Visit our 2022 Legislative Agenda page to stay up-to-date on the bills we are supporting this session.

For a PDF, click here.

Washington’s people and communities face huge challenges. The COVID pandemic has undermined health and economic security, exposing the harm caused by decades of disinvestment in public services and by the racism, sexism, and economic inequality embedded in our structures. While the wealth of the top 1% soars and many highly-paid professionals prosper, frontline workers face daily risk, many small businesses have closed, and families teeter on the brink of economic disaster.

Our state must invest NOW to prevent further damage and begin undoing deeply entrenched inequality. By strengthening the core pillars of our economy – including child care, health care, educational opportunity, economic security, and our public revenue system – we can diminish economic, racial, and gender inequity.

Together, we can build a state where all our people and communities thrive.

EOI’s 2022 Legislative Priorities

• A Just Tax Structure for Ample Investment – A just tax system is fair and generates ample public revenue, providing the foundation for equitable opportunity and thriving communities. Taxing concentrated wealth is a step toward transforming Washington’s regressive and insufficient tax structure.
• Ample Funded Child Care – We need a child care system that meets the needs of children, parents, workers, and employers; that supports living wages and sustainability for providers; and that receives ample public funds to assure accessibility, quality, and affordability.
• Access to Health Care  – Every person deserves access to quality, affordable, and culturally responsive health care. We can make progress toward eliminating disparities and reining in spiraling costs by expanding access for immigrants, low-income workers, and other marginalized groups.
• Fair and Safe Workplaces – All workers deserve a right to living wages, safety at work, protection from discrimination, freedom to organize, and time to care their own health and family. We can build on existing protections, including expanding equitable access to Paid Family & Medical Leave.

Additional Legislation We Support

EOI supports additional policy advances led by allied communities and organizations to undo racist structures, promote equitable access to educational opportunity, and build lifelong economic security for all.

• Undoing Racist Structures – Reform legal financial obligations and establish baby bonds.
• Lifelong Economic Security – Add diaper subsidies to TANF grants and make needed changes to the the WA Cares Act.
• Access and Equity in Education – Expand apprenticeship pathways, including wraparound supports and degree access and strengthen equity, access, and supports for lifelong education.
• Strengthen Our Economy – Maximize impacts of federal funds, promote housing security and allow Unemployment Insurance when work schedules are incompatible with child care.

Our Continuing Work

• Equitable Paid Family & Medical Leave Implementation – Washington’s PFML program is a model for the nation, but continues to have equity gaps in implementation. We continue to pursue equitable positive outcomes in Washington through analysis, coalition building, outreach, administrative advocacy, and legislative work; and to share lessons learned to strengthen other state and national programs.
• Universal Access to Health Care –We are pursuing universal, affordable, sustainably funded health coverage; analyzing cost drivers and disparities by race, immigration status, and gender; and supporting implementation of postpartum health coverage, health care subsidies, and Washington’s public option.
• Child and Family Well-Being – In addition to strengthening our alliances in childcare and early learning, we are exploring broader options to enhance child and family well-being that also help overcome entrenched racial disparities, including baby bonds, universal basic income, and other family supports.
• Equitable Pathways to Higher Education – We continue research, analysis, and coalition engagement to support equitable implementation of policy advances and expanded debt-free access to education and opportunity. This includes considering not just getting through the door of higher education, but the policies that support students in their education journey as well as supporting the staff and educators that make higher education possible.
• Secure Retirement – We continue our research and coalition engagement to strengthen Social Security and explore state solutions to retirement insecurity.
• Future of Work/ Fair & Sustainable Distribution of Income and Wealth – How do we fairly distribute the fruits of our economy and convert to a more sustainable model? We are engaging in emerging conversations about gig work, portable benefits, universal basic income, and exploring paths forward.