Legislative Information 

The Workforce Board’s 2026 legislative agenda prioritizes protections for critical workforce programs and infrastructure to ensure our workers and businesses remain resilient amid changes in federal and state policies and budgets. The Workforce Board requests continued support and preservation of policies and investments that connect individuals to skills, jobseekers to work, and provide access and support to complete education and training that lead to quality jobs,¹ meet employer needs for workers, and increase economic stabilityfor all communities.

The Workforce Board requests that state and federal policymakers:

• Support initiatives that respond to changes in federal programs to support Washington residents in meeting expanded work requirements and remain enrolled in critical basic supports to receive food (SNAP) and healthcare (Medicaid).
• Restore funding for discrete programs that meet specific industry needs such as Core Plus and wraparound supports for state registered apprentices.
• Preserve investments in postsecondary programs and associated student supports.
• Support initiatives that help to inform secondary students about their options for multiple pathways to education and career opportunities.

Download the TAP 2026 Workforce System Legislative Agenda One Pager

Rationale 

1. Support initiatives that respond to changes in federal programs to support Washington residents in meeting expanded work requirements and remain enrolled in critical basic supports to receive food (SNAP) and healthcare (Medicaid).

More than 125,000 Washington residents could be disenrolled from the SNAP program and over 600,000 from Medicaid if they are not able to demonstrate they have met an eligible work requirement. It is imperative to accelerate current efforts to improve service efficiencies to meet the numbers of Washington residents who will need assistance to meet these requirements.

The state’s workforce system needs to be ready to provide comprehensive services and resources to meet requirements. This includes system investments to meet the requirements in H.R. 1, such as compliance and reporting for state human services agencies, the WorkSource Integrated Technology (WIT) system, and the No Wrong Door Workforce Service Efficiency project, to support the necessary infrastructure to meet increased customer demand and accurately report state and federal performance.

2. Restore funding for discrete programs that meet specific industry needs such as Core Plus and wraparound supports for state registered apprentices.

Core Plus is a program built by both industry experts and educators that serves high school students so that they receive relevant education and work-integrated learning opportunities while in high school and are ready to either enter a related postsecondary program or go straight to work with prospects for advancement.

State registered apprenticeship opportunities provide both an education and a job, however, not all are able to access or complete programs due to financial barriers. Apprentice wraparound supports (basic needs supports such as childcare and transportation) have proven to increase state registered apprenticeship retention and completion and add access to people who might not otherwise be able to participate.²

3. Preserve investments in postsecondary programs and associated student supports.

Washington state is experiencing fast-paced demographic, economic, and technological changes that impact the way we prepare our workforce for jobs today and in the future. Our state is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse. Due to baby boomer retirements and lower population growth among young people entering the workforce, the state is facing a decline in labor force participation. Washington employers continue to report workforce challenges in finding enough skilled workers, while some skilled workers are struggling to find jobs. We need to double down on efforts to ensure we are educating and preparing youth and adults for occupations that are in demand while investing in job creation. We urge policymakers to preserve postsecondary program capacity and student supports that are proven to increase program access and completion.

While the new Workforce Pell offers an opportunity to support students along an educational pathway utilizing high-demand short-term postsecondary programs, it requires strategic planning to ensure quality implementation and consumer protections are in place. The Economic Security for All (EcSA) program and Community Reinvestment Project (CRP) have also shown potential in early implementation to provide a pathway out of poverty for participants.

4. Support initiatives that help to inform secondary students about their options for multiple pathways
to education and career opportunities.

Only 55% of Washington’s high school graduates continue to postsecondary programs in the first year after high school graduation,³ and this trend was exacerbated during COVID. The state has started to spring back but not enough to offset the additional needs we have for workers with postsecondary qualifications, including registered apprenticeship. Supporting further expansion of the updated High School and Beyond Plan platform to all school districts will help to ensure youth are aware of the multiple education and training pathways available.

Programs such as Passport to Careers, which provides support to former foster and unaccompanied homeless youth, are also vital to ensure these students can maintain hope for a bright future in which they can support themselves. The Washington Student Achievement Council is seeking a revenue neutral statutory change that would grant automatic eligibility for the Washington College Grant for Passport to Careers students. This would provide certainty that access to financial aid will not be a barrier to successful enrollment and completion of postsecondary education and allow much earlier conversation and planning.

Newly updated Career Bridge launches

The Workforce Board successfully launched a more dynamic, updated CareerBridge.wa.gov in August, thanks to a $1.4 million investment from the Legislature. This 15-year-old career and education platform is known for delivering data-driven performance results for thousands of Washington postsecondary programs—including employment and earnings for recent graduates. The site’s new look and feel is drawing positive reviews from a wide range of stakeholders, including those serving middle and high school students, in addition to adult jobseekers at WorkSource centers across the state. In just a few months, site traffic has already reached over 120,000 page views per month, with more expected as additional marketing and outreach rolls out. Career Bridge delivers the entire “education spectrum,” and features over 8,300 WA education and training programs—from registered apprenticeships to career-focused short-term training, to associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and more.

¹ Washington Job Quality Survey Summary Report (2025): The top three job quality factors from survey respondents were quality pay, job security and working conditions, and organizational culture.
² Construct a Career Initiative. Program outcomes, 2024-25.
³ High School Graduate Outcomes | Washington State Education Research and Data Center

Sept. 15, 2025: New report compares federal policy proposals under consideration by Congress

Workforce Board staff have prepared this report that offers a side-by-side comparison of several workforce policy proposals under consideration today. The report provides a broad overview of A Stronger Workforce for America, Make America Skilled Again and other proposals that would impact Washington’s workforce system. Read more.

June 27, 2025: Workforce Board opposes federal workforce cuts, shares education concerns with Congress

The Workforce Board has expressed concerns about how the federal reconciliation budget would impact workforce development with Washington’s Congressional delegation. On June 27, Board Co-Chair Gary Chandler and Acting Co-Chair Cherika Carter signed two letters sent to Washington’s senators and representatives. One expresses opposition to significant workforce development cuts. The second shares concerns about changes to federal education programs. Board members discussed the issue at the regularly scheduled June 18 meeting.

Agency staff regularly present to the Legislature on a variety of Workforce topics. Please note the archive below.

View archived legislative presentations here.