As lawmakers across the country continue to advance legislation targeting the LGBTQIA+ community, Washington state ended its 2025-26 legislative session by reinforcing its reputation as one of the nation’s most protective states for Queer communities.
This year’s session delivered new safeguards in health care access, student privacy, antidiscrimination policy, and criminal justice. Washington state Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen says the state is fighting back and advancing measures to expand rights and improve daily life for LGBTQIA+ Washingtonians.
“We have, over the last 20 years, really built sort of a sanctuary place for LGBTQ+ people,” said Sen. Pedersen, a member of the legislature’s LGBTQ Caucus. “We’re working to hold onto that status in light of the federal administration.”
Across the nation, state legislatures have played a crucial role in fighting for LGBTQIA+ rights. Since 2021, however, lawmakers in many states have introduced or passed measures restricting gender-affirming care for minors, banning discussion of LGBTQIA+ identities in classrooms, and narrowing nondiscrimination practices. Most of those efforts gained traction in 2022 after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. By contrast, Washington’s 2025-26 legislative session expanded privacy, health care, and legal safeguards rather than rolling them back.
Legislation passed during this session
In a win for privacy, lawmakers passed SB 6081, spearheaded by Pedersen, which protects residents from unauthorized disclosure of information, including sex designation information and historical sex designation changes in official government records.
“People are using these records to harass Trans folks,” Pedersen said. “Other states are searching out records of Transgender folks to try to enforce their bad law[s] on people who are refugees from those bad laws.”
Health care was a major theme of this session. Under HB 1971, health plans are required to enable an option for 12-month prescriptions for hormone therapy, which helps patients avoid gaps in treatment due to frequent renewals or insurance hurdles.
HB 6183 addresses insurance coverage for HIV antivirals. The bill expands access to prevention and treatment, ensuring that insurance companies do not impose unnecessary barriers to obtaining the medications people need.
“We were able to enact that for all folks with state-regulated insurance,” said Washington state Rep. Nicole Macri. “So folks could get HIV prevention and treatment drugs without any prior authorization or [being] required to go through several steps before they can get the medication that works best for them.”
A bill focused on Washington’s youth, HB 1296, increases protections for LGBTQIA+ students and limits forced outing policies that expose a student’s sexual orientation or gender identity without their consent.
For incarcerated individuals, HB 1604 mandates that jails within Washington state implement policies for respectful treatment of Transgender and Intersex people who are undergoing searches. The bill allows for Transgender and Intersex individuals to request that a strip search be conducted by staff of a particular gender.
Looking to the future
With the legislative session closed, some initiatives moved from the floor to the ballot, putting these decisions directly in the hands of Washington voters. Not all of these bills are friendly to LGBTQIA+ people.
Sponsored by Let’s Go Washington, IL26-638 aims to restrict Transgender athletes from competing in girls interscholastic sports. The initiative would be enforced by requiring verification of students’ sex through routine physical examinations and forcing school districts to prohibit students assigned male at birth from participating in athletic activities intended for female students.
“We are such an important bulwark in the country,” Pedersen said, referring to Washington state. “If they can pass anti-Trans initiatives at the ballot in Washington, then they’re going to be emboldened to do that everywhere across the country.”
Support the Seattle Gay News: Celebrate 52 Years with Us!
As the third-oldest LGBTQIA+ newspaper in the United States, the Seattle Gay News (SGN) has been a vital independent source of news and entertainment for Seattle and the Pacific Northwest since 1974.
As we celebrate our 52nd year, we need your support to continue our mission.
A monthly contribution will ensure that SGN remains a beacon of truth and a virtual gathering place for community dialogue.
Help us keep printing and providing a platform for LGBTQIA+ voices.
How you can donate!
Using this link: givebutter.com/6lZnDB
Text “SGN” to 53-555
Or Scan the QR code below!
