Friends and neighbors,
The 2025 legislative session was one of the most challenging in recent memory. Faced with a significant budget shortfall, driven by rising costs, growing needs, and a tax system badly in need of reform, we were forced to make difficult choices about Washington’s future. But in those tough moments, I stayed grounded in the values and voices of our district: Nothing about us, without us. That guiding principle means listening deeply, bringing everyone to the table, and ensuring those most impacted shape policy that truly works.
Together, we advanced progressive revenue proposals aimed at protecting essential services and investing in our communities. Our goal was to maintain access to health care, food assistance, education, and housing – fundamental rights that every Washingtonian deserves.
We passed legislation to make our tax system fairer, ensuring that those with the most contribute more toward what matters most. That allowed us to invest in affordable housing, strengthen worker protections, and take real steps to prevent gun violence. One of the most critical wins this year was the passage of rent stabilization – finally giving tenants protection from sudden, destabilizing rent hikes that put housing stability out of reach.
In the 46th district, we secured funding for urgent community needs: from emergency roof repairs in elementary schools to expanded housing for young adults, to mobility improvements on North Aurora Avenue, and preventing tolling on the 520 bridge between Montlake and I-5. These victories reflect what’s possible when community voices lead the way and when decisions are informed by lived experience and shared vision.
I’m incredibly proud of what we accomplished, and I’m just as clear-eyed about where we need to push harder. Throughout this session, your advocacy, engagement, and trust made all the difference. Thank you for standing with me and for holding me accountable. I’m honored to serve you.
Legislative Wins
In a session defined by hard choices, I stayed focused on advancing legislation rooted in compassion, equity, and human dignity. These weren’t just bills – they were essential protections, aimed at improving people’s everyday lives.
We passed HB 1112, removing Seattle’s outdated residency requirement for pro tempore judges. That means more judges and faster, more equitable access to justice for everyone navigating Seattle Municipal Court. With HB 1130, we prioritized access to developmental disability services for those with the greatest need. And with HB 1395, we streamlined background checks for home care workers, helping prevent unnecessary disruptions in vital caregiving support.
We also adopted SJM 8004, a powerful memorial urging Congress to finally enact universal health care. For me, this isn’t a symbolic gesture, it’s a declaration of values. Healthcare is a human right, and we must treat it as such.
One of the most meaningful moments of the session was co-sponsoring HR 4661, honoring Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, a beloved human rights advocate and cherished member of our Seattle community. Her legacy, and the grief of her loss, continue to inspire me and remind me of the purpose behind this work: life, legacy, and tragic death continue to inspire my work and remind me of the purpose behind this job: to serve others with courage and compassion.
Investments in the 46th District
The economic pressures felt at kitchen tables across our state was front and center in Olympia. But instead of yielding to an “all-cuts” budget, we secured investments that reflect our values and will make a real difference in our community:
- $7 million to build over 150 affordable homes with community amenities on 45th Street, including an Urban Rest Stop for hygiene access.
- $1.5 million to create a state-of-the-art cultural and community center in Lake City.
- $798,000 to renovate outdated restrooms at the Wallingford Boys & Girls Club.
- $23,000 to fund a community mural facing Fred Meyer in Lake City.
- $2 million to expand WELD Seattle’s housing, job training, and reentry services.
- $5 million for pedestrian safety upgrades along North Aurora Avenue.
- $3 million to electrify Route 48 and support a clean, sustainable transit future.
- $22.5 million for critical transportation connectivity in North Seattle.
- $16 million to improve access and widen the Burke-Gilman Trail.
- $6.2 million for the RapidRide J Line to boost speed and reliability.
- $7 million for essential behavioral health services, particularly for Trueblood class members.
These aren’t just budget line items. They are investments in dignity, safety, and our shared belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive.
Juvenile Justice
One of my biggest heartbreaks this session was the failure of SB 5296, a bill I championed to reform Washington’s juvenile sentencing framework. The goal was simple: to shift from long-term incarceration toward community-based supports that prioritize rehabilitation and reduce racial disparities. When the House failed to act, it wasn’t just a missed policy opportunity, it was a moral failure. I’ve visited Green Hill. I’ve spoken with the youth and staff. I’ve listened to the advocates who’ve fought for years to change a system that punishes rather than heals.
We know that isolating youth in harmful environments leads to worse outcomes. We know that young people, especially Black, Brown, and Indigenous youth, are incarcerated at staggering rates and subjected to solitary-like conditions for up to 22 hours a day.
This isn’t justice. It’s cruelty. I joined 28 colleagues in issuing a joint statement pledging to keep fighting for a legal system built on care, equity, and second chances. I won’t stop until we get there.
RHC Reform: Safety, Dignity, & Choice for People with Disabilities
For too long, residents in our state’s Residential Habilitation Centers (RHCs) have suffered in silence. At Rainier School in particular, deeply troubling reports of neglect and abuse have gone unaddressed for years. This session, I stood on the House floor to share and told their stories because silence is not an option. They deserve to be heard.
SB 5393 isn’t perfect, but it marks a critical step forward: halting all new admissions to Rainier and beginning the transition toward safer, more supportive community-based environments. As we move forward, I will fight to ensure that reforms are shaped by the voices and needs of people with disabilities – centering their experiences, their safety, and their right to make decisions about their own lives. This isn’t about buildings or budgets. It’s about people. People who deserve to live free from harm. People who deserve care that meets their individual needs. People who deserve real choice, autonomy, and dignity.
We must invest in strong, community-based alternatives while ensuring that those currently living in facilities like Fircrest and Lakeland Village receive the support and safety they need. Reform must be rooted in respect – and the belief that every person has the right to thrive in an environment that truly cares for them.
This work is just beginning, and I’m committed to seeing it through.
Join Me at Our Town Hall
The 2025 legislative session ended on April 27th, and it showed us what’s possible when we lead with our values – especially in moments that demand difficult decisions. Over 105 days, we passed 421 bills, including major wins on rent stabilization, special education, housing, gun safety, and clean transportation. But the work doesn’t stop here.
Please join me, Sen. Javier Valdez, and Rep. Gerry Pollet for an in-person town hall on June 10th from 6–8 PM at Nathan Hale High School. for our in-person town hall. We’ll share more about the session, hear from you directly, and talk about the road ahead.
Your voice shapes everything we do in Olympia. Let’s keep building a Washington that works for all of us.
Stay In Touch
This session reminded us that hope is not passive; it’s an act of resistance. In a system that excludes and neglects, choosing to care, to speak up, and yes, even to rest, is revolutionary.
When we couldn’t rely on the system to deliver justice, we turned to one another. When budgets fell short, we stood together and demanded more. Progress has never come from the top down – it’s driven by people like you refusing to accept the unacceptable. The truth is that progress has never come from the top down. It’s come from people like you refusing to accept the unacceptable.
As summer begins and we look toward the 2026 session, I encourage you to imagine what it means to fight for dignity in spaces that were never designed for all of us. This work may not always be visible, but it is powerful, essential, and deeply human. Most importantly, it’s work that cannot wait.
Because in this moment, giving up isn’t an option. We’re in this together and together is how we win. Let’s stay engaged. Let’s keep building. And let’s keep believing in the Washington we know is possible.
With you in solidarity,
Rep. Darya Farivar