HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/09/2025 06.B. Discussion by the Council regarding its suggestions for 2026 state and federal legislative priorities !,
s
� F�!!!t't loR`BR A`hD_y¢
BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No. 6.B.
For Meeting of: December 9, 2025
ITEM TITLE: Discussion by the Council regarding its suggestions for 2026 state
and federal legislative priorities
SUBMITTED BY: Randy Beehler, Communication & Public Affairs Manager
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
The Council will discuss its suggestions for 2026 state and federal legislative priorities.
For the last several months, City staff has been working to prepare 2026 state and federal legislative priorities.
Suggested priorities have come from observation of issues the Council has focused on in 2025, progress
made on the City's 2025 state and federal legislative priorities, input from the City's contracted lobbyists, City
senior staff input, and review of legislative priorities established by other municipal advocacy organizations.
Legislative priorities the City intends to pursue at the state level in 2026 include securing adequate funding for
indigent defense needs, funding for an air cargo study at the Yakima airport, funding for design and repair of
Franklin Pool, increased state support to address issues related to homelessness, increased state support to
address issues related to domestic violence, regulatory and advocacy to preserve community access to health
care services, funding for rerouting of Shaw Creek in partnership with Yakima County, and support of funding
requests from Yakima County for design and construction of a medical detox/treatment facility.
Legislative priorities the City intends to pursue at the federal level in 2026 include funding for the ongoing
modernization of the Yakima Air Terminal building and other airport infrastructure, funding for design of a
children's advocacy center in Yakima, funding for the City's ongoing project to extend water and sewer services
to unserved areas of the community, funding for a feasibility study of the former Boise Cascade mill site to
determine future uses following clean up, funding to upgrade and replace fire department infrastructure, and
support of the Fix Our Forests Act (which is aimed at improving forest health and wildfire resilience through
more efficient forest management).
ITEM BUDGETED: Yes
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 24-25: A Resilient Yakima
RECOMMENDATION: Council to provide staff with direction regarding 2026 state and federal legislative
priorities.
ATTACHMENTS:
6