Firesteel

2026 Legislative Session: Turning Advocacy into Action

The 2026 Washington State legislative session came to a close after a fast-paced 60 days of policy decisions, budget negotiations, and community advocacy. Throughout the session, YWCA remained grounded in our mission—advancing policies that promote safety, stability, and opportunity for women, families, and communities across Washington.

Guided by our legislative agenda, we worked alongside partners, advocates, and community members to champion solutions centered on housing justice, survivor safety, and economic equity.

Here’s a look at what we accomplished together this session and what it means for communities across our state.

Legislative Wins: Advancing Housing & Economic Justice

This session delivered meaningful progress on key YWCA priorities.

One of the most significant wins was the passage of the Millionaires Tax (SB 6346)—a major step toward a more equitable tax system in Washington. This policy is expected to generate billions in annual revenue to fund essential services like education, healthcare, housing, and food security.

We also saw the passage of STEP Housing (HB 2266)—landmark legislation that removes barriers to building permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, and shelters. By preventing local policies that delay or block these developments, this bill will help communities respond more quickly and effectively to the housing and homelessness crisis.

Additional housing-focused wins included SB 6027 and HB 2442, both of which expand local governments’ ability to fund and protect affordable housing and homelessness programs, providing critical tools to meet growing community needs.

For a full list of bills we tracked this session and their final status, view our legislative bill tracker.

Budget Highlights: Investing in Communities

In a challenging budget year, lawmakers made important investments to support housing stability and community well-being.

The final capital budget includes more than $197 million for the Housing Trust Fund, contributing to over $800 million in total affordable housing investment across the biennium. These funds will support the development and preservation of affordable housing statewide.

The operating budget also includes:

• $15 million to sustain permanent supportive housing through Continuum of Care programs
• $3 million to support the Right to Counsel program for tenants facing eviction

These investments reflect the strength of collective advocacy and a continued commitment to ensuring people across Washington have access to safe, stable housing.

Advocacy in Action: Showing Up for Change

Behind these wins was powerful, coordinated advocacy from YWCA staff, program participants, and community partners.

Throughout the session, we showed up across key advocacy moments—including Housing & Homelessness Advocacy Day, Domestic Violence Advocacy Day, and the Economic Security for All Hill Climb—to connect with lawmakers, share lived experiences, and push for policies that reflect the realities our communities face.

Housing & Homelessness Advocacy Day brought together advocates from across Washington to call for stronger investments in affordable housing, eviction defense, and homelessness prevention. YWCA participants helped elevate the urgency of keeping people housed and protecting essential services.

During Domestic Violence Advocacy Day, we joined partners to advocate for survivors of gender-based violence, pushing for investments and policies that support safety, healing, and long-term stability.

At the Economic Security for All Hill Climb, advocates met directly with lawmakers to highlight the importance of community reinvestment and economic opportunity—sharing stories that demonstrate how these investments change lives.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who lent their voices, shared their experiences, and contributed to this collective impact.

What This Means for Our Communities

Together, these wins represent real progress toward a more equitable Washington.

They mean more families will have access to safe and stable housing, they mean stronger investments in the services communities rely on every day, and they reflect a growing commitment to building systems that support long-term stability and opportunity.

While not every priority advanced this session, this progress lays a strong foundation for continued advocacy in the year ahead.

As the legislative session concludes, our work continues.

YWCA will build on this momentum and continue to advocate for policies that advance housing justice, support survivors, and strengthen economic security across our communities.

Take Action

We are so grateful to everyone who showed up, spoke out, and amplified our policy priorities this session. Your voices, advocacy, and dedication helped advance critical legislation that strengthens housing stability, economic security, and survivor services across Washington.

Advocacy doesn’t end when session does—stay engaged by:

• Visiting our Action Center to support policy issues, connect with your legislators and, take action on the issues that matter most
• Signing up for action alerts to stay informed and be the first to hear about opportunities to get involved
• Subscribing to our Firesteel newsletter for monthly updates, impact stories, and ways to stay connected
• Exploring our legislative agenda to see the policy priorities we’re championing this year

Together, our voices and actions create real change. This session’s victories remind us of what’s possible when we stay engaged. As we look ahead, we remain committed to advancing policies that strengthen communities, protect justice and equity, and expand opportunity for all.