The Washington State Legislature adjourned its 2026 session on March 12 at 8:25 p.m., according to a statement from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). During this session, NFIB tracked a total of 253 bills that were relevant to small-business owners in the state.
Of these bills, NFIB supported 84, opposed or raised concerns with 108, and monitored or remained neutral on the remaining 61. The organization reported that only 12 of the bills it opposed survived, resulting in what it described as a nearly 90% kill rate for measures it did not support. Twelve of the supported bills were sent to Governor Bob Ferguson’s desk for signature, including HB 2479, which establishes a Wage Recovery Fund and is scheduled to be signed into law on March 14.
NFIB co-chaired the Wage Recovery Work Group that developed recommendations leading to HB 2479. “We will ask the governor for a veto,” said NFIB regarding HB 2105, known as the Immigrant Worker Protection Act. Despite some improvements made by Senate amendments, NFIB remains opposed to this bill.
Other legislation sent to the governor includes HB 2156 and SB 5925, both expanding powers for the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) in investigating economic and financial crimes. NFIB said it remains opposed to these measures due to concerns about expanded investigative authority and restrictions placed on business owners during investigations.
Additional bills highlighted by NFIB include SB 5847, which changes workers’ compensation medical provider network rules and is expected to increase costs by about $35 million annually; SB 5981 concerning prescription drug programs; and SB 6346 introducing a Millionaire Tax. The organization said it opposes these measures due to anticipated cost increases for employers and ongoing campaigns against certain provisions.
With the legislative session concluded, NFIB stated it will focus on developing its legislative voting record for upcoming elections and preparing for potential initiative campaigns related to recently passed legislation. The governor has until April 4 to sign or veto any remaining bills.
