Legislative Advocacy

FEN's Role in Policy & Advocacy

As a network organization, FEN is at the nexus of policy leaders and community-based organizations. In this role, FEN holds compelling stories about the challenges and successes of people experiencing poverty and resource scarcity through our partnership with community leaders across sectors. From these stories, FEN holds the following assumptions:

  • Poverty is a systemic issue, not an individual one.
  • Poverty is created by oppressions such as racism and sexism but maintained and codified by public policies.
  • People affected most by poverty know what they need, but often lack — or are prevented from accessing — the tools needed to successfully move out of poverty.

Picture of the Washington Capitol and Legislative buildings

2025 Legislative Session

Our top priority for this legislative session is ensuring that funding continues for Asset Building Coalitions. Review our 2025 Asset Building Brief for more information on how legislators can best support this initiative!

These are the policies that FEN is watching this legislative session. As opportunities to get engaged come up we will do our best to include them here. Please check the date of last update for each issue.


Action Items!

HB 1463 reinstates broad hardship time limit exemptions to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Learn more in Financial Health & Poverty Reduction section below.

  • Scheduled for public hearing - February 11, 1:30 PM

Sign in PRO on HB 1463

HB 1464 allows Home Equity Sharing Agreements (HESA) to skirt loan laws and charge exorbitant fees. Learn more in the Consumer Protection section below.

  • Scheduled for public hearing - February 14 - 8:00 AM

Sign in CON on HB 1464!

Expanding the WFTC age eligibility 

WFTC One Pager. The WFTC’s current minimum age requirement of 25 assumes that young adults receive familial financial support in their transition to adulthood. However, data demonstrates that is not the case for many young adults, and is disproportionately unlikely for young people of color. In order to claim the WFTC, young adults cannot be claimed as dependent on someone else’s tax return, meaning the young adults affected by this expansion are financially independent.

  • HB 1214 (Thai) - House Committee on Finance (Updated 2/10/2025)
    • Public hearing on February 4, 2025

Reinstate TANF Time Limit Extensions

Reinstate broad hardship time limit exemptions, a policy that increased racial equity in access to TANF during the pandemic and allowed families to access benefits when they needed them. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families is a lifeline program that helps families meet their most basic needs and protects children from the devastating effects of deep poverty. Prior to the Great Recession, families receiving TANF in Washington state could still get cash assistance if they needed it past the 60-month federal lifetime limit through broad hardship exemptions. In 2011, Washington cut access to TANF by removing broad hardship exemptions to reduce the caseload. Since then, narrow hardship exemptions and child-only time limits disproportionately cut off Black, Indigenous, and multiracial families trying to access help.


Financial Education as a graduation requirement (Senate version

Treasurer Request Legislation to introduce financial education as a graduation requirement for all WA High Schools by the 2029-30 school year. Acquiring and applying a basic knowledge of personal finance is critical to the economic well-being of all adults. Without this knowledge, people are much less well equipped to navigate the complicated financial issues of modern life, including household budgets, consumer debt, loan applications and obligations as well as successful retirement planning.

  • SB 5080 (Valdez) - Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education (Updated 2/10/2025)
    • Public hearing on January 28, 2025

Financial Education as graduation requirement (House version

School districts must provide financial education instruction and ensure students meet state financial literacy standards to graduate. This bill emphasizes flexibility for districts, allowing students to access this knowledge through diverse learning opportunities, such as career and technical education courses, online programs, or integration into existing classes like math.

  • HB 1285 (Rude) - House Committee on Education (Updated 2/10/2025)
    • Public hearing on January 23, 2025
    • Scheduled for executive session but no action taken on February 6, 8:00 AM

Washington Future Fund Pilot Program

Treasurer Request Legislation authorizing the Office of the State Treasurer to pilot and study the impacts of capital assistance to achieve homeownership, entrepreneurship, and post-secondary education. The Washington Future Fund pilot program will look at the effect on the economic stability of eligible Washingtonians who experience persistent poverty. Nearly half of all births in Washington are covered by Apple Health, a key indicator of financial disparities that begin early in life.

