Bills We Are Watching in 2026 State Legislature

Decisions made in Olympia this session will shape the future of Washington’s wildlife for years to come.

On this page, we track legislation affecting wild animals, their habitats, and the systems meant to protect them. For each bill, you’ll find a plain-language summary, its status, Washington Wildlife First’s position and comments, and actions you can take. You can sort the table by clicking on each column. To view upcoming actions, sort by ‘Action Requested’.

This page will be updated throughout the session as bills are introduced and evolve. We encourage you to check back regularly and take action whenever you can—lawmakers need to hear from people who care about science-based policy, ethical stewardship, and wildlife well-being.

Bill #Link to BillSummaryStatus (updated 2/27)Prime SponsorWW1’s PositionAction RequestedFull DescriptionReason for PositionLink if Action Requested
SB 5203LinkAdvancing state wildlife connectivity.Feb 25: Referred to Rules 2 Review.Sen. Jesse Salomon (D-32nd)Support.Contact your Senator asking them to support the bill.SB 5203 would direct the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife to develop and maintain a statewide wildlife connectivity action plan and establish a wildlife connectivity account to support projects that reconnect habitats, including wildlife crossing structures and related planning and implementation efforts.SB 5203 advances a science-based approach to wildlife protection by addressing habitat fragmentation, one of the leading drivers of wildlife population declines. By requiring a statewide wildlife connectivity action plan and creating dedicated funding to implement connectivity projects, the bill supports safer wildlife movement, improved genetic exchange, and more resilient populations over time. These measures reflect increased consideration for wildlife and well-established science, and help ensure that infrastructure and land-use decisions better account for the needs of wildlife across Washington’s landscapes.
SB 5974LinkImposing standards for local law enforcement.Feb 25: Referred to Rules 2 Review.Sen. John Lovick (D- 44th)Support. None at this time.Would increase accountability and set standards for county sheriffs and local police chiefs, making clear they must enforce state laws. Would also ban sheriff and police volunteers from using dogs to track people or animals other than for search and rescue.SB 5974 imposes reasonable limits and requirements on local law enforcement, like county sheriffs, who are currently subject to few standards. It constrains the activities of so-called “Constitutional sheriffs” by clarifying that local sheriffs must uphold and enforce state law. It would also prevent untrained, unsupervised, and uncertified volunteers from engaging in dangerous activities, such as using dogs and firearms to pursue and apprehend suspected criminals, undocumented immigrants, or wildlife.
HB 2421LinkPhasing out toxic tire chemicals to protect aquatic life. Companion to SB 6119.DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Failed to pass house of origin cutoff.Rep. Zach Hall (D-5th)Support.None at this time.HB 2421 would phase out the manufacture and sale of motor vehicle tires containing certain toxic chemicals (6PPD) that harm aquatic species when tire particles wash into waterways, and establish incentives and funding mechanisms to support safer alternatives and pollution mitigation.HB 2421 and SB 6119 are long-overdue measures to protect salmon, Southern Resident killer whales, and other aquatic species from toxic pollution. Chemicals used in tire manufacturing are a significant source of stormwater contamination, accumulating in fish and in the food webs that support aquatic wildlife. By phasing out the most harmful chemicals, incentivizing safer substitutes, and funding mitigation efforts, these bills take an important step toward protecting aquatic ecosystems from further degradation.
HB 2343LinkProtecting water quality from publicly run game farms. Companion to SB 6088. DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. No action was taken in the Senate Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources on Feb 23. Rules Committee relieved of further consideration on Feb. 6. Placed on second reading.Rep. Peter Abbarno (R-20th)Support.None at this time.HB 2343 would require publicly owned or operated facilities that raise animals and discharge wastewater to obtain permit coverage under either the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation general permit or an individual water discharge permit.HB 2343 and SB 6088 require publicly owned or operated facilities raising game animals to meet water quality standards protecting fish and wildlife, downstream ecosystems, and public health from animal waste discharges. This has emerged as an issue due to pollutants discharged from the Bob Oke game farm, which the Wash. Dept. of Fish and Wildlife uses to raise penned pheasants to be released and shot by hunters. These bills increase accountability and reduce harms to waterways, wildlife, and people.Learn about the Bob Oke game farm here
HJM 4004LinkWeakening Marine Mammal Protection Act.DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Did not meet Feb. 25 cutoff date to move out of opposite house policy committee. Senate: Feb 2: referred to Agriculture & Natural Resources House: Jan. 29: Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading. Third reading, passed; yeas, 80; nays, 16; absent, 0; excused, 2.Rep. Rob Chase (R-4th)Oppose.Contact your Senator asking them to oppose the bill.HJM 4004 would ask the Trump Administration and Congress to amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act to allow increased killing of seals and sea lions.HJM 4004 scapegoats pinnipeds like seals and sea lions for human-driven declines in salmon populations, and asks President Trump and Congress to weaken the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act to allow Washington to kill more pinnipeds. This bill would implicate the Washington legislature in the MAGA movement to weaken wildlife protections by supporting its efforts to dismantle the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which has been central to the recovery and protection of pinnipeds and other marine mammals.
