Not: The following e-newsletter was distributed to Sen. Jeff Wilson’s subscribers Jan. 19, 2026. To subscribe to Sen. Wilson’s e-newsletters, click here.
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Our 2026 legislative session is off and running, and let’s save the pleasantries for later. Tomorrow a bill will be heard in the state Senate that would make it harder, if not impossible for the people to file and run initiatives. To defeat it, we need your help – but you need to act fast.
Please take a moment to click on this link and register your opposition to Senate Bill 5973 before 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. Your opinion will become part of the record when the hearing begins at 1:30 p.m. in the Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs and Elections Committee.
The more people who tell Olympia no, the better our chance will be.
I am the lead Republican on this committee, and I can tell you with certainty that this is the worst bill since our colleagues tried running it last year. And the year before that. And before that, too. For years our majority colleagues have tried to restrict the initiative process. So far they haven’t succeeded, thank goodness, because the way things have been going at the Capitol these last few years, the people’s right of initiative is one of the few recourses we have left.
Since 1912, the people of Washington have used the initiative process to pass the laws the Legislature won’t, and to stop Olympia from going too far. We’ve used it for everything from permitting colored oleomargarine to stopping our colleagues from reinstituting racial discrimination in state contracts and college admissions. But if Senate Bill 5973 passes, we the people may never be able to exercise our power again.
This bill would impose requirements on initiative campaigns that would make it more difficult to qualify an initiative for the ballot. It would ban campaigns from paying canvassers by the signature and make it harder to gather the hundreds of thousands of signatures that are required. It would impose needless delays and make it harder for campaigns to meet state deadlines.
And the excuse for this bill is pure baloney. There have only been a handful of signature fraud cases in this state, and the last one was 13 years ago. This is really about squelching your voice and giving all power to Olympia politicians.
So time is tight. It’s the people versus the powerful. I think you can tell I have a strong opinion on this one myself, and I hope you’ll let Olympia know what you think of this effort to take your voice away.
Income tax is on the table as Legislature launches 60-day session
Local issues include sea lion control, kit homes, protection for initiative signature gatherers
In his State of the State address last week, Gov. Bob Ferguson touted his party’s proposal for an income tax and got standing ovations from Democrats, silence from Republicans.
We kicked off our 2026 legislative session on Monday, Jan. 12, and already it seems like a blur. Our majority Democratic colleagues are pushing an income tax this year, and a proposal that would give Olympia the power to remove elected county sheriffs is raising alarm. And I am proposing bills that would raise money for sea lion control, protect initiative signature gatherers, promote kit homes and many, many more.
If it seems like things are moving fast this year, it’s because they are. In even-numbered years, we have just 60 days to complete our business and go home. And considering some of the items before us this year, the sooner we adjourn, the better.
Income tax is year’s top issue
This year’s epic battle over the income tax has been more than 90 years in the making, and it’s nice finally to have it out in the open. For years our majority colleagues have been telling us they don’t want an income tax, even as they worked to make this year’s proposal possible. Two years ago they voted for an initiative from the people banning an income tax, serving mainly to keep I-2111 off the ballot and preventing voters from voting no on an income tax for a 12th time. Now the Senate Democratic Leader is quoting Mary Poppins, saying that vote was a “pie-crust promise, easily made, easily broken.”
It is refreshing to hear such honesty in Olympia, but I wish our colleagues would stop calling their proposal a “millionaires’ tax.” They’re saying their proposal will apply only to people making $1 million or more a year. But that doesn’t mean much. That’s the way income taxes always are sold to the people, and the history of every such tax on the state and federal levels is that the thresholds always are quickly reduced until they hit people like you and me. An income tax on anyone is an income tax on everyone. If you think this would remain a tax on millionaires, let me ask you a question: How does that pie crust taste?
Bill would give Olympia final say over elected county sheriffs
Sign-ins on SB 5974 were overwhelmingly opposed.
Already our colleagues are raising a storm of protest with a bill that would give Olympia ultimate control over county sheriffs. Senate Bill 5874 would give an unelected state board – the Criminal Justice Training Commission – the authority to remove elected sheriffs who fail to toe Olympia’s line. This bill would force your local sheriff to embrace all the odious policies Olympia is so fond of these days, from non-cooperation with federal law enforcement officials to tolerance of petty crime, hard drugs and homelessness.
Personally, I think we should respect the people’s decisions. Your sheriff represents you, not Olympia. I don’t think we should give an appointed board the ability to remove elected officials it doesn’t like. And I know I’m not the only one. When this bill got a hearing last week in the Senate Law and Justice Committee, some 12,873 people signed in to express their opposition – on just two days’ notice. Thanks to everyone who took the time!
Here to serve you!
In coming weeks I’ll tell you more about the bills I am pursuing this session and our battles on the Senate floor. But in this first e-newsletter of the session, I want you to know that my most important duty is serving you, the people of the 19th Legislative District. I hope you will contact my office if you have a comment about state government or you need assistance with a state agency. You can use the contact information below to contact me and my legislative assistant, Jami Lund. We want to hear from you!
Thanks for reading!
Sen. Jeff Wilson
19th Legislative District
Contact me!
Telephone: (360) 786-7636
Email: Jeff.Wilson@leg.wa.gov
Mailing address: P.O. Box 40419 /Olympia, WA 98504
Leave a message on the Legislative Hotline: 1-800-562-6000
Take our survey: Let us know what you think at http://www.JWilsonSurvey.com
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