Tarra Simmons
WA state Rep. (D-Bremerton); ethics board fined her ~$52K in 2026 for steering a $1M state grant to a nonprofit that paid her $120K salary
Washington State Representative, LD-23 Position 1· Washington · in office since Jan 11, 2021 · in the record since Jul 2024
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● confirmed by a primary document · ○ reported
Roles
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Simmons worked for the Equity in Education Coalition at a $120,000 annual salary; the ethics board found the $1 million grant she helped secure kept the coalition funded.$120K
2 sources
- KUOW
The ethics board agreed, concluding Simmons "personally benefited" because the grant funds supported continued operations of the coalition "and its ability to fund her $120,000 annual salary."
- KUOW — 'They canceled me': Rep. Tarra Simmons fired by nonprofit she helped found
And she accepted a part-time job at another nonprofit, becoming director of strategy at the Equity in Education Coalition.
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Simmons founded the criminal-justice nonprofit Civil Survival in 2015 and was its founding director until it terminated her on July 15, 2024.
1 source
- KUOW — 'They canceled me': Rep. Tarra Simmons fired by nonprofit she helped found
Rep. Simmons (D-Bremerton), who is seeking a third term in the state House, started Civil Survival in 2015 to provide legal services and advocacy to address barriers for people coming out of prison. She was serving as "founding director" of the organization at the time she was fired. An attorney for Simmons confirmed to KUOW that Civil Survival terminated her employment on July 15.
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Simmons, the first formerly incarcerated person elected to the Washington Legislature, has served in the state House since 2021.
1 source
- KUOW
During three hours of hearing testimony , she insisted she's been hypervigilant about complying with the rules since arriving in the Legislature in 2021. She said she was warned that, as the first formerly incarcerated person elected to state office, political foes would look for ways to derail her career.
Figures
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The board's Aug. 28, 2026 final order added $37,457.98 in case costs, bringing Simmons' total to about $52,000, due within 90 days.$52K
1 source
- KUOW
Its final order, dated Aug. 28 and released Wednesday, tacked on $37,457.98 to cover costs of staff, including state attorneys, in the case. Simmons has 90 days to pay the full amount
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The board's final order, dated Aug. 28, added $37,457.98 in costs of staff, including state attorneys, to Rep. Tarra Simmons's penalty, for roughly $52,000 in penalties and fees.$37K
1 source
- KUOW
tacked on $37,457.98 to cover costs of staff, including state attorneys, in the case
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The Legislative Ethics Board fined Simmons $15,000, the $5,000 maximum on each of three conflict-of-interest and special-privilege violations.$15K
1 source
- KUOW
Tarra Simmons was fined $15,000 on Friday by a state ethics panel for improperly using her position to steer public funds to a nonprofit where she worked, and trying to retaliate against the person who initiated the investigation against her. The Legislative Ethics Board concluded the Bremerton Democrat committed three violations of conflict of interest and special privilege laws, and levied the maximum $5,000 penalty for each.
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The Washington State Legislative Ethics Board fined Rep. Tarra Simmons $15,000 for improperly using her position to steer public funds to a nonprofit where she worked and for trying to retaliate against the person who initiated the investigation.$15K
1 source
- KUOW
fined $15,000 by a state ethics panel for improperly using her position to steer public funds to a nonprofit where she worked
On the ballot
State Representative, LD 23, Pos. 1Nov 3, 2026
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