The 2025 Washington State Legislative session adjourned on April 27 after 105 intense days shaped by a historic $16 billion budget deficit, high political tension, and the heartbreaking deaths of Speaker Emeritus Frank Chopp and Senator Bill Ramos. Despite these challenges, lawmakers reached agreement on a final set of budgets and key policies. Governor Bob Ferguson signed the operating, transportation, and capital budgets on May 20, 2025.
A major victory for PROTEC17 members came in the operating budget, which fully funds state employee contracts and avoids the furloughs initially proposed by the Governor. These long-overdue raises are vital for retaining skilled public workers who have faced rising living costs and increasing demands on their time and expertise. After years of doing more with less, this investment marks a necessary and hard-fought recognition of public workers’ value to the people of Washington.
Many PROTEC17 members work in transportation, and a budget that reflected our current transportation needs was a top priority this session. The $15.5 billion transportation budget includes historic investments in environmental infrastructure — most notably $1 billion for fish passage barrier removal, an essential step for tribal treaty compliance and ecological restoration. The budget also prioritizes road safety while preparing the state for the 2026 World Cup games.
In addition to the budget, lawmakers passed several important policy victories. Rent stabilization (HB 1217) will cap annual rent increases and provide stronger protections for tenants across Washington. The Paid Family and Medical Leave program was improved to reduce barriers and expand access for working families. And in a significant win for labor, striking workers will now be eligible to receive unemployment benefits for up to six weeks, thanks to the passage of SB 5041.
These victories didn’t happen by accident. PROTEC17 members helped secure them by actions, emails, testimony, and calls to legislators that were critical in protecting public services, funding contracts, and winning progressive reforms. If you’re ready to help shape future wins, join our union’s political/policy efforts through the PROTEC17 Worker’s Roundtable (PWR) and be part of the movement advancing worker power across Washington by reaching out to PROTEC17 Political Director, Mark Watson at .