This week the Washington State Senate passed landmark legislation prohibiting local, state and federal law enforcement officers — including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents — from wearing face-concealing masks while interacting with the public. SB 5855, sponsored by Sen. Javier Valdez (D-Seattle) and one of FAN’s priorities, strengthens existing state law that requires state and local officers to be reasonably identifiable through a clearly displayed name or other identifying information.
Take Action This Week!
As we move into a critical stretch of the legislative session, February 4 is the Policy Committee Cutoff date. This means that most policy bills must be voted out of their policy committees by this date to remain alive this session. Executive sessions in the coming days are pivotal moments. This is when committees decide whether bills advance or effectively stall. Now is the moment to act and contact members of the relevant policy committees and urge them to vote YES in executive session, so these critical bills can advance before the policy cutoff and continue moving toward justice, dignity, and the common good.
Look for talking points on these bills on FAN’s website Advocacy drop-down menu under Fact Sheets. The legislative hotline number is 1-800-562-6000. Formatting for writing a legislator is first name.last name@leg.wa.gov or click on the name of the person you want to contact on the Committee page.
Please be sure to sign in at least one hour before hearings and take action where indicated. All actions are for February 2/3/4/5.
Upcoming Hearing – Take Action Now
SB 5974 (Lovick) – Standards for Law Enforcement Leaders
Strengthens eligibility requirements, professional standards, and accountability for sheriffs, police chiefs, and other law enforcement leaders. FAN supports this bill because strong, consistent leadership standards are essential for public trust, constitutional governance, and community safety.
February 5 @ 1:30 PM in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.
Sign in PRO here
Key Executive Action & Bill Movement Updates – Please Contact Committees Now
SB 6069 (Alvarado) / HB 2266 (Peterson) –Encouraging Permanent Supportive & Emergency Housing. Prevents local governments from blocking urgently needed supportive and emergency housing projects.
- HB 2266 executive session on February 2 @1:30 and February 3 @4:00 in House Housing. Find members of the Housing Committee here.
- SB 6069 executive session on February 4 @ 10:30 in Senate Housing (policy cutoff day). Find members of the Senate Housing Committee here.
HB 2489 (Gregerson) – Shelter, Not Penalties Act
Prohibits criminalizing homelessness when adequate shelter is unavailable. Executive session on February 2 @1:30 and February 3 @4:00 in House Housing. Find members of the Housing Committee here.
HB 2105 (Ortiz-Self) / SB 5852 (Saldaña) – Immigrant Worker Protection Act
Protects immigrant workers by requiring notice when employers receive immigration enforcement requests and prohibiting warrantless access to non-public workplaces.
- HB 2105 passed the House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards and has been referred to Appropriations. Find Committee members here.
SB 6171 (Shewmake) / HB 2515 (Doglio) – Addressing the Affordability, Transparency & Environmental Impacts of Data Centers
Addresses energy use, water consumption, emissions, and community impacts from rapid data center expansion. This legislation reflects FAN’s call for climate justice, transparency, and equitable technology growth.
- SB 6171 has an executive session on February 3 @ 1:30pm in the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee. Find Committee members here
- HB 2515 has an executive session on February 2 @ 1:30pm in the House Environment Committee. Find the Committee members here
- Our environmental partners have asked us to write supportive comments to each of our legislators this week. You can find a fact sheet with talking points on the FAN website. For HB 2515 link here and then click “Send a comment to your legislators.” For SB 6171 go here and likewise send a comment to your senators.
HB 1317 (Hackney) Second Look Pathway for Youth would expand resentencing opportunities for individuals sentenced as youth. Executive session on February 2 @ 4:00pm in House Appropriations. Find Committee members here.
SB5838 (Kauffman) AAppoint a tribal member to the Board of Natural Resources. Executive Session on Feb. 2 @ 1:30 pm, in the Senate Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources. Find Committee members here
SB 5925 (Hansen) Attorney General Investigations Bill is similar to SB 5066 (Hansen), the latter of which is on our priorities list but has not moved this session. SB 5925 has an Executive Session in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice on Feb. 3 @ 8:00 am. Find Committee members here
CELEBRATE WINS
SB 5855 (Valdez) – Ban on Law Enforcement Masking
Prohibits routine use of face-covering masks by law enforcement to increase accountability. Passed the Senate Floor on a party-line vote of 30–19 🎉
Recent Committee Wins
- HB 2238 State Food Security passed House Agriculture & Natural Resources.
- HB 2245 Data Centers and Clean Energy Compliance passed the House Committee on Environment & Energy.
- HB 2281 Tribal Traditional Cultural Places & Practices Protection passed House State Government & Tribal Relations.
