2026 WashCOG Legislative Priorities

 The Washington Coalition for Open Government is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works through the courts and the Legislature to defend and strengthen Washington’s open government laws. WashCOG has established the following priorities for legislative action during the 2026 regular legislative session. The coalition encourages its members and concerned citizens throughout Washington to contact members of the legislature to voice their opinions on the following legislation.

Olympia Watch: Click here for WashCOG’s weekly report!

General Legislative priorities

• Preserve and promote citizens’ ability under the voter-passed Public Records Act to know what government is doing on their behalf, as well as under the Open Public Meetings Act.

• Increase government transparency. This includes supporting more openness around university presidential searches and promoting a healthy news media to report to the public on local and state government.

• Ensure openness of the legislative process at the state and local level.

• Passage of already-approved recommendations by the legislatively created Sunshine Committee.

Olympia Watch: Click here for WashCOG’s weekly report