Every legislative session has a distinctive flavor. The 2025 session is no different.

What is the flavor of the 2025 session? It’s a stew.

Brand new Governor Ferguson bringing his own style of governing and priorities.

Huge budget deficit projected over the next four years.

Loads of new senators and house members.

Uncertainty at the federal level and potential impacts on the state, both policy-wise and fiscally.

How this will all come together is a mystery at this time. As of the writing of this article, we are a little over halfway through the session. More will be revealed as the session progresses. We haven’t seen a budget deficit like the one we are facing this year since the lean years of the great recession beginning in 2008. Most of today’s legislators have never had to reckon with the prospect of massive cuts to essential public services. These days there may be more appetite for progressiverevenue, but we shall see.

We still have a number of priority bills from our original 2025 legislative agenda moving, as well as some casualties of the first chamber cut-off in March. Do note that everything that passed its house of origin must go through the same process in the other

house. If the bill passes both chambers, its final form must be the same before it can go to the Governor for signature.

Still Alive and Kicking

SJM 8002 Protecting Original Medicare and Leveling the Playing Field passed the Senate 30-19.

SJM 8004 Supporting efforts to advance Universal Healthcare passed the Senate 30-19.

SB 5291 Strengthening and Protecting WA Cares passed the Senate 38-11.

HB 1217 Ensuring reasonable and more predictable rent increases passed the House 53-42.

HB 1491 Creating affordable housing close to transit passed the House 58-39.

HB 1213 Extending job protection in the Family and Medical Leave Program passed the House 55-41.

SB 5041 Extending unemployment benefits to striking workers passed the Senate 28-21.

SB 5284 Improving solid waste management by reducing the use of plastic wrap and containers passed the Senate 27-22.

​​

Casualties

SB 5344/HB 1523 Ensuring quality affordable healthcare for nursing home workers.

SB 5626/HB 1773 Providing wage replacement (unemployment benefits) to undocumented workers.

SB 5541/HB 1661 Building eco- nomic security through WA Future Fund Pilot Program.

SB 5768/HB 1214 Expanding the Working Families Tax Credit.

SB 5439 Divesting WA State In- vestment Board funds from fossil fuels (No Coal Act)

SB 5380/HB 1303 Increasing environmental justice by improving government decisions (Curb Act)

The 2025 session is the first session of the two-year biennium. Bills that die in 2025 spring to life again in 2026, so there is still hope.

Yet to heat up will be budget discussions around creating a balanced budget with revenue rather than making cuts to essential services. PSARA will be part of the advocacy effort around progressive revenue.

The May Retiree Advocate will carry a review of the wins and losses of the 2025 legislative session. As always, stay well, active, and engaged. Democracy is not a spectator sport.