Spend some time with parents supporting each other while learning about resources and services for those with developmental disabilities, autism, and behavioral health.
Feb 19th 6:30-8pm
Dinner Meeting at Roadhouse Grill 101 Umptanum Rd.
Mar 12th 12-1pm
Special Guest Sherry Mashburn from PAVE
Lunch Meeting at El Caporal 201 W. University Way
Mar 19th 6:30-8pm
Dinner Meeting at Roadhouse Grill 101 Umptanum Rd.
This year's Legislative Session is at the half-way point. Bills that are still alive have made it out of their house of origin and are now starting the process over on the other side. There are bills that are very concerning; changing eligibility for DDCS waivers and significantly reducing funding for Birth-Three (ESIT) services.
Bills of Interest
Infants and toddlers with disabilities and developmental delays could lose access to vital services under proposed legislation being considered by the state legislature.
Cuts 17% - or over $30 million - from the Early Supports for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) program
Delinks funding for 0-3 supports from preschool special education rates – undoing years of advocacy to stabilize these services and ensure parity across programs
Rolls back funding to 2008 levels
Let your legislators know how you feel. This LINK will take you to the bill’s comment page. Mark your position and leave a note. Or call 1-800-562-6000
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Both houses are working on their proposed budgets. Right now changing the eligibility for Developmental Disabilities Community Services is still on the table. If this goes through, 2500 current DDCS waiver clients will LOSE their waivers. This is unacceptable. If this matters to you, call your legislators and let them know that changing the functional eligibility for DDCS eligibility will hurt people with IDD. Tell them what would happen for your child if they suddenly lost all their waiver services. Legislators need to know the consequences of this proposal.
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HB 1795 Reduces the use of Restraint and Isolation in public schools. This bill is in the Senate. Contact your legislators to get this one approved and over the finish line.
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Check out all the bills of interest at the following link on the Arc of WA website.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18D92TkduQrfnt9lOu4NZJ-TK9_0IwImy9f9ktlB9KRs/edit?gid=0#gid=0
Find your legislators at https://leg.wa.gov/legislators/ and sign up for the Arc of WA Action Alerts at https://arcwa.org/advocacy/
Legislative Advocacy 2026
This year's Legislative Session will begin Jan 12, 2026. To keep up to date on the the bills and hearings, check out the following sites, know who your legislators are https://leg.wa.gov/legislators/, and sign up for the Action Alerts with the Arc of WA at https://arcwa.org/advocacy/
Advocacy Days, part of The Arc’s Advocacy Partnership Project, are held during each legislative session to involve individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD), their families and their service providers in the legislative process, giving them opportunities to make their voices heard by their legislators and to have an impact on policy and budget legislation that affects the services and supports available to them.
For the schedule and to register, go to https://arcwa.org/advocacy/advocacy-days/
The Legislative Notebook is your resource for advocacy. It includes public policy ideas that community members are working on and information to help you understand how health, education and social services affect people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) https://arcwa.org/advocacy/2026-legislative-notebook/
Bills of Interest - Bill Tracker
The bills being proposed during this legislative session that have an impact on people with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities will be listed at this link on the Arc of WA website.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18D92TkduQrfnt9lOu4NZJ-TK9_0IwImy9f9ktlB9KRs/edit?gid=0#gid=0
State Budget Side-by-Side
The Governor, House and Senate will all propose their own version of the State budget for 2026-2027. The chart linked below, will show the comparison between all three budgets. Over the course of the Legislative Session, they will be combined into one document to be voted on by both houses and then signed by the Governor.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jwDMIZ8pLdvQKFuZ5G2-BROIbGcK1jHP41BNOtmAM3M/edit?gid=0#gid=0
Kittitas County Parent Coalition http://kc-parentcoalition.blogspot.com/
