Gov. Bob Ferguson

@governorferguson.bsky.social

Governor of the State of Washington

@governorferguson.bsky.social Pinned

From a Dallas resident visiting for USA vs. Belgium, in the Seattle Times: “The buses are everywhere. The city is so walkable. You have one of the cleanest downtowns in America. This downtown is as incredible as any place in the world.” World class city and state.

@governorferguson.bsky.social

the importance of having a plan, taking risks if you want to win, and learning to be objective.  Some advice: Study the old masters and play through their games — if you do that, your game will improve — and never forget that pawns are the soul of chess.

@governorferguson.bsky.social

Avalanche Energy is advancing plans for its new global manufacturing facility built here in the Tri-Cities. I'm proud of our state's partnership with our fusion ecosystem. We have one of the strongest concentrations of fusion companies and talent anywhere in the world.

Gov and group of people standing behind individuals from Avalanche and TRIDEC signing papers
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Following the fires in Central and Eastern Washington, I'm urging the Washington State Building Code Council to allow homeowners the option to rebuild their home to an earlier version of the energy code. This will make it more affordable for individuals to rebuild their homes.

Letter from Gov to Chair of WA State Building Code Council. As you know, Washington state is facing a housing crisis and the devastating wildfires of 2026 have made that crisis even more urgent in Eastern and Central Washington. Fast-moving fires have destroyed hundreds of homes and displaced families across our state, many of whom escaped with literally nothing but the clothes on their backs. This places additional pressure on already-constrained housing markets and on the local governments responsible for helping affected communities recover. A preliminary damage assessment conducted by the Washington State Emergency Management Division found that nearly 1,000 primary residences have been destroyed by wildfires in 2026. These fires have devastated communities and overwhelmed state and local response capabilities. While the monetary cost of this destruction is significant, the damage goes far beyond the numbers. Whole neighborhoods are gone, families have lost homes and had their lives upended and communities have been changed forever. We have a moral obligation to help these Washingtonians and their communities rebuild. Housing is a priority for my administration and I am committed to ensuring that Washington families whose homes were destroyed have a clear path to rebuilding as quickly and affordably as possible. In the aftermath of these disasters, homeowners should not face unnecessary barriers or costs that make it harder to return to the communities they call home. For that reason, I strongly urge the Washington State Building Code Council to use its existing emergency rulemaking authority to provide targeted flexibility with the residential energy code for homeowners rebuilding properties destroyed by the 2026 wildfires
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Washington state has been awarded the #1 ranking in the country for Workforce Planning from the Center for Digital Government. Grateful to our state employees for their creative and dedicated work to build on our nation-leading skilled technology workforce.

Washington took first place in Workforce Planning in the 2026 Digital States Survey! 🏆 The award was presented at the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) annual conference in San Diego. The Center for Digital Government recognized Washington’s work to build a skilled technology workforce for today and the future. Congratulations to the teams across Washington state government whose planning, collaboration and commitment to growing our workforce made this possible. See the full results: https://lnkd.in/gteTVvGh hashtag#DigitalStates hashtag#WorkforceDevelopment hashtag#WashingtonState
@governorferguson.bsky.social

I've selected 99 low-income and rural communities across Washington state for the federal Opportunity Zones 2.0 program. Washington is a great place to do business. Opportunity Zones help shine a light on communities that have exceptional potential for investors.

Screenshot of map of Washington state with red dots showing locations of opportunity zones
@governorferguson.bsky.social

I submitted a request for additional FEMA assistance for repairing infrastructure after the wildfires in Central and Eastern Washington. This would cover things like permanent repair, restoration, or replacement of roads, bridges, and utilities.

@governorferguson.bsky.social

I proclaimed today Taste Washington Day. We're celebrating healthy, local food grown for our students, including apples — we grow more apples than the rest of the U.S. combined. At noon, join students across our state and take a bite of an apple for the Washington Apple Crunch!

@governorferguson.bsky.social

As we honor Hispanic Heritage Month, we reaffirm our commitment to our state's values. Washington state is home to over a million Hispanic and Latino residents. Several counties in our state have majority Hispanic populations.

WHEREAS, Hispanic and Latine people represent a vibrant and thriving part of the diverse community that makes up the face of Washington state, and their histories and cultures stretch across centuries; and WHEREAS, the contributions of Hispanic and Latine people who are from the United States and those who come to our shores today in search of their dreams continue to add new chapters in our state's story; and WHEREAS, Hispanic and Latine people serve honorably in our Armed Forces, defending the values we hold dear; transform industries with new, innovative ideas; are elected officials, public servants, essential workers, agriculture workers, teachers, and leaders; and have led and inspired movements that have made our state more equal and just; and WHEREAS, many Latin Americans trace their roots to the cultures of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, including the Arawaks, Aztecs, Incas, Maya, and Tainos; the Spanish; or to Africans who were enslaved and built our country; and WHEREAS, the Hispanic community now represents 13.74 percent of Washingtonians, and three counties in our state, Yakima, Franklin and Adams, have majority Hispanic populations; and WHEREAS, during Hispanic Heritage Month, we honor the rich heritage of the Hispanic and Latine community and celebrate its countless achievements; NOW, THEREFORE, I, Bob Ferguson, governor of the state of Washington, do hereby proclaim September 15-October 15, 2026, as Hispanic Heritage Month in Washington, and I call upon public officials, educators, librarians, and all Americans to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies, activities and programs.
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