Sen. Jesse Salomon: 2026 Legislative Session opens

The 2026 Legislative Session began at the start of the month, and we are already making incredible progress on several bills to make life in Washington safer, healthier, and more affordable. My approach to legislating this year is to craft well-considered policies that make housing more affordable, protect communities in this unprecedented political climate, support our schools, our district, and our state.

Much of the time, I do that through my efforts as chair of the Senate Local Government Committee. There, we are working to address systemic bottlenecks that increase housing costs and interfere with the creation of a diversity of urban housing types at every price point. This is one of the best ways to make housing in Washington more affordable. You can see which bills are being considered by the Local Government Committee HERE.

I’ve also sponsored 11 pieces of legislation so far. Here are a few making their way through Senate:

We need to put the wellbeing of Washingtonians first.

Since the 1990s, we have seen a worrisome decline in youth mental health. We know, now, that this is not just a matter of greater awareness or more consistent diagnoses. This is a public health crisis.

A driving force of this crisis is social media. While many of us enjoy social media’s benefits, it has also left children vulnerable to inappropriate content, dangerous individuals, social anxieties and pressures they should never have to deal with at a young age. 

Excessive use of any social media can lead to social isolation, poor sleep habits, and at times a lack of exercise.

That is why I introduced SB 6111, which will protect children online by placing an age restriction on the creation of a social media account. By creating the requirement that minors 16 and under receive verified parental consent to create a social media account, we will place the power to protect children back in the hands of the people who love them. 

We cannot rely on the goodwill of tech corporations whose business model requires them to build software that triggers our most addictive, compulsive tendencies.

This would not prevent anyone from browsing the internet. It would only apply to the creation of an account capable of sharing content, interacting with other users, and building an audience online. 

As Danica Noble from the Coalition for a Media-Safe Childhood says, “as a parent, I believe it is time for Washington to put guard rails on social media. These addictive products are designed to maximize engagement, and the evidence is mounting that this harms the attention, academic potential, and mental health of our children.”

SB 6287 works to protect our communities, and especially our young people, from dangerous and unregulated substances like the powerful opioid 7-hydroxymitraginine. 

This is a highly addictive derivative of Kratom that is unregulated and sold at tobacco shops and corner stores. In the last two decades, we have seen the terrible consequences of an opioid crisis that began with the misuse of poorly regulated, easily accessible opioid pills. These new, ultra-potent, extracts risk igniting addiction and dependency.

SB 6287 has a hearing in the Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce at 10:30am on January 27, 2026. SB 6111 will be heard in the Senate Committee on Business, Trade & Economic Development at 8:00am on January 29. 

If you are willing to share your thoughts on the importance of these bills, I urge you to sign up to testify in person or remotely or register your support!

Responding to ICE

Recently, we have seen worrisome incidents where US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has overstepped their constitutional boundaries. Here in Washington, we are working on legislation that ensures all ICE action puts public safety first.

SB 6286, sponsored by Sen. Orwall, ensures that the Department of Health can inspect ICE detention facilities, making sure that they are safe and humane. Fines for failure to allow or pass inspection would be placed in a fund to compensate victims of mistreatment.

SB 5855, sponsored by Sen. Valdez, prohibits law enforcement from wearing masks when interacting with the public, protecting communities from aggressive and warrantless raids, and promoting transparency, accountability, and trust in law enforcement.

SB 5852, sponsored by Sen. Saldana, requires employers to notify workers about federal I-9 form audits, protects against retaliation, limits federal access to employment records, and establishes enforcement mechanisms and penalties to ensure that workers’ rights are respected.

SB 5906, sponsored by Sen. Hansen, prohibits immigration enforcement from entering schools, daycare centers, hospitals, and other sensitive locations without a court order, so that people can access essential services without fear.

Stay in Touch

Remember, your voice is integral to the lawmaking process. As we continue through the 2026 session, I hope you will continue to reach out and share your thoughts.

I look forward to continuing to learn more about your priorities — you can send me an email at Jesse.Salomon@leg.wa.gov or call 360-786-7662.