Dear friends and neighbors – 

It’s already week two of the 2026 legislative session, and our office is working hard to deliver results for the 18th Legislative District and Washington state. Last session, we passed legislation to increase investments in public safety, fund special education, and make housing more affordable. In addition, I worked tirelessly to make meaningful progress for the 18th Legislative District and ensure our community receives its fair share.    

This session, we are focused on passing policy solutions that help our state become a place everyone can live — fully funding education, building affordable housing, creating a tax system that puts working people first, and ensuring our communities are safe and healthy. Our state is facing difficult times, from cuts to federal funded programs to rising costs, but I know we can work together to find solutions that benefit Washingtonians for years to come.  

2026 Legislative Priorities: 

Thank you to everyone who filled out our 2026 pre-session survey. It’s essential I learn more about your top concerns. Didn’t get a chance to complete the survey? You can still fill it out here. 

Your top issue areas in the survey were education, housing, health care, and immigration. I share those same concerns, and I’m dedicated to prioritizing our schools, protecting consumers, improving community safety for everyone, keeping Washingtonians healthy, protecting our elections, and reducing the tax burden on working families and people on fixed incomes. Below is a snapshot of legislation I’m sponsoring or co-sponsoring this session (find a full list here). 

Improving our Schools 

• Senate Bill 5951: Similar to the epinephrine bill passed in 2024, Senate Bill 5951 authorizes public and private schools to be allowed to maintain and use a supply of albuterol at each school beginning in the 2027-28 school year. Albuterol can be life saving for students with asthma. As an educator, I know how important it is that our schools are safe learning environments for our students.  

• Senate Bill 6115: Cancer Pathways (formerly Gilda’s Club) has been providing cancer education successfully for quite a few years around the Puget Sound area, and they would like to broaden their work statewide.  As I am sure you are aware, the earlier we educate children about the evils of Tobacco and nicotine delivery systems and their links to cancer, the better. Cancer Pathway’s age-appropriate classes also cover HPV, skin cancer, breast cancer and testicular cancer. I believe that this will make Washington state’s population healthier in the long run. 

Keeping Washingtonians Healthy 

• Senate Bill 5823: Patient advocates help patients navigate the complex health care system by acting as a liaison between them and their doctors, insurance company, and hospital. This bill would require that certain hospitals provide patients with access to a patient advocate. Patient advocates look out for what is in the best interest of patients, and it’s important Washingtonians have access to the support they provide. 

Consumer Protection and Consumer Savings 

• Senate Bill 5331: Working-class families know the real pain of the rising costs of insurance (auto insurance, home insurance, renters insurance), and when an insurance company wrongly overcharges them for insurance, they need an advocate to protect their hard-earned money. That’s why Senate Bill 5331 enables the Insurance Commissioner to order restitution payments to consumers who have wrongfully lost money or other property through the unlawful actions of an insurer or other regulated entity. 

Community Safety 

• Senate Bill 5876: It’s critical we ensure legitimate law enforcement officers are clearly identifiable, increasing safety and accountability. This bill prohibits individuals who are not law enforcement officers from making, providing or possessing badges or other law enforcement insignias. This legislation would help limit the sale, purchase and possession of items with law enforcement insignias on them, with an exception for items used in works of art, commentary, satire, and parody. 

Election Integrity 

• Senate Bill 6084: This bill addresses a recent Lewis County court case by clarifying the definition of an election and stipulating that a person may not vote in an election in Washington and another state if the election date is the same for both states. In a surprising Division II Court of Appeals decision in State v. Padrta, the court found that because the term “election” was ambiguous and no single issue or person appeared on both the Oregon and Washington ballot, a defendant’s conviction for voting in both Oregon and Washington during the November 2022 general election was overturned. I believe this ruling could lead to election fraud. The Secretary of State has asked the Lewis County prosecutor to appeal the decision to the State Supreme Court. However, given the timeline of that appeal, the issue is unlikely to be resolved before the 2026 midterm elections, and I believe that a legislative fix to RCW 29A.84.650 this session is appropriate. 

 Protecting the quality of life for working families 

• Senate Bill 6162: I’m proud to co-sponsor this bill which would expand and streamline the senior citizen property tax relief program, consolidate the state property tax, and make the use of state property tax revenues more transparent. It’s critical we support seniors in Washington state and people with disabilities stay in their homes, while simplifying our tax system. This bill does just that and is one way we are working to make our tax code more equitable.  

• Senate Bill 5795: I have joined Sen. Deb Krishnadasan to introduce this bill, which would roll back Washington’s state sales tax from 6.5% to 6.0%—the first significant tax cut in more than 40 years, saving billions of dollars for Washingtonians. Our state and local sales tax rate ranks among the highest in the nation, placing a disproportionate burden on working families and those living paycheck to paycheck. This important bill is about fairness, responsibility, and lifting up working people.   

• Senate Bill 5820: This bill repeals prior legislation that allows industrial development on resource lands and in critical areas adjacent to the railroad in Clark County. The railroad runs through cities and next to fish habitat, streams, and farmland. The current law allows industrial development that would otherwise be restricted by the Growth Management Act (GMA). This bill simply removes this outlier to the GMA, so we can enhance the safety of residents who live in close proximity to the rail line and quality of life for working families living in north Clark County. 

Stay involved: 

Thank you to everyone who reached out to our office during the interim. Your input is critical to my work and helps me better represent you in Olympia. Below you will find helpful resources that make it easy for you to be part of the legislative process. You can testify in real time on a bill, submit written testimony, and track all the policies being considered in Olympia. You can also sign up for free committee notifications on a particular bill of interest, so you know each time it takes a step in the legislative process.  

• Watch broadcasts and archived videos of your democracy in action at TVW.org.   

• Stay informed by calling the Legislative Hotline at 1.800.562.6000.    

It’s a privilege to serve the 18th, and I look forward to continuing our work together this legislative session. Please feel free to reach out to our office if you have any questions or concerns by calling 360-786-7634 or emailing Adrian.Cortes@leg.wa.gov.  

It’s an honor to represent you and a privilege to bring our southwest Washington values to Olympia.   

Sincerely,    

Sen. Adrian Cortes