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January 26, 2026

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I hope this email finds you well. Lawmakers returned to Olympia two weeks ago for the 2026 legislative session. This year, we have only 60 days to address growing challenges in our state, from affordability to declining student test scores.

This year, I continue to serve as the ranking Republican on the House Education Committee and as a member of the House Appropriations and Post-Secondary Education and Workforce Committees. I also continue serving in my role as Assistant Republican Floor Leader – ensuring Republicans make best use of our time on the House Floor by utilizing House rules and parliamentary procedure to our advantage.

The Governor’s Address

Last session, I expressed hope for collaboration after Gov. Bob Ferguson shared messages of bipartisanship and affordability. While I was optimistic the Governor would hold a harder line on tax increases, we saw the largest tax increases in history without meaningful restraint in state spending. On January 13, 2026, Gov. Ferguson returned to the legislature to again share his vision of the coming months.

This speech was lighter on the strong bipartisan message from last year. However, I appreciate that Governor Ferguson avoids the hyper partisan rhetoric common during the Inslee administration. Some of the policy his policy positions of most concern included:

• Instituting a “millionaire’s” income tax and hinging small-business tax cuts on the idea that millionaires are happy to pay the tax rather than relocate out of Washington. Beyond immediate concerns, if this tax were implemented, it would be the first general income tax in state history and would open the legal door for an income tax on all. This was affirmed by Democrat House members when questioned this month.
• Expanding spending despite a $2.3 billion shortfall without a stable, people-first plan to make up for it.
• Supplementing the budget by depleting the state’s rainy-day fund by $1 billion, leaving Washington vulnerable to future emergencies.

Budget proposals continue to ignore recommendations for spending reductions, instead pursuing further cuts to Medicaid and higher education grants, harming Washingtonians in need of support.

Looking Forward

On a more positive note, I have submitted several bills to improve government function.

The first two, HB 2460 and HJR 4212 relate to how vacancies in public office are filled. As partisan divisions continue to fracture communities statewide and nationally, more candidates are choosing to run with no party preference. Today, more than a dozen county partisan offices in Washington are held by individuals elected without a stated party affiliation. Under current law, when a holder of partisan office dies or resigns, the applicable county political parties submit a three-person nominee list to county commissioners to choose from to fill the appointment. In the event the vacating official did not align with a political party, there is no applicable party to forward a nominee list. This risks a long-term vacancy until the next election can be held. These bills establish clear constitutional and statutory direction for filling such vacancies by simply allowing the county commissioners to directly appoint a replacement when there is no applicable political party to start the nomination process.

Another bill I introduced, HB 2593, sets new financial oversight and reserve requirements for Washington school districts, with the goal of improving fiscal stability, transparency, and early intervention when districts face budget stress. With an increasing number of districts in financial trouble, it is important to safeguard our schools by setting reasonable expectations for financial solvency by setting minimum fund balances protected from collective bargaining.

Another bill I have introduced relates to improving the function of the Public Records Act (PRA) by preventing frivolous and retaliatory records requests. PRA requests are a costly burden for local agencies, including our schools, when requests are driven by intent to harass or otherwise misuse the public records law. This creates long delays for other requesters, limiting timely access to records for the rest of the public. I introduced HB 2661 to establish a workgroup to identify areas of improvement for future Public Records Act reform.

Finally, I introduced HB 2636, to create the Public Education Performance, Operations, and Funding Review Commission. This commission would conduct independent evaluations of the hundreds of legislative mandates imposed on Washington’s K–12 schools. These evaluations would assess performance, cost-benefit, and the impacts of unfunded and underfunded mandates. The commission would provide recommendations to the Legislature on which requirements can be repealed or modified so more dollars are used for instruction instead of unnecessary administration.

The Work Continues: Challenging Legislation Ahead

Unfortunately, as with any legislative session, there are bills that don’t serve our communities well. Here are a couple:

• HB 2195 (Initiative content prohibitions): Makes it harder for Washington residents to run city initiatives and referendums by raising signature requirements and removes the ability to challenge taxes, spending, and city employee decisions. This reduces accountability and civic participation. The bill overrides community-specific rules and could set a precedent that makes citizen-led ballot measures more difficult statewide.
• HB 2100 (A new payroll tax): Imposes a 5% state payroll tax on total employee compensation above $125,000, including wages, bonuses, and benefits, targeting major job creators in our state. This disincentivizes good-paying, family-wage jobs, increases costs for employers and families, and risks slowing job growth. By effectively functioning like an income tax, it sets a precedent for broader tax increases without addressing the underlying spending problem that has landed our state in a budget deficit.

I will keep you informed as we head further into the 2026 session and encourage you to continue participating in the legislative process.

Sincerely,

Skyler Rude