Key Findings

1. The Washington legislative session started on January 8th and ended on March 8th.  Democrats held a majority of 58-40 in the House and 29-20 in the Senate.
    
2. WPC experts were a key source of timely research throughout the session.  We were invited to testify at committee hearings 35 times, published 23 Legislative Memos, distributed 108 bill analyses as blogs online, placed 74 guest op-eds for publication and were cited in news coverage 579 times (more than five times a day).
    
3. Over the two-month session Washington Policy Center’s work earned widespread media coverage, including 55 TV news citations, 261 radio appearances, over 100,000 video views on social media and more than 124,000 visits to WPC’s website. 
    
4. Lawmakers passed three popular citizens’ initiatives that reflect WPC long-standing policy recommendations on banning a state income tax, protecting parental rights and re-authorizing reasonable police pursuits.
    
5. Lawmakers also adopted WPC’s recommended positions on charter school funding, increasing affordable health care, protecting democracy and election integrity, and protecting property rights. 
    
6. WPC’s work helped defeat bad legislation by stopping a ban on private health insurance, protecting the state’s Unemployment Insurance program, and defending tax-limitations for small businesses and homeowners.

Introduction

The 2024 Washington state legislative session convened on January 8th and adjourned on March 8th. During the session Democrats controlled the House and the Senate and the governor’s office. Democrats held a 58-40 majority in the House and a 29-20 majority in the senate.

WPC experts testified by invitation 35 times at public hearings before legislative committees, published 23 Legislative Memo analyses of the most important bills, appeared on radio, TV news and online news shows 579 times, distributed 108 blogs on social media and produced 10 On The Go live Facebook events. In addition, WPC provided nine weekly video updates of legislative actions and published 74 guest op-eds in statewide newspapers and online news sites. WPC experts also worked with individual lawmakers in response to requests for information and research.

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