Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Shelly Short’s subscribers Jan. 16, 2026. To subscribe to Sen. Short’s newsletters, click here.

Opening day ceremonies in the Washington Legislature took place Monday, Jan. 12. The 2026 legislative session runs 60 days and is scheduled to adjourn March 12.

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Our 2026 legislative session opened just a few days ago, and I want to call your attention to a hearing of interest to all of us in North-Central and Northeastern Washington. Next week we’ll be hearing Senate Bill 5960, which would bring balance to the way the state manages ungulates and predators.

I hope you’ll let Olympia know what you think by registering your opinion on the Legislature’s website before the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee hears this bill at 1:30 p.m. Monday. You can do so by clicking on this link.

If you’d like to testify, we make that easy too. You can register to testify in-person or online up to one hour before the hearing begins. The link above provides more information.

This bill is an idea brought to us by sportsmen and women in our part of the state, where once-struggling wolf populations are thriving and predation of game and livestock is a growing concern. It would require that the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife take a comprehensive approach (which DFW suggests in its own existing plans!) toward the management of game species and predators, making predictable and sustainable populations the goal.

When wolf predation reduces populations of deer, elk, moose and other ungulate species by 25 percent or more in a given region, the department would be required to intervene for their protection. This measure calls for active management of predators and prey, timely intervention and greater collaboration between state government and organized sporting groups. It would follow the lead of the feds in changing the criteria for de-listing wolves as a threatened species regionally rather than statewide.

My bill in the Senate is a companion to House Bill 2221, sponsored by my seatmate Hunter Abell, R-Inchelium, and co-sponsored by fellow 7th District Rep. Andrew Engell.

The Legislature rarely sees the passion the wolf issue has generated in our corner of the state. I hope you will bring your voice to bear on this important matter.

Income tax is on the table in fast-paced 60-day session

Legislation for our area includes restoration of wildfire funding, sensible water quality regulation

If ever there was a year to pay attention to Olympia, this is the one. Over the next 60 days our majority Democratic colleagues are signaling they will try to pass an income tax, and it’s going to be one of the most significant battles ever waged at the Capitol. That’s just the start.

We expect a renewed effort this year to pass a bill allowing property taxes to be increased. There are proposals for taxes on jobs and taxes on investments. That’s just what we’ve seen so far. As far as taxpayers are concerned, it may be a good thing this will be a short session. The sooner the clock runs out, the better.

Income tax is battle of a century

This year’s income tax battle has been in the works more than 90 years, the result of a 1933 state Supreme Court decision that held a graduated income tax would violate the state constitution. Advocates of higher taxes and spending have tried for years to convince the voters of this state to pass a constitutional amendment. But the people keep saying no, 10 times since 1934. This time our colleagues aren’t planning to ask. By passing a bill that would immediately be challenged in court, they would set up a case allowing today’s more-liberal Supreme Court to overturn its 1933 decision.

If tax advocates succeed, we may never again have a state budget that lives within our means. There would be no practical limit on spending. It would be too easy to raise the tax and expand it to the middle class. They’re trying to pitch their proposal as a “millionaires’ tax,” because it would start with high earners, but no income tax ever passed in this country has stayed that way for long. Republicans are firmly opposed, but the other team has the votes. We’ll have more to say as this story unfolds, you can count on it. An income tax on anyone is an income tax on everyone.

Local issues are key

This year I am working with my House seatmates to pass a short list of bills with direct impacts on our district. Bills I have sponsored include:

Wildfire funding – Senate Bill 5893 would restore full funding for wildfire prevention, continuing the state’s very-successful effort to promote long-term forest health and reduce fire danger. Last year’s Legislature provided only $60 million of $125 million needed for this program, and the bill appropriates the missing $65 million.

Water quality standards – Senate Bill 5896 would limit Department of Ecology overreach by restricting regulatory authority to cases of actual pollution, rather than potential pollution.

Energy code exemptions – Senate Bill 5941 would exempt small school districts in cold regions of the state from renewable energy requirements in new construction, allowing heating and cooling systems more appropriate for their location and climate.

I’ll tell you more about these and other issues as the session progresses.

Here to serve you

I serve as floor leader for the Senate Republican Caucus, responsible for parliamentary motions and the flow of legislative business when the Senate is in session. This position puts me in the thick of debate and the fight, playing a key strategic role in an ever-changing environment. I often liken it to playing three-dimensional chess, and I am honored my colleagues have elected me to this position.

I serve on the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, where I am the lead Republican member, and I also am a member of the Senate Energy, Environment and Technology Committee and the Senate Rules Committee.

But my most important duty is to serve you, the people of the 7th Legislative District. Please let me know if you have a comment or concern about state government, or you are having a problem with a state agency. I stand ready to assist, whether we are in session or out. You can use the contact information below to reach me and my legislative assistant, Shannon Whitmore. We want to hear from you!

Thanks for reading!

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