Legislative leaders reflect on ‘challenging’ 2025 session in Washington as it comes to a close

OLYMPIA – After Republicans and Democrats spent three and a half months hashing out policy differences in the state capital, debates that have frequently lasted into the early hours of the morning, it was noteworthy when the Legislature gaveled out shortly after 6 p.m. on Sunday.

“It’s light out on day 105, and we’re here talking to you, having already adjourned the legislative session,” Senate Majority Leader Jaimie Pedersen, D-Seattle, joked during a news conference following the conclusion of the session.

Facing a multibillion-dollar shortfall, lawmakers had the state’s finances top of mind, though legislators certainly had policy proposals they hoped to either get across the finish line or make progress on for future sessions.

Much of the attention will now turn to Gov. Bob Ferguson, as his office reviews the budgets adopted by both chambers and the host of legislation that awaits gubernatorial action.

With the session still fresh in their mind, leadership from both parties reflected on the work they accomplished and the work that remains for the future.

Democrats pleased with progress

As Democratic leadership reflected on the session during a Sunday evening news conference, Senate Majority Leader Jaimie Pedersen, D-Seattle, said his caucus addressed the two goals it brought to Olympia: increased funding for K-12 education and “significant” action on housing affordability and supply.

“I’m happy to say that we made some measurable progress in both of those areas,” Pedersen said, noting the Legislature provided for school districts and adopted a rent -cap bill, alongside legislation he said would increase housing supply.

“I think on those big, initial objectives for the session, we’re feeling very satisfied,” Pedersen said.

Throughout the session, legislators were quick to point out that the role of governor is unlike any other in government. While Ferguson spent the last 12 years as the state’s top attorney, his new role would include an adjustment period.

“Our conversations have been very positive in the last week,” Pedersen said. “And if you watch his statements over time, I think you can see that he had a significant influence over the budget as it ultimately passed both chambers.”

In recent weeks, Ferguson scuttled two revenue plans from Democrats, which he said raised too much in taxes and relied too heavily on an unproven tax on the state’s wealthiest residents. Ferguson also warned lawmakers not to tap into the state’s rainy-day fund, saying it could leave the state vulnerable as its relationship with the federal government becomes more contentious.

Over the weekend, the Senate approved a version of the “wealth tax,” which would have imposed an additional $0.34 per $1,000 on assets above $50 million, though the proposal died in the House.

“From our perspective, many good ideas take a long time to get to fruition in this process,” Pedersen said. “We saw that idea ripen this year, to the point that Gov. Inslee and both chambers used versions of the idea to base initial drafts of the budget.”

Pedersen called the vote “a significant step forward.”

“I don’t know if we’re at the end of the beginning, or the beginning of the middle, or the end of the middle, but we are along the way in terms of engagement on the wealth tax,” said Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma. “There’s a lot of support in our caucus also for it.”

Jinkins said she anticipated additional discussions of the wealth tax in the future, both in the interim and when lawmakers return to Olympia next year.

While frustrated with budget, Republican leader sees improved cooperation with new governor

In an interview with The Spokesman-Review Monday, Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, said the session was challenging, both professionally and personally.

A member of the upper chamber, Sen. Bill Ramos, died near his Issaquah home on April 19, while the wife of a Republican legislator unexpectedly died over the weekend, deaths Braun said were hard on both caucuses.

The session also proved to be tough policy-wise, too, as legislators worked to pass a two-year budget and adopt policy priorities.

“There was an instance on driving through policy that had resistance, not only in the Republican caucus, of course, but also had resistance in the Democratic caucus, and sort of ran over the resistance in the process,” Braun said, pointing to bills to cap yearly rent increases and provide unemployment for striking workers.

While both bills were opposed by some Democratic lawmakers this weekend, the legislation passed both chambers and awaits action from Ferguson.

Braun was also critical of a plan to increase the state’s B&O tax, a source of additional revenue he said would ultimately be paid by consumers.

According to Braun, Washingtonians will feel the cost of the session in other ways, too, after lawmakers approved increasing the price of the Discover Pass, hunting licenses and an increased cost for marriage licenses, among others.

“The people of the state of Washington are going to get hit literally from every direction in terms of the cost of consumer goods,” Braun said.

While Braun said he was “appreciative” of the governor’s decision to reject two Democratic budget proposals, the $9.3 billion package announced by Democrats this weekend is still “an enormous, enormous amount of taxes.”

“By far the largest tax increase in the state’s history,” Braun said.

With a new governor in office for the first time in 12 years, Republican legislative leaders were far more complimentary of Ferguson than his predecessor. In February, House Minority Leader Drew Stokesbary, R-Auburn, told reporters that for the first time since his election to office, “we have a governor who seems to be living on the same planet as the rest of us.”

Braun said Monday the transition from former Gov. Jay Inslee to Ferguson was a “big change,” which he would not have predicted in the immediate aftermath of the November election.

“There are still lots of things I disagree with Gov. Ferguson about, but his openness to regular, professional dialogue was very refreshing,” Braun said. “And we valued that, and we tried to show that we value that and that we’d be happy to work with him where it made sense.”

While the Legislature may be adjourned, Braun said the governor’s work in improving state government must continue, noting operational challenges at the Department of Children, Youth and Families and Green Hill School, a youth detention facility in Braun’s district, as an example.

“At virtually every agency, there is a significant opportunity to improve the way we operate,” Braun said. “I’m hopeful that that’s high on the governor’s list to do; he’s got a lot of work to do, a lot of work to do.”

Looking ahead, Braun said the Legislature may also soon “have a really big problem on our hands” if revenue continues to lag behind projections.

“I think the taxes are going to make that more likely than not, frankly,” Braun said.