February 23, 2026

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

This year’s 60-day session has entered its final three weeks. But there is still much to do between now and the final day on March 12, including passing supplemental operating, capital and transportation budgets that make adjustments to these original two-year budgets that were passed by the Legislature in 2025.

Here are some key dates for the remaining part of session:

• February 25 is the last day for the Senate policy committees to pass bills sent over from the House.
• March 2 is the cutoff date for the Senate Ways and Means, and Transportation committees to approve House bills that arrived there.
• March 6 is the final day for the full Senate to pass House bills.

Bill creating state income tax to receive House hearing tomorrow. Here is how you can weigh in.

A few weeks ago, I let you know that one of the most controversial bills of this year’s “short” 60-day legislative session had been introduced in the state Senate. That proposal is about to receive a public hearing in the House of Representatives after the Democrat-controlled Senate passed it 27-22 last week. I voted no on this bill.

Senate Bill 6346 would create a state income, specifically a 9.9% tax on your taxable income, with the first $1 million exempt. This bill would affect married people filing jointly who make a combined income of $1 million the same way it hits individuals.

If this bill is enacted, it would go into effect 2028, with the tax collection starting in April 2029.

House Democrats have scheduled a public hearing on this income-tax bill tomorrow at 8 a.m. in the House Finance Committee.

Many of you may have voiced your opinion on this bill when it received a public hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee two weeks ago. Thanks to those of you who did!

You now have another opportunity to voice your opinion on what is considered to be the most significant and most controversial bill of this session! You can tell the House Finance Committee members, as well as House Democrats, that you oppose this bill. 

More than 100,000 Washingtonians already have signed up as “CON” to show they oppose SB 6346. If you have not signed up as “CON” please do so before tomorrow morning’s hearing on this bill.

To sign up to testify on this bill or submit written testimony, please go here.

To submit your position on this bill without testifying, go here.

Over the past several decades, Washington voters have repeatedly rejected proposals to create a state income tax. The Legislature needs to respect their wishes.

The bill’s Democratic sponsors and other supporters are trying to promote it as a tax just on millionaires. But my Republican colleagues and I view it as an income tax. We think Democrats would eventually lower the income threshold so that everyone in Washington would pay it, not just millionaires. In fact, the $1 million standard deduction would be set only in state law, not the state constitution. That means future legislators could lower or eliminate the deduction through a simple majority vote to change a single sentence. No vote of the people would be required.

I hope you’ll take a moment to express whether you support or oppose this bill. Thanks.

Let me know if I can help

If you have any questions, or have a problem with a state agency and need help resolving it, please contact me. You can email me at jeff.holy@leg.wa.gov or call my office at 360-786-7610.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your 6th District state senator.

Sincerely,