Friends and neighbors,
As you may know, the 2025 legislative session ended last April. However, the work of your legislature continues outside of session. Over the past six months, I have been in the community meeting with neighbors, visiting local organizations, and working with colleagues to prepare for the 2026 legislative session.
I especially want to thank everyone who attended my Community Conversation in July. I appreciated the opportunity to share space with you, to listen, and to discuss the issues that matter most to you and to so many others. Your input directly shapes the policies I work to advance in Olympia.
Below are some highlights from my interim work. As January approaches, please keep an eye out for details about our upcoming town hall. This will be an important opportunity to help finalize our legislative priorities and share your concerns with the 46th District delegation.
Behavioral Health
This summer, I spent a day riding along with the Health One team. They are an exceptionally skilled, patient, and compassionate group of professionals who respond to behavioral health and social service crises across Seattle. During two outreach calls, I saw firsthand the care and dedication that guide their work. I also observed the Seattle CARE team in action. I am deeply grateful for the long hours these teams devote to supporting community members in crisis and responding to complex emergencies that require more than a traditional 911 response.
Additionally, I was honored to be recognized by NAMI Washington as a Behavioral Health Champion this year. Their advocacy continues to play a vital role in the effort to decriminalize mental health and psychiatric disabilities and to expand access to community-based care. Together, we advanced policies such as House Bill 1220, which strengthens crisis response systems and helps ensure that individuals receive treatment rather than punishment during a behavioral health crisis.
I also visited Western State Hospital (WSH) to learn more about the systems that bring people to inpatient treatment and the challenges that affect discharge planning. During the visit, I toured the competency restoration wards, civil wards, and the 1114 waiver wards. Seeing these spaces in person is essential to understanding the daily experiences of patients. There is still much work ahead to ensure that treatment is meaningful, compassionate, and accountable, and that our state continues to invest in recovery and reintegration for all patients.
Supporting Caregivers & Healthcare Workers
I am sincerely honored to have been named Legislator of the Year by SEIU 775 💜💛. Being recognized by caregivers and healthcare workers is truly meaningful. As someone who came to this work through disability advocacy, I know how much depends on a stable and well-supported caregiver workforce. When care is interrupted, even briefly, the effects are felt not only by the person receiving care but also by families and the broader community.
That is why passing House Bill 1395 and sending it to the Governor’s desk this year was such an important milestone. This legislation removes unnecessary barriers that have prevented qualified caregivers from working and have left people with disabilities without consistent support. I am grateful to SEIU 775 for their partnership and for their ongoing dedication to improving working conditions and care standards across Washington.
Federal Government Shutdown Impacts
The ongoing federal government impasse could soon affect state services. If the shutdown continues beyond October 31, 2025, the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) expects the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to be the first program impacted.
Without renewed federal funding, clients will not receive November food benefits. DSHS will begin notifying clients through social media, websites, call centers, and local offices. In addition, hundreds of employees who support SNAP may face temporary layoffs. Affected staff will receive direct communication and information about benefits and next steps.
As part of contingency planning, DSHS Tribal outstations and mobile office teams will pause operations beginning November 4. Clients may experience longer wait times in call centers and offices.
This situation remains fluid. Agencies will continue to monitor developments and will provide updates as more information becomes available. To learn more about the potential impacts of H.R. 1 and the federal shutdown on Washington State, click here.
Revive I-5
Almost 240,000 vehicles travel across the I-5 Ship Canal Bridge each day. The bridge is now over 60 years old, and the deck is showing significant deterioration. The last major preservation work took place more than forty years ago.
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is now moving forward with essential preservation work on the bridge. The goal this summer was to repair approximately 20 percent of the deck surface in preparation for larger-scale rehabilitation work scheduled for 2026 and 2027. Since 2019, WSDOT has completed more than 200 emergency repairs on the bridge. As the structure continues to age, these repairs have become more frequent and more disruptive for travelers.
To minimize travel impacts, WSDOT encourages residents to plan ahead”
- Consider using public transit, since youth 18 and under can ride free.
- Bus lane hours on Aurora Avenue North (SR 99) will be expanded to operate all day, every day, instead of only during peak hours.
- Allow extra time for travel and adjust your schedule when possible.
- Stay informed by signing up for WSDOT project updates and following @wsdot on social media.
Upcoming weekend-long southbound I-5 lane reductions across the Ship Canal Bridge:
- October 31 – November 3
- November 21 – 24
- December 5 – 8
- January 9 – 12, 2026
These closures are necessary to stay on schedule for bridge deck repairs on northbound I-5 in 2026 and southbound I-5 in 2027. You can find updates and travel information on the WSDOT project webpage
Kroger Closure Impacts on Our Community
Earlier this month, the Lake City Fred Meyer closed its doors. While the Legislature continues its work to protect workers and strengthen food security across Washington – particularly for our most vulnerable communities, including people of color and working-class and low-income families – there’s no denying that this closure will make it harder for us to find fresh, affordable groceries close to home.
Looking ahead to the 2026 legislative session, proposed legislation such as HB 1987 will help us further lay the foundation for a statewide food security plan focused on equitable access, supporting local producers, and promoting climate resilience. It is well known that grocery stores operate on very thin profit margins, yet they are vital to the health and stability of our communities. Lake City cannot afford to lose a grocery store that can meet the needs of its residents. Therefore, this session, I’m preparing a package of legislation to incentivize and remove barriers to grocery stores operating in food deserts. This will include proposals such as tax relief for grocery vendors when operating long-term in underserved communities. My hope is that this helps quickly attract another grocery store to fill Fred Meyer’s place.
Like so many neighbors, I feel the loss of our store deeply. It was more than a place to shop – it was where community lived in the ordinary moments we shared. But the heart of Lake City has always been its people, whose resilience reminds us of what’s worth fighting for: a Washington where every community can thrive.
With you in solidarity,
Rep. Darya Farivar