HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2026-4714

HR 4714

ByRepresentatives Jinkins, Stokesbary, Abbarno, Abell, Barkis, Barnard, Berg, Bergquist, Bernbaum, Berry, Bronoske, Burnett, Callan, Chase, Connors, Corry, Cortes, Couture, Davis, Dent, Doglio, Donaghy, Duerr, Dufault, Dye, Engell, Entenman, Eslick, Farivar, Fey, Fitzgibbon, Fosse, Goodman, Gregerson, Griffey, Hackney, Hall, Hill, Jacobsen, Keaton, Klicker, Kloba, Leavitt, Lekanoff, Ley, Low, Macri, Manjarrez, Marshall, McClintock, McEntire, Mena, Mendoza, Morgan, Nance, Obras, Orcutt, Ormsby, Ortiz-Self, Parshley, Paul, Penner, Peterson, Pollet, Ramel, Reed, Reeves, Richards, Rude, Rule, Ryu, Salahuddin, Santos, Schmick, Schmidt, Scott, Shavers, Simmons, Springer, Stearns, Steele, Stonier, Street, Stuebe, Taylor, Thai, Tharinger, Thomas, Timmons, Valdez, Volz, Walen, Walsh, Waters, Wylie, Ybarra, and Zahn

WHEREAS, Virginia "Jenny" Graham was born in Long Beach, California, daughter of Carol Estes and James Collins; and

WHEREAS, She grew up in Auburn and Federal Way and graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School; and

WHEREAS, Representative Graham served in the United States Army Reserve and would later go on to serve on the Joint Committee on Veterans' and Military Affairs; and

WHEREAS, She has been a small business owner and a professionally licensed cosmetologist and esthetician for 40 years; and

WHEREAS, As if we did not already know that she was as tough as nails, Representative Graham is a registered martial artist and a former instructor and is a fearless and inquisitive scuba diver who aced a cageless shark dive in Fiji; and

WHEREAS, She and her husband, Curtis, have three children and four grandchildren and have called Spokane home for three decades; and

WHEREAS, Representative Graham has been active in her communities for years, volunteering at her children's schools and church, serving as a Cub Scout Den Mother, and working as a Spokane Parks and Recreation ski coach for the developmentally disabled; and

WHEREAS, Following the tragic loss of her sister, Debra Estes, to the Green River Killer, she became a fierce advocate for victims and their families. Her real-world experience and dedication to justice carved a path to public service; and

WHEREAS, Representative Graham was elected by the people of the 6th Legislative District in 2018; and

WHEREAS, Her tenure in the Washington state House of Representatives has been defined by her unwavering dedication to public safety and her work as the ranking member on the House Community Safety Committee, where she has been a leading voice for those ignored by the system; and

WHEREAS, Representative Graham has consistently fought to hold violent offenders accountable, support law enforcement, ensure neighborhoods are safe, and protect the most vulnerable in our state; and

WHEREAS, She has been a champion for families and fundamental freedoms; and

WHEREAS, Representative Graham has delivered substantial, tangible results for the communities of the 6th Legislative District – securing vital funding in the capital and transportation budgets for local priorities and bringing investments home for wildfire recovery efforts, safe routes to schools, and expansions at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery; and

WHEREAS, Through her eight years of public service, she has tried to bring a necessary balance to state government, demanding transparency and accountability in state spending; and

WHEREAS, Representative Graham has served with distinction, bringing a deeply personal commitment to her work in Olympia and leaving a lasting legacy of courageous, unapologetic advocacy for her constituents; and

WHEREAS, She will continue her journey in driving change for safe and clean neighborhoods in the next chapter of her life; and

WHEREAS, Representative Graham will now have more time to enjoy her children, grandchildren, camping, scuba diving, and home improvement and recycling projects; and

WHEREAS, As she concludes her time in the Washington state House of Representatives, we extend our sincere appreciation for her dedicated service and commitment to her legislative responsibilities;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State House of Representatives recognize Representative Graham's record of public service on behalf of her district and the people of the state of Washington.