H-0182.5
HOUSE BILL 2435
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Lekanoff, Parshley, Ryu, Scott, Salahuddin, Peterson, Obras, Pollet, Santos, Macri, and Hill
Read first time 01/13/26. Referred to Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations.
AN ACT Relating to creating the legislative office on Indian affairs; amending RCW 44.80.020 and 44.90.020 ; reenacting and amending RCW 44.04.260 and 43.88.230 ; adding a new chapter to Title 44 RCW; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. In November 1999, various leaders of American Indian nations and the state met at the tribal and state leaders' summit to strengthen the government-to-government relationship and cooperation on issues of mutual concern. As a product of that meeting, the leaders developed the new millennium agreement wherein they made various commitments in the spirit and mutual respect of the 1989 centennial accord, including a commitment to encourage the legislature to establish a structure to address issues of mutual concern to the state and tribes. The purpose of this act is to carry out that commitment by establishing a new legislative office on Indian affairs to provide educational and informational resources to the legislature to further support the vision of the centennial accord to achieve complete institutionalization of the government-to-government relationship.
It is not the legislature's intent to replace the work of the governor's office of Indian affairs, but rather to complement that work by adding a legislative resource for the senate, the house of representatives, and professional legislative staff.