Washington state lawmakers returned for the first day of the 2026 state legislative session in Olympia on Monday.
During the 60-day session, lawmakers will work to close a projected shortfall of around $2.3 billion. They are also expected to consider funding for recovery from severe December flooding, amid uncertainty over whether the Trump administration will provide federal disaster aid. Legislators who represent North Central Washington are also outlining their priorities for the short session.
Washington’s 7th Legislative District covers areas including Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille and Okanogan counties. The district also covers parts of Chelan, Douglas and Spokane counties.
Lawmakers here are focused on rural needs, including public safety, health care access and natural resource management.
For state Sen. Shelly Short, her focus will be on issues like wildfire prevention, forest health and health care access. In 2025, there was a decrease in state funding for forest health and wildfire prevention. In previous years, the state’s Department of Natural Resources received about $115 million for these efforts, but funding was dropped to about $60 million for the next two years.
“My number one priority is restoring the forest health (and) wildfire funding that was not funded in last year’s budget. Chelan, Douglas County (had) very significant issues with wildfire this year and flooding. What we’re doing, and to restore that funding, becomes one of those foundational things I believe the state of Washington should continue to do,” Short said.
Rep. Andrew Engell said affordability and access to essential services are driving his agenda. He said public safety and rural health care are top concerns for constituents, along with infrastructure needs.
One bill he filed, House Bill 2113, would change supervision requirements for some radiology procedures. Engell said the bill is critical to keeping small emergency departments in rural areas open.
“If someone comes in with a stroke, you need to do that procedure right away to be able to perform life-saving interventions and we’ve got several small hospitals now that are outside of compliance with the law if this bill doesn’t pass,” Engell said.
Engell is also sponsoring a bill, House Bill 2250, which would limit charity care to Washington residents.
Rep. Hunter Abell said his work this session will focus on legislation tailored to rural communities and resource-dependent areas.
“Some of the bills I’ve drafted are very much focused on the district. We’re usually far removed from services, such as hospitals and airports. A big part of my job is educating the majority about the practical realities of life in a very rural area,” said Abell.
Among his proposals are bills addressing predator and ungulate management, allowing family burial grounds on private property and resolving a retirement system issue for railroad workers. He said those measures respond directly to concerns raised by constituents across the geographically large district.