  • SB 5541 (Trudeau) - Senate Committee on Ways & Means (Updated 2/10/2025)  
    • Public hearing on February 3, 2025
  • HB 1661 (Stonier) - House Committee on Early Learning & Human Services (Updated 2/10/2025)

Improving housing stability 

Supporting tenants subject to the residential landlord-tenant act and the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act by limiting rent and fee increases, requiring notice of rent and fee increases, limiting fees and deposits, establishing a landlord resource center and associated services, authorizing tenant lease termination, creating parity between lease types, and providing for attorney general enforcement.

  • HB 1217 (Alvarado) - House Committee on Appropriations (Updated 2/10/2025)
    • Public hearing on February 3, 2025
    • Scheduled for executive session - February 10, 4:00 PM

Overpayment relief 

Allow DSHS to waive all collection efforts to collect overpayments of ABD and functionally disabled clients receiving supports and services through Medicaid Long-Term Supports and Services and DDA waiver programs. ATLSA and DDA shall continue to return the federal portion of any waived overpayments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

  • SB 5079 (Muzzall) -Senate Committee on Ways & Means (Updated 2/10/2025)
    • Public hearing on February 3, 2025
    • Scheduled for executive session - February 13, 4:00 PM

Housing stability for foster youth 

Young people in the Extended Foster Care program (EFC) – state dependent youth – are homeless. This legislation creates a state-funded housing voucher program modeled after the federal Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) program. It is designed specifically for youth in Extended Foster Care (EFC) who are experiencing homelessness. Currently, federal restrictions prevent young adults from accessing both EFC supports and FYI housing vouchers simultaneously. By establishing a state-funded alternative, Washington will fulfill its obligation to ensure housing stability for young people in state care.

Bills we support:

Domestic workers Bill of Rights

Domestic workers — those who provide child and elder care, cleaning, and other essential services — are the backbone of our economy. Yet, they’ve been historically excluded from basic workplace protections. This bill guarantees rights like meal and rest breaks, access to sick leave, and protections against discrimination and harassment.  

  • SB 5023 (Saldaña) - Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce (Updated 1/22/2025)
    • Public hearing on January 20, 2025
    • Scheduled for executive session - Feb 14, 8:00 AM

Prohibit credit reporting on medical debt

People with complex health needs requiring ongoing care can see medical bills pile up over time. Those in worse health or those living with disabilities may also experience unemployment or income losses, further contributing to their difficulty affording medical bills. Adults living with a disability are more likely than those without a disability to report owing medical debt. Similarly, adults who report their health status is “fair” or “poor” are more likely to say they owe medical debt than those who say they are in “good” or better health. Medical debt should not be part of credit reporting therefore affecting major life events like home and car buying, jobs and housing.


Bills we oppose, in whole or in part:

Payday loans by another name

Regulating Earned Wage Access (EWA) products which come in two forms: 1) Employer contracted EWA that charges the consumer fees and solicits tips in order to advance wages. These products have a relationship with the consumer and the employer.  2) Direct to consumer loans that claim to advance you your wages but have no relationship with the employer - so in essence a new version of an on-line payday loan.  We want to ensure any regulation of these products are meaningful and protect the consumer from extraordinary costs just to get their own paycheck on a different schedule. One-pagers and here and here for additional information from the Center for Responsible Lending.

  • HB 1063 (Reeves) - House Committee on Consumer Protection & Business (Updated 2/10/2025)
    • Public hearing on January 22, 2025
    • Scheduled for executive session but no action taken- February 4, 2025
  • SB 5328 (Lovick) - Senate Committee on Business, Financial Services, & Trade (Updated 2/10/2025)
    • Public hearing on January 30, 2025

Debt settlement & debt adjustment de-regulation

This bill would roll back regulation on the debt settlement industry and allow debt adjustors to charge higher fees. It would open the door to out-of-state for-profit debt adjusters and for consumers to end up in lawsuits, collection and bankruptcy. Many of the regulations introduced in this legislation already apply to for-profit debt settlement companies and the requirement for licensure doesn't limit large companies while removing the cap on fees.

