Sen. Keith Goehner OpEd: New laws this year exhibit disturbing trends

Sen. Keith Goehner, R-Dryden, debates legislation at the State Capital during the 2025 legislative session. Photo courtesy: Washington State Senate.

As the dust settled on the 2025 legislative session, one thing was clear: many of the laws passed this year will have genuine, lasting impacts on the lives of Washingtonians—not just in theory, but in the daily experiences of families, workers, and communities across our state.

This session should have concentrated on addressing the most important concerns for the people of Washington—the cost of living and ever-increasing size of the state government. Unfortunately, much of what was approved in Olympia drove up the cost of living for the people of Washington and expanded the size of state government at a record rate.

Most of the legislation passed this year took effect during the month of July, but it will be some time before the full effects are felt.

One of the most far-reaching—and controversial—laws passed this year was House Bill 1217, which imposes statewide rent control by limiting annual rent increases to 7% plus inflation. Proposed as a way to ease the financial burden on renters, in practice rent control discourages investment in housing, especially in smaller or rural communities where landlords are often retirees or working families with just one or two rental properties. This law could decrease rental housing supply across the state and make it even more difficult for families to find housing where they need it most.

Washington needs to provide incentives to build more housing, not government regulation of the existing home supply.

Another new law allows striking workers to receive unemployment benefits for up to six weeks. This is a significant shift in our labor policy that redefines what it means to be unemployed. Instead of a safety net for those out of work, this law provides encouragement for workers, public and private, to strike with little financial consequence.

Perhaps most troubling was the Legislature’s treatment of the parental rights initiative passed by Washington voters in 2024. Rather than honoring the will of the people, the majority party gutted core provisions of the initiative and used a controversial rule to shut down floor debate.

Despite these concerns, there were a few bright spots. Lawmakers came together to pass bills that expand housing supply through lot splitting and zoning flexibility and help monitor and manage sexually violent predators. Another notable win: expanding access to legal and paralegal training programs at community and technical colleges across the state, providing more students with affordable, local career options closer to their community.

These bipartisan efforts demonstrate that progress can be made when we prioritize people over politics.

What we observed this session was a growing trend toward state mandates and centralized policymaking that ignore the varied realities across Washington. Whether it’s housing, education, or public safety, what works in Seattle or Tacoma doesn’t always apply in Spokane, Yakima, Wenatchee, or the Olympic Peninsula.

Washington is a diverse state with different needs. Instead of top-down mandates, we need policies that empower communities, support families, and respect local voices. The focus should be on solutions that improve lives — not make things more complicated or costly — for the people we serve.

Like many other states, Washington relies on federal dollars for certain discretionary services. As we have seen, these revenue streams aren't guaranteed and distract from our own fiscal realities. Going forward, we must prioritize our state budget to fund core programs and ensure that our spending aligns with the priorities of Washington State. This approach would reduce our dependence on federal dollars and make our fiscal future more predictable.

As we prepare for the upcoming legislative session, I will continue to advocate for fair and practical policies that represent the values and needs of all Washingtonians. Our families deserve thoughtful leadership and a government that works for them — not around them.