Dear friends and neighbors,
We are now entering week seven of nine in the 2026 legislative session. Last week marked House of Origin Cutoff – the final day for bills, unless necessary to implement the state budget, to pass out of the chamber where they were introduced. The House narrowed its focus from 713 proposals to 197 bills that now move to the Senate and, hopefully, to the Governor’s desk.
Town Hall Recap
I want to thank everyone who joined me this past weekend for my 48th Legislative District Community Conversation in Redmond. Nearly 100 residents joined, and it was standing room only! It was great to connect with residents to share updates from Olympia and have meaningful dialogue about keeping our communities safe and vibrant. I also want to recognize our local mayors – Kelli Curtis from Kirkland, Mo Malakoutian from Bellevue, and Angela Birney from Redmond – for joining to share some remarks!
Survey Review
Earlier this session, I asked you to share which issues most affect your household. Your responses were thoughtful and deeply personal. Many of you spoke about housing costs, immigrant rights, public education, environmental protection, and the need to protect civil liberties. You also expressed fear and uncertainty about federal actions from changes to Medicaid and food assistance, to immigration enforcement, to higher education funding.
I heard from families who feel protected for now, but worried about their neighbors. I heard from students reconsidering graduate school plans. I heard from parents watching beloved educators leave because of school budget cuts. Your priorities and feedback are guiding my work in Olympia, and below are some pieces of legislation I’d like to make note of:
Housing Affordability & Stability
Housing remains the single largest expense for most families. If we want Washington to remain a place where working families can thrive, we must address both supply and stability.
SB 6237 improves transparency for renters by requiring landlords to disclose flood history and flood risk. Too often, renters do not know they live in flood-prone areas, and many do not realize their rental insurance does not cover floods. Clear disclosures, paired with modern flood mapping tools, will help families make informed decisions and improve resilience.
SB 5496 addresses another frustration I hear frequently: families being outbid on starter homes by large institutional investors. This bill limits excessive home buying by entities that already own more than 100 single-family homes, preventing further crowding out of Washington families trying to achieve homeownership.
HB 2294 removes restrictive covenants that prevent grocery stores from reopening in vacant commercial spaces, restoring competition and lowering prices for families.
HB 1859, a bill I introduced last year, expands affordable housing opportunities on properties owned by religious organizations, ensuring that redevelopment supports community preservation rather than displacement. You can watch my remarks on the House Floor regarding this bill, by clicking here.
Affordability in the Face of Federal Actions
Many of you described deep anxiety about federal policy changes. Recent tariffs and federal legislation are having real impacts. An estimated 300,000 Washington residents are seeing spikes in health insurance premiums. Approximately 180,000 Washingtonians may lose Medicaid coverage. Food assistance for roughly 900,000 residents is threatened. These are not abstract numbers; they represent real families in our communities. Rising costs for groceries, medicine, and utilities are straining household budgets.
While we cannot control federal policy, we can reduce harm at the state level. That means prioritizing a responsible supplemental budget and advancing policies that protect workers and lower costs.
HB 1155 ban noncompete agreements that trap workers in jobs and block opportunities for better pay or entrepreneurship. HB 1974 establish land banking authorities to lower the cost of land for affordable housing development. HB 2242 preserve access to preventive health services without out-of-pocket costs. And SB 5872 advances the PreK Promise Account, supported by a donation from The Ballmer Group, to fund 10,000 Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program seats over the next decade.
Investing in early learning and K–12 education remains critical. I have heard clearly about the impact of school funding constraints, including the loss of seventh-period offerings and valued educators. Education is one of the most powerful long-term investments we can make in families and in our state’s economic future, and our upcoming supplemental budgets must preserve K-12 as the paramount duty of our state.
Public Safety & Modernization
HB 2320, a bill I introduced and have worked day-in and out with stakeholders and families effected by gun violence on, updates Washington’s ghost gun laws to reflect modern technology. Today, with a consumer-grade 3D printer and a downloadable file, individuals can produce unserialized firearms at home with no background check and no traceability. This bill clarifies that firearms manufactured through 3D printing or CNC milling without proper controls are illegal and restricts the distribution of digital gun manufacturing code to unlicensed individuals. Firearms are now the leading cause of death for young people in the United States. This legislation recognizes technological realities and aims to protect our children and communities.
HB 1604, another bill I introduced, aligns Washington jail search policies with federal standards under the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), ensuring that transgender and intersex individuals are treated with dignity while providing clear guidance to corrections staff.
Celebrating Diverse Lived Experiences
Our district and our state are strengthened by the richness of our communities. SB 6044 designates Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas as legislatively recognized days in Washington. These holidays, celebrated by more than a billion people worldwide, symbolize light over darkness, liberation, renewal, and unity. Recognizing them affirms that our South Asian communities are seen and valued. I was grateful to introduce the companion bill to this in the House and am excited to work to advance this legislation to the Governor’s office.
I also want to wish a Happy Lunar New Year to all who celebrate! Last week, our House passed resolution HR 4682 to celebrate Lunar New Year. May the year of the fire horse bring you joy, happiness, strength, and determination.
Additionally, as the only Muslim legislator in the House of Representatives, I’d be remiss if I didn’t extend a sincere Ramadan Kareem to all who are observing. From February 17 to March 19, thousands of Washington households are marking this sacred month.
Last year, we passed SB 5106 officially recognizing Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Recognition matters. When students no longer must choose between their faith and their academic obligations, when families see their traditions acknowledged by their state, belonging deepens.
That visibility reinforces our commitment to religious liberty and the freedom to practice one’s faith without fear. This philosophy extends to my other work on increasing immigrant protections as well, where dignity is the baseline with which we treat one another. It’s why I’m excited that the House passed one of my bills (click here to watch the floor remarks), HB 2411, extending shared leave provisions for victims of hate crimes and those whose absence is due to immigration enforcement actions.
Looking Ahead
As we finalize supplemental budget proposals and move into the closing weeks of session, I will continue advocating for policies that expand housing access, protect working families, strengthen public safety, and uphold civil liberties.
In uncertain times, Washington’s values must remain steady. We must continue to work towards being a place where families can afford a home, children can access a world-class education, workers can earn fair wages, and every community – immigrant, Muslim, South Asian, Black, Latino, Asian, LGBTQ+, and more – knows they belong.
In Service,
Representative Osman Salahuddin
48th Legislative District