He’s back. Well, he never really left. Conservative megadonor Brian Heywood wants to put two new policy proposals in front of the Washington state Legislature next year. 

Both deal with kids in schools, specifically, with parents’ access to school records, and trans kids playing sports. 

Heywood spent millions of dollars on a slate of initiatives last year. Some of them passed the legislature, like a ban on income taxes, a loosening of restrictions on police car chases, and a law codifying parental rights to information about their kids in school. 

Other measures that Heywood sponsored went to the ballot last November. Voters rejected three of them. Those measures would have killed the state’s long-term care program, the Climate Commitment Act, and capital gains tax. 

Voters passed a fourth initiative that Heywood backed, this one was about preserving access to natural gas. But that’s been tied up in the courts and hasn’t taken effect yet.

Now, Heywood and his advocacy organization Let’s Go Washington, are announcing two new initiatives involving K-12 school policy: 

 He’ll be collecting signatures for a revamped parent’s bill of rights and a ban on trans athletes in girl’s sports. Let’s Go Washington has until January to get more than 300,000 signatures. If successful, the initiatives can appear before the Legislature during the session in 2026 and may end up on your ballot after that.

Guest:

Brian Heywood, hedge fund manager and funder behind Let's Go Washington

Relevant Links:

OPB: Washington state GOP megadonor planning new round of initiatives on taxes, parents’ rights

He&rsquo;s back. Well, he never really left. Conservative megadonor Brian Heywood wants to put two new policy proposals in front of the Washington state Legislature next year.&nbsp;
Both deal with kids in schools, specifically, with parents&rsquo; access to school records, and trans kids playing sports.&nbsp;
Heywood spent millions of dollars on a slate of initiatives last year. Some of them passed the legislature, like a ban on income taxes, a loosening of restrictions on police car chases, and a law codifying parental rights to information about their kids in school.&nbsp; Other measures that Heywood sponsored went to the ballot last November. Voters rejected three of them. Those measures would have killed the state&rsquo;s long-term care program, the Climate Commitment Act, and capital gains tax.&nbsp;
Voters passed a fourth initiative that Heywood backed, this one was about preserving access to natural gas. But that&rsquo;s been tied up in the courts and hasn&rsquo;t taken effect yet.
Now, Heywood and his advocacy organization Let&rsquo;s Go Washington, are announcing two new initiatives involving K-12 school policy: &nbsp;He&rsquo;ll be collecting signatures for a revamped parent&rsquo;s bill of rights and a ban on trans athletes in girl&rsquo;s sports. Let&rsquo;s Go Washington has until January to get more than 300,000 signatures. If successful, the initiatives can appear before the Legislature during the session in 2026 and may end up on your ballot after that.
Guest:
Brian Heywood, hedge fund manager and funder behind Let's Go Washington
Relevant Links:
OPB: <a href="https://www.opb.org/article/2025/05/24/brian-heywood-megadonor-taxes-parents-rights/">Washington state GOP megadonor planning new round of initiatives on taxes, parents&rsquo; rights</a>

Soundside

He’s back. Well, he never really left. Conservative megadonor Brian Heywood wants to put two new policy proposals in front of the Washington state Legislature next year.   Both deal with kids in schools, specifically, with parents’ access to school records, and trans kids playing sports. 

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