Home | About Stephanie | News & Media | Email Updates | The Ledger | Contact
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The 2025 legislative session began on Monday, Jan. 13. It’s an honor to return to Olympia to represent the people of the 8th Legislative District. As someone who proudly calls this district home, I know firsthand how special it is—from our thriving local businesses and stunning vistas to our close-knit communities. I’m committed to ensuring our district remains vibrant and continues to grow as a cherished place for all who live here.
The 2025 session begins! Challenges, crises, and solutions
This year’s 105-day session will focus heavily on developing the state’s two-year operating, transportation, and capital budgets. You can access the session’s cutoff calendar and key deadlines here.
Washington faces a series of urgent and overlapping crises: skyrocketing housing costs, rising crime, a lack of affordable child care, struggling businesses, an underperforming education system, a devastating drug epidemic, and persistent homelessness. These challenges demand bold, innovative solutions and a willingness to work across the aisle to find and support policies that truly address their root causes. While Democrats, who hold majorities in both the House and Senate, continue to double down on ineffective policies and push for new taxes, Republicans are working tirelessly—despite being in the minority—to advance practical, bipartisan solutions that will fix Washington and deliver real results for our communities.
One of the biggest debates this session will center on the state’s projected operating budget shortfall, which some estimates place at $10–12 billion over the next four years. Despite this, revenue isn’t the issue—tax collections have surged 103% since 2014, reaching $36.4 billion in 2023. I’ll keep you informed on how legislators intend to address this gap and any proposals for new taxes from the incoming governor or the majority party.
Other important issues on the agenda include the controversial Road Usage Charge (RUC) program (also known as a vehicle miles traveled tax), housing affordability, K-12 education, public safety, and transportation funding. This session promises to be busy, and I’m committed to keeping you updated on these emerging issues and my work on your behalf. Together, we can tackle these challenges and deliver solutions for our district and state.
My committees
Serving on four committees is a big responsibility, but I’m eager to embrace the opportunities to advocate for our district. I’m honored to serve as the assistant ranking member of the Technology, Economic Development, and Veterans Committee. Additionally, I’m a member of the Environment and Energy Committee, the Rules Committee, and the Capital Budget Committee. These committees will tackle issues that directly impact our district, and I’m committed to ensuring your voice is heard in every discussion.
My bills
Before the legislative session began, I prefiled several bills aimed at addressing key priorities for our district and state.
- House Bill 1057 – MATCHED Act (Moving Assets to Create Healthy Economic Development): This bill is designed to stimulate economic growth by helping local communities access federal funding more effectively. Read my recent press release on this bill here.
- House Bill 1106 – Property Tax Breaks for Disabled Veterans: This legislation seeks to lower the required disability ratings, making more veterans eligible for property tax relief and providing greater financial assistance to those who have served. Read my recent press release on this bill here.
- House Bill 1210 – Urban Area Tax Preferences: This bill focuses on expanding access to targeted urban area tax preferences for clean energy transformation businesses, supporting Washington’s commitment to carbon-free energy, economic growth, and family-wage jobs in industrial and manufacturing sectors.
- House Bill 1250 – Law Enforcement Accreditation: This bill aims to enhance public safety and accountability by addressing law enforcement accreditation standards.
- House Bill 1249 – Advanced Nuclear Advisory Commission: This bill establishes a commission to support the growth of advanced nuclear energy as a clean and reliable source of non-emitting energy.
I’ll keep you updated on the progress of these bills and other legislative proposals throughout the session. Stay tuned for more updates!
Staying informed
My website is a valuable resource where you can find updates on my legislative activities, news releases, bills I’m sponsoring or co-sponsoring, and email newsletters. Additionally, the newly redesigned legislative website offers tools to track legislation and learn how to testify. Below, I’ve included some quick tips to help you navigate it effectively.
Navigating the newly redesigned legislative website
When you visit the Legislature online, you’ll notice a simpler homepage design, but it may take a little time to find everything. Here are some simple instructions to get you started.
Getting started: Visit leg.wa.gov
Searching for bills: Look for the search bar on the homepage. Type in a bill number or keywords, and you’ll be taken to that bill’s information page. You can also go to “Bills, Meetings, and Session” in the main menu, then click “Bills” in the drop-down to search by bill number, sponsor, or topic.
Prefiled bills: Before session begins, legislators can “prefile” bills. Select “Prefiled Bills” to see all measures filed so far.
Bill information page: Once you find a bill, the Bill Information page will give you the bill number, sponsors, and a “Comment on this bill” link so you can share your thoughts with your legislators. You can also check “Bill History” for important updates like committee hearings and select “Get Email Notifications” to stay in the loop.
Reading the bill language: Under “Available Documents,” click “Original Bill” to read the complete text. Underlined text shows what’s being added to current law, while anything with a strike-through would be removed.
Explore other features: You can locate bills by topic or sponsor, see when hearings are scheduled, and learn how to submit testimony. Take a few moments to explore the new format—it might feel different at first, but you’ll soon get the hang of it!
Stay connected
The House Republican Caucus offers another email update, The Week Ahead. Sent out on Fridays, this publication provides a look at which bills will receive public hearings in House committees and offers links on how to weigh in on them. You can learn more about it here and sign up at this web page.
You can also stay connected by following us on social media. Please consider sharing our content.
Thank you for your support and for staying engaged in your government!
Representing and serving our district is my top priority; your input is essential to doing my job effectively. I encourage you to share your thoughts on any bill or issue that matters to you. Throughout the session, I’ll keep you informed and remain committed to working hard for the people of the 8th District.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Barnard
