Dear friends and neighbors, 

It has now been three weeks since the Legislature adjourned, and I want to share an update on what we accomplished this session and the progress we made together for the 46th District and communities across Washington. While the work was not always easy, we made meaningful progress on issues that directly affect people’s daily lives. 

In Case You Missed It: SB 5855 Signed Into Law 

I am very excited to share that Senate Bill 5855 has been signed into law by Gov. Bob Ferguson and is now in effect due to an emergency clause. 

In recent months, under the current Trump administration’s renewed federal immigration enforcement actions, communities across the country have seen an increase in ICE operations, including encounters involving masked or partially concealed federal agents during routine public-facing situations. Whether during traffic stops, arrests or immigration-related enforcement in neighborhoods and workplaces, that lack of transparency has created fear and uncertainty, especially for immigrant families and others who already feel vulnerable. 

These conditions erode trust between communities and law enforcement and can make everyday interactions feel less like public safety and more like intimidation. 

SB 5855 changes that. 

This new law ensures that law enforcement officers, including local, state and federal agents such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), may not conceal their identity with masks or face coverings during routine public interactions. 

This does not interfere with legitimate law enforcement work. Instead, it establishes a clear expectation that when officers engage directly with the public, they are identifiable and accountable. 

At its core, this law reinforces a simple principle: Public interactions with government authority should be transparent, accountable and not conducted in a way that creates unnecessary fear. 

You can find a short video with more context here. 

Housing: Making Real Progress on Our State’s Biggest Challenge 

One of the most urgent challenges facing Washington is the lack of affordable housing. That challenge is especially clear in the 46th Legislative District, where the median home value is approximately $1.1 million and the median gross rent is about $2,050 per month. 

For too many families, homeownership is out of reach, while rents continue to rise faster than wages. Addressing this crisis requires sustained action, and this year we delivered meaningful reforms. 

We passed a series of bills aimed at increasing housing supply, reducing barriers to construction and improving affordability across the state: 

  • HB 1687: Streamlines local approvals and reduces regulatory barriers for mixed-income and affordable housing developed by social housing providers.  
  • SB 6026: Opens underused land, including commercial parking lots, to residential development.  
  • HB 2266: Ensures shelters, transitional housing and permanent supportive housing are treated consistently under zoning rules across urban growth areas.  
  • HB 1974: Allows cities and counties to establish land banks to acquire and preserve land for future housing development.  
  • HB 2418: Speeds up permitting timelines to reduce delays in new housing construction.  
  • SB 5156: Modernizes building requirements to make small apartment buildings more feasible while maintaining accessibility standards.  
  • SB 6237: Strengthens renter protections by requiring disclosure of known flood risks, similar to homebuyer protections.  
  • SB 6027: Expands the use of local housing revenues to preserve and rehabilitate existing affordable housing.  

These policy changes are paired with significant investments. The final capital budget includes $200 million in housing and homelessness funding, including $123 million for the Housing Trust Fund. These investments support the development and preservation of housing across Washington, from emergency shelters to senior housing and homeownership opportunities. Together, these efforts represent real momentum toward a more affordable and stable housing future. 

A Healthy Washington 

This session, I worked with colleagues in the Legislature to protect access to health care and ensure that medical decisions in Washington remain grounded in science, evidence and patient need. 

At a time when health care access is being challenged in many parts of the country, I focused on strengthening Washington’s health care safety net and protecting the providers and services that so many families depend on. 

We took action to: 

  • SB 5981: Strengthen and stabilize Washington’s health care safety net providers, helping ensure essential care remains available in communities across the state.  
  • HB 2242: Protect access to vaccines and public health services by ensuring decisions remain based on scientific evidence and medical guidance.  
  • SB 6183: Preserve access to life-saving HIV medications and maintain continuity of care for patients who rely on them.  
  • SB 5917: Expand access to mifepristone, an essential medication used for both abortion care and miscarriage management.  
  • SB 6182: Establish a permanent funding source for reproductive health providers such as Planned Parenthood, ensuring greater stability for these critical services.  

These policies reflect my commitment to protecting personal health care decisions, strengthening public health systems and ensuring that every Washingtonian can access the care they need when they need it. 

Flood Response and Recovery 

This past December, devastating flooding impacted families and communities across northwest Washington. In response, lawmakers from both parties formed a bipartisan flood caucus to coordinate recovery efforts and develop long-term resilience strategies. 

While the 46th Legislative District was not directly affected, I believe it is our responsibility to stand with Washingtonians wherever disaster strikes. We never know when the next emergency may impact our own communities, which is why statewide preparedness and mutual support matter so deeply. 

Recovery efforts are already underway, including significant investments in infrastructure repair, transportation restoration and direct assistance for individuals who lost housing during the flooding. 

These include $41 million in flood preparedness and response funding, $45 million in transportation recovery investments and $2 million to support individuals living in RVs who were impacted by the disaster. 

In addition, a bipartisan letter from legislative leaders and Gov. Ferguson to FEMA requests $182.3 million in federal assistance to support recovery efforts. This is the largest federal infrastructure recovery request Washington has made in more than 40 years. 

We will continue working to ensure every affected community has the resources it needs to recover and rebuild stronger. 

Looking Ahead 

This session demonstrated what is possible when we focus on real problems and work through difficult challenges together. There is still more work ahead, but I remain deeply committed to delivering results for the 46th District. 

Thank you for the privilege of serving you. I will continue to keep you updated on our work in the Legislature and the progress we are making together. As always, you can contact me by email at javier.valdez@leg.wa.gov or by phone at (360) 786-7690. You can also stay informed about my work by visiting my website or following me on Facebook, Instagram, or X.  

With gratitude,  

Sen. Javier Valdez