SB 5851LinkEstablishing fund to kill sea lions in the lower Columbia River. Companion to HB 2131.DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Did not meet Feb. 9 cutoff date to move out of committee. Referred to Ways & Means.Sen. Jeff Wilson (R-19th)Oppose. (See listing for HB 2131).Contact your Senator asking them to oppose the bill. Click the "+" sign next to the bill to access our action page.SB 5851 would create a voluntary donation option at vessel registration to fund the killing of pinnipeds in the lower Columbia River as a response to salmon population declines.SB 5851 and HB 2131 scapegoat seals and sea lions for salmon declines and establish a fund for killing them, diverting money and attention from the real threats to salmon, including harvest, hatcheries, hydropower dams, and habitat destruction. Killing marine mammals is inhumane, unnecessary, and, in the long run, ineffective—and it may have unforeseen consequences that hurt the whole ecosystem.Details, talking points, and legislator contacts in our action page.
SB 6119LinkPhasing out toxic tire chemicals to protect aquatic life. Companion to HB 2421.DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Did not meet Feb. 4 cutoff date to move out of committee.Sen. Marko Liias (D-21st)Support.None at this time. SB 6119 would phase out the manufacture and sale of motor vehicle tires containing certain toxic chemicals (6PPD) that harm aquatic species when tire particles wash into waterways, and establish incentives and funding mechanisms to support safer alternatives and pollution mitigation.SB 6119 and HB 2421 are long-overdue measures to protect salmon, Southern Resident killer whales, and other aquatic species from toxic pollution. Chemicals used in tire manufacturing are a significant source of stormwater contamination, accumulating in fish and in the food webs that support aquatic wildlife. By phasing out the most harmful chemicals, incentivizing safer substitutes, and funding mitigation efforts, these bills take an important step toward protecting aquatic ecosystems from further degradation.
HB 2131LinkEstablishing fund to kill sea lions in the lower Columbia River.DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Did not meet Feb. 4 cutoff date to move out of committee.Rep. Ed Orcutt (R-20th)Oppose.None. Click the "+" sign next to the bill # to see our action page.HB 2131 would create a voluntary donation option at vessel registration to fund the killing of pinnipeds in the lower Columbia River as a response to salmon population declines. Companion to SB 5851.HB 2131 and SB 5851 scapegoat seals and sea lions for salmon declines and establish a fund for killing them, diverting money and attention from the real threats to salmon, including harvest, hatcheries, hydropower dams, and habitat destruction. Killing marine mammals is inhumane, unnecessary, and, in the long run, ineffective—and it may have unforeseen consequences that hurt the whole ecosystem.Details, talking points, and legislator contacts in our action page.
SJM 8013LinkWeakening Marine Mammal Protection and Migratory Bird Treaty Acts.DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Did not meet Feb. 4 cutoff date to move out of committee.Sen. Phil Fortunato (R-31st)Oppose.None at this time.SJM 8012 would ask the Trump Administration and Congress to amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to allow increased killing of sea lions, seals, and protected fish-eating birds like cormorants.SJM 8013 goes a step further than HJM 4004. It not only scapegoats pinnipeds like seals and sea lions for human-driven declines in salmon populations, but also targets fish-eating birds like cormorants. It asks President Trump and Congress to weaken the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act to allow Washington to kill more pinnipeds and birds, without any environmental review. This bill would implicate the Washington legislature even further in the MAGA movement to weaken wildlife protections by supporting its efforts to dismantle three key acts that have supported the recovery of vulnerable marine mammal and bird populations.
SB 5960LinkAllowing killing of wolves and other carnivores based on false claims of ungulate declines. Companion to HB 2221.DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Did not meet Feb. 4 cutoff date to move out of committee.Sen. Shelly Short (R-7th)Oppose.None. Click the "+" sign next to the bill # to see our action page.HB 2221 and SB 5960 falsely claim wolves and other carnivores are responsible for decreasing deer populations, despite recent findings by scientists at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to the contrary. It allows increased killing of wolves and other carnivores when subjective and unreliable deer population estimates show declines that are likely caused by other factors, such as habitat loss.] Click the "+" sign next to the bill # to take action.SB 5960 and HB 2221 falsely claim wolves and other carnivores are responsible for decreasing deer populations, despite recent findings by scientists at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to the contrary. It allows increased killing of wolves and other carnivores when subjective and unreliable deer population estimates show declines that are likely caused by other factors, such as habitat loss.Details, talking points, and senator contacts in our action page.
