Dear friends and neighbors 

As we enter the final week of the 2025 legislative session, I am holding close the values that guide me—community, cooperation, and compassion. These final days are some of the most intense in Olympia. We’re working long hours, voting late into the evening, and making sure the bills that have made it this far are strong, thoughtful, and ready to be signed into law. With only one week left, every conversation, vote, and moment on the House floor matters. It’s the time when we come together under one roof—House and Senate, Democrats and Republicans—to reflect the voices of the people who sent us here. 

Where I come from, being present and showing up is a powerful sign of respect and leadership. We tell stories, we celebrate, we grieve, and we show support to those walking hard paths. We listen to our elders, speak with care, and work through differences not in opposition, but in unity. 

In these final days of session, one of the most urgent issues on our desks is rent stabilization. And last week, the Senate made changes to our rent stabilization bill that moved us further from the protections Washington families need. 

With a heavy heart, I want to be honest with you: the Senate’s version of the bill allows rent to increase by 10% plus inflation—potentially 12 to 15% in just one year. It also removes protections for those living in single-family homes. These are not just policy shifts; these are decisions that directly impact our elders, youth, and working families who are already stretched thin. 

We are not legislating in a vacuum. Families across Washington are facing rising costs of food, childcare, health care, and housing—all while wages stay flat. Many are sitting at their kitchen tables, running numbers, and asking: How will I make rent next month? Will I still have a home next year? 

This bill was never about targeting landlords. We’ve worked hard to support housing development, remove barriers, and provide tools for maintenance and growth. But rent stabilization is not a threat—it is a lifeline. If developers walk away during a housing crisis, that choice says more about profit than it does about policy. 

Our communities have shown up for us. Now, we must show up for them. 

I will keep fighting to make sure no one in Washington has to live in fear of a rent hike that pushes them out of their home. We are building a future where housing is safe, stable, and affordable—for all.  

Read my full statement here.  

The House passed a bill to bring clarity and fairness to the Parents’ Bill of Rights initiative passed last year. As your representative, I supported this measure because it puts truth and compassion back into the conversation—and makes sure our public schools can continue serving every child with dignity and care. 

Let me be clear: Every parent deserves to be informed and engaged in their child’s education. But not every home is a safe one, and not every child can rely on a loving adult to support them. That’s why this bill is important. It ensures that we uphold transparency while also protecting the rights and safety of vulnerable students—those navigating mental health challenges, abuse, neglect, or difficult family situations. 

We are not “gutting” anything—we are clarifying, aligning, and protecting. This bill brings the initiative into harmony with state and federal laws that already safeguard parents’ rights and students’ privacy. It affirms parents’ access to school records and notification when there’s a threat to their child’s safety, while maintaining longstanding protections that allow youth—especially those over age 13—to seek mental health care when they need it most. 

As someone who values both parental engagement and inclusive, student-centered education, I reject the idea that we must choose one over the other. Our goal is to lift up every Washington student, whether they come from a home filled with support or one where they’ve had to grow up far too fast. 

This bill also rejected harmful, divisive amendments that had no place in our public school system—like attempts to ban transgender girls from playing sports or to censor science-based health education. We will not use our children’s education as a political wedge. Not in Washington. 

We are here to build a school system rooted in equity, safety, and truth—where every student can thrive, and every family can feel heard. That’s the Washington I believe in, and it’s the one I will always fight for. 

This week, we took a historic step forward in the fight for worker dignity and fair labor practices. I proudly voted to pass Senate Bill 5041, a bold policy that would allow striking workers in Washington to access unemployment benefits while they stand up for better wages, safer workplaces, and respect on the job. 

Let me tell you why this matters. 

When workers go on strike, it’s not a decision made lightly. It’s an act of courage. They’re putting everything on the line to demand what they’ve rightfully earned. This bill helps level the playing field between powerful employers and working people by ensuring those workers can keep food on the table and a roof over their heads while advocating for change. 

This isn’t about “paying people to strike”—it’s about giving workers the breathing room to make their voices heard without risking everything. It’s about protecting the families who keep our communities running—nurses, grocery clerks, teachers, and tradespeople—when they are forced to take collective action. 

While I share the disappointment of our labor partners that the final version of the bill includes a four-week limit on benefits—down from the twelve weeks originally proposed—I believe this is still a meaningful and necessary victory. It’s a step forward, and one we can build on. 

This policy recognizes that the strength of our economy comes from the strength of our workforce. When we empower workers, we strengthen our families, our communities, and our democracy. 

I stand with organized labor and with every worker who’s had to make the hard choice to strike for a better future. I will continue fighting for policies that honor the value of work, and the people who do it. 

For years, I’ve worked alongside communities across our state to protect what we hold sacred—clean air, healthy waters, and a future where our children can thrive. One truth has always been clear: the cost of pollution is almost never paid by the people who create it. 

Whether it’s carbon in our skies, toxins in our waters, or the mountains of packaging waste piling up in our homes and landfills, it’s our communities, our environment, and our future that pay the price. 

As we approach the finish line of this session, I carry Gabby’s reflections with me—because the future of Washington includes voices like hers. And because when tribal, local, state, and federal governments work together, with respect and humility, we all thrive. 

Thank you for staying engaged. Thank you for showing up. Let’s finish strong—together. 

With deep gratitude and respect,

Rep. Debra Lekanoff