Rep. Chris Corry: Missed opportunities defined the 2026 legislative session
With the 2026 legislative session now a few weeks behind us, it is worth asking a simple question: Did we make life better, safer and more affordable for the people of Washington?
In too many cases, the answer is no.
This was a session full of opportunity. Lawmakers had a chance to address rising costs, right-size a bloated state government that has doubled spending in the past decade, restore public safety, provide stability for employers and encourage economic growth. Instead, the majority-party Democrats largely moved in the opposite direction, expanding government, increasing uncertainty, making our streets less safe and missing chances to deliver meaningful relief.
Start with affordability. According to a recent study by the Washington Roundtable, Washington is now the fifth most expensive state in the country to live in. Families are paying more for groceries, housing, fuel and child care than ever before. Small businesses are struggling to keep up with rising costs, and many are being forced to make difficult decisions about hiring, expansion or even staying open.
There were opportunities to change that.
House Republicans proposed targeted tax relief, including reducing the sales tax burden, easing costs on everyday goods and providing meaningful support to working families. We also offered ideas to lower housing costs by reducing regulatory barriers and to make child care more accessible by encouraging flexibility and innovation.
Those ideas were rejected.
Instead, the ruling party in the Legislature passed policies that add to the financial strain. Most notably, they approved a new income tax structure that raises serious concerns about affordability, long-term economic competitiveness and constitutional limits.
Even more troubling is the fact that Democrats have signaled this new income tax will eventually be applied to more Washingtonians in the future. Democrats rejected Republican amendments that would have guaranteed low- and middle-income earners never have to pay the tax.
We could have taken a different approach. We could have focused on making Washington more competitive, not less.
Public safety was another area where the gap between opportunity and outcome was clear.
Communities across our state continue to deal with the impacts of crime, drug addiction and a shortage of police as Washington continues to be the last in the nation for law enforcement per capita. Yet proposals to strengthen accountability, clarify laws around dangerous drugs in homes with children and ensure repeat offenders face appropriate consequences failed to advance.
At the same time, legislation was passed that raises concerns about weakening accountability in parts of the system and limiting local communities’ ability to respond to public safety challenges.
We should be doing everything we can to support law enforcement and protect victims. Instead, we missed the chance to make meaningful progress and continued a trend of favoring criminals over victims.
For employers and small businesses, this session offered little in the way of certainty.
Republicans introduced legislation to reduce regulatory burdens, prevent costly mandates and support job creation across the state. We pushed back against proposals that would increase costs on agriculture, construction and other key industries that drive our economy.
While some of the most harmful ideas were ultimately stopped, the broader trend remains concerning. Employers need a predictable environment to invest and grow. That stability was not delivered this session.
To be clear, not everything was negative. There were areas where lawmakers came together, particularly on local infrastructure and community projects that benefit districts across the state.
But those bright spots should not distract from the bigger picture.
This session will be remembered not for what lawmakers achieved, but for what they failed to do.
The majority party failed to meaningfully address affordability, strengthen public safety, provide certainty for employers, and prioritize the everyday concerns of all Washingtonians.
Our state has always been defined by opportunity. The question now is whether we are willing to make the policy choices necessary to preserve that opportunity for the next generation.
It is not too late to change course.
(Rep. Chris Corry, R-Yakima, is the House Republican Minority Leader.)
