Leg Session Advocacy Resources
AHS Week Advocates: click here for the lawmaker meeting schedule.
Cultural Agenda
The Cultural Sector in Washington is a big tent. Therefore, the number of requests (spanning policy and budget requests) that have both indirect and direct impact on science, heritage, and arts programming is broad. It’s our job to share all of these opportunities with you and to help you be strategic with your advocacy.
Download the 2026 Legislative Agenda Summary 2.4.26
You can also download the 2026 Cultural Sector Agenda Lawmaker Leave Behind
Please note that this document will be updated frequently through the Session; check back here regularly for the most updated list.
Cultural sector BILLS:
- HB 2194 (Parshley): Concerning sales and use tax for cultural access programs. PRO
- SB 6175 (Lovelett): Concerning ticket sales. Also known as the Washington Access and Venue Equity (WAVE) Act. Click here for the WAVE Act One Pager. PRO
- HB 2587 (Cortes) / SB 6245 (Wilson, C): Establishing a pilot program to advance funds to nonprofits to support grant performance.
- HB 1613 (Reeves): Concerning ticket sales OTHER
Bills we are tracking related to amending ESSB 5814 for Sales Tax relief: Click here to download the advocacy guide
- HB 2257 (Berg) / SB 6113 (Frame): Concerning taxes administered by the department of revenue.
- HB 2121 (Walsh): Exempting nonprofits and schools from certain sales and use taxes on services.
- HB 2101 (Dufault): Exempting live presentations from retail sales and use tax.
- SB 5980 (Torres): Exempting live presentations from retail sales and use tax.
- HB 2130 (Orcutt): Repealing new taxes imposed by Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 5814 during the 2025 regular legislative session.
Science:
From Pacific Science Center:
- Pacific Science Center’s flagship outreach program, Science on Wheels, is the largest provider of hands-on science outreach education in Washington. State support provides Science on Wheels to low-income schools at a steep discount and helps keep the program accessible for all. Without State funding, approximately 52,000 students across Washington will go without this hands-on science education. The ask: Please maintain $500,000 in operating support for Science on Wheels in FY27
SCIENCE BILLS:
SB 5965 (Bateman) / HB 2233 (Parshley)
Updated bag ban: Reducing environmental impacts associated with bags provided to customers at retail establishments). This bill updates the bag ban originally passed in 2020, which focused on phasing out thin single-use plastic bags, to now eliminate the thick plastic bags at checkout. This will further reduce plastic production and pollution, as well as entanglement issues harming marine wildlife. The bill also makes it clear that distributors cannot sell banned bags in Washington. Click here for the one pager. PRO
- HB 2447 (Reeves) / SB 6108 (Frame): Designating the state shark. PRO
- SB 6272 (Liias): Concerning the design and operation of buildings to protect birds. PRO
Heritage:
From WA State Historical Society (One Pager):
Maintain $13.7M biennial operational funding for the Washington State Historical Society (Operating Budget, $6.8M for FY27)
Accessibility improvements ($375K) and HVAC system repairs ($780K) for the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma (Capital Budget, $1.1M for FY27)
From Eastern WA State Historical Society:
- $20,000 from the Operating Budget to maintain the Collections Management System
- $110,000 to hire a Tribal Liaison staff member
HERITAGE BILLS:
- HB 5950 (Cortes): Celebrating Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Guru Nanak, Guru Gobind Singh, and Vaisakhi. PRO
- HB 5134 (McCune): Requiring public schools to commemorate the contributions of Chinese Americans and Americans of Chinese descent. PRO
- HB 2525 (Mendoza): Establishing the heritage orchard program. Read the bill report summary here. PRO
- HB 1658 (Waters): Ensuring dedicated funding for history and heritage museums and county historic preservation programs. Read one pager here. PRO
- HB 5574 (Nobles): Providing instruction on Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Latino American, and Black American history in public schools. Click here for more info on this bill. PRO
- HB 2281 (Stearns): Concerning the state and tribal government-to-government relationship.
Humanities:
From Humanities WA:
- Prime Time Family Reading Program: Prime Time Family Reading is a free family reading program for ages 6-10 delivered by Humanities WA in partnership with public libraries and local elementary schools. The ask: Please provide $500,000 to maintain the Prime Time Family Reading program.
Arts:
From ArtsWA (2026-One-Pagers-overview-updated):
- The Governor’s proposed budget includes cuts that would reduce ArtsWA’s grant funding by $600,000. This would significantly impact the level of support available for statewide creative programs and partnerships. Read more about these potential cuts here.
Equitable Creative District Funding: Capital Projects: $384,000 Annual Capital budget request (Not funded in the Governor’s FY27 budget)
Equitable Creative District Funding: Certification Grants: $30,000 Annual Operating budget request (Not funded in the Governor’s FY27 budget)
Maintain CRM with System Administrator: $133,976 Annual Operating budget request (Fully funded in the Governor’s FY27 budget)
Maintain Administrative and Operational Stability: $83,000 Annual Operating budget request (Fully funded in the Governor’s FY27 budget)
ARTS BILLS:
- HB 2363 (Reed): Concerning temporary exemptions from licensure for certain applicants for a license to practice music therapy. PRO
- HB 2301 (Peterson): Concerning extended producer responsibility requirements associated with paint. PRO
- HB 2579 (Stearns): Promoting and funding public media and digital equity.
All In for Advocacy Rally: January 7, 2026 at 12pm on Zoom
Inspire Washington held the All In For Advocacy Rally last week in which we announced the broad cultural agenda for 2026. Presenters from ArtsWA, Washington State Historical Society, Pacific Science Center, Humanities Washington, Washington Museum Association, Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, and more shared the details of each of their requests. We also provided resources for advocates that will help them confidently meet with their lawmakers during Arts, Heritage, and Science Week.
If you were unable to make it to the rally but still want to catch up, we have posted the video on our YouTube channel! Click here or watch the video embedded below.
Advocate Training Videos
Tools & Tips:
- Creative West’s state and federal tracker: click here
- Watch committee meetings and hearings: click here
- Attend the Heritage Caucus virtual meetings every Wednesday at 7am during the session: register here
- Heritage Caucus Bill tracker: click here
- Scheduling a meeting with your lawmaker before the session begins? Find their contact info HERE.
- Watch a brief video on the basics of legislative process/how a bill becomes a law in Washington State HERE.
- Dos and Donts of Talking to Legislators
- How to Sign in or Testify for a Bill
DISTRICT LEADER RESOURCES:
If you have officially registered as a District Leader for AHS Week 2026 and been in contact with our Outreach Coordinator, Madeline, the resources below are for you. This folder contains all the email templates, how-to guides, and lawmaker contact information that were covered during the District Leader Training Webinar on December 15, 2025.
District Leader Resources Folder
Please reach out to Madeline (advocacy@inspirewashington.org) if you have any questions.