Frank Chopp

By the 2017 legislative session, a faltering Chopp again faced the prospect of losing a state budget battle to Senate Republicans, as he had every session since 2003 in which Republicans were in control. On the eve of the June 30 vote to avert a state shutdown Chopp refused to make his budget compromise public.

In 2015, he led efforts to invest over $1.3 billion in basic K-3 education as part of the first phase of addressing the McCleary decision.

As Speaker, Chopp supported legislation for the 2015 Connecting Washington funding package.

Chopp was one of the founding members of the successful minimum wage increase initiative in SeaTac in 2013. He also led a coalition to increase Washington State's minimum wage to the highest level in the nation, which was the first time annual increases were tied to the cost of living. Chopp has also passed legislation requiring paid sick leave, expanding collective bargaining rights, and banning wage theft.

In 2012, Chopp supported the Marriage Equality Act, as well as helping Washington state to be the first state to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. Chopp also supported gay rights legislation in the Washington State House in 2005 that ultimately failed in the Republican controlled State Senate by one vote.

In 2009 Chopp killed a Worker Privacy Bill that Democrats had promised to support during their 2008 campaigns. After a labor lobbyist warned some friends that organized labor might withhold support from Democrats, Chopp tried to have the lobbyist arrested by the Washington State Patrol; however, the Patrol exonerated the lobbyist.

Many fans of the former Seattle SuperSonics National Basketball Association franchise felt Chopp was a roadblock to keeping the team. Seattle Post-Intelligencer columnist Art Thiel stated "Sonics fans have come to know Chopp, D-Death Star, as the No. 1 legislative opponent of public help to keep the team in Seattle." New owners bought out the Seattle lease and moved the team to Oklahoma City before the 2008–09 season, where the team now plays as the Thunder.

In 2008, the Democratic Senate passed a bill, 27–20, giving Washington consumers statutory warranty rights in purchasing new homes. The bill passed the House Judiciary Committee before being denied a House floor vote by Chopp. The same thing had happened in 2007. Chopp's action was condemned editorially by both the Seattle Times and the Post-Intelligencer (then a print newspaper). In awarding Chopp a "Schrammie," Ken Schramm of KOMO News stated: "For the second year in a row, the Great and Mighty Speaker has had his way in killing a bill that would've provided homeowners with protection against shoddy construction." The Post-Intelligencer asked,"Why is Democratic House Speaker Frank Chopp yet again killing a bill that would protect this state's homeowners from being on the hook for shoddy construction? It doesn't look good that Chopp has friends at the Building Industry Association of Washington, the bill's main opponent (BIAW executive VP Tom McCabe said he'd love to see Chopp run for governor)."

In the 2007 legislative session, Chopp helped create Apple Health For Kids, which now covers over 800,000 young people in Washington State. Chopp also implemented Medicaid Expansion in Washington State. He led efforts to help enact mental health parity, which Chopp cites as "the proudest moment of my service in the Legislature." Chopp also helped save and reform the Disability Lifeline program, which provides services for people with disabilities.

In 2006, Chopp killed a bill requiring large employers like Wal-Mart to reimburse the state if they heavily relied upon state programs for employee health care.

In 2005, Chopp created the Education Legacy Trust Fund, which supports "expanding access to higher education through funding for new enrollments and financial aid, and other educational improvement efforts." Chopp led efforts to expand the Opportunity Grant program and Opportunity Scholarship Fund to make college more affordable for students. In the 2015-17 budget, Chopp supported a tuition freeze, as well as lowering tuition costs. In 2014, Chopp helped enact the DREAM Act, which provided access to college for students from immigrant families.

In 2003 Chopp voted for an operating budget Democrats later condemned as the "Rossi budget" when its architect, Republican Senator Dino Rossi, ran for governor in 2004; most of Chopp's House Democrats voted against the budget.

Chopp was first elected to the House in 1994. He served as House Minority Leader from 1997–1998. In 1999–2001, Democrats and Republicans split the House and Chopp served as Co-Speaker in the 1999-2001 legislative sessions alongside Clyde Ballard. Chopp served as Speaker of the House from 2002–2019.

From 1992–1995, he held a part-time lecturer position at the University of Washington Graduate School of Public Affairs. Since 1972, Chopp has served on over twenty nonprofit boards.

After graduating from the University of Washington, Chopp began his career as a community organizer focused on social services and education. From 1976–1983, Chopp held various managing and directorial positions for the Cascade Community Center, the Pike Market Senior Center, and the North Community Service Center before becoming executive director of the Fremont Public Association, now known as Solid Ground, in 1983. As executive director of the FPA, Chopp promoted services such as an emergency food bank, a clothing bank, and an employment program. Chopp later served as the organization's president, and has served as senior advisor since 2006.

During Chopp's tenure at the Fremont Public Association, he co-initiated and oversaw the operation of Seattle Personal Transit, which provides transportation for low-income elderly and people with disabilities. Chopp also organized opposition to the original plan for the West Seattle Freeway in 1974, collecting over 20,000 signatures within a month to refer the issue to the voters.

Frank Chopp (born May 13, 1953) is a Democratic member of the Washington House of Representatives, representing the 43rd district since 1995. His district covers the neighborhoods of Fremont, Wallingford, the University District and Madison Park, all in Seattle. Chopp served as Speaker of the House from 2002 to 2019.

Frank Chopp was born on May 13, 1953 in Bremerton, Washington. His father was a coal miner who moved to the shipyards and found employment as a union electrical worker and his mother, Anne, worked in a school cafeteria. He attended East High School in Bremerton and graduated top of his class in 1971. While still in high school, Chopp led a protest against the Elks Club's refusal to allow black members. He later attended the University of Washington, graduating magna cum laude in 1975. As a student at the University of Washington, he organized efforts to preserve low-income housing in Seattle. To protest the demolition of low-incoming housing, Chopp lived in a geodesic dome situated in a parking lot in South Lake Union.