Dear friends and neighbors, 

The Legislature has officially adjourned for the year. During our 105-day session, we faced serious challenges — including a major budget shortfall — but through it all, I stayed grounded in the priorities I hear time and again from folks in the 37th District. We fought to protect the most vulnerable, invest in our communities, and build a future rooted in justice, care, and shared prosperity. To everyone who called, emailed, testified, or stopped by my office in Olympia — gracias! Your voices shaped this session. I’m proud of what we moved forward together. 

A Special Thanks to My Incredible Team 

(From left to right: Nicole Reyes, session aide; Teresa Arciniega-Ruiz, legislative assistant; Stephanie Parra, session intern) 

I’m proud to have had an extraordinary team supporting me throughout this session — their dedication and hard work made everything we accomplished possible. Teresa Arciniega-Ruiz, leading our office this session, was truly a rock star in her first session at the helm. Her leadership, organization, and insight were invaluable, and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner in this work. Nicole Reyes joined us as our session aide, bringing with her a wealth of experience from her years of community organizing right here in the 37th District. Her connection to the community was evident in every conversation and action, and we were lucky to have her by our side. It was also a privilege to be part of the Senate Internship Program this session. Stephanie Parra, a senior at University of Washington Seattle, was a shining star in our office. She brought fresh perspectives and energy to the team, and her contributions were vital. I’m excited to see the great things she’ll do after graduation! I’m so grateful for the passion and talent that each of these incredible individuals brought to the table. They are the real power behind the progress we made this session, and I can’t wait to see what they do next! 

Budgeting with Our Values 

Even in tough fiscal times, we passed a budget that reflects our values. We preserved core services and made meaningful investments in education, housing, health care, and economic resilience. 

Key operating budget investments include: 

  • $750 million for special education services 
  • $200 million in local effort assistance for low-income school districts 
  • $117 million for local housing and homelessness prevention 
  • $93 million to support emergency food access 
  • $25 million for refugee and immigrant support 
  • Funding for most state employee contracts — with no furloughs or health care cost increases 

We also protected behavioral health services, public safety efforts, and frontline care — with a focus on communities most impacted by systemic racism, poverty, and health disparities. 

Capital and transportation budgets bring long-overdue investments to neighborhoods like ours and communities across the state. 

Capital budget highlights: 

  • $782 million for housing and homelessness response, including a record $605 million for the Housing Trust Fund 
  • $1 billion for school construction and early learning facilities, with dedicated funds for tribal and rural schools 
  • $130 million to strengthen behavioral health care infrastructure 
  • $650 million for salmon recovery and climate resilience 
  • Investments in libraries, food access, and green workforce development 

Transportation investments include: 

  • $895 million to modernize our ferry system 
  • $461 million to continue our commitment to public transit through Move Ahead WA 
  • $316 million for pedestrian and bike safety infrastructure 
  • $1.1 billion for fish passage and habitat restoration 
  • $5 billion in highway and safety upgrades — with climate justice at the core of how we build and move forward 

Thanks to the Climate Commitment Act, nearly $1.4 billion of this funding is focused on clean, community-centered infrastructure that prioritizes environmental justice and green jobs. 

Legislative Wins 

Two bills I championed this session are at the governor’s desk, awaiting his signature: 

  • SB 5403 – Cannabis Equity & Transparency
    Caps the number of retail cannabis licenses a single entity can hold — leveling the playing field for small businesses, especially Black, Brown, and Indigenous entrepreneurs — and pushing back against corporate consolidation. 
  • SB 5138 – Community Reinvestment Through Short-Term Rental Revenue
    Clarifies that local tax dollars from short-term rentals can be reinvested not just in affordable housing, but community led equitable development projects, which help folks stay rooted and thrive. 

Staying Connected 

Session may be over, but the work continues. While we won’t have an in-district physical office, we’ll host office hours in coffee shops around the community. If your group or organization wants to host us for office hours or a community gathering, please reach out to Teresa Arciniega-Ruiz at teresa.arciniega-ruiz@leg.wa.gov. Office hours will be Tuesday to Friday, so please note we will not be available on Mondays. 

Stay tuned for future newsletters, where I’ll share more about specific investments in the 37th and other policy wins. My office is always here to help, and I’ll send out more updates over the coming months on what I’m working on and how you can stay involved. 

As always, please reach out to me with any questions, concerns, or ideas. Your input and feedback are invaluable to my work.  You can reach me at rebecca.saldana@leg.wa.gov or 360-786-7688.  

Stay informed about my activities by visiting my website and follow me on Instagram and Facebook for regular updates.   

Thank you for the opportunity to serve the 37th. Let’s keep building a Washington that works for all of us. 

In solidarity,

 


Sen. Rebecca Saldaña
37th Legislative District