WashingtonWashington establishes a governor’s office for Indian affairs
Starting on the listed effective date, a governor-appointed office would advise Washington agencies, train state employees, and work with tribal governments.
What it does
A governor’s Office of Indian Affairs would advise state agencies, connect state leaders with tribal governments, and support regular discussions on shared issues.
A governor-appointed director would lead the office, hire staff, and help state employees learn how to communicate and work with tribal governments.
The office may accept private grants or gifts for state-tribal gatherings and must publicly report each year on its work, money, staffing, and results.
Argument forA central office could give state agencies a consistent place to seek advice and build working relationships with tribal governments.
Argument againstKeeping grants and gifts outside the state budget could make some office activities less visible through the usual public spending process.
More detail
The measure establishes an Office of Indian Affairs as a cabinet agency under the governor. The office would work with federally recognized tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian organizations, Indian organizations, and state agencies. The office must respect the sovereignty of federally recognized tribes. The office may advise on tribal rights, communities, lands, and interests, and help maintain government-to-government relationships. The supplied bill status lists an effective date of June 11, 2026.
The governor would appoint an executive director with Senate consent, and the director would hire state employees and oversee the office’s work. The office’s director and staff would serve within the governor’s executive cabinet and state workforce. The director would serve at the governor’s pleasure. The office would provide tribal-relations training for agency heads, policy advisers, executive leaders, and other state employees. The office would consult tribal nations when developing additional training, and agencies would work with the office on appropriate staff and training schedules. The provisions would apply when the office begins operating under the act; the supplied text does not set a separate staffing deadline.
The office may set operating procedures, accept grants or gifts for appropriate state-tribal activities, and must publish an annual report. Reports would cover the office’s programs, services, funding, expenses, staffing, goals, challenges, achievements, and legal requirements. Money from grants or gifts would be kept in a separate account and would not be state public funds or subject to state appropriation or allotment. The office must submit its report to the governor and legislature and make it available on its website. The annual report is due by November 1 each year and covers the preceding fiscal year.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 30Effective date 6/11/2026.Latest
- Mar 30Chapter 245, 2026 Laws.Major
- Mar 30Governor Bob Ferguson signed.Became Law
- Mar 12Delivered to Governor.To Governor
- Mar 11Speaker signed.Major
- Mar 11President signed.Passed House
- Mar 10Passed final passage; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Final Passage as Amended by the House (#9). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 10Senate concurred in House amendments.
- Mar 4Third reading, passed; yeas, 95; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 3.Minor
- Vote recorded Final Passage as Amended by the House (#23). Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 4Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Mar 4Committee amendment(s) adopted with no other amendments.
- Mar 4Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Mar 2Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Mar 2APP - Majority; do pass with amendment(s) by State Government & Tribal Relations.Minor
- Mar 2Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 27Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 25Referred to Appropriations.Minor
- Feb 24SGOV - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).Minor
- Feb 24Executive action taken in the House Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations at 1:30 PM.
- Feb 20Public hearing in the House Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations at 8:00 AM.
- Feb 14First reading, referred to State Government & Tribal Relations.Minor
- Feb 12Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#15). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 12Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Feb 121st substitute bill substituted (SGTE 26).Major
- Feb 10Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Jan 26Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- Jan 23Minority; without recommendation.Minor
- Jan 23SGTE - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.Major
- Jan 23Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections at 10:30 AM.
- Jan 20Public hearing in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections at 1:30 PM.
- Jan 12First reading, referred to State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections.Minor
- Jan 8Prefiled for introduction.Introduced
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