This bill creates a new statute by adding a section to chapter 1.20 RCW that designates English as the official language of the state of Washington and declares English the official language of any official public record and any official public meeting (using the public records act, chapter 42.56 RCW, and the open public meetings act, chapter 42.30 RCW, for those definitions). It requires that official documents, forms, submissions, and other communications directed to government agencies and officers be in English except as otherwise provided by law, and it allows the use of other languages when required by state or federal law. The bill prohibits state agencies and political or taxing subdivisions from being required to provide written materials in languages other than English, while permitting them to publish official documents or records in other languages at their discretion provided the English version is also published. It also bars state entities from imposing language usage restrictions on private businesses, allows non-English speakers to use interpreters at official public meetings, encourages higher education and community and technical colleges to offer English and citizenship training, and includes a severability clause. Affected entities named in the text include state agencies, political or taxing subdivisions, institutions of higher education, community and technical colleges, local subdivisions, community-based organizations, migrant and refugee programs, schools, churches, and private businesses. The bill was prefiled 12/24/25, read for the first time 01/12/26, referred to the Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations, and is identified as H-2629.1 / House Bill 2197 (69th Legislature, 2026) sponsored by Representatives Abell, Chase, and Graham. The extracted text does not specify an exact new RCW section number, enforcement mechanisms, penalties, administrative responsibilities, funding, implementation timelines, or detailed scope for terms such as "documents, information, literature, or other written materials," and it does not list the specific legal exceptions referenced by "except as otherwise provided by law."

If enacted, the state would make English the official language for public records and open meetings and would generally allow state agencies and local governments to stop providing written materials in other languages, though they could voluntarily publish translations if an English version is also provided. Communications that individuals or businesses send to government agencies or officers would generally have to be in English unless another law requires otherwise, and people who do not speak English could still use interpreters at official public meetings. The groups most affected would be state and local agencies (which could reduce translation costs and change how they deliver services), businesses (which must use English in official communications with government but otherwise cannot be restricted), and limited-English communities such as immigrant, refugee, and migrant worker groups (who may face higher barriers, delays, or costs to access services or submit forms). The bill encourages colleges to offer English training but does not provide funding, enforcement mechanisms, precise definitions of covered documents, or specifics about statutory exceptions, leaving important implementation details and potential legal disputes unresolved.