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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We are now in the final stretch of the 2025 legislative session, scheduled to adjourn on April 27. Last week marked the House of Origin cutoff, the deadline for bills to pass out of their original chamber to stay alive, except for those necessary to implement the budget. We spent long days and extremely late nights debating bills hundreds of bills.
Now, House and Senate committees are reviewing bills that have moved forward. While some promising policies are advancing, there are also concerning proposals that could negatively impact our state. Here’s an update on where things stand.
Legislation that strengthens Washington
Several of my colleagues are advancing excellent solutions that expand opportunity, protect freedoms, and make Washington a safer, more affordable place to live. Some of the key bills moving forward include:
Helping young workers find jobs (House Bill 1414) – Identifies employment barriers for 16- and 17-year-olds and creates better job training, certification, and hiring pathways. I’m proud to be a co-sponsor of this bill.
Expanding child care access (House Bill 1648) – Helps address the state’s child care shortage by extending qualification timelines, recognizing experience-based competency, and eliminating unnecessary hurdles that have pushed providers out of the workforce. I’m proud to be a co-sponsor of this bill.
Tackling the housing crisis (House Bill 1108) – Brings together industry experts and community leaders to analyze why home prices and rental costs are so high, setting the stage for meaningful reform. I’m proud to be a co-sponsor of this bill.
Improving public safety (House Bill 1457) – Requires tamper-resistant electronic monitoring for sexually violent predators on conditional release, providing law enforcement with better tracking tools to keep communities safe.
Teaching financial literacy (House Bill 1285) – Ensures all high school students graduate with essential knowledge of budgeting, taxes, credit, and personal finance—real-world skills that prepare them for success.
Increasing affordable housing options (House Bill 1096) – Allows homeowners to divide properties into smaller lots, increasing the supply of affordable homes and giving families more opportunities to buy.
Bills that I’m concerned about
Several proposals still under consideration concern me about their potential effects on constitutional rights, small businesses, and working families. I opposed each of these bills as they came out of the house because I believe they would do more harm than good for our state.
Restricting Second Amendment rights (House Bill 1163) – Forces all gun owners, including those who have always been responsible gun owners, to purchase a new permit before exercising their constitutional right to own firearms.
Expanding government control over public health policy (House Bill 1531) – Gives unelected health officials the power to override local decisions, stripping communities of their ability to manage public health policies.
Undermining parents’ rights (House Bill 1296) – Weakens the Parent’s Rights Initiative, disregarding the will of voters and putting federal education funding at risk.
Making housing more expensive (House Bill 1217) – Implements rent control, discouraging investment in new housing and worsening the housing shortage by driving developers to other states with more practical pro-housing supply policies.
Bad legislation that is now dead
While some troubling bills are still in play, several harmful proposals were successfully stopped before they could become law, preventing serious consequences for our state.
Preventing election chaos (House Bill 1339) – Would have confused voters, increased ballot fatigue, and given incumbents an unfair advantage. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs was willing to reach across party lines to seek support in opposing this really bad bill.
Keeping public spaces safe (House Bill 1380) – Sought to prevent local governments from clearing unregulated homeless encampments, taking the rights of those jurisdictions to make and enforce their own laws away from them while simultaneously making them less safe and more likely to face incredibly expensive lawsuits. None of the provisions of this bad bill would have addressed the causes of homelessness.
Protecting election integrity (House Bill 1448) – Proposed unnecessary changes to voting laws that would have changed our voting system to be ranked choice – a very confusing and non-intuitive approach that could result in second or third place candidates winning elections.
Keeping public safety funding intact (House Bill 1146) – Would have forced struggling counties to divert law enforcement resources to create voting plans for jails and state hospitals, with the threat of lawsuits for noncompliance.
Preventing costly child care mandates (House Bill 1128) – Planned to create an unelected Childcare Workforce Standards Board, which would have imposed wage and training mandates, drastically increasing costs for parents and very likely reducing availability of child care in our communities.
Holding criminals accountable (House Bill 1178) – Would have weakened penalties for drug offenses in school zones, reduced accountability for gang-related crimes, and made it easier for criminals with firearms to qualify for early release.
Keeping sentences intact (House Bill 1125) – Sought to allow judges to retroactively resentence convicted criminals, retraumatizing victims and undermining public safety.
Protecting children in schools (House Bill 1189) – Would have allowed individuals with criminal convictions to volunteer in schools with unsupervised access to children.
What’s next and how you can stay involved
As we move into the final weeks of session, lawmakers will be focused on finalizing the state’s three budgets—operating, transportation, and capital. I, along with the House Republicans, remain committed to responsible budgeting that prioritizes public safety, tax relief, and economic stability.
Here are ways you can stay engaged:
- The Week Ahead – A legislative schedule that outlines key public hearings and committee votes. Whether you want to testify in person, remotely, or submit written comments, this resource makes it easy to get involved.
- Stop Bad Bills website – I encourage you to take a closer look at the details of each bill. You may find yourself agreeing with some and disagreeing with others, and that’s completely okay. In fact, I really want to hear if you disagree with any of these perspectives! What matters most is staying informed and engaged in the process.
It’s an honor to represent you in Olympia. The decisions made here have a lasting impact on our communities, and I value hearing everyone’s perspective—whether you agree or disagree on certain issues. Your voice matters, and I appreciate your staying engaged in the conversation.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. Let’s continue working together to protect our freedoms, strengthen our economy, and build a safer Washington.
Sincerely,
Joshua Penner
