By the Numbers

With the 2026 legislative session behind us, we want to be sure you know how much your voice makes a difference. Although it was a challenging session on many fronts, we’re here to celebrate some successes.  So, how did we do? Let us count the ways! 

Together with our network of over 30,000 statewide advocates, we successfully supported the passage of a key clean energy bill, stopped a bill weakening shrubsteppe protections, and built momentum toward bird and habitat protection.  

What it took to pass policies for birds and people: 

• 8 action alerts sent  

• 1,162 advocates mobilized  

• 6,699 messages sent to legislators  

• 1 oral and 3 written testimonies submitted during key hearings 

• 3 rounds of letters to legislators on natural resource budget issues 

A Major Clean Energy Win 

SB 6355, establishing a state transmission authority, passed with bipartisan support. Transmission authorities are widely recognized as one of the most effective tools states have to improve energy affordability, reliability, and decarbonization. We provided written testimony in support of SB 6355, and advocates sent 1,154 messages to legislators. 

Shrubsteppe Protected 

We provided written testimony that helped stop HB 2316, a bill that would have stripped protections from shrubsteppe habitat in Urban Growth Areas. Only 20% of Washington’s original shrubsteppe remains and remnant habitats in populated areas are critical for birds, pollinators, and habitat connectivity. 

What Didn’t Pass… Yet 

Not every priority bill made it through this session, largely due to compressed timelines. 

Key bills that stalled included: 

• SB 6272 The Lights Out and Bird-Friendly Buildings bill  

• SB 5519 A bill closing a loophole that allows toxic discharges from ocean-going vessels 

• SB 5203 A bill supporting safe wildlife passage in key crossing areas fragmented by major roads 

But the efforts we made will support these bills in the future. We sent: 

• 234 messages to legislators supporting Lights Out for birds  

• 1043 messages and written testimony to stop pollution from ocean-going vessels 

• 1482 messages to legislators in support of safe wildlife passages 

Investing in Conservation and Climate Resilience 

State budgets for wildlife, biodiversity, and climate resilience saw significant cuts, and Climate Commitment Act dollars were once again diverted to fill unrelated budget gaps. These outcomes remind us how critical our work is to cultivate environmental champions, and the work we have ahead of us to continue to activate public support for investments in nature. 

Power in Partnership 

Audubon Washington continued its work within the Environmental Priorities Coalition, which includes 27 organizations, focused on wildfire resilience, plastic pollution reduction, and defending environmental funding. 

Audubon brought our advocacy network to the coalition, delivering 2,256 messages to legislators in support of these priorities and helping restore funding for wildfire response and resilience. 

We know that passing policies and sustaining funding for conservation requires persistence and partnership. With your continued engagement, we’re confident we can build the momentum needed to protect birds and their habitats for generations to come. 

Ask a birder near you to sign up for our Action Network and join the movement so we can start building momentum for birds next year!