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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As we move through the final stretch of the legislative session, the pace of work in Olympia continues to accelerate. This includes many long nights that stretch into early mornings as we debate, amend, and vote on legislation that WILL have an impact on you and our communities. Along with voting on major policy proposals and budget issues, this is also the time when many bills are reaching the governor’s desk and becoming law.
I want to take a moment to share a few updates on legislation I’ve worked on, highlight a great experience with one of our district’s legislative Pages, and thank the many constituents who recently joined our telephone town hall.
Government overreach
Two bills that passed this session raise serious questions about how much authority state government should have over citizens and local communities.
One measure expands (SB 5925) the authority of the attorney general’s office to issue civil investigative demands before a lawsuit is filed. These demands can require individuals, businesses, nonprofits, and even religious organizations to turn over records or answer questions under oath before a judge has reviewed the merits of a case. Tools like this can place significant legal and financial burdens on people who have not been formally accused of wrongdoing.
Another bill involving county sheriffs (SB 5974) creates a new process allowing a state commission to effectively remove an elected sheriff from office through decertification. Sheriffs are constitutional officers chosen directly by voters, and traditionally the people themselves have held the authority to remove them through elections or recall.
Accountability in government matters, but so does maintaining the proper balance of authority between state agencies and the people they serve. These proposals move us further toward centralized decision-making in Olympia, and I believe that deserves careful scrutiny.
Update: my bills
Two bills I worked on this session were recently signed into law.
The first, House Bill 2113, updates supervision requirements for diagnostic radiologic technologists and MRI technologists. The goal is to ensure hospitals and clinics—especially those in rural communities—can continue providing timely diagnostic imaging services while maintaining strong patient safety standards. The bill allows certain imaging procedures to be supervised through real-time video technology or by additional qualified health professionals, helping smaller hospitals maintain access to these services.
It was such an honor and privilege to have my family with me at the bill signing. What a great experience for my kids to be a part of this legislative journey! And the governor even gave my daughter a pen!
The governor also signed House Bill 2269, legislation I developed with the prime sponsor over the last several months to address housing options in certain rural areas. The bill improves a bill from last year by offering more flexible infrastructure options for “middle housing” in limited areas of more intensive rural development, allowing those homes in rural counties to be served either by public sewer systems or large on-site septic systems. I wanted the bill to go farther, but this was as much as we could negotiate for this year. It was a good opportunity to work across the aisle to help them understand the unique rural challenges of complying with the Growth Management Act and addressing our housing shortages.
Both measures received unanimous support in the Legislature, which shows that practical solutions can still bring people together when we focus on real challenges facing our communities.
Legislative Page: Aubrey Longly
One of the fun parts of serving in the Legislature is meeting the young people who come to Olympia to participate in the Legislative Page Program.
Recently, I had the privilege of sponsoring Aubrey Longly from Clayton. Aubrey is a sophomore in the Deer Park Homelink Program and spent a week working in the House of Representatives, assisting lawmakers and learning about the legislative process firsthand. Aubrey really impressed me by her enthusiasm, dedication to service, and eagerness to learn. I’m certain she has a bright future ahead of herself.
Last week I also had the opportunity to speak with the full group of Pages about civic engagement, leadership, and the importance of public service. It’s always encouraging to see young people taking an interest in how our government works and asking thoughtful questions about the future of our state.
Programs like this help develop the next generation of leaders, and Aubrey represented our district very well during her time in Olympia.
Telephone town hall recap
Thank you to everyone who participated in our recent telephone town hall!
At one point during the event we had more than 1,750 people on the line, and overall 5,871 constituents participated. Our team received 74 questions and we were able to take 15 of those during the event.
We covered a wide range of topics, including the proposed income tax, public safety concerns, auto license fees, education funding, election integrity, and other issues important to families across our district.
I’m always impressed by how engaged people in our region are. Our district consistently has some of the strongest participation in telephone town halls anywhere in the state, and that level of involvement makes these conversations incredibly valuable.
Thank you again to everyone who took the time to join us and share your thoughts.
Sincerely,
Andrew Engell
