ANNOUNCING OUR 2026 CHAMPIONS FOR CHILDREN

We are excited to announce the 2026 recipients of our Champions for Children award! These lawmakers are being recognized for their outstanding service on behalf of children and families furthest from opportunity. Each year, Children’s Alliance identifies legislators who demonstrated leadership and commitment in advancing policies that will promote racial equity, health equity, economic justice, early learning. We are grateful to have many allies in the State Legislature who are aligned with our organizational values, and we thank these lawmakers in particular for their leadership during the most recent legislative session.

Representative April Berg

Representative Berg was selected as a Champion for Children because of her leadership shaping one of the most consequential equity policies of the 2026 legislative session: the Millionaires Tax, a groundbreaking step toward rebalancing Washington’s inequitable tax code, where those with the least have long paid the highest share of their income in taxes. Her leadership was instrumental in shaping the final legislation through amendments to Senate Bill 6346, which ultimately passed. These hard-fought wins ensured that 5% of the revenue generated each year will be dedicated to child care and early learning, an especially critical investment as funding for these systems has been cut two years in a row. Her amendment also secured a sales tax exemption for diapers and over-the-counter drugs and expanded income eligibility for the Working Families Tax Credit, ensuring the law delivers real, lasting impact for children and families.

Representative Lisa Callan

Representative Callan was selected as a Champion for Children because of her leadership during the 2026 legislative session to protect and support the mental and behavioral health of children and youth. She sponsored House Bill 1834, developed in partnership with Children’s Alliance and the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, to address the harmful and addictive ways online platforms are designed to target young people. While the bill did not pass this session, it helped shine a light on the threats facing children online, mobilizing advocates, engaging leaders, and building the growing movement needed to hold platforms accountable. She also successfully sponsored four additional bills that advanced child and youth well-being: House Bill 2225, establishing protections for youth interacting with AI chatbots; House Bill 1795, limiting restraint and isolation in schools; House Bill 2254, sustaining the Partnership Access Line, which connects providers with child mental health experts; and House Bill 2429, which codified Washington Thriving as the state’s plan to deliver equitable behavioral health care and begin implementing recommendations developed over years of collaboration with families, providers, and advocates. 

Representative Darya Farivar

Representative Farivar was selected as a Champion for Children because of her leadership during the 2026 session as the primary sponsor of House Bill 2294 to remove restrictive covenants that had prevented new grocery stores from opening in locations where a previous store had closed. These restrictions allowed large chains or landlords to block competitors from reopening in those spaces, leaving entire neighborhoods without access to fresh food, pharmacies, or other everyday essentials. By opening the door for new stores, this legislation will help restore access to these critical resources. That means families can spend less time traveling for basic needs and more time building healthy, stable lives. Her leadership reminds us that access matters, and that every community deserves the opportunity to thrive. 

Senator Noel Frame

Senator Frame was selected as a Champion for Children because of her leadership during the 2026 session to advance policies that center the mental and behavioral health of children and youth, as well as equitable access to pharmaceutical care, particularly for communities that have historically faced barriers. During the 2026 legislative session, she sponsored Senate Bill 5708, a bold effort developed in partnership with Children’s Alliance and the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, to address the harmful and addictive ways online platforms are designed to target young people. While the bill did not pass this session, it elevated the challenges children face in digital spaces, bringing together advocates and leaders and building momentum toward greater accountability for online platforms. She also sponsored Senate Bill 6228, which passed and reformed how our state taxes prescription drug distribution, asking more from large wholesalers while supporting small, rural, and Tribal pharmacies, as well as those in under-resourced communities. This work will help preserve access to medications and care in communities that too often get left behind.  

Representative Natasha Hill

Representative Natasha Hill was selected as a Champion for Children because of her leadership strengthening both housing stability and community voice. During the 2026 legislative session, she sponsored House Bill 1974, which will empower communities to secure land for affordable housing before it is lost to land speculation, a strategy by which investors buy land and hold it for profit as prices rise, often driving up costs and pushing families out. By prioritizing community ownership, the bill helps keep housing within reach and prevents displacement in historically marginalized neighborhoods. She also sponsored House Bill 1750, which will strengthen the Washington Voting Rights Act by making it easier for communities to challenge unfair election systems, protect against vote dilution, and ensure local voting processes more accurately reflect the voices of communities of color and residents with low incomes. Together, her work helped create conditions for families to stay rooted, connected, and heard, laying the foundation every child needs to thrive.

Senator Jamie Pedersen

Senator Pedersen was selected as a Champion for Children because of his leadership as the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 6346, the Millionaires Tax, which passed during the 2026 legislative session. This landmark policy marked a powerful step toward correcting Washington’s deeply imbalanced tax system, where those with the least have long carried the heaviest burden. By asking Washington millionaires to contribute their fair share, the law created new opportunities to invest in what children and families need to thrive, like stable child care and early learning opportunities, accessible health coverage, and progress toward universal free school meals. His leadership turned years of work by progressive revenue advocates into action and demonstrated what’s possible when we come together to build a more just and caring future for every child. 

Representative Jamila Taylor

Representative Jamila Taylor was selected as a Champion for Children because of her leadership strengthening access to health care and accountability in a rapidly changing system. During the 2026 legislative session, she sponsored House Bill 2548, which passed and expanded oversight of health care mergers and acquisitions. 

By increasing transparency and strengthening antitrust enforcement, her work helped protect communities from losing essential services and from rising costs that put care out of reach. While technical in nature, the impact is deeply human, ensuring families can depend on stable, accessible care when they need it most. Her leadership reflects a clear commitment to putting people first and safeguarding the health systems children and families rely on every day.