2026 Washington state legislative session begins

By: Jake Goldstein-Street, Jerry Cornfield

Outlets: Washington State Standard

Published: January 12, 2026

Words: 3,637

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 5 days ago

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With the banging of gavels, the Washington state Legislature opened its sprint of a 60-day session Monday in Olympia.

The proceedings were more ceremony than substance, as the state’s 98 representatives and 49 senators began their work.

Anticipating fiery disagreements over the next two months, Lt. Gov. Denny Heck, a Democrat who presides over the Senate, pleaded for “grace and respect” among lawmakers.

In the year of the country’s 250th anniversary, Heck focused on …

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