WA Legislative Session 2025 Wrap-Up: What Happened + What’s Next

 

With the legislative session now wrapped up, we have a lot to celebrate. Lawmakers spent much of this session focused on closing a massive $16 billion budget gap, which meant many of our priority bills faced an uphill battle; however, we still secured several key victories, including increasing access to and protections for gender-affirming care, safer schools for Trans and other marginalized youth, and sustaining state funding for survivors of violence and crime.

We attribute these wins to the many people who showed up to our third annual Trans Advocacy Day at the Capitol this year, as well as the ongoing efforts of our broader base of supporters who emailed, called, testified, and took action on these important bills. Together, we’re building a safer and better Washington for all. 

Here’s where our priority bills landed: 

 

✅ HB 1971 – Increasing Access to HRT 

HB 1971 mandates that health insurance plans provide reimbursement for a 12-month supply of prescription hormone therapy obtained at one time. For controlled substances like testosterone, the law allows for up to a 6-month supply, aligning with federal regulations. This bill reduces barriers to consistent hormone therapy access, particularly for those in rural areas or with limited resources. Notably, Washington is the first state to enact such a law, reinforcing its commitment to protecting gender-affirming healthcare rights amid national attacks. 

Status: Passed and signed into law on 4/25.  

 

✅ SB 5632 – Enhanced Shield Law (PRO)

The Enhanced Shield Law strengthens the state’s existing Shield Law to better protect the confidentiality of records and information related to reproductive and gender-affirming health care services in the state. Specifically, it prohibits state and local agencies, as well as businesses providing electronic communication services, from cooperating with out-of-state legal actions that seek to penalize such care. The bill also requires any legal request for information to include a sworn statement affirming that it does not pertain to investigations or enforcement of laws from other states targeting protected health services, and specifies that violations of these provisions may result in fines and legal liability.

Shout out to our Executive Director, Danni Askini, who testified in support of this bill in three different hearings, making sure legislators understood the necessity of passing this critical bill amidst the onslaught of attacks on gender-affirming and reproductive healthcare occurring nationwide. 

Status: Passed and will be signed into law by 5/20.  

 

✅ HB 1296 – The Safety Act (PRO)

The Safety Act amends last year’s I-2081 (the “Parents’ Bill of Rights”) to instead promote a safe and supportive public education system with provisions explicitly supporting Trans and gender expansive students. The bill adds new rules and guidelines that address the unique challenges and needs faced by Trans and gender expansive students in schools, and aims to eliminate discrimination on the basis of gender expression and identity in schools. Some of our favorite things included in the bill:   

  • Adds the requirement that school policies prohibiting harassment, intimidation, and bullying extend to Trans and gender expansive students 
  • Expands who is covered under protected classes to include that discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, gender identity, homelessness, immigration status, and neurodivergence is prohibited in WA public schools; and newly distinguishes gender expression and gender identity as separate from sexual orientation (language from SB 5123) 
  • Strengthens students’ right to privacy by allowing medical and counseling records to be kept private (language from SB 5181)—rather than accessible to parents without the student’s consent, as in the original I-2081 
  • Protects teachers from retaliation for supporting students and for teaching historically accurate lessons 
  • Adds accountability: Directs OSBI to investigate complaints from students, families, or others if the school is failing to comply with state laws around anti-discrimination and civil rights
  • Creates a statement of student rights which names explicitly that students are entitled to the rights outlined in the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence—including freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom to assemble, freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures, freedom to due process, and so on; as well as the rights to all WA State constitutional protections.

The road to passing The Safety Act wasn’t easy. During a grueling nine-hour floor battle on HB 1296, republicans introduced dozens of hateful amendments, revealing some of the worst vitriol our community has faced in the legislature in years. Yet, our democratic legislators persevered, and HB 1296 passed and is on the governor’s desk waiting to be signed! 

Status: Passed and will be signed into law on 5/20. 

 

✅  SB 5167 / HB 1198  – Operating Appropriations (PRO)

This bill pertains to the operating appropriations for the 2025–2027 fiscal biennium. We joined WSCADV and other survivor groups in advocating strongly for an increase in resources allocated to the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding, which provides essential funding for organizations supporting survivors of violence and trauma (and is a main source of funding for GJL’s direct support to 2STGD survivors). The budget that passed included $20 million for VOCA funding, and although this is less than we’d hoped for, we are grateful that this amount will sustain VOCA funding at its current level. 

