Dear friends and neighbors,
Today is the last day of the 2026 legislative session, and I want to give you a quick update on our progress during these short and intense few months! The Legislature has been working hard to deliver results for Washingtonians, and I’m proud to share that three of my bills have passed and are now heading to the governor’s desk. Here is a snapshot of the legislation I sponsored this session that made it across the finish line.
Senate Bill 5845 at its core, is a simple idea: hospitals and providers should be paid in a timely and predictable way for the care they deliver. With many providers — especially in rural and underserved communities — already stretched thin, this bill helps protect access to care for Washingtonians.
This bill modernizes and clarifies timely payment requirements for health carriers. Hospitals and health care providers across Washington state are facing severe financial strain due to rising costs and recent federal Medicaid cuts. Currently, health carriers must pay 95% of clean claims within 30 days of receipt to providers. Often the remaining 5% of clean claims are the highest-cost hospital bills. Senate Bill 5845 updates this payment standard by requiring health carriers pay 100% of these claims within 30 days, rather than 95%. It’s critical we ensure hospitals receive payments from health carriers in a timely manner so they can focus on providing care to Washingtonians.
Senate Bill 6200 will help safeguard tenant safety and renters’ rights to keep their homes cool. The 2021 heat dome was one of the deadliest weather events in state history, and rising temperatures and extreme heat are becoming a more frequent public health risk. Portable cooling devices are often the only option for renters to keep their homes cool during extreme heat events, yet landlords are able to prohibit these devices.
Senate Bill 6200 will ensure renters are allowed to protect their health using safe, portable air conditioning units, while also guaranteeing property owners are protected from liability.
Senate Bill 6246 establishes new reporting requirements for emissions-intensive, trade-exposed (EITE) industries so that they can effectively reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and remain competitive in Washington state. These are some of our biggest industries – steel, cement, pulp, and paper – and they are some of our largest emitters. These industries employ many workers and play an important role in our economy. When the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) was negotiated, we recognized that certain industries needed time to develop technologies that would allow them to decarbonize their production processes and that sudden or unpredictable costs could push EITE industries to relocate rather than reduce pollution. That would have undermined climate goals by shifting pollution elsewhere rather than reducing it. Senate Bill 6246 gives us facility-scale information on opportunities and limitations to industrial decarbonization so that we can make sure the state’s emission reduction framework supports our large manufacturers and aligns with the intent of the CCA. This bill balances environmental responsibility with economic competitiveness and job retention.
Here is a graph showing the progress of all my bills introduced this session! I focused on issues related to child care, housing, affordability, environmental policy, health care access, and more. I’ll continue to push for these issue areas next session!
Investments in the 48th Legislative District
This session, I worked to secure our fair share of funding for projects at home in the 48th. The capital budget funds local community projects such as parks, housing, and other infrastructure. It is financed through bond sales, dedicated state funds, and federal funds. This session, the capital budget invests over $3 million in the 48th. I’m excited to share that the projects below were included in the final version. I fought to ensure we invested in key projects that support our public spaces, housing, community projects, and more. Here are some highlights.
- $254K for International Community Health Services
- $773K for Peter Kirk Community Center
- $1M for Plymouth Housing
- $412K for Kirkland Public Works Maintenance Center
- $109K for Kindering Campus Safety and Security Package to support infants, children, and families including those with disabilities, developmental delays, and other needs.
- $1.5M for Muslim Association of Puget Sound Redmond Youth Center
- $157K for Northwest Kidney Centers Upgrades
Reforming our tax code
After more than 24 hours of debate, the Millionaires Tax passed the House of Representatives earlier this week with additional changes. Yesterday, the Senate gave final approval, and Senate Bill 6346 now heads to the governor’s desk. It will help fix the state’s unfair and outdated tax code, provide sustainable funding for public schools and health care, and reduce taxes for working families and small businesses across the state. The Millionaires tax will allow our state to provide substantial tax relief for working people:
- Expand eligibility for the Working Families Tax Credit to 460,000 additional households.
- Make free school breakfast and lunch universal across the state of Washington.
- Reduce or eliminate taxes for nearly 140,000 small businesses.
- Make nearly everything in your shopping cart at the grocery store tax-free by exempting diapers, hygiene products, and over-the-counter medicines from sales tax. Most food has been tax-free for decades.
- Add significant funding for childcare and early learning.
In this Washington, we are fighting for the working class as the Trump administration delivers massive tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy while slashing funding for health care and food assistance. I’m proud to co-sponsor the Millionaires Tax, and you can watch my remarks on the Senate floor regarding this bill here. We have heard from many constituents in the 48th District who are interested in learning more about the Millionaires Tax. We are here to answer your questions, and our office is working to provide more detailed information and resources on the Millionaires Tax in the coming weeks.
Please reach out to our office
Please feel free to reach out to our office if you have any questions or concerns by calling 360-786-7694 or emailing vandana.slatter@leg.wa.gov. My amazing team Mary Ann, Kaleb, and Braydon are available to answer your questions or concerns. Stay tuned for a post-session update from our office with more details on our accomplishments this year.
As always, it’s a privilege to serve the 48th!
Sincerely,
Sen. Vandana Slatter
