Welcome to week seven of the 2026 legislative session. We’re getting close to the end, and things are about to move quickly. Next week will be especially busy, with the House and Senate budgets expected to be released on Sunday and fiscal committee hearings scheduled for Monday.
We’ve now passed House of Origin cutoff, and the bills still moving forward are being heard in the opposite chambers. Bills must pass out of policy committee by February 25 and fiscal committee by March 2. They then need to pass off the House or Senate floor by March 6. The final day of session is March 12.
We still have important bills that need support and harmful bills that must be stopped. Justice does not move unless we show up and speak out, and this is the moment to keep raising our voices. Let’s stay engaged and finish this stretch strong.
Below you’ll find a list of bills you can take action on by signing in and having your position noted for the record.
For each bill, you also have the option to sign up to testify live (either in person or virtually), submit written testimony, or email your legislators directly from the main bill page. The bill page is linked in the descriptions below. Please keep in mind that many bills are scheduled for hearings each week, and while we encourage everyone to sign up to testify live, there may not be time for everyone to speak.
You can also watch hearings live or view recordings afterward. To do this, scroll to the bottom of the bill page and click on the hearing link. Recordings are typically available a few hours after the hearing concludes.
A couple of important reminders:
- You must sign in at least one hour before the hearing to have your position noted for the record or to testify.
- You have up to 24 hours after the hearing to submit written testimony.
We will have our regular Game Changer meeting this Monday, February 23rd at 6:30 PM. Please register using the link below to attend.
Actions For Bills Being Heard This Upcoming Week:
* Just a quick reminder that the PRO and CON recommendations below reflect Civil Survival’s positions on these bills. We know this work is complex, and we rarely get everything we want in any single piece of legislation. We encourage everyone to review the bills themselves and make their own informed decisions about whether to support them.
- HB 1909 – Establishing the court unification task force.
- This bill creates a Court Unification Task Force to study Washington’s court system and recommend ways to improve consistency, efficiency, and access to justice statewide. The task force will examine disparities in court rules, technology, and funding and propose reforms to make court operations more uniform and equitable.
- Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice at 10:30 AM on Monday, February 23rd.
- Sign in Pro here before 9:30 AM on Monday, February 23rd to have your position noted for the record.
- SB 5890 – Addressing reckless driving in cases involving excessive speed.
- This bill makes driving more than 30 miles per hour over the speed limit a misdemeanor offense, with repeat violations elevated to gross misdemeanors. The bill expands how excessive speeding is treated under Washington law.
- Scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Community Safety at 1:30 PM on Monday, February 23rd.
- Sign in Con here before 12:30 PM on Monday, February 23rd to have your position noted for the record.
- SB 5974 – Modernizing and strengthening laws concerning sheriffs, police chiefs, town marshals, law enforcement agency volunteers, youth cadets, specially commissioned officers, and police matrons.
- This bill updates state law governing sheriffs, police chiefs, and other law enforcement officials by setting clearer eligibility standards and limiting the use of volunteer personnel. It clarifies oversight and restricts the roles volunteers and cadets may perform within law enforcement agencies.
- Scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Community Safety at 1:30 PM on Monday, February 23rd.
- Sign in Pro here before 12:30 PM on Monday, February 23rd to have your position noted for the record.
- HB 2464 – Concerning reporting requirements and law enforcement responses for incidents at private detention facilities.
- This bill will require private detention facilities to report serious incidents, including deaths and allegations of abuse, to the Department of Health and local law enforcement. It also requires annual reporting on law enforcement responses to those facilities.
- Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Human Services at 1:30 PM on Monday, February 23rd.
- Sign in Pro here before 12:30 PM on Monday, February 23rd to have your position noted for the record.
- SB 5520 – Concerning the wrongly convicted persons act.
- This bill updates Washington’s Wrongly Convicted Persons Act by lowering the burden to file a compensation claim, clarifying the definition of actual innocence, and removing the requirement that claimants waive other legal claims. It also extends the time to file a claim from three to six years.
- Scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Civil Rights & Judiciary at 10:30 AM on Tuesday, February 24th
- Sign in Pro here before 9:30 AM on Tuesday, February 24th to have your position noted for the record.
- HB 2523 – Concerning the community reinvestment program.
- This bill will strengthen the Community Reinvestment Program by requiring clearer planning, oversight, and reporting on how funds are distributed and used. It is intended to improve accountability, equity, and long-term impact in communities the program was created to serve.
- Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 1:30 PM on Thursday, February 26th,
- Sign in Pro here before 12:30 PM on Thursday, February 26th to have your position noted for the record.
Thank you all for continuing to show up, stay engaged, and use your voices during this fast-moving session. Together we are shaping what’s possible.
In solidarity,
—Civil Survival