WashingtonWashington interpreters bargain with the governor over work matters
Starting June 11, 2026, Washington’s governor bargains with spoken-language interpreters over limited work matters, while lawmakers control funding for pay and benefits.
What it does
The governor bargains with spoken-language interpreters in statewide groups through a representative they choose in an election. Talks can cover pay, training, health benefits, and other listed work matters.
The governor must ask lawmakers for money to carry out an agreement's pay and benefit terms. Those terms depend on lawmakers approving the funding.
Interpreters covered by these bargaining rules cannot strike, and they cannot bargain over retirement benefits.
Argument forInterpreters could negotiate over pay, training, and health benefits, giving them a way to raise these work matters with the governor.
Argument againstInterpreters cannot strike, and lawmakers may reject or leave undecided the funding needed to carry out an agreement.
More detail
The governor or a designee bargains with language access providers through the representative they choose in an election. Three statewide groups cover interpreters serving specified social services, child and family services, and Medicaid appointments; injured workers or crime victims receiving benefits; and other state agencies through the Department of Enterprise Services. Neither side can be forced to accept a proposal or make a concession. The law takes effect June 11, 2026.
The governor submits requests for money to carry out agreement terms on pay and benefits. The request covers funds needed to carry out the pay and benefit terms of an agreement between the governor and language access providers. The financial management director must certify the request as financially feasible or as reflecting a binding arbitration decision. Lawmakers consider the request as a whole; if they reject it or do not act, the parties must reopen the agreement to renegotiate the needed funds. An arbitration decision does not bind the state if lawmakers do not approve the necessary funds. The law takes effect June 11, 2026.
Covered language access providers cannot strike or bargain over retirement benefits. These limits apply to language access providers covered by the bargaining rules. Providers count as state public employees only for collective bargaining under this section; that status does not make them state employees for other purposes. The law takes effect June 11, 2026.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 18Effective date 6/11/2026.Latest
- Mar 18Chapter 109, 2026 Laws.Major
- Mar 18Governor Bob Ferguson signed.Became Law
- Mar 9Delivered to Governor.To Governor
- Mar 5Speaker signed.Passed House
- Mar 5President signed.Passed Senate
- Mar 4Third reading, passed; yeas, 86; nays, 10; absent, 0; excused, 2.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#6). Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 4Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Mar 3Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Mar 2Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Feb 27Minority; do not pass.Minor
- Feb 27APP - Majority; do pass.Minor
- Feb 27Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 26Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 1:30 PM.
- Feb 23Referred to Appropriations.Minor
- Feb 20LAWS - Majority; do pass.Minor
- Feb 20Executive action taken in the House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 18Public hearing in the House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards at 8:00 AM.
- Feb 14First reading, referred to Labor & Workplace Standards.Minor
- Feb 11Third reading, passed; yeas, 44; nays, 5; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#9). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 11Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Feb 4Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Jan 26Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- Jan 23Minority; without recommendation.Minor
- Jan 23Minority; do not pass.Minor
- Jan 23LC - Majority; do pass.Minor
- Jan 23Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce at 8:00 AM.
- Jan 19Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce at 10:30 AM.
- Jan 12First reading, referred to Labor & Commerce.Minor
- 2025
- Dec 29Prefiled for introduction.Introduced
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