Good morning parent leaders!
Today is March 23, and the 2026 legislative session has officially ended. The next session begins in 294 days! We hope the legislative updates were clear and easy to understand. Your feedback helps us improve. Please take a few minutes to complete our feedback form.
What’s happening now:
After a bill passes both chambers of the legislature, it goes to the governor. Under the state constitution, the governor has a few options:
- Sign the bill into law
The governor approves it, and it becomes law (either immediately or on a specified effective date).
- Veto the bill
The governor rejects the entire bill and returns it to the legislature with an explanation.
The legislature can override the veto with a two-thirds vote in both chambers, though this is relatively rare.
- Partial veto (line-item veto)
For budget (appropriations) bills, the governor can veto specific sections, sentences, or items without rejecting the whole bill.
This is a powerful and commonly used tool in Washington.
- Take no action (allow it to become law)
If the governor does nothing:
- While the legislature is still in session, the bill becomes law after 5 days (excluding Sundays).
- If the legislature has adjourned, the governor has 20 days to act; if they do nothing, the bill still becomes law without a signature. This is often a political choice, signaling concerns without blocking the bill.
Here are a few bills that have been signed by Governor Ferguson:
NB 2429- allows for more behavioral health supports for youth
HB 2165- bans people from impersonating law enforcement with fake badges or signs
SB 5855- bans law enforcement from hiding identities by wearing masks
SB 5855
Here are a few bills that are waiting to be signed:
SB 6346- tax on income over one million dollars, also known as the “Millionaires Tax”
Budget bills are typically the last bills to be signed. The deadline is April 1st. You can find the list of bills and actions here.
What happens after a bill becomes law: it’s not over yet!
When a bill becomes law, it typically:
- Sets broad policy goals
- Assigns responsibility to a state agency (such as DSHS or State Department of Health)
However, laws often don’t include all the details needed for implementation.
State agencies then translate the law into detailed, enforceable “rules.” These rules determine how a program actually works, such as who qualifies, how to apply, and what requirements must be met.
This process is called rulemaking, and it follows a formal legal structure:
-
Agencies draft proposed rules
-
There is a public comment period (often including public hearings)
-
Community members and stakeholders can provide input and suggest changes
Some laws take effect immediately (especially if designated as an “emergency”), while others may take months to fully implement. This means there is often a gap between when a bill passes and when the law is fully in action.
Once finalized, these rules are added to the Washington Administrative Code (also called “WAC”), which contains the detailed regulations that guide how laws operate in practice.
Rulemaking doesn’t just happen right after a law passes, it can occur anytime updates are needed to improve how a law is implemented. Agencies regularly revisit rules to make adjustments. Input from community members is important.
If you’re interested in staying engaged, you can follow agency rulemaking pages (like DCYF) to track upcoming opportunities for input.
Up next: Elections Education!
WAFE is planning a new newsletter series on Elections Education. Our goal is to help graduates understand how our state’s elections work, including special elections and primaries, so you can feel informed and confident participating in them. More to come soon.
Thank you for following the legislative session with us. If you haven’t yet, please take a few minutes to complete our feedback form.
Your voice matters, and we’re here to help you understand how and where to use it.
