The 2026 Legislative Session came to a close last week. Children’s Alliance is proud to have worked alongside many powerful advocates and partners to create positive change for kids and families this session.

Children's Alliance is committed to protecting key programs, advocating for progressive revenue solutions that compel corporations and the ultra-wealthy to pay their fair share, and fighting against efforts to balance the budget on the backs of Washingtonians with low or middle incomes.

Our 2026 legislative agenda prioritizes the communities most impacted by systemic racism and economic exclusion, advancing policies that sustain early learning, health equity, and economic justice.

In Washington state, a child’s chance to thrive still depends on their family’s race and income. Now, federal policy decisions threaten to widen existing disparities and opportunity gaps, cutting off lifelines families rely on to survive and succeed. 

Building on our recent data briefs on early learning and child care, we're excited to share the next phase of our KIDS COUNT® data project: three new briefs on economic justice.

Over the weekend, Senators debated and advanced a massive spending and tax bill that could drastically cut funding for Medicaid and other vital federal programs that millions of Americans rely on for health care, food, housing, and economic stability.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2025 KIDS COUNT® Data Book show’s that Washington leaders must do more to provide the support and resources children need to thrive in school and life.

Despite a $16 billion budget shortfall, we were able to celebrate some victories for kids and families this year. Read our full legislative report to learn more about the progress we made.

Our state faces an estimated $15 billion deficit over the next four years, and in response, our governor and legislators are proposing cuts to essential public programs to close the gap. But without a race equity lens, budget decisions risk deepening existing disparities. 

We are 43 days into the 2025 legislative session, with 62 days left.  A lot has happened so far, including some major successes that we are thrilled to share with all of you. 

At Children’s Alliance, we see a future in which all of Washington's children have an abundance of what they need to grow up to be the people they dream of becoming.  Our 2025 legislative agenda highlights policy priorities in our three primary issue areas: early learning, health equity, and economic justice.

Washington voters spoke up for kids in the 2024 election and roundly defeated I-2109, the ballot initiative that would have repealed our state’s capital gains tax and cut billions from early learning, child care, K-12 education and school construction. 

Earlier this month, the Annie E. Casey Foundation published its 2024 KIDS COUNT® National Data Book, which ranks states in overall well-being and across four categories.

Washington is making progress in terms of overall child wellbeing. However, our state still has plenty of room to improve, especially in terms of education and economic well-being.

Every legislative session, Children’s Alliance works with advocates from across the state to advance policies that support Washington’s kids and families. On June 6, many of the bills we advocated for during the 2024 legislative session will go into effect.

We made important steps forward this legislative session, particularly in the areas of youth behavioral health and child care affordability. Read our full report to learn about the progress of all of our top priority legislation.

Session is wrapping up, and bills are starting to reach the finish line. We are excited to highlight some of the significant bills that passed the Legislature in 2024.

We are midway through the 2024 legislative session! Our policy team provide an update on the status of our priority bills.

Week two of the 2024 legislative session is at an end. Here’s a quick recap of the progress some of our top priority bills have made so far.

Our state’s capital gains tax has raised more revenue than expected to fund schools and early learning. However, a small group of ultra-wealthy individuals have decided that our children are not worth their dollars, and have filed an initiative to repeal the tax.

At Children’s Alliance, we see a future in which all of Washington's children have an abundance of what they need to grow up to be the people they dream of becoming.  Our 2024 legislative agenda highlights our policy priorities in our three primary issue areas: early learning, health equity, and economic justice.