Rep. Peter Abbarno: Three bad bills. One clear message—Fix our priorities | Opposition to HBs 2039, 2040, and 2041

Rep. Peter Abbarno, House Republican Caucus Chair, recently stood up against a series of bills that would hurt some of Washington’s most vulnerable residents—low-income children, disabled adults, and new mothers. These bills passed despite vocal opposition, and he voted no on all three.

Here’s why:

“If we want to fix Washington, we need to fix our priorities.”

House Bill 2039 delays long-awaited financial relief for struggling families by postponing the full pass-through of child support payments to those on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Instead of going directly to the children they’re intended to help, these funds will continue being absorbed by the state for nearly five more years.

“Child support is not for the parent—it’s for the child. Taking away even the bare minimum from families living in poverty is not just bad policy—it’s heartbreaking.”

House Bill 2040 delays reforms that would stop the state from clawing back benefits from the Aged, Blind, and Disabled Assistance Program. These are people unable to work due to significant impairments. Under this bill, recipients who qualify for federal support could still be saddled with state debt for years to come.

House Bill 2041 reduces postpartum health care coverage for low-income new mothers from 12 months to just 6 months—cutting vital support in half during one of the most vulnerable periods of a woman’s life.

“We’re not facing a budget crisis—we’re facing a priorities crisis. These cuts target people who can least afford it. If this Legislature can find the money to offer free health care to undocumented immigrants, we should be able to fully fund support for single parents, the disabled, and postpartum mothers.”

Abbarno urges constituents to stay informed and involved as budget decisions continue in Olympia. These bills may be framed as fiscal necessities, but their real cost will be felt by the very people Washington should be helping first.