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

2026 Legislative Session

The 2026 legislative session began on January 12 and will conclude on March 12, a lot can happen in 60 days.

As opportunities to engage come up, this page will be updated regularly. Please reach out to Ryan with questions or suggested additions.

Action Items

Access to Medical Records - HB 1496 (Berry) is scheduled for Public Hearing - February 6 at 10:30 AM in the House Committee on Appropriations

More information in the Consumer Protection tab.

Sign in PRO for EB 1496!

Support: Millionaires Tax - SB 6346 (Pedersen) is Scheduled for Public Hearing on February 6 at 1:30 PM in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means.

More information in the Protect Essential Programs & Progressive Revenue tab below!

Sign in PRO for SB 6346! Send a Letter to Lawmakers in Support!

Bills we support

FEN is a proud member of the Balance Our Tax Code (BOTC) Coalition. We believe that Washington State should build a budget based on funding the housing, education, and health care that all Washingtonians depend on, by asking people with extraordinary means to pay their fair share.

Washington has the second-most unjust tax code in the nation, with the lowest-income residents paying about 14%, and the wealthiest paying just 4%. Before lawmakers passed the Capital Gains Tax and Working Families Tax Credit in 2021, our state ranked dead last for tax fairness.?

Millionaires Tax

This bill would enact a tax on earnings over $1 million a year at 9.9%. Early analysis shows this would be paid by only 20,000 of the wealthiest people statewide, reflecting only half of a percent of the working population in Washington. 

Meanwhile, the nearly $3.5 billion a year the tax would raise would have far-reaching benefits for low- and moderate-income families across the state. With K-12 education, higher ed, health care programs, and more funded by the general fund, this yearly revenue can prevent future cuts and allow the state to fund its obligations with certainty. The expansion to the Working Families Tax Credit alone will benefit the lowest-income Washingtonians, including undocumented workers who are ineligible for most other benefits they pay into. 

  • SB 6346 (Pedersen) - Senate Committee on Ways & Means (Updated 2/4/2026)
  • HB 2724 (Fitzgibbon) - House Committee on Finance (Updated 2/4/2022)

Tax on Financial Assets

BOTC One Pager - Washington voters showed they support the wealthy doing their part to fund education when they voted to retain the capital gains tax in 2024. When our tax code is structured based on ability to pay, our communities are more equitably funded and everyone in Washington benefits. A small tax on Wall Street wealth is a meaningful step toward balancing our tax code. 

Passed the Senate in 2025! However, because it didn't move through the House, it has been returned to the Senate for another vote.

High Salary Payroll Tax

BOTC One Pager - In Washington, all businesses pay payroll taxes on employees salaries, but there is an arbitrary cap at $184,500. When a wealthy corporation pays an employee more than $184,500, they are not required to pay most payroll taxes above the cap. This bill would remove the cap and allow high-wage employers ($7 million a year or more in Payroll expenses) to contribute to the health and well-being of all Washingtonians when they use programs like Paid Family Medical Leave, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation.

Well Washington Fund

A proposed excise tax on large employers on the amount of payroll expenses above the social security wage threshold to fund programs and services to benefit Washingtonians. Much like the High Salary Payroll Tax intoduced last year (below), these funds would contribute to funding programs that support the health and well-being of all people in Washington.

  • HB 2100 (Scott) - House Committee on Finance (Updated 2/2/2026)
    • Public Hearing on January 22, 2026
  • SB 6093 (Saldaña) - Senate Committee on Ways & Means (Updated 1/27/2026)

Bills we support

FEN tracks these bills that advance financial thriving across Washington. They are organized by their place in the legislative process, bills that have gone through more of the legislative pathway are placed at the top.

No Interest on Medical Debt

This bill prohibits interest on medical debt and limits the length of judgment to 6 years. Medical debt is not like consumer debt one applies for; no one plans to get sick or have a medical emergency. Today, one in five Washingtonians report medical debt, most between $1,000 and $2,499, and one in three experience financial burdens as a result of medical bills. Charging interest only makes repayment more difficult and spirals families into debt, and reducing the amount of time debt collectors can file a judgment against a patient from 20 years to six years is much more sensible.

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.

Passed the House in 2025. However, because it didn't move through the Senate, it has been returned to the House for another vote.

Rental Payments on Credit Report

Positive rental history is often overlooked in credit applications, despite being a consistent payment for many households. This bill would create a pilot to simplify the process for rental payments to be easily reported to credit reporting agencies. 

Social Security Income for Extended Foster Care

This bill would allow young people in Extended Foster Care to keep their SSI benefits. Currently, the state withholds these benefits from children in care to offset the cost of providing legally required services. Without this additional cash, young people aging out of foster care face even greater financial instability and are more likely to experience homelessness, food insecurity, incarceration, and unemployment.

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.

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.

Bills we support

FEN tracks these bills that advance financial thriving across Washington. They are organized by their place in the legislative process; bills closest to passing are placed nearer the top.

Virtual Currency Kiosk Regulation

DFI Request Legislation that would strengthen regulation around kiosks (aka Bitcoin ATMs or BTMs) by capping fees and establishing a daily transaction limit. 

Passed the Senate!

Updating the Foreclosure Prevention Fee

In 2025, the Legislature took a major step forward by establishing an $80 loan origination fee to support foreclosure prevention statewide. As this new funding source is implemented, this bill makes targeted, technical updates to ensure the policy operates smoothly, equitably, and exactly as intended, without creating unnecessary barriers for homebuyers.

This bill also directs the Department of Commerce to evaluate the feasibility of dedicating a portion of these funds to a homeowner assistance fund. This evaluation could inform future options for providing direct financial assistance to homeowners who have exhausted all remedies under the Foreclosure Fairness Act and remain at risk of foreclosure.

Passed the Senate Unanimously!

Access to Medical Records

This bill ensures patients can access their records quickly and affordably. Access to medical records is vital for injured people, survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, criminal defendants, and others seeking justice. Unfortunately, some for-profit companies managing these records exploit loopholes, charging exorbitant fees for patients to obtain their own information. This forces patients to “buy back” their records at prices so high it discourages legal action, such as seeking protection orders or pursuing custody cases.

Bills we oppose

FEN tracks these bills that may pose a risk or otherwise hinder financial thriving. They are organized by their place in the legislative process; bills closest to passing are placed nearer the top.

Increasing the Maximum Payday Loan Cap

This bill increases the payday loan lending cap from $700 to $1,200 (plus an inflation adjustor). One pager from Statewide Poverty Action Network.

Data from the Washington Department of Financial Institutions found here shows that the average payday loan amount in 2024 was $471.29, only up $50 from the average loan amount of $412 in 2009 when the existing cap went into effect. The existing $700 cap is more than enough to meet the needs of existing borrowers and has been since we passed it into law. 

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.

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.

Overpayment relief - DSHS Requested Legislation to 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.

Exemptions to Garnishments -  Led by the Northwest Consumer Law Center, this bill would protect consumer bank accounts from harsh garnishment. Currently, a consumer can only protect $1000 in their bank account from debt collection without unnecessary and complex legal paperwork, and even this small amount sunsets this year. As we know, $1000 is not enough to pay rent and essential needs. The bill increases the amount that can be kept in bank accounts, without onerous paperwork, to $5,000, removes the sunset and adds an escalator clause.

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.

Foreclosure Mediation Program - Fully funding the Foreclosure Fairness Program and the Foreclosure Mediation Program, two resources that keep people in their homes and connect people at risk of foreclosure with excellent organizations for next steps like Northwest Justice Project and the Washington Homeownership Resource Center.

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).