Liias grew up in South Everett,Washington and attended public schools in Mukilteo.[3] He is a graduate of Kamiak High School in Mukilteo,Washington. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgetown University in Washington,D.C.,where he studied government and international relations. During his time at Georgetown,he served as an intern in the office of U.S. congressman Jay Inslee. He later pursued graduate coursework at the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy and Governance,receiving a Master’s in public administration.
Career
Mukilteo City Council
At the age of 24,Liias was elected to Mukilteo City Council in November 2005,running unopposed. He had previously served on the Snohomish County Alcohol and Drug Advisory Board from 2003 to 2004,and as a member of the Snohomish County Board of Equalization from 2004 to 2006. As a city councilman,he also served as an alternate board member for Community Transit,and as a representative to the Puget Sound Regional Council.[4]
State House
When Rep. Brian Sullivan was elected to Snohomish County Council in November 2007,he resigned his seat in the Washington State Legislature. The Democratic precinct committee officers (PCOs) from the 21st district had the opportunity of selecting his successor,subject to the county council's ratification. With 21 votes,Liias was their first choice,defeating Lynnwood city councilman Mark Smith (16 votes) and Snohomish County Labor Council president Darrell Chapman (15 votes).[4] The council voted unanimously to confirm the choice of the PCOs and appointed Liias to the seat.[5]
After being elected to his first full term in 2008,Liias was selected as the vice chair of the House Transportation Committee,one of three budget-writing committees in the House of Representatives. He was also selected to serve on the influential Rules Committee,which plays a critical gatekeeping role in the legislative process. Liias served on three other committees:Education,Agriculture &Natural Resources,and Community &Economic Development &Trade. In January 2011,Liias was reappointed as Vice Chair of the House Transportation Committee,and he was appointed to the Education Committee and the Technology,Energy and Communications Committee.
State Senate
In January 2014,the district state senator,Paull Shin of the 21st Legislative District resigned following a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. The Democratic precinct committee officers (PCOs) of the district selected then-State Representative Marko Liias as their sole nominee to fill the vacancy.[6] The Snohomish County Council unanimously confirmed the appointment,and Liias was sworn into the Washington State Senate on January 22,2014.[7]
Since then,Liias has been elected to full terms in the Senate and is currently serving his third term following reelection in 2022. He serves as the chair of the Senate Transportation Committee and sits on the Agriculture,Water,Natural Resources &Parks Committee,Environment,Energy &Technology Committee,the Oral History Advisory Committee,and the Oregon-Washington Legislative Action Committee.[8]
Congressional candidate
On August 2,2011,Liias announced he would be a candidate in 2012 for the 1st district seat in the U.S. House held by Congressman Jay Inslee,who retired to mount a successful bid for governor.[9]
As a result of Washington's decennial redistricting process (and the addition of a tenth congressional district),Liias's home was moved out of the 1st congressional district. Liias responded by dropping his congressional campaign on December 29,2011,and announcing he would seek re-election to the legislature in 2012.[10]
On May 19, 2016, Liias announced he was running for state treasurer.[11] In the primary election held on August 2, 2016, the two Republican candidates placed first and second, with the three Democratic candidates placing third, fourth and fifth. Liias placed third, earning 20% of the vote.[12]
Liias was first elected to Position 2 in the Washington House of Representatives from the 21st Legislative District in November 2008. He faced no Democratic opposition in the primary and defeated Republican Andrew Funk, then an 18-year-old challenger, with nearly 64% of the vote.[14]
In 2010, Liias was reelected to the House after defeating RepublicanElizabeth Scott with 54% of the vote.[15] In 2012, he secured another term by winning 60% of the vote against Republican Kevin Morrison, a write-in candidate who advanced to the general election.[16] Liias served in the House until his appointment to the state Senate in January 2014.
After completing the remainder of Senator Shin’s term, Liias successfully ran for election to the Senate in 2014. He defeated Dan Matthews receiving 54.34% of the vote.[17] In his first reelection in 2018, he defeated Republican Mario Lionel Lotmore, receiving 63.16% of the vote.[18] In 2022, he won reelection with 63.25% of the vote, defeating Republican Janelle Cass.[19]
Legislative achievements
Throughout his legislative career, Liias has sponsored and supported a broad range of bills addressing transportation, education, digital safety, and equity.
Notable legislative achievements include:
Move Ahead Washington (2022): As Senate Transportation Chair, Liias helped design and pass a $17 billion, 16-year transportation investment package. The legislation prioritizes sustainability, carbon emission reduction, safety improvements, and public transit expansion.
Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy (SB 5449): Liias has championed digital safety and media literacy in K–12 education. He was instrumental in passing legislation that requires school districts to incorporate digital citizenship, including cyberbullying prevention and media literacy, into instruction.
Student Basic Needs (HB 1559 & related): He has supported legislation to expand access to free meals in public schools, eliminate school lunch debt, and address food insecurity among college students.
Youth Driver Safety (SB 5583): Liias sponsored legislation to improve young driver education and training standards, contributing to efforts to reduce traffic fatalities among teen drivers.
Climate and Clean Energy Initiatives: He has supported legislation aligned with Washington’s Clean Energy Transformation Act, including programs that reduce vehicle emissions and invest in clean transportation alternatives.
LGBTQ+ Rights and Equity: As one of the state's openly LGBTQ+ legislators, Liias has supported civil rights legislation, including protections for transgender individuals and efforts to ban conversion therapy for minors.
Liias is known for his collaborative approach to lawmaking, working with stakeholders across sectors to craft practical policy solutions.
Political positions
Transportation
Liias is a strong advocate for expanding and improving public transportation infrastructure across Washington State. As chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, he played a key role in developing and passing the Move Ahead Washington package—a 16-year, $17 billion transportation investment plan focused on sustainability, climate resilience, and equity. The package funds projects that reduce carbon emissions, improve pedestrian and cyclist safety, and expand access to transit, including safe routes to school and upgrades to sidewalks and intersections.
He has also championed legislation addressing driver safety, including young driver education, expanded use of speed cameras in highway work zones, and enhanced pedestrian safety initiatives.
Education
Liias has prioritized access to education from early childhood through higher education and career training. He has supported legislation to expand free school meals, make college more affordable, and invest in career and technical education. He is a proponent of apprenticeship and workforce training programs as alternative career pathways to four-year degrees.
Environment
Environmental policy has been a core focus of Liias’s legislative agenda. He has supported efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect Washington’s natural resources and wildlife, and prepare for climate-related emergencies. His votes and policy work align with Washington’s broader climate goals, including clean energy investment and carbon reduction.
Media literacy and digital citizenship
Liias has been a leader in promoting media literacy and digital citizenship in Washington schools. He has sponsored legislation and secured funding to support safe and informed use of technology among youth, aiming to prepare students for the digital age through education in online safety, critical thinking, and responsible digital behavior.
LGBTQ+ rights
Liias supports transgender rights and supports gender-affirming care for youth that identify as transgender.[20] He was the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 5599, which allowed "organizations providing services to unsheltered youth to delay notifying a parent or guardian" if the youth is pursuing gender-affirming health care.[21]
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