Status: Passed and will be signed into law by 5/20.  

 

🌀 SB 5123 / HB 1855 – Enhancing Inclusivity in Public Schools (PRO)

SB 5123 updates and expands upon the types of discrimination that are prohibited in WA public schools, adding that discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, gender identity, homelessness, immigration status, and neurodivergence is prohibited in WA public schools. The bill also adds definitions for these words and newly distinguishes gender expression and gender identity as separate from sexual orientation.

Status: Did not advance. However, language from this bill was incorporated into another bill that did pass (HB 1296).

 

🌀 SB 5181 – Amending the Parents’ Rights Initiative (PRO)

SB 5181 amends I-2081 (the “Parents’ Bill of Rights”) to align it with existing laws, addressing concerns about student privacy and parental access to educational records. ​Importantly, SB 5181 strengthens students’ rights to speak to teachers and counselors by opening up a pathway for memory-aiding notes to be kept that do not count as school records for the purpose of disclosing information to parents that the student did not consent to. For Trans youth in particular, who too often face familial and societal rejection, ensuring their well-being and respecting their confidentiality in educational settings can be life-saving. The bill also reinforces the existing federal rights of parents, still reserving their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Status: Did not advance. However, language from this bill was incorporated into another bill that did pass (HB 1296).

 

☠️ SB 5180 – Securing Rights for Students (PRO)

SB 5180 focuses on securing the rights of students to have a safe, civil, and respectful learning space, emphasizing the importance of gender-inclusive protections. The bill expands access to resources and training for educators and ensures that curricula, policies, and practices reflect the diversity of student populations, including the unique challenges and needs of Trans and gender expansive students. This bill requires that school policies include the following students’ rights: to be referred to by preferred name and pronouns; to participate in school sports or activities in a manner consistent with their gender; and to dress in a manner consistent with their gender. It also specifically requires that school personnel/contractors may not disclose any info related to a student’s sexual orientation or gender to anyone without the student’s consent.

Status: Did not advance; considered dead for the session. 

 

☠️  SB 5490 / HB 1604 – Safer Searches for Trans People (PRO)

This bill establishes and updates rules for how searches of Trans and intersex individuals are conducted in local jails, in compliance with federal law. Under these bills, searches or physical examinations cannot be conducted solely to determine a person’s genital status. Jails are also required to train security staff on how to perform cross-gender searches and searches of Trans and intersex people in a manner that is professional, respectful, and as minimally intrusive as possible. If a strip search is necessary, the individual must be offered options, including choosing the gender of the person conducting the search, having the search performed by a medical professional or a female staff member, or having the search conducted in accordance with the person’s stated gender identity.

Status: Did not advance; considered dead for the session. 

 

☠️ SB 5179 – Addressing Noncompliance in Education (PRO)

This bill establishes a complaint process to address willful noncompliance with certain state education laws, ensuring that educational institutions uphold students’ rights. Specifically, SB 5179 aims to ensure that all school boards follow the state anti-discrimination policies. By holding school boards accountable, this bill will help foster safer and more equitable learning environments for queer and Trans students, and all marginalized youth. This legislation aims to protect students from discrimination and harassment by adding transparency, training, and reporting protocols. This bill comes at a critical time as we anticipate that some schools may not follow state laws pertaining to nondiscrimination in schools as they apply to Trans students in particular.

Status: Did not advance; considered dead for the session.  

 

Legislative Session May Be Over—But the Fight Is Far From Finished

Billionaire Brian Heywood has already filed multiple ballot initiatives targeting Trans youth in Washington. We anticipate two dangerous measures headed for the ballot: one banning Trans girls from playing sports in public schools, and another aimed at repealing The Safety Act (HB 1296), a law that makes schools safer for all youth.  

We hope Heywood is ready for a fight—because we sure are.

As we prepare for a potentially prolonged ballot measure campaign, we need your help. We ask that you please consider giving a small monthly donation to help ensure we can continue our work defending Trans rights and keep Washington one of the safest states in the country for Trans people. 

Advocacy doesn’t start and end in Olympia—it starts with us. Just because the legislative session is over doesn’t mean our work ends. Now is the time to stay engaged and keep building power.

Help shape the laws that shape our lives—your voice matters!

Together, we protect our community and fight back against these attacks on our lives. Let’s get to work.

Community donors fund 100% of our advocacy work, allowing us to continue fighting for and winning policies that help our communities access the care they need, and keep anti-Trans policies out of our state. If you can, please consider making a gift today.