February 17, 2026

Please call your Washington legislators by 5 PM today and ask them to vote for HB 2092, Rail Advisory Committee. There are over 90 bills under consideration today, so let's not let this important legislation get lost.

What legislative district am I in? Use the District Finder.
How do I reach my legislators? See the Legislator List.
What do I tell them? Call and leave a message. In your own words, focus on some of the points below.

Passenger Rail Advisory Committee SHB 2092

All Aboard Washington (AAWA) supports SHB 2092 as passed by the House Transportation Committee.  AAWA has advocated for a Passenger Rail Advisory Committee for many years now.  We are thankful for Rep. Reed’s sponsorship and the bipartisan support of Chair Fey and Ranking Member Barkis to finally bring this idea forward. 

The bill mandates that the Advisory Committee provide information, advice, and recommendations to the WSDOT, the Office of the Governor, and legislative transportation committee leadership on issues impacting passenger rail service. Such an advisory committee is long overdue.  Residents, rail users and stakeholders across the state deserve an opportunity to provide input into this public service - as  they already do for transit and ferry service. 

The Advisory Committee is intended to provide input on particular mobility needs and concerns of rail passengers.  While the bill is called the Washington State Amtrak Cascades Passenger Rail Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee) the “scope of the committee's activities must include providing information, advice, and recommendations to the department, the office of the governor, and legislative transportation committee leadership on issues impacting passenger rail service…and policy initiatives related to intercity passenger rail to benefit the public, communities served by passenger rail, and the environment.”   

To this extent, it is obvious that the Advisory Committee should consider the statewide impact of these issues on passenger rail users and potential users. Some passenger rail users from eastern Washington already take the Amtrak Empire Builder to make connections to the Amtrak Cascades at stations in the North Puget Sound region or Vancouver, WA. Other passengers from communities without rail or transit service must unfortunately drive long distances from western Washington, or over Cascade Mountain passes from eastern Washington, to use the Amtrak Cascades. Those residents and stakeholders also have a vested interest in the improvement and expansion of passenger rail service.  

Please support passage of SHB 2092.

As an All Aboard Washington member, you can make a a difference by making rail service in Washington state more responsive to us, the rail-riding public. Contact your legislators now!