ+ youth, and build an economy that works for everyone.
As chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, Marko has focused on building a sustainable transportation system that is safe and reliable for all users. In 2022, he championed the Move Ahead Washington transportation package, which invests nearly $17 billion in transportation resources across the state over the next 16 years while creating quality, family-wage jobs. The package prioritizes Washington’s future by investing in a sustainable transportation sector that addresses the climate crisis. Marko has also focused on making our roads safer for everyone. He’s championed bills to reduce speeding in work zones, near parks, schools, hospitals, and made it easier for folks to access critical driver safety training.
Marko has led the effort to protect LGBTQ+ youth and communities across the state. He has championed bills to ban health insurers from denying or limiting medically necessary gender-affirming treatment, increase access to HIV medication, and ban so-called conversion therapy. In 2023, he also championed legislation to protect transgender youth in crises and make sure they have access to safe, stable shelter.
Making Washington a more affordable place to live for everyone is one of Marko’s top concerns. He has focused on building an economy that works for everyone in the state. He’s proud to have supported expanding the Working Families Tax Credit to put more money back into the wallets of Washingtonians, expanding the Senior Citizen Property Tax Program to help more folks stay in their homes, and capping the cost of insulin at $35 while reducing the cost for other necessary medications like inhalers and epinephrine.
An advocate for his community, Marko committed to supporting commonsense policies to reduce gun violence following a 2016 shooting in Mukilteo. Through his tenure in the Legislature, he has sponsored multiple bills to reduce gun violence, including banning high-capacity magazines commonly used in mass shootings and requiring permits to purchase firearms.
Marko has received numerous awards and recognition for his 18 years of legislative work, including:
- 2025 Knight First Class – Order of the Lion of Finland
- 2025 Washington State Safe System Award – Washington Traffic Safety Commission
- 2025 Scott White Leadership Award – Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
- 2023 Behavioral Health Champion – National Alliance on Mental Illness, Washington Chapter
- 2023 Champion of Innovation – TechNet
- 2023 Getting It Done Award – AFT Washington
- 2023 and 2019 Champion of Housing – Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties
- 2022 Transportation Hall of Fame Honoree – Transportation Choices Coalition
- 2022 Doug Walker Achievement Award – Cascade Bicycle Club
- 2022 Long-Term Care Champion of the Year – SEIU 775
- 2022 Legislator of the Year – Mothers Against Drunk Driving
- 2022 Legislator of the Year – Washington Association of Sewer and Water Districts
- 2021 Citizen of the year – Snohomish County-Camano Association of REALTORS
- 2019 Legislator of the year – Washington Student Association
- 2015 Legislator of the year – Washington State Transit Association
In addition to his service in the Legislature, Marko is an adjunct college professor and Senior Advisor for the Snohomish County Office of Recovery and Resilience.
Updated April 2026