Stehekin Visit, End-of-Session Statistics, and Upcoming Election-Year Restrictions

A legislative update from Representative Mike Steele

information released

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

A couple of weeks ago, I traveled to Stehekin with staff from Sen. Goehner’s office, county officials, and others to meet with residents and see firsthand the damage caused by the December floods. What I saw and heard was deeply concerning. More than four months after the Stehekin River washed out large portions of Company Creek Road, some families are still cut off from their homes or forced to hike in and out, wading through water or crossing logs. Residents have worked together to create temporary access, only to see those efforts wiped out by additional flooding in March. The situation remains complicated, and frustrations are high as people continue to deal with limited access to basic needs and concerns about emergency response.

I went there to listen as I am still working on finding out what role that state could potentially play in Stehekin’s recovery. I heard from families whose children are hiking long distances to get to school, from residents worried about supplies and medical access, and from people who feel like progress has been far too slow, understandably so. Much of the affected area falls under federal jurisdiction, particularly the National Park Service, which makes this more challenging. There are some federal efforts underway, including work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on an interim road, but there are still gaps and unanswered questions about both short-term access and long-term solutions.

While the state may not have direct control over all aspects of this situation, I will do everything I can to assist. That includes working with the governor, coordinating with state agencies, and looking at potential funding options, if appropriate.

I work hard to represent all my constituents, no matter how large or small the community. We need to find Stehekin an immediate, practical solution to restore access, and also a long-term plan that will hold up.

2026 legislative session statistics

With the 2026 Legislature concluded, I get many inquiries about how many bills were introduced during the session and other statistics of the session. You can find many of those statistics here.

This biennium (2025 -26):

• 1,791 House bills were introduced
• 1,406 Senate bills were introduced
• 709 bills passed both chambers
• 675 bills the governor took action on

To find a list of all the bills that passed the Legislature click, here. On this website you can sort by bill number, sponsor, date passed, and other options. You can also find the bills on the governor’s website, here. You can search by bill number or date signed.

Election-year restrictions

On Monday, May election-year-activity (EYA) restrictions begin. That means I cannot send email updates until after the November election results are certified. However, I remain your state representative and I am available to address any concerns or answer questions you may have throughout the year.

I encourage you to reach out via email or phone with any questions or issues you may have. I am also available for in-person meetings. My contact information can be found below.

Thank you for your continued support! It is an honor to serve you in Olympia.

Sincerely,

Mike Steele