- HB 2462 Concerning reporting requirements and law enforcement responses for incidents at private detention facilities passed House Committee on Community Safety.
SB 6002 Regulating Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPR)
Regulates the use of ALPR technology to protect civil liberties and immigrant communities from misuse of surveillance data. Passed Senate Law & Justice Committee
Register for IFAD 2026
Register for Upcoming Advocacy Events
This year, we are moving the majority of our workshops online in the two weeks in advance of Interfaith Advocacy Day to allow folks to attend more workshops and to give an opportunity to those unable to attend IFAD to learn more about the bills. At IFAD, we will have a panel focused on revenue and the social safety net. These Pre-IFAD briefings will be your chance to learn about bills. We encourage you to sign up for the issue area(s) you are most interested in. All briefings will be recorded and sent to registrants and linked on this page, so please register even if you can’t make it. Let’s get ready for IFAD together!
- Criminal Justice Reform and Police Accountability with the ACLU and Washington Coalition for Police Accountability. Watch the recap here.
- Environmental Justice & Indigenous Rights with Front and Centered and JUUstice Washington on February 5 (11:30 AM -12:30 PM) over zoom. Register here
- Advancing and Defending Immigrant & Refugee Rights with Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, Date TBD, tentatively set for February 2-5 (6-7 PM) over zoom. Register here
- Housing and Homelessness with Washington Low Income Housing Alliance on February 10 (6:30-7:30 PM) over zoom. Register here
Week 3 Recap
Week 3 in Review: Housing, Progressive Revenue & Values-Driven Budgets
This week at the Washington State Legislature was defined by a powerful convergence of housing justice, progressive revenue, and moral budgeting—with Faith Action Network members, board leadership, and staff showing up loudly and faithfully.
Housing Advocacy Day & Progressive Revenue Rally
On Monday, January 26, advocates from across Washington gathered at the Capitol for Housing Advocacy Day combined with Progressive Revenue Rally on the Capitol steps. Faith Action Network stood alongside housing providers, labor, education leaders, and community members to demand bold action on housing affordability and fair taxation. Speakers highlighted the growing urgency: rents continue to outpace wages, homelessness remains at crisis levels, and lawmakers face increasing pressure to align budgets with the state’s stated values.
At the rally and in hearings throughout the week, advocates lifted up the need for progressive revenue, including a Millionares’ Tax, to fund housing, education, and essential services. FAN emphasized that tax justice is a moral issue -those who have benefited most from our economy must help sustain the common good.
A central proposal discussed was HB 2100 the Washington Well Fund, which would create a dedicated fund to invest in community well-being, housing stability, and long-term economic security
Major Housing Legislation in Focus
Lawmakers advanced and debated several key housing bills this week, including SB 6069 Encouraging Permanent Supportive & Emergency Housing. This bill prevents local governments from blocking urgently needed supportive and emergency housing.
Centering Inclusion & Belonging: SB 5950 Faith Holidays
One of the most powerful moments of the week came during the hearing on SB 5950 a bill to recognize more faith holidays. Jasmit Singh, FAN Board President, Kristin Ang, FAN Policy Engagement Director, and Max Patashnik, Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, testified in strong support. Testifiers spoke movingly about how SB 5950 affirms Washington’s commitment to pluralism—ensuring that people of all faiths, identities, and backgrounds can participate fully and safely in civic life. The bill recognizes the real harms experienced by marginalized communities and takes a proactive step toward belonging rather than exclusion.
Values in the Budget: Senate Ways & Means
On Thursday, attention shifted to the Senate Ways & Means Committee, where lawmakers and advocates grappled with a fundamental question:
What does the state choose to invest in—and what does that say about our values?
Faith Action Network testified that budgets are moral documents. Decisions about revenue, investments, and disinvestment reflect who we believe is worthy of care and protection.
SB 6109– Prohibiting investment of funds under management by the state investment board in private detention facilities. FAN testified in support, stating that public dollars should not subsidize harm, exploitation, or systems that profit from incarceration.
SB 5434– Calling for disinvestment from coal, this bill reflects Washington’s climate commitments and the moral imperative to stop profiting from environmental harm that disproportionately affects frontline communities.
SB 6304– Also heard in Ways & Means, this bill would require the Washington State Investment Board to adopt responsible investment principles, including human rights, environmental protection, and ethical governance.
Together, these bills point toward a more values-aligned investment strategy—one that recognizes climate risk, human rights, and long-term community well-being as core to fiscal prudence.
More Advocacy and Trainings Across our State
Please join WAISN next Friday, February 6th for their monthly Rapid Response training to learn how to safely and peacefully monitor reported violations of immigrants’ constitutional rights and civil liberties, support impacted families, and uplift immigrant leadership. Register here.
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