Policy Priorities
Housing & Health:
Housing insecurity, housing unaffordability, and homelessness are public health crises that jeopardize the physical and mental health of our communities for years, if not generations. Housing issues are also health equity issues. Due to generations of systemic racism, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are more likely to be unhoused or inadequately housed than white Washingtonians, and Black adults are disproportionately represented in evictions throughout the state.
To address the egregious racial and health inequities that persist for unhoused and housing insecure people in our state, we advocate for policies that get and keep people housed. We focus on policies that (1) increase the supply and variety of housing options, (2) ensure the long-term affordability of housing, and (3) prevent those at risk of homelessness from becoming unsheltered through robust tenant protections.
Progressive Taxation:
Taxes have the ability to affect health in two ways: (1) they fund the programs essential for a healthy society, and (2) the structure of a tax code can either increase or decrease economic inequality.
Washington state has the second most regressive tax code in the country, meaning the wealthiest among us pay the least while those struggling to make ends meet pay the most. Our tax code exacerbates economic inequality, harming everyone - even the wealthiest among us. People with fewer resources at their disposal experience the worst health outcomes through exposure to harmful environments, decreased opportunity for educational and occupational advancement, and decreased access to the resources necessary to prevent and cope with disability and disease.
At WPSR, we advocate for a balanced tax code where the wealthiest among us pay what they truly owe to our communities and we’re able to fully fund vital social programs to keep our communities healthy. In the past few years, we’ve made significant strides towards balancing our upside-down tax code: we passed the historic Capital Gains Tax and were able to fully fund the Working Families Tax Credit. These were incredible wins, but there is still much more work to do!
2026 Policy Wrap-Up
Our Wins!
Millionaires Tax (SB 6346): Sponsored by Senator Pedersen, and championed by Senator Frame and Representative Berg in the House, this is a once-in-a-generation policy taxing earnings over $1 million a year at 9.9% to raise ~$3.7 billion a year from less than 0.5% of the working population in WA. This is a HUGE win for health in Washington and step towards balancing our regressive tax code in Washington. Here are some highlights from the final legislation:
Expands access to the Working Families Tax Credit to one million additional Washingtonians including low-income young adults and seniors
5% of revenue will go to child care and early learning through Fair Starts for Kids
Sales tax exemption for over the counter medicine, diapers, and more
Prevent Local Governments from Blocking Permanent Supportive Housing and Shelters (HB 2266): Sponsored by 25 Representatives, this bill will work to prevent local governments from from delaying, discouraging, or blocking the creation of permanent supportive housing and emergency shelters.
Provides local governments with flexibility to use tax revenue to fund housing (HB 2442): Gives local governments more flexibility in how they can use existing funds to support affordable housing and homelessness services.
Collaboration with Climate Program on Tenants’ Right to Install Cooling (SB 6200): WPSR’s Climate & Health Task Force contributed to the drafting of this bill. It will ensure that Washingtonians can take action to protect themselves when under threat of rising temperatures and extreme heat, both a climate and housing issue. Read more about the Climate Program’s work on extreme heat.
Budget & Funding: Affordable housing and homelessness services and prevention are facing threats especially at the federal level. We will fight for progressive revenue and to make sure they are fully funded.
Until Next Session…
Lawmakers prioritized passing the Millionaires Tax this session, so some of our other key progressive revenue policies will have to wait until 2027. We are excited to carry this momentum forward with you into the next session!
Financial Intangibles Tax (aka Wealth Tax) (SB 5797/HB 2046): Sponsored by Sen. Frame and Rep. Berg, this 0.5% tax on intangible assets (e.g., stocks and bonds) would produce $1-4 billion per year for education, paid by ultra-wealthy Washingtonians with financial assets valued above $50 million. This would be another step towards a more equitable tax code. The Senate Bill made it to the Ways & Means committee before stalling out this session.
Well Washington Fund (HB 2100): Sponsored by Rep. Scott and Sen. Saldaña, this bill seeks to address the federal cuts made in H.R. 1 at the state level. It would raise ~$2 billion annually for vital programs such as housing, food, and healthcare through an employer-paid 5% payroll tax on large companies with over $7 million in payroll and $5 million in gross receipts.
The Working Families Tax Credit Age Expansion (HB 1214): Sponsored by Rep. Thai, this bill would allow all qualified applicants 18 and older to receive the Working Families Tax Credit. Currently, unless an applicant has at least one dependent, they must be ages 25-64. While this specific legislation did not pass, the WFTC age expansion was included in the final Millionaires Tax legislation which is now law in WA!
Prevent Local Governments from Criminalizing Homelessness (HB 2489): Sponsored by Rep. Gregerson, this bill would establish statewide standards for when local governments may enforce laws regulating the use of public space for life-sustaining activities. This would help give legal standing to the fight against unjust laws that perpetuate homelessness through criminalization. The decriminalization of homelessness is particularly important in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling of Johnson v. Grants Pass and Trump’s executive orders making it easier to punish people for surviving outdoors even when no other option is available. Criminalizing homelessness simply creates more barriers for people, prolonging the problem and further harming folks health and wellbeing.
The Washington Future Fund Pilot (Baby Bonds): The WA Future Fund would deposit funds into an account for each baby in WA that received Medicaid before their first birthday. These funds would grow over 18+ years and could be withdrawn when the babies reach adulthood for wealth building activities. Baby bonds programs are designed to disrupt generational poverty and reduce racial and geographic wealth gaps. A pilot was proposed in 2025 and we look forward to supporting efforts to move towards the goal of a WA baby bonds program as feasible in 2027.
Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot: This policy was on hold for 2026, but we will support it in the future.