It was a busy final week of floor votes in Olympia, and last Friday marked the very last day for bills to be considered on the floor. As of Wednesday evening, our final bills passed their second chamber! 

This means that all except one bill and are on their way to Governor Ferguson’s desk, and depending on when they passed he has 5 to 20 days to sign (this is a function of our checks and balances system- the Executive branch gets a chance to veto an act of the Legislative branch).  The last bill that hasn’t passed completely? HB 2266, our STEP housing bill, needs to go to “concurrence” where the House will vote on the amendments that the Senate contributed. While we’re feeling good about this step, we’ve seen bills die at this stage in sessions past and want to ensure the House is prioritizing this bill. Can you email your Representatives to vote YES on HB 2266 one last time (and send them a thank you for everything else)?

So settle in with us for the penultimate legislative update before lawmakers adjourn for 2026, there’s still plenty going on that needs our attention in this final week of Floor Action.

If you’re near the Seattle area I hope you’ll join me for a happy hour celebration with the Complete Communities Coalition and Share the Cities on March 18 (more information below!). And if you’re not able to join, I hope you take some time to celebrate how special these wins are.

Victory! What passed last week?

STEP Housing (HB 2266)

As usual, the Senate saved some of the best, most important bills for last. HB 2266 passed on Wednesday after debate from both sides. Special shoutout to Senators Bateman and Alvarado for stewarding this bill in the Senate and getting it over the finish line!

This bill was supported by local elected officials, including CM Klitzke in Spokane and CM Wilson in Aberdeen, who penned a powerful post on our website calling on the Legislature to act on STEP housing, and make sure every jurisdiction pays their fair share towards the solutions we all need. We’re grateful to work closely with local leaders who not only work to make change in their hometowns, but statewide too. 

HB 2266 needs to go through concurrence, which happens when the bill that passes the opposite chamber has amendments and is different from the version of the bill that passed the first chamber. Concurrence, in this situation, means that the House needs to vote and put their stamp of approval on the Senate version of the bill, and then it’ll go to the governor.

Rural Freight Rail and Sprawl (SB 5820)

5820 is affectionately referred to on our team as the little bill that could – and it did! After some attempts at filibustering from opposition, this bill passed in good shape and is on its way to Governor Ferguson for signature. Special thanks to Friends of Clark County for advocating for this bill and protecting farmland– a big win Clark County farms!

Smaller Elevators (SB 5156)

Allowing for slightly smaller elevators in some cases opens up a whole new world of building or modifying existing buildings to get more middle housing, but most importantly, more accessible and affordable housing. SB 5156 will make that possible for so much more new housing that will be built across the state. This bill passed late Wednesday night with only ONE no vote. Excited to see this headed to the Governor, and a big cheers to Sightline Institute for their leadership on this issue.

Allowing Rural ADU’s (HB 1345)

This bill, after years of deliberation and organizing, passed the Senate! HB 1345 carefully establishes guidance and limitations for counties planning under the GMA to allow for detached accessory dwelling units, in some circumstances and in defined Urban Growth Areas. Futurewise has spent years supporting community efforts in rural areas to protect lands, limit sprawl, but also address very real housing shortages and affordability challenges. This bill is part of that important work, and our advocacy. If you were with us in sessions past, we worked hard to advocate for and against various amendments to make sure this bill balanced difficult needs. It all paid off for this year.

Events

The world can feel bleak, but gathering with our neighbors never fails to give a renewed sense of optimism and connection. Join us for an end-of-session celebration, bring a friend, or come make some new ones!

Join the Complete Communities Coalition and Share the Cities for a dual Seattle Comprehensive Plan/End of Session Celebration on March 18 from 6-7:30 at Hellbent Brewery in Lake City! This is a great opportunity to celebrate with friends and get plugged into local work as well.

RSVP to join us for the March 18th Happy Hour

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