On Monday, House Democrats brought ESSB 6346 to the floor, setting off a marathon debate that stretched through the night and into Tuesday evening.
House Republican Leader Drew Stokesbary released the following statement following the 24-hour floor debate: "This is a betrayal of the people of Washington and a direct attack on our state's economic competitiveness. For generations, Washington's lack of a state income tax has helped attract jobs, entrepreneurs and investment, all of which has led to growth and prosperity. Democrats just took a sledgehammer to that advantage.
They can pretend this will only ever be a tax on millionaires, but everyone knows how these policies evolve. Spending will grow, the threshold will drop, the net will widen, and middle-class families will end up footing the bill.
When leaders tell you not to trust their promises, believe them. House Deputy Majority Leader Larry Springer was asked before session why the public should assume this tax wouldn't eventually apply to them. His answer was simple: 'You shouldn't.' And Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen dismissed his own party's vote to ban an income tax two years ago as a 'pie crust promise, easily made, easily broken.' I fully expect today's income tax only on 'millionaires' to be tomorrow's pie crust promise.
One-party rule has made Washington one of the most expensive states in the country. Yet the only answer Democrats ever seem to have is another tax. If they couldn't raise taxes or grow government, it's hard to imagine what they would do with their time. Washington deserves leadership focused on making life more affordable, not politicians doubling down on the same tax-and-spend playbook that created this mess."
House Republican Floor Leader April Connors, released the following statement:
“For 24 straight hours, the House Republican Caucus fought relentlessly to protect Washington taxpayers from a state income tax.
Our mission was clear from the beginning. First, stop this tax. And if the Democratic majority was determined to force it through anyway, our next priority was to deliver meaningful tax relief.
Throughout the debate, House Republicans offered amendment after amendment to lower the tax burden on working families, small businesses, farmers, seniors and veterans. We proposed cutting the income tax rate from 9.9 percent to 1 percent. We proposed protecting small businesses and pass-through income. We proposed exempting military and retirement income. We proposed reducing the state sales tax so Washington residents would actually see relief in the fifth most expensive state in the country.
Democrats rejected every single one of those ideas.
They rejected amendments to cut taxes. They rejected amendments to protect farmers and small business owners. They rejected amendments that would guarantee this tax never expands beyond millionaires. They even rejected amendments that would have required a vote of the people.
That tells you everything you need to know about the priorities of this majority.
This was the longest floor fight any of us have ever experienced, but we never wavered. We were prepared, disciplined and relentless. Every speech, every amendment and every vote was about defending taxpayers and protecting Washington’s economic competitiveness.
We may be outnumbered, but House Republicans will go down swinging every time. That is who we are, and that is exactly what the people of Washington should expect from us.”
Since the House amended the bill, the next step is for it to return to the Senate for concurrence on the House amendments. If the Senate concurs (agrees to the changes without further amendment), the bill will then be enrolled and sent to the governor’s desk for signature (or veto). If the Senate does not concur, it could lead to a conference committee to reconcile differences, though with the 2026 legislative session ending soon (March 12, 2026), time is very limited.
Not only did State Democrats pass a blatant, unconstitutional income tax, but they blocked the people’s right to repeal it by right of referendum. This exempts the bill from a referendum, meaning citizens cannot gather signatures to put a repeal measure on the ballot. This is a sinister move by the Dems without the possibility of a direct voter challenge via referendum. It is quite stunning that Democrats refuse to listen to over 90% of the people who are against this new tax that will make Washington State the highest-taxed state in the U.S., all to just further their radical agenda.
Also, Dems defied legal precedent by not allowing voters to first approve a constitutional amendment authorizing an income tax. If this becomes law expect a citizens’ initiative and/or lawsuits soon to overturn unconstitutional ESSB 6346.
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