Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The dust has settled on the 2025 Legislative Session, and we are now reflecting on the work we were able to accomplish. This year was incredibly challenging due to severe budget shortfalls in the state’s operating and transportation budgets and uncertainty caused by disruptive federal action. We were still able to pass a budget and important legislation that will support children and families all over the state and preserve our good quality of life.
Please click on the video above for a summary of the legislative session, as well as several bills I was able to push over the finish line, including:\
House Bill 1028, which allows for therapeutic interventions with children who are traumatized as witnesses to violence, especially domestic violence in the home.
House Bill 1131, which expands the state Clemency & Pardons Board, allowing for more incarcerated individuals who have served very lengthy sentences to seek commutations or pardons in the interest of justice.
House Bill 1325, which changes the way fish and wildlife violations are imposed, downgrading them from criminal offenses to civil infractions, which has been shown to deter improper hunting and fishing conduct more effectively.
House Bill 1440, a comprehensive reform of our civil asset forfeiture laws, ensuring more due process rights for those whose property is seized by the state under suspicion of criminal activity.
More than $3 million in local projects coming to the 45th District!
In the budget this year we prioritized keeping people all over Washington housed, fed, and safe.
We secured over $3 million for local projects for the 45th district and we will benefit from over $1 billion in transportation projects that span multiple districts including ours.
These are the kinds of investments that help our community thrive, create local jobs, and make everyday life better for our families.
Investments at the state level include continued work on major transportation projects like the Interstate Bridge in Vancouver, the Spokane North-South Freeway, the Gateway Project, and the I-5 Fort Lewis Project.
Here are a few more funding highlights from the state’s operating budget:
Education
- Increases Special Education funding: $775 Million
- Maintains funding for school meals and summer EBT for kids: $45 Million
Housing and Food
- Funds Food Security & Assistance: $128 Million
- Immigrant, Refugee, and New Arrival Supports: $40 Million
Public Safety
- Community Reinvestment Program: $110 Million
- Local Law Enforcement Grants: $100 Million (one time funding, not ongoing)
- Crime Victims Support: $27 Million
- Public Defense Grants: $13.5 Million
Health Care, Long Term Care, and Behavioral Health
- 988 hotline & Crisis Facility Grants for three centers: $47M
- Nursing home rates and transitions clients to community settings: $55 Million
- Continues funding for the Apple Health for Immigrants program
- Protects funding for the Cascade Care Savings Program: $84 Million
- Continues the Health Homes Program in 2026: $15 Million
State Government, Child Care, and Higher Education
- Collective Bargaining Agreements for State & Higher Ed Employees: $1.7 Billion
- No furloughs for state employees or health care premium changes
- No Tuition increases
- Family Child Care Agreement: $376 Million
- ECEAP Rate Increase: $40 Million
Climate, Clean Energy, and Natural Resources
- Wildfire Response, Suppression, and Recovery: $22 Million
- Invasive Species Prevention: $11 Million
Stay in touch during the interim
As we transition into the so-called “interim” period, I will be focusing on unfinished business from this session, including expanding crisis outreach services to intervene with people who are contributing to public disorder, suffering from mental illness and substance misuse.
I will also be prioritizing the critical issue of firearms possession by youth. I’m working to find a way to intervene and support these young people to set them on the right path, without needlessly punishing them.
While this was a tough session, we still made significant progress toward solving some of the biggest issues affecting you and residents all over the state. And we couldn’t have done that without your input!
Connecting with you is always important and helps inform my legislative priorities. I value hearing your ideas, thoughts, concerns, or questions. Even during the interim, you can still contact my office and we will get back to you.
Thank you for your interest in public policy.
All best wishes,
Rep. Roger Goodman