HB 2221LinkAllowing killing of wolves and other carnivores based on false claims of ungulate declines. Companion to SB 5960.DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Did not meet Feb. 4 cutoff date to move out of committee.Rep. Hunter Abell (R-7th)Oppose.None. Click the "+" sign next to the bill # to see our action page.HB 2221 and SB 5960 falsely claim wolves and other carnivores are responsible for decreasing deer populations, despite recent findings by scientists at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to the contrary. It allows increased killing of wolves and other carnivores when subjective and unreliable deer population estimates show declines that are likely caused by other factors, such as habitat loss.]HB 2221 and SB 5960 falsely claim wolves and other carnivores are responsible for decreasing deer populations, despite recent findings by scientists at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to the contrary. It allows increased killing of wolves and other carnivores when subjective and unreliable deer population estimates show declines that are likely caused by other factors, such as habitat loss.Details and talking points on action page.
HB 2516LinkReducing harms from rodenticides.DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Did not meet Feb. 4 cutoff date to move out of committee.Rep. Lisa Parshley (D-22nd)Support.None. Click the "+" sign next to the bill # to see our action page.HB 2516 would require a report to the Legislature on the impacts of rodenticides and place a temporary, two-year moratorium on the sale and use of the most harmful rodenticides (anticoagulant rodenticides and bromethalin) while that review is completed.HB 2516 takes an important step toward protecting Washington’s wildlife from the growing threat of toxic rodenticides that move through food webs and poison non-target species. These cruel poisons are widely found in owls, raptors, bobcats, cougars, and other wildlife, especially in urban edges and rural interfaces but also in endangered wildlife like Cascade red foxes and fishers. By pausing sales and use of the most dangerous products and calling for a thorough review, this bill advances an ethical, precautionary, science-based approach that prioritizes wildlife health and encourages safer and more humane alternatives.Details and talking points on our action page.
HB 1399LinkImposing standards for local law enforcement. (Similar to SB 5974.) DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Did not meet Feb. 4 cutoff date to move out of committee.Rep. Roger Goodman (D-45th)Support.None.Would increase accountability and set standards for county sheriffs and local police chiefs, making clear they must enforce state laws. Would also ban sheriff and police volunteers from using dogs to track people or animals other than for search and rescue.HB 1399 imposes reasonable limits and requirements on local law enforcement, like county sheriffs, who are currently subject to few standards. It constrains the activities of so-called “Constitutional sheriffs” by clarifying that local sheriffs must uphold and enforce state law. It would also prevent untrained, unsupervised, and uncertified volunteers from engaging in dangerous activities, such as using dogs and firearms to pursue and apprehend suspected criminals, undocumented immigrants, or wildlife.
SB 5171LinkIncreasing financial awards for claims of wolf predation.DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Did not meet Feb. 4 cutoff date to move out of committee.Sen. Shelly Short (R-7th)Oppose. None.SB 5171 would change the formula for compensating beef producers for claims of losses purportedly due to wolves, by removing any requirement that losses be linked to wolves.SB 5171 calculates compensation for wolf predation of livestock by evaluating a claimant’s current reported losses against the losses claimed in prior years. It attributes any increase in losses to wolves, even though the vast majority of livestock deaths and health issues are caused by weather, disease, and poor husbandry. This change threatens to bankrupt the livestock compensation fund by potentially allocating millions for losses unrelated to wolves.
HB 1311LinkReducing protections for wolves.DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Did not meet Feb. 4 cutoff date to move out of committee.Rep. Andrew Engell (R-7th)Oppose.None. Click the "+" sign next to the bill # to access our action page.HB 1311 would downlist wolves from “endangered” to “sensitive” on state endangered species list before the population has met downlisting criteria in the state wolf plan.HB 1311 is a politically motivated attack on Washington’s wolves that ignores science and threatens wolf recovery, seeking to weaken protections before wolves have met state recovery standards, at a time when the population is small, fragile, and declining. If approved, it would signal the state’s alignment with the MAGA push to weaken and eliminate protections for endangered species.Details and talking points on our action page.
SB 5908LinkLimiting jurisdiction for suits to protect wildlife.DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Did not meet Feb. 4 cutoff date to move out of committee.Sen. Shelly Short (R-7th)Oppose. None.SB 5908 would require lawsuits brought to protect wildlife, by requiring that they be “filed in the county where the wildlife in question is located.”SB 5908 ignores the state’s obligation to preserve, protect, perpetuate, and manage wildlife on behalf of all Washingtonians, regardless of where they may live. It would change the jurisdictional requirements for bringing lawsuits against the state when it violates laws protecting wildlife, to make them different from the requirements for bringing any other type of state legal action. This would substantially impede citizens’ ability to hold the state accountable for its violations of wildlife protection laws.
