Rep. Debra Lekanoff | A season of reflection, gratitude, and continued work together

As we move into this next season, I find myself reflecting deeply on the 2026 legislative session: what we were called to protect, what we were able to advance, and the work that continues ahead of us. 

This session asked a great deal of us. It began under the weight of economic uncertainty, federal instability, and growing pressure on Washington families. And yet, through it all, we remained grounded in our shared values: caring for one another, protecting our communities, and ensuring that no one is left behind. 

Leadership is about walking alongside our communities, listening with intention, and acting with care for the next seven generations. That is the spirit I carried into this session, and it is the spirit that will continue to guide my work in the months ahead. 

This session can be summed up in three commitments: protecting the good things, rejecting the harmful, and making progress wherever we could. 

We entered the session facing a challenging landscape. Rising costs driven by tariffs and inflation, combined with federal decisions that reduced access to food assistance and health care, created real strain for families across Washington. At the same time, actions at the federal level introduced fear and uncertainty into many of our communities. 

In response, we focused on what we could control here in Washington state. 

We took steps to protect people, ensuring that communities are not living in fear, that workers are treated with dignity, and that public trust remains central to how systems operate. 

We worked to address affordability, recognizing that families are navigating rising costs in nearly every part of daily life. 

And we continued to invest in fairness, making progress toward a system where opportunity and responsibility are more equally shared. 

As the legislative session concludes, our work does not pause, it simply shifts. 

The interim is a time to return home, to be present in community, and to listen deeply. I look forward to traveling across the 40th District in the months ahead visiting local projects, meeting with Tribal leaders, engaging with community organizations, and continuing conversations about the issues that matter most to you. 

This is where some of the most important work happens: outside the Capitol, in relationship, in community, and in partnership. 

There are several pieces of legislation that I will continue refining during the interim, working closely with stakeholders, Tribal partners, and community members to strengthen these proposals for future sessions. 

From the 2025–2026 legislative sessions, I plan to continue work on: 

• HB 2435 – Establishing a Legislative Office of Indian Affairs to strengthen understanding, training, and government-to-government relationships with Tribal nations.  

• HB 1652 – Requiring the use of low-sulfur fuel by ocean-going vessels in the Puget Sound to protect the air and waters of the Salish Sea.  

• HB 2598 – Creating a statewide salmon advisory commission to bring coordination and shared strategy to salmon recovery efforts.  

• HB 1478 – Providing a pathway for families impacted by opioid-related deaths to seek a more accurate designation in cases involving criminal accountability.  

• HB 1982 – Expanding opportunities to vacate convictions connected to the exercise of Treaty-protected rights, helping address historical injustices faced by Tribal communities. 
• HB 2685 – Protecting the health data and privacy of tribal nations. This bill requires certain state agencies that use and share tribal data to do so in a manner consistent with tribal data sovereignty principles and exempts tribal data held by certain state agencies or by local health jurisdictions from public disclosure.

From prior sessions (2023–2024), I will also continue advancing: 

• HB 2372 – Supporting partnerships with Tribal nations to expand behavioral health and substance use treatment facilities.  

• HB 2487 – Creating education and career pathways for farmworkers and displaced agricultural workers, investing in opportunity and long-term stability.  
• HB 2463 – Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee to conduct a performance audit of salmon planning and recovery efforts in two watersheds in Eastern Washington and two watersheds in Western Washington.

Each of these efforts reflects a shared goal: building systems that are more just, more collaborative, and more responsive to the lived experiences of our communities.

Because this is an election year, there are important guidelines that shape how we communicate. Under the state’s Ethics in Public Service Act, legislators are limited in how we can use official communication channels during this period. 

As a result, my office will not be sending additional e-newsletters through official legislative channels until after the election is certified. 

However, please know this: I remain fully committed to serving you. 

You are always welcome to reach out to my office with your questions, concerns, ideas, or if you need assistance navigating state services. Your voice is essential to this work, and I deeply value staying connected. 

Let’s Connect:  

Email: Debra.Lekanoff@leg.wa.gov 

Phone: (360) 786-7800 

Website: https://housedemocrats.wa.gov/lekanoff 

If you would like to request a meeting, invite me to a community event, or share an idea or concern, please don’t hesitate to contact my office. 

As we transition into the interim, I want to thank you. 

Thank you for your advocacy, your partnership, and your trust. Thank you for the conversations, the shared stories, and the ways you continue to show up for one another across our communities. 

In the 40th District, we believe in care, connection, and collective responsibility. We understand that when one of us is struggling, it is our responsibility to step forward together. 

That belief does not end with the legislative session. It continues in our communities, in our relationships, and in the work we carry forward each day. 

It is an honor to serve you. I look forward to seeing you throughout the district in the months ahead. 

With gratitude….