Washington Recreation & Park Association – 2026 Legislative Agenda

Top Priorities

• Thank the legislature and advocate for sustained funding that is making a difference in local communities:
  • Washington Wildlife & Recreation Program (WWRP)
    • Keep funding at $120M or better.
  • Youth Athletic Facilities (YAF) – advocate and support for as much funding as possible – towards full funding at grant limits.
  • Recreation Access Grant – Renew and continue with the $100k in operating funding for grants that promote outdoor recreation access.

• Raise awareness and look for potential fixes to resolve issues in parks and on trails relating to E-Motorcycles, E-Bikes, E-Scooters, and other electronic motor devices: Local parks agencies and other jurisdictions have seen an aggressive expansion and use of e-motorcycles, e-bikes, and other electronic motor devices in parks and on trails. While many of these transportation vehicles do not fit in a typical “motor” category, these transportation devices can also cause harm and danger to park users. WRPA supports responsible e-motor use in parks, and clarity and safety measures to regulate these electronic motor devices in local parks.

• Oppose the expansion of sales and excise taxes to additional categories that Parks Agencies would have to pay for park operations. The legislature passed legislation (SB 5814) in 2025 that increases the application and administration of certain excise taxes. This includes adding sales tax to a host of new categories that were previously exempt from the tax, and now sales tax is applied to live programming and presentations. WRPA opposes this expansion of sales tax to live programming and presentations that will impact local parks providers, which will further exacerbate park funding challenges.

• Support advancement of efforts to increase parks funding, including the current 1 percent property tax limit: WRPA will continue to explore additional tools and opportunities that will contribute to additional parks funding, and will partner with local government organizations, associations, and other coalition partners in strongly supporting a much-needed modernizing of the 1 percent property tax limit so that local jurisdictions have the option to increase their budgets to keep up with rising costs of services.

Track/Monitor

• Support advancement of Play Equity Initiatives to improve safety, quality and equity in youth and school sports.  Monitor activities of the King County Play Equity Coalition for statewide benefit.

• Changes to tax and fee collections that could positively or negatively impact park districts.

• ESSB 5814 is part of Washington State’s broader tax and revenue package and includes changes to how certain services are classified and taxed. WRPA is tracking thestatus, implementation timelines, and agency guidance related to this legislation, including any impacts to parks, recreation, and special purpose districts. We are also monitoringrelated House bills and companion legislation connected to ESSB 5814 as they move through the legislative process.

  WRPA’s Legislative Committee is reviewing official legislative and committee reports, including fiscal notes and analyses, to better understand potential impacts. Updates and summaries from these committee reports will be shared with members as information becomes available. WRPA remains committed to keeping members informed and engaged as legislative developments continue.

• Support recreational immunity fixes, and monitor Keystone or landmark cases, legal action, and other issues that can affect the profession. Recent legal ambiguity has led to increased risk of liability on providers of public recreation and should be addressed to avoid financial loss by entities providing public access for public recreation.

Download the PDF Version

Additional Resources:

• SB 5980 - 2025-26 | Exempting live presentations from retail sales and use tax.
• Proposed Substitute House Bill 2257 (H-3410.1)

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