DRW 2026 Legislative Agenda

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Image Description: Picture of the Washington State Capital Building with blue sky behind it. Below picture is the Disability Rights Washington logo with a blue graphic of a tree and the words “Washington’s protection and advocacy system” written underneath.

2026 Legislative Agenda

These issues have been identified by Disability Rights Washington (DRW) Programs and the people with disabilities they serve for focus during the 2026 legislative session. This list is not exhaustive and may change as the session progresses. Issues are not listed in a particular order. Items listed under the Lead Agenda are initiatives DRW is leading or working with stakeholders to lead. Items listed under the Support Agenda are led by other partners, but DRW will provide support as partners and DRW deem necessary.

Lead Agenda

  1. Restrict and reform the use of solitary confinement (HB 1137)
  2. Implement Trueblood Settlement Agreement and improve community supports and stability for Trueblood class members (HB 1218, HB 1195)
  3. Change the Assault 3 statute to create a behavioral health exception (HB 1220)
  4. Prevent isolation and restraint use in schools

Support Agenda

  1. Support sentencing discretion or review that allows community placement and reduced sentencing for some juvenile convictions
  2. Expand opportunities for release from prison and decrease sentence lengths
    • Allow people to seek resentencing after serving an extended period of time (HB 1125/SB 5269)
    • Allow sentence review for certain people who were under the age of 21 when their crime was committed (HB 1317)
    • Retroactively eliminate the use of juvenile felonies in the calculation of adult sentences (HB 1274)
    • Provide increased discretion for courts in stacking some sentence enhancements (HB 1178)
  3. Support civic engagement of people in carceral settings
    • Allow elected members of the legislature to enter the premises of a state facility to tour the facility or meet with a constituent (SB 5342)
    • Support civic engagement opportunities for incarcerated folks and people in state institutions (HB 1147)
  4. Improve oversight in carceral settings
    • Create a Jail Oversight Board within the Office of the Governor to monitor jails (SB 5005/HB 1424)
    • Provide parameters for conducting searches of transgender and intersex individuals confined in a local jail in compliance with federal law (SB 5490)
  5. Support self-advocates with intellectual/developmental disabilities in efforts to close state operated Residential Habilitation Centers and increase oversight over the state-funded emergency transitional housing program
  6. Support efforts to increase transparency and accountability for unexpected deaths in treatment facilities under the control of the Department of Social and Health Services
  7. Coordinate and support the police reform bills from the Washington Coalition for Police Accountability
  8. Support the primary policy priorities of the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network

For questions please contact info@dr-wa.org

Updated: 12/10/2025