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Dear Neighbor,

We just completed Week 3 of the 2026 legislative session, and the pace in Olympia continues to accelerate.

As House Republican Caucus Chair, my responsibility is not just to represent the 20th District, but to help lead our caucus in standing up for families, affordability, and accountability across Washington. This week brought important developments at the Capitol, including a disappointing decision by the majority, progress on local water protection bills, and growing concerns about affordability for working families.

Here is your weekly update.

Weekly legislative recap

We are now deep into session, and my caucus continues pushing for common-sense policies that protect families, improve public safety, and make life more affordable. While the majority is advancing proposals that grow government and increase costs, our caucus remains focused on practical solutions, transparency, and respecting the voices of Washingtonians.

This week, I spoke on the House Floor and in my committees, advocating for citizen initiatives, advancing key legislation, and pressing the majority party for accountability and transparency.

For more information about what happened this week in Olympia, please watch and share my weekly recap video. You can do so by clicking the photo below or here.

Initiatives blocked from public hearings

This week, House Republicans introduced a motion to allow two certified citizen initiatives to receive public hearings before the House Education Committee. Both initiatives were submitted to the Legislature after hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians signed petitions demanding action. Both deserve open, transparent consideration.

Initiative IL26-001, Restoring the Parents’ Bill of Rights, was certified after more than 416,000 signatures were submitted. This initiative would restore the bipartisan Parents’ Bill of Rights passed by the Legislature in 2024, which was dismantled by the majority party in 2025. It reaffirms parents’ rights to access school records, review classroom materials, receive timely information about their child’s academic performance, and be notified before medical or mental health services are provided at school. It also restores reasonable timelines for schools to respond to records requests and ensures parents are not kept in the dark about critical decisions affecting their children.

Initiative IL26-638, Defending Equity in Interscholastic Sports, was certified after more than 445,000 signatures were submitted. This initiative focuses on protecting fairness in girls’ sports by requiring that athletic competition divided by sex remain based on biological sex, using the same medical verification already required for student athletes through routine sports physicals. It is about preserving competitive integrity, safety, and opportunity for female athletes while relying on existing processes already in place.

Despite overwhelming public support, Democrats refused to consider these initiatives and voted down our motion to hold public hearings.

On the House floor, I spoke in support of allowing these initiatives to be heard because it is about respecting the will of the people. When hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians sign petitions, they deserve more than silence. Blocking hearings shuts families out of the process and undermines confidence in government. Even when lawmakers disagree with an initiative, transparency demands that we at least allow public testimony.

You can watch my full remarks in the video clip below. Click on the photo below or here.

House Republicans will continue fighting to make sure your voices are heard.

Affordability remains front and center

Families across our state are already struggling with higher housing costs, rising groceries, fuel prices, and utility bills. Unfortunately, more pressure may be coming.

The majority is preparing to introduce a proposed income tax, being marketed as a “millionaires tax.” Once the bill officially drops, I will share details and explain exactly what it means. History shows these types of taxes rarely remain limited and often lead to broader income taxes that hit working families.

House Republicans remain united in opposing income taxes and will continue advocating for policies that lower costs, grow jobs, and keep Washington affordable.

The new tire fee bill and the unintended consequences

Another proposal moving this session (House Bill 2421) targets the chemical 6ppd, which is used to make tires, by banning all tires containing 6ppd. Here is the catch: there are no alternatives to 6ppd.

I spoke in opposition to this bill in the Environment and Energy Committee because Washington does not need to ban all tires if green infrastructure were used while the industry develops safe alternatives. This policy does not protect the environment and does not deliver safe alternative products.  On the other hand, it increases the cost of tires. 

House Republicans are pushing for a balanced approach that protects natural resources without increasing costs for families who rely on their vehicles every day.

You can watch my remarks in the House Environment and Energy Committee by clicking on the photo below or here.

Local bill updates and accountability in government

I am encouraged to share progress on legislation directly impacting Lewis County and surrounding communities.

House Bill 2343, which I introduced with my seatmate, Rep. Ed Orcutt, has unanimously moved out of the House Environment and Energy Committee and is on track to head to the House floor for a full vote in the coming weeks. This bill ensures publicly operated game farms are held to the same groundwater and manure-management standards as private agricultural operations, closing regulatory gaps and protecting drinking water for families who rely on private wells.

I am also proud to cosponsor House Bill 2668, which directs the relocation of the Bob Oke game farm away from the sensitive Fords Prairie aquifer. This legislation creates a clear path to protect local drinking water, clean up the existing site, and hold government to the same environmental standards expected of private citizens. This bill will receive a public hearing in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday, February 4, at 8:00 a.m.

These bills reflect a simple principle: there cannot be one set of rules for government and another for everyone else. Public health and clean water must come first.

You can read more about HB 2343 and HB 2668 in these press releases.

Fix Washington podcast

As House Republican Caucus Chair, I have the honor of hosting the #FixWashington podcast. I have conversations with members of my caucus across the state about the 2026 legislative session, their districts, and their priorities.  

In the latest episode, I sit down with Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen to discuss public safety, accountability, and affordability in Washington state. We break down how current laws, agency interpretations, and one-party control in Olympia are affecting families, local governments, and crime victims. You can watch and share by clicking on the photo below or here.

You can watch or listen to previous episodes of the #FixWashington podcast here.

The rest

In a short legislative session, there are a lot of good, bad, and ugly bills still floating around. To learn more about them, check out these links.

Thank you for staying engaged and informed. Serving as your representative and helping lead our House Republican team is an honor I take seriously. As always, please reach out to my office if you have questions or want to share your thoughts.

Together, we will continue to fight for families, fairness, and accountability in Olympia.

Sincerely,


Peter Abbarno

State Representative Peter Abbarno, 20th Legislative District
RepresentativePeterAbbarno.com
425B Legislative Building | P.O. Box 40600 | Olympia, WA 98504-0600
peter.abbarno@leg.wa.gov
(360) 786-7896 | Toll-free: (800) 562-6000