Capitol Ideas: The Washington State House Democratic Caucus Podcast

The 2026 session is in the books, and it will always be known as the year when Washington’s upside-down tax code began the long process of righting itself. Rep. April Berg was one of the leaders in that effort, and she joins us today.

In today’s special edition of Capitol Ideas, Washington State Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins looks back at the historic 2026 legislative session and previews the 105-day session that will begin next January. The 60-day sprint that ended last month in Olympia was a short session for Washington State lawmakers, a time when, traditionally, adjustments are made to budgets written the previous yea...

Rep. Shaun Scott is an interesting fellow. Smarter than anyone deserves to be, laser-focused on public service, and impatient to use his position as a state legislator to improve lives in every corner of Washington. He just wrapped up his second session in the House, and he’s here today on Capitol Ideas.

When Rep. Shelley Kloba drops by the Capitol Ideas HQ, you know we’re going to talk about online privacy and all things related. But wait, there’s more! Much more, so give us the next 20 minutes.  

Rep. Mary Fosse was on her first picket line three months shy of her first birthday, and she’s been a lifelong ally of workers and the labor movement in Washington and beyond. She puts that passion to work as vice chair of the House panel that deals with labor issues, and helps keep the chamber running smoothly as deputy majority floor leader. There are more sides to her than these, though, and we...

Rep. Timm Ormsby, chair of the budget-writing House Appropriations Committee, has been one of the Olympia voices for Spokane’s 3 rd legislative district for longer than Capitol Ideas has been around, and over the years he’s become a favorite guest. Today he talks about the budget process, revenue  forecasts, the difference between writing a budget and raising revenue, and the beauty of Spokane. 

It’s been several years since Rep. Dave Paul has stopped by the Capitol Ideas HQ for a talk, but good things are worth waiting for. Today’s episode is definitely a good thing. Our conversation touches on the transportation and operating budgets, the value of bipartisanship, ICE, higher education, ferries, veterans, and several other legislative topics, all in an economical 20-minute package. Don’t...

Rep. My-Linh Thai drops by Capitol Ideas every now and then, and it’s always an interesting and thought-provoking conversation. This time around the yawning chasm between this Washington and the other one, and its effects on her 41 st district and the state Legislature, color some, but not all, of our talk. We also hear about her work as deputy majority leader, some key legislation, the Year of th...

It’s year four in the House for Rep. Joe Timmons, but today you’ll hear his first Capitol Ideas conversation. Besides representing his friends and neighbors up in the northwest corner of the state, Joe serves long hours with a gavel in his hand as deputy speaker pro tem of the House in Olympia. You’ll hear about that, and more, in today’s episode.

Rep. Zach Hall is a young man, but when he was appointed to the House by the King County council last June, he had six years on the Issaquah city council under his belt, along with four years on the legislative staff, a master’s in public administration from UW’s Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, and a long resume of public service in the 5 th legislative district. He knows what cooks,...

In this episode of Capitol Ideas, you’ll meet, or re-meet, Rep. Adison Richards. He was our guest almost exactly a year ago, less than a month into his new job as a state lawmaker. We invited him back to catch up on his trajectory as a representative, to hear about his key bills, and to check on the health and happiness of his faithful dog, Blue.

Rep. April Berg chairs the House Finance Committee, so you might think we’d be talking about revenue today. We’ll mostly save that for another time. This episode of Capitol Ideas is where you’ll learn about Rep. Berg’s bill creating the Washington State Boys and Men Commission, an innovative idea that can help lawmakers address some of the unique challenges facing half of the state’s population.

In today’s episode, Rep. Chipalo Street talks about issues ranging from housing (affordable and otherwise), juvenile justice reforms, the state’s responsibility to persons under its complete control, and the challenges facing Washington’s budget.

Some lawmakers come to Olympia to fix the climate. Others might be here to improve public schools, or make our communities safer, or upend our regressive tax system. Rep. Lisa Callan, a veteran member from Issaquah, looks at all those issues and more through the lens of making the state a better place for infants, toddlers, “kids,” and those on the exciting brink of young adulthood. If you have ch...

We're grateful to have Speaker Laurie Jinkins as today's guest on Capitol Ideas, to share her perspective on the just-ended 2025 session of the Washington state Legislature. Her sixth year leading the House of Representatives was by far the most difficult she's encountered, and today she walks us through what turned out to be a session marked by landmark victories and sometimes-painful realities....

Washington state lawmakers and staff were still celebrating the final gavel of the 2025 session when Rep. Chipalo Street sat down for his first appearance on Capitol Ideas. We covered everything from rent stabilization and safer streets to life as a professional soccer referee, and ended up with a half hour that goes by much too quickly.

As vice chair of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Mia Gregerson has a lot on her mind in the final 72 hours of the legislative session. The fact that we got her to sit down and share the Capitol Ideas mics makes this a special episode, all by itself.

Sen. Bill Ramos, who was Rep. Bill Ramos for six years before his election to the Senate last fall, died suddenly Saturday evening. Bill's voice being silenced is a loss for his 5th district, and for the people of Washington. Today's Capitol Ideas is a repost of a conversation that originally ran in early 2024.

This is the third legislative session for Rep. Julio Cortes, and his second visit to Capitol Ideas. Today he reflects on the difference between being a brand-new legislator and a veteran, talks about his journey from one capitol -- Mexico City -- to another, and explains his bills, his committee leadership and the work of the Latino Democratic Caucus...and does it all in 20 minutes!

Rep. Chris Stearns moved to Washington state many years ago because it was the most beautiful place he'd ever seen. Now he's Speaker Pro Tem of the state House of Representatives, and as of today he's a two-time visitor to Capitol Ideas. There are interesting things to learn if you'll hit the play button on this episode.

Rep. Strom Peterson agreed to chair a brand-new committee three years ago, a panel dedicated to chipping away at Washington's housing crisis. Today we'll talk about progress made by the House Housing Committee under his leadership, and plenty more.

Rep. Adam Bernbaum has been to a lot of places and done a lot of things, but Port Angeles is home and the Legislature is his new job. Hit the play button now to get to know a chamnpion of rural issues, a housing advocate, and a guardian of the taxpayer's purse, all in one.

When Janice Zahn immigrated to the U.S. with her family as a child, she probably wasn't planning to find herself sitting at a desk on the floor of the Washington state House of Representatives. But here she is, and that's fortunate for all of us. Today's episode is a little longer than your typical Capitol Ideas, but it's justified. This is a good one.

Rep. Edwin Obras was appointed to a vacant seat in the state House of Representatives in December 2024, and for a lawmaker just getting his feet wet, he's made a splash. After a 30-year career in human services, he knows his way around the Capitol and already has bills poised to become law. You'll meet him today as we continue our conversations with the newest members of the House Democratic Caucu...

ORIGINAL EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Speaker emeritus Frank Chopp, who voluntarily switched his role to Rep. Frank Chopp at the end of the 2019 session, is the special guest on this episode of Capitol Ideas. The good things he's done for the Evergreen State are too numerous to list here, but if you listen to today's conversation, you'll notice a promise to include some items in the show notes. Here, in n...