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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We’re now just about halfway through the 60-day 2026 legislative session. The cutoff for policy committees was this week. Any bill – and there are a lot of them – that hasn’t been voted out of its respective policy committee is considered dead for the year. Monday marks that fiscal cutoff. Any House bill that has a fiscal impact must go through either the House Appropriations, Finance, or Transportation committees. As a long-time member of the House Appropriations Committee, this weekend will be a long one!
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Doug Nadvornick from Spokane Public Radio. You can listen to that mid-session update here.
Mental health, suicides, and our farmer – a crisis that needs attention
President John F. Kennedy once said, “The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways.”
Those working in our fields and orchards are more susceptible to financial instability than others, but their health issues and social isolation exceed the norm. The hours are long, the work is demanding, and they experience a solitude that few occupations face. Suicides by those in the agricultural industry are significantly higher than average rates.
To help address some components of farmer stress, I’m cosponsoring House Bill 2619 this session. This bill would create a joint legislative task force to review and recommend ways to streamline, eliminate, or modify regulations that contribute to stress for agricultural producers. The review would focus on regulations governing land use and zoning, stewardship of water resources, grazing rights, and pesticides.
The bill stems from the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s mental health and suicide prevention report. In 2024, the department convened a work group comprising of legislators, agricultural associations, and mental health professionals. That group’s 2025 report identified regulatory stress as one factor contributing to mental health challenges in the agricultural sector. Recommendations from the group include:
- Integrate 988 and AgriStress Response hotline under a unified system allowing for swift accessibility.
- Expand community awareness campaigns.
- One-stop support centers to offer mental health, financial, and legal resources.
- Suicide prevention and awareness training for those working in the industry.
- Establish grants to study the regulatory burdens and economic impact on farmers.
- Identify funding sources and a comprehensive funding strategy.
The ag community is highly resilient. They do not farm because of the money. It is a passion that runs deep, and they take pride in knowing they are providing for everyone else.
Addressing the mental health challenges of our agricultural producers and workers is an investment in our agriculture industry, the health of our families, our rural communities, and our economy. We now have the opportunity to lend a hand to those whose hands are producing food for us every day.
As you visit with your friends involved with agriculture, I would suggest an encouraging word and support them. If you sense depression or despondency, take action and say something. In this time of high stress an extra amount of care is needed
Protecting Washington’s no-income-tax advantage
For generations, Washington has chosen not to tax income. That decision has helped grow our economy, attract employers, and give working families more control over what they earn.
Now, Democratic leaders want to change that with Senate Bill 6346, a new 9.9% income tax on those earning more than $1 million. They call it a “millionaire tax,” but history shows these taxes never stay limited. Rates rise. Thresholds fall. What starts at the top eventually reaches everyone. We have seen this pattern before in Olympia with capital gains taxes, estate taxes, and fees that steadily increase over time.
We all know Washington does not have a revenue problem. It has a spending problem. Over the past decade, the state budget has more than doubled, driven by unsustainable growth and one-time funding.
Just as important, our no-income-tax model delivers real, measurable results. Between 2020 and 2025, states without an income tax outperformed those with one in GDP growth, job creation, population growth, and personal income. In fact, personal income grew roughly 67% faster in states without an income tax.
That advantage matters. It helps keep jobs here, strengthens local businesses, and supports families across our state.
Washington voters have rejected an income tax repeatedly for good reason. Once this system is created, there is no easy way back. We should protect what works, live within our means, and build on Washington’s proven economic strengths – not abandon them.
To see all of the new tax proposals by the majority party in 2026, click here.
Join me and Rep. Mary Dye for our telephone town hall!
On Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 6:00 PM, Rep. Mary Dye and I will hold a telephone town hall for residents in the 9th Legislative District. As you know, the 9th is one of the largest districts in the state and often difficult to travel, especially in the winter months.
These telephone town halls have been very successful as participants can listen in and participate from the home. I encourage you to join us. We will send out a phone call inviting folks to join in, but we cannot guarantee every person will be contacted. You are able to call in on your own a few minutes before the program starts – and all the way to the end of our event – by calling (509) 257-6010. You can ask questions, participate in our survey questions, or just listen in. I encourage you to join us if you can!
Staying involved in the legislative process
There are many ways to stay informed and involved in our state’s legislative process. Here are just a few:
- Visit our Stop Bad Bills page where you can learn more about bills that will negatively impact you and how you can testify remotely or submit written comments.
- Sign up for our Capitol Buzz. This is a weekday summary of online news stories from around the state, highlighting politics, policies and other important issues.
- Visit The Washington State Ledger, a legislative news aggregator.
- Sign up for The Week Ahead. This is a weekly email that includes a list of bills that will receive public hearings in House committees and instructions on how to take action on them.
- Follow the Washington State House Republican Caucus on social media. We have the largest caucus social media following in the country. Facebook | X | Instagram | YouTube | YouTube (All Access) | Threads | LinkedIn
- Call the legislative hotline number to leave a message for your legislators: 1-800-562-6000
Understanding the process
Watching and participating
- TVW | TVW Senate Channel | TVW House of Representatives Channel
- Participating in a committee hearing
- How to comment on a bill
- Visiting the Capitol
- Americans with Disabilities Act Information
As always, thank you for allowing me to serve you in Olympia. My door is always open and I welcome your input and thoughts on issues that are impacting you and your family.
Sincerely,
Joe Schmick