HB 2396LinkImproving court review of agency decisions.DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Did not meet Feb. 4 cutoff date to move out of committee.Rep. Strom Peterson (D-21st)Support.None.HB 2396 would streamline how certain administrative agency decisions are reviewed in court, allowing some cases to proceed directly to the Court of Appeals.HB 2396 strengthens judicial oversight of administrative agency actions by reducing unnecessary procedural barriers and delays. Clear, timely access to court review is essential for holding agencies accountable—particularly when decisions affect wildlife, ecosystems, and the public interest—and helps ensure agency actions are grounded in law and evidence.
SB 5728LinkPoliticizing Fish & Wildlife Commission appointments.DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Did not meet Feb. 4 cutoff date to move out of committee.Sen. Keith Wagoner (R-39th)Oppose.None.SB 5728 would restructure composition of the state Fish & Wildlife Commission by creating a new nominating committee with eligibility requirements tied to hunting and fishing. It would require commissioners to hold a hunting or fishing license and to support hunting and fishing as “preferred wildlife management tools,” and allocate the majority of seats on nominating committee to consumptive and industry-aligned interests.SB 5728 enshrines a narrow, consumptive worldview into the Commission’s structure by conditioning eligibility on participation in hunting or fishing and by prioritizing those perspectives in the nomination process. Only a small fraction of Washingtonians hunt or fish, yet this bill would systematically marginalize most of the public—along with scientists, conservationists, and community members who value wildlife for ecological, cultural, or ethical reasons—from meaningful representation.
HB 2170LinkSupporting ecosystem services and forest conservation.DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Did not meet Feb. 4 cutoff date to move out of committee.Rep. Kristine Reeves (D-30th)Support.None.HB 2170 would authorize the Department of Natural Resources to generate revenue from ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration and forest conservation, opening alternatives to its reliance on timber production, and establish a framework for managing and reinvesting those revenues. Companion to SB 5999.HB 2170 and SB 5999 advance a forward-looking approach to managing state forests that align climate protection, habitat conservation, and long-term public benefit. By allowing the Dep’t of Natural Resources to generate revenue through ecosystem services like carbon credits, the bill reduces pressure to prioritize timber harvests that can fragment habitats and degrade ecosystems. Shifting toward forest protection and carbon storage supports healthier, more resilient forest ecosystems and better reflects the ecological value of public lands for wildlife and Washingtonians.
SB 5999LinkSupporting ecosystem services and forest conservation. Companion to HB 2170.DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Did not meet Feb. 4 cutoff date to move out of committee.Sen. Liz Lovelett (D-40th)Support.None.HB 5999 would authorize the Department of Natural Resources to generate revenue from ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration and forest conservation, opening alternatives to its reliance on timber production, and establish a framework for managing and reinvesting those revenues.SB 5999 and HB 2170 advance a forward-looking approach to managing state forests that aligns climate protection, habitat conservation, and long-term public benefit. By allowing the Department of Natural Resources to generate revenue through ecosystem services like carbon credits, the bill reduces pressure to prioritize timber harvests that can fragment habitats and degrade ecosystems. Shifting toward forest protection and carbon storage supports healthier, more resilient forest ecosystems and better reflects the ecological value of public lands for wildlife and Washingtonians.
SB 6088LinkProtecting water quality from publicly run game farms. Companion to HB 2343.DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Did not meet Feb. 4 cutoff date to move out of committee.Sen. John Braun (R-20th)Support.None.SB 6088 would require publicly owned or operated facilities that raise animals and discharge wastewater to obtain permit coverage under either the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation general permit or an individual water discharge permit.SB 6088 and HB 2343 require publicly owned or operated facilities raising game animals to meet water quality standards protecting fish and wildlife, downstream ecosystems, and public health from animal waste discharges. This has emerged as an issue due to pollutants discharged from the Bob Oke game farm, which the Wash. Dept. of Fish and Wildlife uses to raise penned pheasants to be released and shot by hunters. These bills increase accountability and reduce harms to waterways, wildlife, and people.
SB 6207LinkLocking in expanded hatchery production at the expense of wild salmon and Southern Residents. DEAD FOR 2025-2026 JOINT SESSION. Did not meet Feb. 4 cutoff date to move out of committee.Sen. John Braun (R-20th)Oppose.None.SB 6207 would prohibit the Dep’t of Fish and Wildlife from reducing hatchery production, requiring it to compensate for the closure of hatcheries by increasing production at other hatcheries.SB 6207 prevents the state from decreasing hatchery production even when required by budgetary constraints or to reduce the harm that hatcheries cause to wild salmon and Southern Resident killer whales. Hatcheries harm wild populations by weakening their genetics, transmitting disease, increasing competition for scarce resources, increasing predation (including fishing), and disrupting ecosystems. This bill would mandate that current production levels continue regardless of the harm they are causing to our wild species and ecosystems.