City lobbyist briefs Everett council on 2026 short legislative session priorities, including regional fire authority and ALPR rules
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Summary
City lobbyist Trevor Justin and staff briefed the council on the 60‑day 2026 legislative session, the state's budget shortfall and the city's priorities: protecting prior capital provisos, pursuing regional fire authority options (HB2224/SB6037), seeking changes to automated license-plate-reader retention rules and tracking bills on public safety sales tax implementation and housing policy.
City lobbyist Trevor Justin and city staff updated the Everett City Council on the 2026 short legislative session during the Jan. 21 meeting, outlining fiscal challenges and the city’s priorities in Olympia.
Justin summarized the short session context: 60 days to consider supplemental budget issues and carryover legislation. He told the council the state entered 2026 with a roughly $1.6 billion shortfall plus additional agency requests and that Governor Ferguson’s proposed adjustments include some agency funding and revenue changes. He also noted the governor’s public support for a millionaire’s tax as a longer-term revenue option.
The briefing highlighted priority items for Everett: retaining capital provisos secured in prior sessions (including a previously secured $6.7 million for a fire-training facility); pursuing legislation that would clarify options to form a regional fire authority or an Everett-specific fire district while retaining levy authority (House Bill 2224 and Senate Bill 6037); and seeking adjustments to automated license-plate-reader (ALPR) bills (Senate Bill 6002 and companion House language) so data-retention windows support investigations (staff suggested 21–30 days rather than the 72 hours in draft language).
Staff also reviewed implementation concerns around the public safety sales tax and an associated grant program enacted last year (House Bill 2015), noting that many jurisdictions are not fully compliant with technical requirements and that some jurisdictions risk fines. The city is tracking proposals on indigent defense standards, homelessness/public camping preemption bills, workforce development, childcare access, and several housing bills, and staff said they will circulate weekly reports on bill activity to council members.
"We are already hard at work in week two," Justin said, noting frequent calls and testimony, and staff urged council members to make themselves available for rapid-turnaround testimony if needed.
What’s next: Staff will continue tracking bills, circulating weekly reports, and notifying council members when testimony or advocacy is requested. Councilors offered to testify on specific bills as requested by staff.