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Dear Neighbor,

We have reached a major turning point in the legislative session. We are shifting our focus from committee work to floor action, meaning the bills that survived the committee process are now heading to the full House for final debate and a vote. This transition often means long days and late nights on the floor as we work to pass good policies that help our communities while fighting against, and hopefully stopping, bad ones that would hurt our communities and state.

Here is an update on where things stand as we conclude Week 5.

Passed the House | House Bill 1002 to support coroners and medical examiners

As we move to the floor, I want to share some positive news about a bill I introduced last session. I am proud to report that House Bill 1002 passed the House of Representatives this week.

This legislation finally recognizes post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as an occupational disease for our county coroners, medical examiners, and their investigative personnel. These dedicated professionals are often the first on the scene of tragic events, handling evidence and conducting autopsies under incredibly difficult circumstances. They deserve the same mental health protections and support we already provide to other first responders.

My bill is now moving forward and is scheduled for a hearing before the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee on February 20 at 8:00 a.m. You can watch the public hearing by clicking here. You can also sign in to testify or provide written testimony if you have thoughts on this bill.

The income tax fight | A tax on anyone is a tax on everyone

Now for some bad news. We are facing a serious threat to our family budgets. The majority party has officially introduced its proposal for the state’s first income tax (Senate Bill 6346).

This bill would create a new state income tax by imposing a 9.9% rate on individuals or married couples with more than $1 million in Washington taxable income, effective January 2028. Because the threshold applies to combined household income—not per-person income—it creates a marriage penalty and will affect many small business owners and families.

In 2023, Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature passed I-2111, which would ban the state income tax. Unfortunately, in just a short three years, this income tax has been proposed.

Despite passing the Senate Ways & Means Committee, the policy is very unpopular. Over 60,000 people signed in “CON” (against) in committee, making it one of the most unpopular bills in state history.

Why I oppose this tax:

  • It establishes a permanent tax structure. Let me be direct. This legislation establishes a permanent income tax structure in Washington state. Once that framework is in place, history shows what happens next. Rates rise. Thresholds expand. Promises disappear.
  • We’ve seen this before. Capital gains taxes were increased just four years after their creation. Estate taxes were ratcheted up to the highest top rate in the nation. Document recording fees jumped from $5 to $300.
  • It will expand. Earlier this year, a Democratic lawmaker was asked whether the public should assume the tax would remain limited to millionaires. His answer was blunt: “You shouldn’t.”
  • It hurts small businesses. Many small business owners report income through their personal tax returns. That means job creators and family-run businesses would be directly affected.
  • Threatening to our economy. Over the past five years, states without income taxes have consistently outperformed states with income taxes. These are not abstract statistics. They translate directly into jobs and opportunities.

The bottom line here is this: Washington doesn’t have a revenue problem. Washington has a spending problem. Instead of practicing budget discipline, this bill doubles down on higher taxes. It breaks longstanding promises, weakens constitutional protections, and shifts our state toward a tax system that even its supporters acknowledge is likely to expand over time.

For more information on this bad bill, and to tell us how this would impact you, your family, or your small business, click here.

Fix Washington Podcast | Is THIS the breaking point?

If you want to dive deeper into the economic challenges facing our state, I encourage you to listen to the current episode of the Fix Washington Podcast.

I sat down with Rep. Suzanne Schmidt from Spokane Valley to hear her perspective on how tax hikes and overregulation are crushing employers, raising gas and housing costs, and pushing jobs across the border to Idaho.

After the majority party passed over $9 billion in crushing new taxes in 2025—the largest tax increase in state history—Rep. Schmidt says her constituents are already taxed enough. If the majority party keeps piling on taxes and regulations—including a state income tax—Washington won’t just lose revenue. It will continue to lose workers, employers, and economic opportunity. To watch and listen to this episode, click on the photo below or here.

You can watch/listen to all the episodes of the Fix Washington Podcast by clicking here

Initiatives before the Legislature | When government stops listening

This session, more than 400,000 citizens signed both petitions, sending the two critical initiatives to the Legislature. It is important to understand what these measures do.

Initiative IL26-001 (Restoring the Parents’ Bill of Rights). This measure reinforces parents’ rights to oversee their children’s upbringing. It guarantees parents access to their child’s school records, the right to review instructional materials, and the right to be notified when medical services are provided to their child.

Initiative IL26-638 (Fairness in Women’s Sports). This measure ensures equity and safety in interscholastic sports. It requires that participation in sports designated for women and girls be based on the student’s biological sex at birth, preserving fair competition for female athletes.

Unfortunately, the majority party has refused to hold official hearings on these measures. Refusing to consider them is a slap in the face to every Washingtonian who engaged in the democratic process.

I recently wrote an op-ed on this leadership failure and why it risks public trust. As I wrote: “Political power in Washington does not belong to any political party. It belongs to the people. That is why the initiative process exists: to ensure citizens can step forward when they feel ignored or shut out … When legislative Democrats refuse to hold hearings, it sends a clear message: your voices do not matter here.

You can read my full op-ed: When government stops listening, public trust is at risk by clicking here.

House Republicans are listening. Because the majority refused to hear you, House Republicans held our own public listening sessions to give these initiatives the vetting they deserve. We heard from parents, teachers, and, especially, young female high school athletes in our own 20th District. I want to thank everyone who took the time to participate in your state government.

If you’d like to watch these listening sessions, click on the graphic below or here.

Whether you support or oppose these initiatives, your voice matters. Please take a moment to share your story or your opinion with us. You can do so by clicking on the graphic below or here.

For more information on the initiatives, please click here.

Stay connected

As we continue with floor action and long debates, your involvement and engagement in the legislative process are more important than ever. I hope the links below are helpful.

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