{"id":895099,"date":"2026-03-28T06:26:38","date_gmt":"2026-03-28T11:26:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/28\/opinion-many-important-decisions-looming-as-the-2026-session-nears-the-end\/"},"modified":"2026-03-28T06:26:38","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T11:26:38","slug":"opinion-many-important-decisions-looming-as-the-2026-session-nears-the-end","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/28\/opinion-many-important-decisions-looming-as-the-2026-session-nears-the-end\/","title":{"rendered":"Opinion: Many important decisions looming as the 2026 session nears the end"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Rep. John Ley outlines budget concerns, energy policy debates and several tax proposals as the 2026 legislative session approaches its final days.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

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Rep. John Ley provides his latest legislative update<\/h2>\n

Rep. John Ley<\/strong>
18th Legislative District<\/em><\/p>\n

As the 2026 legislative session nears its conclusion, there\u2019s still important work to be done that will affect families, schools, and small businesses across Washington. Lawmakers are in the final stretch of debating and finalizing the three state budgets, which will set spending priorities for the next year. At the same time, the Legislature is considering a proposed state income tax, which could have long-term consequences for households and job creators alike. Several other major issues also remain unresolved, from education funding and public safety to programs that support vulnerable residents.<\/p>\n

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Rep. John Ley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

I remain focused on protecting taxpayers, promoting fiscal responsibility, and ensuring that government lives within its means. My goal is to find solutions that make life more affordable for families, support local businesses, and protect essential services.<\/p>\n

Majority party\u2019s Supplemental Operating Budget continues to grow<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Arguably, the biggest task we have each session is to craft the state\u2019s operating budget. On Saturday, House Democrats passed an $80 billion budget, the largest in Washington history, increasing spending to record levels while doing little to address the affordability challenges facing families and small businesses. The plan relies on uncertain revenue sources, including a proposed state income tax expected to generate billions of dollars. Even worse, they rob the LEOFF 1 pension system, taking $4 billion from the law enforcement and firefighters\u2019 pension fund. If those assumptions fail, the state will face significant budget shortfalls in the future. The chart below reflects the February revenue forecast and the supplemental budget passed on Saturday. As you can see, the state continues to outspend its revenue.<\/p>\n

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The budget also depends on one-time funding maneuvers, including hundreds of millions of dollars taken from the Rainy-Day Fund and other dedicated accounts. These actions mask long-term structural spending problems rather than solving them.<\/p>\n

House Republicans offered more than 20 amendments focused on protecting classrooms, restoring Medicaid funding, safeguarding SNAP benefits, investing in public safety, providing property tax relief, issuing a gas tax rebate, and creating a week-long sales tax holiday for families. Most of those proposals were rejected.<\/p>\n

The spending plan also includes more than $1 billion in Medicaid reductions and cuts to certain education funding programs, which could particularly affect property-poor and rural school districts.<\/p>\n

Despite rising costs for housing, groceries, child care, and fuel across Washington, the budget provides little to provide relief for taxpayers. Critics argue the plan increases spending and financial risk while leaving affordability concerns largely unaddressed. Meanwhile, Washington continues to be one of the least affordable states to live in the entire country, as you can see in the chart below.<\/p>\n

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New legislation is bad for state\u2019s energy crisis<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Another crisis we are dealing with in Washington is a lack of sustainable energy. The state continues to push for green energy, but it\u2019s ignoring other viable options. We all want an environmentally healthy Washington, but we need to be open to all possible solutions, and we can\u2019t keep passing policies that hurt our output.<\/p>\n

Last Saturday, we debated Senate Bill 5982<\/strong><\/a>, which would update Washington\u2019s Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA) by expanding the scope of who must comply with the state\u2019s clean-energy standards. The bill adds port districts that distribute electricity and broadens the definition of \u201cmarket customers\u201d to include large businesses that generate some of their own power.<\/p>\n

These entities must meet CETA\u2019s greenhouse-gas-neutrality and 100% clean-electricity requirements. The bill also directs the Utilities and Transportation Commission to establish reporting rules and enforce compliance, while exempting limited fossil-fuel use for emergency backup power.<\/p>\n

If it becomes law, SB 5982<\/strong> could create new regulatory burdens and increase energy costs for businesses and economic development projects. By expanding CETA requirements to more nonresidential electricity users and port districts, the bill would make it harder for industries that generate some of their own power to operate efficiently.<\/p>\n

This will discourage investment in energy-intensive facilities such as manufacturing or data centers. Ports, which often rely on flexible energy solutions to attract employers, may face additional compliance costs and reporting requirements. At a time when Washington already faces power supply challenges, the bill could add uncertainty and limit practical energy options. Listen to my floor speech about this policy:<\/p>\n