February 18th, 2026
The Legislative Cutoff Calendar is an important tool that shows when bills must move through each step of the lawmaking process during the Washington State Legislative Session. Each cutoff date marks a deadline for bills to be heard, voted on, or moved forward in either the House or the Senate.
If a bill does not meet a cutoff deadline, it is usually considered “dead” for the session. This is why understanding the cutoff calendar is so important for advocates, families, and community members who want to follow legislation and speak up at the right time. The calendar helps you know when to contact legislators, when committees are making decisions, and when public testimony can have the biggest impact.
Right now, the Legislature has reached the House of Origin Cutoff. This is the last day for bills to be considered in the chamber where they were first introduced. Any bills that are still moving forward will now head to policy committees in the opposite chamber. The second half of the session moves very quickly, with many deadlines happening close together, so this is a key time for continued advocacy and engagement.
What Is Happening Now?
Today is February 17, 2026, the House of Origin Cutoff. It is the last day to consider bills in the house of origin (5 p.m.). All of the bills that are still alive go to the policy committee in the opposite house. Get ready to testify! Keep in mind the second half of the session will go very fast. All of the steps must get done in about half the time. Keep up your advocacy — you are doing great!
To stay informed about upcoming deadlines and track where bills are in the process, view the full 2026 Cutoff Calendar.
