~ Spokane City Council Celebrates Successful Legislative Session

The 2026 State Legislative Session came to a close on March 12, marking the end of 60 intense days that were highly significant for the City of Spokane. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Council President, Council Members, staff, the administration, state lobbyists, and community partners, the city achieved key victories for its residents.

Council Member Sarah Dixit expressed her gratitude for the team effort that led to their success. "Our success this legislative session wouldn't have been possible without this collaborative team of legislators, city staff, council, and our folks on the ground in Olympia," she said. "Every session, we are reminded how important it is to have legislative champions, like those in our 3rd District, advocate for our communities on the east side of the state."

Council Member Kitty Klitzke also acknowledged the collective effort that went into securing wins for the city. "This session resulted in many successes for the City of Spokane in housing, transportation, education, civil rights, and other key issues," she said. "I am grateful for the collective effort with our state legislators, city staff, fellow council members, and the administration in making sure our city's priorities were heard. While we didn't reach all our goals, we remain hopeful that continued collaboration with our state legislators will allow us to address more important priorities next year."

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Among the notable highlights of this legislative session were several key victories for Spokane:

Waste-to-Energy Reprieve:

The passage of HB 2416 offered temporary cost-free allowances to help reduce compliance costs and decrease greenhouse gas emissions while protecting residents from potential utility rate increases.

Boost For Law Enforcement Training and Education:

The City secured an additional $1.15 million in this year's Supplemental Capital Budget for essential upgrades and expansion of the Northeast Regional Law Enforcement Academy.

Land Banking:

Working with the Spokane Low Income Housing Consortium, the city was able to pass a bill authorizing the creation of land-bank authorities to acquire, hold, prepare, and transfer land for affordable housing.

The Council and City Administration are proud to share these key legislative achievements that will benefit the community. Other notable wins include:

HB 2105 – Immigrant Worker Protections:

This law requires employers to inform employees about scheduled ICE I-9 audits and authorizes the Attorney General to take action against violators.

HB 2165 – Impersonating Law Enforcement:

This new law criminalizes the impersonation of peace officers, protecting vulnerable immigrant communities.

SB 6026 – Residential Development in Commercial Zones:

This bill prevents local governments from restricting residential development in commercial areas, promoting vibrant communities.

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SB 6027 – Affordable Housing and Related Services:

This legislation gives cities greater flexibility in using local sales tax revenue for housing and related services, demonstrating the city's dedication to building a thriving and inclusive community.

In addition to these legislative wins, there were also significant funding highlights that support civic partners:

- $2.05 million for Terrain Cultural Hub

- $2 million for American Indian Community Center

- $180,000 for Northeast Youth & Family Services Creativity Project

- $1.545 million for Frontier Behavioral Health Wellbeing Clinic

- $773,000 for Crisis Relief & Sobering Center

- $300K and transfer of surplus WSDOT property to support the East Central Neighborhood

Council Member Paul Dillon expressed his gratitude towards Senator Marcus Riccelli, Representative Timm Ormsby, and Representative Natasha Hill for championing legislation and funding that addresses public safety, affordability, and community priorities on behalf of Spokane. "This really is a team effort from the Mayor's office to Council Members and staff," he said. "While this was a short session it was no less historic and there are many wins to celebrate."

To see all the bills and legislative wins from the 2026 legislative session, please visit the city's blog. The Council and City Administration are committed to continuing their collaborative efforts with state legislators to address important priorities for the city and its residents.

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