  • HB 1599 (Reeves) - House Committee on Consumer Protection & Business (Updated 2/10/2025)
    • Public Hearing on February 5, 2025

HESA de-regulation

This bill allows Home Equity Sharing Agreements (HESA) to skirt loan laws and charge exorbitant fees.  Home Equity Sharing Agreement companies target areas of high property value and gentrification to "offer" homeowners cash up front for a portion of their home equity at the time of sale. Some contracts have taken upwards of 70% of equity from the homeowner. HESAs should be regulated as a consumer loan and should be cost capped to protect homeowners. 


Extra fees on unwanted expenses

This bill would allow regulated businesses (like debt collectors and tow truck operators) to charge a consumer a credit card transaction fee. Unlike shopping at a store or donating a contribution to a non-profit, being the subject of debt collection or having your car towed, does not make one a willing consumer.  These businesses are regulated for a reason - in order to make sure their practices and costs are fair to consumers. People of color and low-income people are more likely to be in debt collection and get their cars towed. Allowing these businesses to simply charge a consumer more by paying with a credit card simply exacerbates these inequalities.

  • SB 5363 (Lovick) - Senate Committee on Business, Financial Services, & Trade (Updated 2/3/2025)
  • HB 1530 (Walen) - House Committee on Consumer Protection & Business (Updated 2/7/2025)
    • Public hearing on February 7, 2025
    • Scheduled for executive session - February 14 - 8:00 AM

Presented by Molly Gallagher, Statewide Poverty Action Network

Presentation Materials | Workshop Recording 

An open conversation on how we can advocate for our community members and engage in economic justice at the policy level. In this workshop, you'll learn:

  • How Washington’s legislative process works 
  • How to influence lawmakers at every stage of the process 
  • How to join a statewide community of advocates and fight for change! 

Stay Connected!

If you have any questions about how FEN engages with the legislative process or have suggestions on policies that we should have on our radar please reach out!

All policy & advocacy questions can be sent to Ryan Davis.

On the Governor's Desk:

These bills were passed by the legislature!
  • HB 2007 (Peterson) reinstate Hardship Time Limit Exemptions to TANF benefits to increase equity and ensure that all families that need help can receive it. Federal rules limit the length of time an adult may receive TANF benefits to a cumulative total of five years. Time limit extensions may be offered to families on the basis of hardship, as defined by the state, or in instances of family violence. Before 2011, families that still qualified for help past the time limit were still able to get it. During the great recession, cuts were made and narrow exemptions to the time limit were put in place that did not impact all families equally. The TANF time limit extension is expanded to include circumstances when, by reason of hardship, termination or denial of cash assistance would result in financial distress for the recipient's family. (Updated 3/7/2024)
    • Governor Inslee Signed!
    • Effective July 1, 2024
  • SB 5908 (Wilson) providing extended foster care services to youth ages 18 to 21. The Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families will provide essential information to youths aging out of traditional foster care. This includes details about benefits, eligibility criteria, and incentives. The program’s current opt-in requirement will be transformed into an opt-out system. This change ensures that eligible youth automatically receive extended foster care support unless they choose to opt out. This bill establishes an incentive program to encourage education and employment among foster care youth. (Updated 4/3/2024)
    • Governor Inslee Signed!
    • Effective June 6, 2024
  • SB 6025 (Stanford) seek to protect consumers from predatory products by further defining what constitutes a loan. For example, these bills would close the "rent-a-bank" loophole where a predatory lender contracts with a bank to use them as a front for doing high-interest lending that would otherwise be prohibited. This legislation would also have the effect of reigning in products like home equity sharing agreements. (Updated 2/20/2024)
    • Governor Inslee Signed!
    • Effective June 6, 2024
  • SB 6069 (Mullet) establishing Washington saves, an automatic enrollment individual retirement savings account program. Retirement security is largely dependent on people saving through a plan provided by their employer, but millions of Americans lack access to this important benefit. Research shows that workers are 15 times more likely to save for retirement if they can use payroll deduction, but many small businesses are unable to offer retirement benefits due to high startup costs and lack of administrative capacity. (Updated 2/29/2024)
    • Governor Inslee Signed!
    • Effective June 6, 2024

