Key Findings

1. The Washington legislative session started on January 9th and ended on April 23rd. Democrats held a majority of 58-40 in the House and 29-20 in the Senate.
2. WPC experts were a key source of timely research throughout the session, being invited to testify at committee hearings 35 times and being cited in news coverage 642 times.
3. WPC’s work helped keep new taxes out of the 2023-2025 budget.
4. Bills passed which cut regulations to open access to jobs and affordable housing.
5. Lawmakers adopted WPC’s recommended positions on charter school funding, reducing the nursing shortage, promoting open and honest government, and protecting rural property rights.
6. WPC’s work informed opposition to legislation which led to stopping a ban on private health insurance, preventing cuts in classroom instruction, and defending tax-limitations for small businesses and homeowners.
7. WPC’s objective policy research provided the intellectual framework to legislators who prevented the passage of a mileage tax, rent control, Critical Race Theory mandates and other harmful policy.

Introduction

The 2023 Washington state legislative session convened on January 9th and adjourned on April 23rd. In this session Democrats controlled the House and the Senate and the governor’s office. Democrats held a 58-40 majority in the House and a 29-20 majority in the Senate.

WPC experts testified by invitation 36 times before legislative committees, published 17 Legislative Memos, appeared on radio, TV news and online news shows 642 times, distributed 166 blogs on social media and produced 16 WPC On The Go live virtual events. In addition, WPC provided weekly video updates of legislative actions. WPC experts also worked with individual lawmakers in response to requests for research.

Following are several examples, presented in random order, of policy decisions made by the legislature that either adopted reforms reflecting policies recommended by WPC or defeated proposals reflecting policies that WPC had recommended against. These examples also include WPC positions adopted by the judiciary.

Read the full list here!