Josh Penner

Votes by issue

Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Republicans voted. How topics are assigned

• ›Jobs & cost of living312 with · 21 against333 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    Unemp ins/strikes & lockouts

    Concerning unemployment insurance benefits for striking or lockout workers.

    Apr 25, 2025 · Passed 51–45 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Business and occupation tax

    Modifying business and occupation tax surcharges, rates, and the advanced computing surcharge cap, clarifying the business and occupation tax deduction for certain investments, and creating a temporary business and occupation tax surcharge on large companies.

    Apr 22, 2025 · Passed 50–48 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Operating budget

    Making 2025-2027 fiscal biennium operating appropriations.

    Apr 27, 2025 · Passed 52–45 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  All jobs & cost of living votes
• ›Rights & public safety168 with · 14 against182 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    Clemency and pardons

    Concerning clemency and pardons.

    Apr 22, 2025 · Passed 50–46 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  • No

    PRA/personal information

    Safeguarding personal information entrusted to agencies that is of no legitimate concern to the public.

    Feb 16, 2026 · Passed 52–45 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Community protection program

    Repealing the community protection program.

    Mar 9, 2026 · Passed 51–44 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  All rights & public safety votes
• ›Climate & energy104 with · 8 against112 votes

  Most contested

  • Yes

    Discover pass, day-use cost

    Updating the cost of the discover pass and day-use permits.

    Apr 22, 2025 · Failed 47–51 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Clean fuels program

    Concerning the clean fuels program.

    Apr 21, 2025 · Passed 54–43 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Columbia river endorsement

    Concerning the Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead endorsement program.

    Apr 26, 2025 · Passed 53–45 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  All climate & energy votes
• ›Health & care103 with · 9 against112 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    Maternity services costs

    Concerning cost sharing for maternity services.

    Mar 3, 2025 · Passed 56–39 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Substance use/care, services

    Protecting access to life-saving care and substance use services.

    Feb 11, 2026 · Passed 55–42 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Preventive health services

    Preserving access to preventive services by clarifying state authority and definitions.

    Feb 11, 2026 · Passed 57–39 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  All health & care votes
• ›Education & families86 with · 14 against100 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    K-12 education funding

    Investing in the state's paramount duty to fund K-12 education and build strong and safe communities.

    Apr 22, 2025 · Passed 50–48 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  • Yes

    Public education system

    Promoting a safe and supportive public education system.

    Mar 12, 2025 · Failed 42–52 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Working connect. child care

    Concerning the working connections child care program.

    Mar 4, 2026 · Passed 53–44 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  All education & families votes
• ›Housing & rent71 with · 5 against77 votes

  Most contested

  • Yes

    Covenant homeownership prg.

    Modifying the covenant homeownership program.

    Mar 6, 2025 · Failed 45–51 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  • Yes

    Residential tenants

    Improving housing stability for tenants subject to the residential landlord-tenant act and the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act by limiting rent and fee increases, requiring notice of rent and fee increases, limiting fees and deposits, establishing a landlord resource center and associated services, authorizing tenant lease termination, creating parity between lease types, and providing for attorney general enforcement.

    Apr 23, 2025 · Failed 48–50 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Solicited real estate

    Establishing consumer protections for owners of solicited real estate.

    Mar 4, 2025 · Passed 56–39 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  All housing & rent votes
• ›Transportation63 with · 7 against70 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    Zero-emission vehicle prg.

    Establishing a tax on certain business activities related to surpluses generated under the zero-emission vehicle program.

    Apr 22, 2025 · Passed 52–45 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Transportation resources

    Concerning transportation resources.

    Apr 24, 2025 · Passed 51–47 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Public way vulnerable users

    Protecting vulnerable users of public ways.

    Feb 17, 2026 · Passed 53–44 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  All transportation votes
• ›Technology & privacy24 with · 2 against26 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    PRA/personal information

    Safeguarding personal information entrusted to agencies that is of no legitimate concern to the public.

    Feb 16, 2026 · Passed 52–45 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  • No

    AI content notices

    Informing users when content is developed or modified by artificial intelligence.

    Mar 11, 2026 · Passed 55–38 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  • Yes

    Data center equipment/taxes

    Removing a tax exemption for the replacement of equipment for data centers.

    Mar 12, 2026 · Failed 47–50 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  All technology & privacy votes
• ›Foreign affairs & defense3 with · 0 against3 votes

  Most contested

  • Yes

    Civil air patrol

    Establishing the Washington division of civil air patrol as part of the Washington military department.

    Mar 3, 2026 · Passed 88–4 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  • Yes

    National guard retention

    Keeping our Washington national guard strong act.

    Feb 17, 2026 · Passed 96–1 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  • Yes

    Veteran support and services

    Increasing support and services for veterans.

    Mar 5, 2025 · Passed 96–1 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗

  All foreign affairs & defense votes

Where they stood out

Voted against most of their party on 40 of 550 party-divided votes on file.

Most often on: Jobs & cost of living (13), Rights & public safety (8), Climate & energy (6)

• Agricultural coops/cannabis

  What it does: Authorizing agricultural cooperatives for cannabis producers.

  Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 56–3, Republicans 13–23

  Mar 12, 2026Official record ↗

• CIC resale certificates

  What it does: Concerning resale certificates for units in common interest communities.

  Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 56–1, Republicans 5–33

  Mar 11, 2026Official record ↗

• Waste to energy facilities

  What it does: Concerning fair treatment of waste to energy facilities under the climate commitment act.

  Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 59–0, Republicans 17–20

  Mar 11, 2026Official record ↗

• Child care workforce board

  What it does: Establishing a child care workforce standards board.

  Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 57–0, Republicans 11–27

  Mar 9, 2026Official record ↗

• Noncompetition agreements

  What it does: Prohibiting noncompetition agreements and clarifying nonsolicitation agreements.

  Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 57–0, Republicans 5–33

  Mar 9, 2026Official record ↗

How this is counted

Their votes on the most contested roll calls

The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank

• No

  Clemency and pardons

  With most of their party · Passed 50–46 · Yes 50–No 46 · Democrats 50–7, Republicans 0–39

  Apr 22, 2025Official record ↗

• No

  Unemp ins/strikes & lockouts

  With most of their party · Passed 51–45 · Yes 51–No 45 · Democrats 51–6, Republicans 0–39

  Apr 25, 2025Official record ↗

• Yes

  Covenant homeownership prg.

  With most of their party · Failed 45–51 · Yes 45–No 51 · Democrats 6–51, Republicans 39–0

  Mar 6, 2025Official record ↗

• Yes

  Residential tenants

  With most of their party · Failed 48–50 · Yes 48–No 50 · Democrats 9–50, Republicans 39–0

  Apr 23, 2025Official record ↗

• No

  K-12 education funding

  With most of their party · Passed 50–48 · Yes 50–No 48 · Democrats 50–9, Republicans 0–39

  Apr 22, 2025Official record ↗

• No

  Business and occupation tax

  With most of their party · Passed 50–48 · Yes 50–No 48 · Democrats 50–9, Republicans 0–39

  Apr 22, 2025Official record ↗

• No

  PRA/personal information

  With most of their party · Passed 52–45 · Yes 52–No 45 · Democrats 52–6, Republicans 0–39

  Feb 16, 2026Official record ↗

• No

  Operating budget

  With most of their party · Passed 52–45 · Yes 52–No 45 · Democrats 52–6, Republicans 0–39

  Apr 27, 2025Official record ↗