Washington State Senate Democrats

06/01/2026

Happy 75th anniversary to ! Were proud to have the largest ferry system in the country, and we intend to keep it that way. Our bipartisan transportation budget not only invests in expanding our fleet so it can continue serving riders across Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands — it also provides $28 million over the next six years to help keep our boats and terminals in top shape. Here’s to another 75 years of sailing and connecting communities!

05/30/2026

05/29/2026

Gas prices are spiking high all across the country, thanks to President Trump's illegal, reckless, and unnecessary war with Iran. Meanwhile, here in Washington, we're hard at work on energy affordability, with legislation like HB 1903 to help families pay their utility bills and funding in the capital budget to help support communities and small businesses transitioning to cleaner, cheaper energy options. The difference couldn't be clearer!

05/28/2026

Eid Mubarak! I am so proud to be celebrating Eid al-Adha for the first time as an officially recognized holiday in the state of Washington, after passing my legislation last year! Official recognition sends an important message to the people of Washington - our Muslim friends, family, and neighbors are important, they are valued, and they are welcome here. At a time when Islamophobia is growing across our country, when elected officials are saying and posting hateful things about Muslim Americans, and our constitutionally protected religious liberties and faith-based institutions are being terrorized, it is so important that Washington state be a place where everyone can practice their faith free of fear and judgement, no matter what faith that is. I am thankful to serve my district, this state and all of the beautifully diverse people in it!

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we honor those who have sacrificed their lives in service of our country. We are so grateful for their sacrifice and thankful to those families of the fallen.

05/22/2026

Mental Health Awareness Month is a reminder that it is always okay to ask for help.

This biennium, we've passed legislation:

✅Requiring AI companion chatbots to regularly remind users that they are not human and provide resources to users who may seek to harm themselves (HB 2225).
✅Securing state funding to ensure LGBTQ+ young people can continue accessing dedicated crisis support following the Trump administration's cancellation of the 988 line for LGBTQ+ youth in crisis (SB 5998).
✅Strengthening Washington's mental health parity law by requiring insurers to cover mental health and substance use disorder services that are prescribed by a patient's doctor and deemed medically necessary (HB 1432).

We'll keep working to ensure every Washingtonian can access the mental health care they need, when and where they need it.

05/20/2026

Good news: Traffic fatalities are on the decline in Washington! Fatalities have dropped by about 19% compared to 2023, and we hope this trend continues with recent legislation and bipartisan transportation budget investments to improve traffic safety. Highlights include:

✅ $100 million for safety-focused preservation along mainstreet highways.
✅ $2.7 million to help the Washington State Patrol return to full staffing levels.
✅ Allowing the use of automatic speed cameras in state highway work zones to protect workers (SB 5272).
✅ Gradually mandating driver training for people under the age of 22 and reducing barriers to driver’s education (HB 1878).
✅ Requiring drivers who have repeatedly been caught speeding to install speed-limiting technology in their vehicles (HB 1596).

Every death on Washington's roads is preventable, and we will continue fighting to improve traffic safety for everyone until we reach target zero. Read more: https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/05/19/deaths-on-washington-roads-drop-again/

05/13/2026

Trump's gas prices got you down? Good news: it's Bike Everywhere Day! We're working to give every Washingtonian safe and well-connected bike access. We dedicated $12 million to the e-bike rebate program so more people can have bikes fitting their lifestyles, funded more than 20 projects improving bike connectivity and safety across the state in the 2025-2027 Transportation Budget, and continue to fight for green, affordable transportation choices for all.

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Washington moms out there! Democrats recently passed legislation to provide Medicaid (Apple Health) benefits covering doula services to allow reimbursement for prenatal, birth, and postpartum support. And this year, we passed the Millionaires Tax to lower the costs for moms and all Washingtonians by…

✅Making school meals free for all 1.1 million public school students
✅Eliminating the sales tax on diapers, soap, shampoo and other personal hygiene products, as well as over-the-counter medication
✅Expanding the Working Families Tax Credit to give an additional 460,000 families some help paying for life’s essentials
✅Dedicating more money to child care programs
✅And if mom owns a small business, there’s a good chance she’ll be one of 70 percent of businesses in the state that will no longer pay the B&O tax.

05/07/2026

As we round out Nurses Week, we want to thank nurses across Washington. From long-term care facilities and schools to hospitals and offices, you keep our state healthy. We'll continue to fight for you with legislation like uninterrupted rest and meal breaks, so you can prioritize your care, as well as your patients.