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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
During this week’s Republican media availability, I spoke at length about the majority party’s ongoing efforts to stifle dissent and consolidate power in Olympia. Just look at their rule change at the start of session, which upended 132 years of precedent to make it easier for them to cut off floor debate on important bills.
House Speaker Laurie Jinkins said Democrats needed to make the rule change because Republicans were making it too difficult for her to pass Democratic bills, somehow viewing the minority’s role in the Legislature as supportive of the majority. More disturbingly, she demonstrated that Democrats would rather win by shutting down debates than winning them on their merits.
We’re seeing a similar approach when it comes to the rationale behind Senate Bill 5382, which would create unnecessary barriers to the initiative process, making it harder for Washingtonians to exercise their constitutional right to direct democracy. In recent years, Democrats have also worked to add fiscal impact statements to the ballot in hopes of defeating initiatives, while also getting rid of advisory votes on taxes and going to court to overturn initiatives they don’t like. Now, they want to make it even harder for an initiative to qualify for the ballot in the first place.
They continue working overtime to suppress any dissent or alternative views that don’t align with their own. It’s deeply troubling. But it also won’t stop Republicans from continuing to fight for our districts.
First major session cutoff is Friday
Friday marks policy committee cutoff, the first major deadline of this year’s 105-day session.
By the end of the day Friday, bills are required to be voted out of their initial committees in the House and Senate to continue moving forward this session. Bills that don’t advance by this deadline are essentially out of the running for the year, unless they relate to the state budget.
Good Republican bills that will survive policy cutoff
As you review the list of good Republican bills below, please keep in mind the vast majority of our key agenda bills are being ignored by the majority party. We have solutions to every crisis facing our state (I encourage you to visit our Washington in Crisis page for the facts), but without a majority party willing to collaborate, progress is difficult. I’m thankful the bills listed below are still alive, along with many others we’ve sponsored, but there is so much more we want to do as House Republicans to fix Washington.
House Bill 1022 would establish a two-year Homes for Heroes pilot program to help essential workers, such as law enforcement officers, nurses, and firefighters, afford homes near their jobs. The program would provide down payment assistance loans to workers earning below 100% of the state median income, with the loan to be repaid when the home is sold, rented, or refinanced.
House Bill 1096 would help alleviate Washington’s housing crisis by streamlining the process for homeowners to split their lots and build new homes, reducing delays and costs while increasing housing supply.
House Bill 1285 would require high school students to receive financial education instruction before graduating, ensuring they are equipped with basic financial literacy skills, such as budgeting and understanding loan interest.
House Bill 1293 would help tackle Washington’s litter problem by establishing a dedicated task force to develop strategic, data-driven solutions with the goal of ensuring cleaner roadsides.
House Bill 1345 would help address Washington’s housing shortage by legalizing accessory dwelling units in rural areas, offering a practical solution that would promote sustainable growth while increasing housing options where they are most needed.
Bad Democrat bills that will survive policy cutoff
Much of our time during legislative sessions is focused on calling out bad ideas from the Democrats and working to stop their bills. We are posting daily on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to increase awareness and move people to action. Just the other day, nearly 20,000 people voiced opposition to the Democrats’ road usage charge bill. Your voice matters—whether it’s helping push good policy forward or defeating bad policy.
House Bill 1125 would allow judges to cut sentences for criminals—including first-degree murderers—who are still serving time for their heinous actions.
House Bill 1178 would lower penalties for serious crimes by removing or reducing extra punishment for using a firearm during a crime, making meth near children, and more.
House Bill 1217 would impose rent control, which would ultimately shrink the rental market, drive up housing costs, discourage new development, and make Washington’s housing and homelessness crises even worse.
House Bill 1296 would unravel the parental rights initiative passed by the Legislature in 2024 by stripping access to vital educational and health records, removing curriculum transparency, and delaying school notifications to parents if their child is the victim of a crime.
House Bill 1380 would allow individuals experiencing homelessness to sue municipalities that restrict the use of public land for encampments. It would also alter how cities can regulate public land use, potentially leading to costly litigation at taxpayer expense. The bill not only raises significant safety concerns, but it would do nothing to address the root causes of homelessness like poverty, addiction, and mental illness.
Senate Bill 5174 would impose stricter regulations on wood stoves, potentially driving up costs for those who rely on them for affordable heat, particularly in rural areas.
Senate Bill 5382 would impose unnecessary hurdles on the initiative process, making it harder for voters to engage in direct democracy by requiring burdensome declarations and address verifications, potentially silencing dissent and stifling citizen advocacy. I was glad to see Democratic Secretary of State Steve Hobbs voice his opposition to this bill.
We will continue working to stop these bills from reaching Governor Ferguson’s desk.
Contacting me
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any comments, questions, or concerns. My phone number is (360) 786-7846 and my email address is Drew. Stokesbary@leg.wa.gov.
It is an honor to serve you.
Warmly,
Drew Stokesbary