Didn't cross the finish line:

Keep an eye out for re-introductions!

HB 1045 (Berry) create the evergreen basic income pilot program. Guaranteed basic income is built on the principle that everyone should be able to cover basic needs regardless of their employment status. States and localities including the State of Alaska, Marin County in California, and Shreveport, Louisiana have all shown that basic income programs work. They buoy households through difficult life transitions, sustain students and workers who make low wages, and keep people from all backgrounds from slipping into financial desperation. (Updated 2/6/2024)

HB 1075 (Thai) and SB 5249 (Shewmake) expand the Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) to independent working young adults 18 and older and seniors over 65. Under the current WFTC statute, households without a qualifying child are subject to the 25 to 65 age restriction resulting in most young adult workers and working seniors being excluded from the credit. Whether you are a college student or working senior, the need for cash assistance is great and this legislation would increase eligibility by 30% thereby expanding the WFTC to an estimated 114,000 more households. (Updated 2/22/2024)

HB 1714 (Stonier) allowing school districts to apply for financial literacy education professional development grants. Gaining the skills, knowledge, and confidence to talk about money is a significant undertaking. FEN devotes a large portion of our energy to building capacity of financial coaches. To sustainably ask teachers to add financial education to their workload requires providing resources or professional development. Currently, the Financial Education Public Private Partnership (FEPPP) has grant opportunities for school districts to address this need for professional development but is limited to one year of funding per grant cycle. This bill will allow school districts to apply for funding more consistently, making future financial education in public schools more attainable. (Updated 2/29/2024)

Treasurer-request HB 1915 (Rude) make financial education instruction a graduation prerequisite. Acquiring and applying a basic knowledge of personal finance is critical to the economic well-being of all adults. Without this knowledge, people are much less well equipped to navigate the complicated financial issues of modern life, including household budgets, consumer debt, loan applications and obligations as well as successful retirement planning. (Updated 3/14/2024)

HB 2083 (Ryu) and SB 5930 (Stanford) reduce the APR on payday loans to no more than 36% and insert anti-evasion language. This legislation would give all Washingtonians the same interest cap protections the Military Lending Act gave to our service members in 2008. We hope to join the 20 other states who have this provision. A national poll in December 2022 had 76% support, across party lines, for lowering interest rates on payday and other high cost loans to 36%. (Updated 2/5/2024)

SB 5591 (Nobles) provide dependent youth with financial education and support. Young people in Washington state who are in foster care need access to financial literacy skills and a bank account at a young age. This would help them be successful when they leave care, and without these resources, they can become trapped in a cycle of poverty. This bill directs the Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) to establish bank accounts for youth in foster care ages 14+ with a monthly allowance deposited, paired with financial education beginning at 12 years of age. (Updated 2/29/2024)

SB 5968 (Stanford) regulating home equity sharing agreements under the consumer loan act. Unlike a home equity loan, HESAs are unregulated, deceptive, and predatory contracts between a homeowner and an investor in which the homeowner receives a sum of money upfront in exchange for a share of their home equity. There are currently no foreclosure protections and these contracts are not subject to mortgage contract laws. These agreements mislead consumers into thinking they are taking out a loan, rather than selling their home equity. Homeowners count on using their home equity to buy a new house, pay for end-of-life care, or fund retirement, but find themselves trapped in a downward spiral that often results in bankruptcy, foreclosure and eviction. (Updated 2/22/2024).