2026 Legislative Session

 

This year's Legislative Session begins January 12, 2026. To keep up to date on the the bills and hearings, check out the following sites, know who your legislators are https://leg.wa.gov/legislators/, and sign up for the Action Alerts with the Arc of WA at https://arcwa.org/advocacy/

Advocacy Days, part of The Arc’s Advocacy Partnership Project, are held during each legislative session to involve individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD), their families and their service providers in the legislative process, giving them opportunities to make their voices heard by their legislators and to have an impact on policy and budget legislation that affects the services and supports available to them.

For the schedule and to register, go to https://arcwa.org/advocacy/advocacy-days/

The Bill Tracker lists all the current bills effecting people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) and where they are in the legislative process. https://arcwa.org/advocacy/bill-tracker/

The Legislative Notebook is your resource for advocacy. It includes public policy ideas that community members are working on and information to help you understand how health, education and social services affect people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) https://arcwa.org/advocacy/2026-legislative-notebook/

Kittitas County Parent Coalition http://kc-parentcoalition.blogspot.com/

2026 Legisative Advocacy Days

 

WSPC 2026 Legislative Priorities

 

Washington State Parent and Family 2026 Legislative Priorities

 Washington Statewide Parent Coalitions collectively agree to prioritize and support families and individuals with IDD to share their needs for access and inclusion in the following legislative areas of concern:

 

• No cuts to Medicaid: Cuts cause crisis! Crisis is expensive. Protect funding for Medicaid and IDD waiver programs and services and rural health networks. Cost savings need to be reallocated in DDCS community supports. Increase Medicaid reimbursement rates to maintain provider networks. 

• Increase access to Behavioral Health for individuals with IDD: Individuals with co-occurring developmental/intellectual and behavioral health diagnoses deserve access to professional medical and behavioral health services and supports across the lifespan. 

• Address Provider Shortage: Individuals with IDD and their families need dependable, well-trained, well-paid, and culturally-competent providers in all areas of service. 

• Support Community Choice: Individuals with IDD have a right to fully access their community each day with appropriate support. Individuals with high support needs should not be excluded from participating in activities, work, or play because of unmet personal care or behavioral support needs. All people with IDD, both children and adults, deserve to have meaningful, engaging, and flexible opportunities to spend time with disabled and non-disabled peers of their choosing. 

• Increase Housing Options: Individuals with IDD and their families, and those living in DDCS residential habilitation centers need affordable and accessible housing with appropriate support. Adults with IDD who still reside with aging parent caregivers should be prioritized for DDA community residential services. 

• End Isolation and Reduce Restraints in Special Education: Individuals with IDD have a right to physical and emotional safety in schools. More work must be done to eliminate restraint and isolation in public education.

2025 Legislative Session Wrap-Up

Recap from the Arc of King County 

www.arcofkingcounty.org