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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Welcome to another edition of my Barnard’s Weekly Session Snapshot.
We have reached a critical juncture in the 2026 legislative session. We are currently in the final stretch before the House of Origin cutoff this coming Tuesday. This is the hard deadline for bills to pass out of the House of Representatives. If they do not pass by Tuesday, they are likely “dead” for the session.
This transition from committee work to floor action means my colleagues and I are spending long days and late nights on the House floor. We are debating and voting on dozens of bills daily, working through the weekend to ensure our district’s priorities make it across the finish line.
My legislation on the Floor
I am working hard to advance several prime-sponsored bills that address key issues for our community, from energy reliability to health care access. Here is a closer look at the legislation that is already slated to move forward before Tuesday’s deadline.
These two bills have already passed the House floor. They now move to the Senate for further consideration.
- House Bill 2133 (support senior centers). Our senior centers are vital hubs that provide essential services and a community for our older adults. Currently, the property tax exemption for multipurpose senior citizen centers is set to expire. This bill removes that expiration date, making the exemption permanent and providing financial stability to these critical organizations. I am proud to report that this bill passed the House of Representatives unanimously. Read about it in my press release: Rep. Stephanie Barnard secures full House support to permanently lift taxes on senior centers
- House Bill 2606 (privacy and data protection). Technology is moving faster than ever, and our laws need to keep pace. This bill updates the duties of the Office of Privacy and Data Protection, specifically requiring them to review major state agency projects involving artificial intelligence and personally identifiable information. It also strengthens performance measures to ensure the office is effectively training agencies and protecting your data. I am proud to report that this bill passed the House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support. Read about it in my press release: Rep. Stehanie Barnard’s bill to modernize state privacy office and strengthen AI oversight passes House
These two bills are still in the queue for House floor consideration.
- House Bill 2329 (midwifery and health care access). This legislation improves health care efficiency by modernizing midwives’ scope of practice. It allows licensed midwives to supervise and delegate specific tasks to medical assistants, as other health care providers do, and clarifies their ability to coordinate with lactation consultants. This small change can make a big difference in patient care and clinic operations.
- House Bill 1819 (grid modernization and reliability). As our energy demands grow, we must ensure our infrastructure can keep up. This bill streamlines the process for upgrading and rebuilding existing power lines within existing rights-of-way. By creating categorical exemptions for these necessary upgrades, we can modernize our grid faster and more efficiently without the necessary red tape.
After the cutoff on Tuesday, I will send out a detailed update on which of these bills, and any other important legislative updates, moved forward to the Senate. Please stay tuned.
Update on the initiatives
I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended our recent listening session regarding the 2026 initiatives to the Legislature. It is vital that you continue to have your voice heard in Olympia, and I truly value the thoughts and feedback you shared.
For those who may have missed it, here is a breakdown of the two initiatives we discussed.
- Initiative IL26-001 (Washington Parents’ Bill of Rights). This measure seeks to establish a comprehensive “bill of rights” for parents of public school children. It affirms that parents are the primary stakeholders in their children’s upbringing. Key provisions include the right to examine textbooks and curriculum, to inspect public school records, to receive prior notification of medical services, and to opt children out of assignments or surveys regarding sensitive topics.
- Initiative IL26-638 (Defending equity in interscholastic sports). This initiative focuses on fairness and safety in school sports. It finds that protecting the integrity of women’s sports necessitates that students compete in athletic activities consistent with their biological sex. The measure would require school district policies to prohibit biologically male students from competing in athletic activities intended for female students.
You can watch the listening session by clicking on the photo above or here.
To learn more about the initiatives and share your thoughts on each one, please click here.
Discussing AI on TVW
Recently, I sat down with TVW on The Impact to discuss the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence. We covered a lot of ground, from the legislation we are crafting to manage AI (like HB 2606 mentioned above), to how this technology impacts everything from chatbots to groceries.
It is a complex issue, but one we must address to ensure Washington remains a leader in innovation while protecting consumers.
You can watch the full program by clicking on the photo below or here.
Stay connected and engaged
As we head into this final marathon of voting through Tuesday, please know that I am honored to represent you. Your engagement is critical to the legislative process. Please continue to reach out to my office with your questions, concerns, and ideas.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Barnard
