Halfway there

Dear Neighbors of the 26th,

We’re officially halfway through session!  It’s been a busy few weeks of full-time floor action as we approach house of origin cutoff. Here’s everything that has been going on:

• My bills are on the move! Four bills passed off the Senate floor, and three more ready for a floor vote! Bill highlights:
  • SB 5655 – Increasing flexibility in child care center sites, passed the Senate!
  • SB 5716 – Safety on our Washington State Ferries, ready for the Senate floor!
  • SB 5186 – Simple Majority for School bonds.

• Visitors – Mullenix Elementary.
• Working with our youth – Students involved in the legislative process.
• Answering constituent emails.
• Getting ready for town halls – March 22. Four locations and times.

Bills on the move

I’m so proud to have several bills on the move in my first session! The National Guard Resolution was adopted, and four of my bills have passed the Senate and are now in the House of Representatives. Three other bills are ready to be heard on the Senate floor soon.

Child care sites – increasing access to safe, affordable child care centers

SB 5655 passed the Senate last week. In rural areas in our district, such as the Key Peninsula, there are very few child care options. One commonsense solution is to use existing buildings as child care sites. Currently however, there are cost prohibitive challenges with occupancy regulations. This bill ensures child care centers are regulated based on the specific space they occupy within the building, rather than the total building occupancy. This change will create more flexibility for child care centers while maintaining safety and expanding options for families.

Ferry safety – making our Washington State Ferries safer

SB 5716 passed the floor today! This bill adds Washington State Ferries as a place where unlawful transit behavior can be enforced, helping keep all public transit employees safe as they serve the public.

School Bonds – promoting local choice

For the past 12 years, I have worked to secure local funding to build the schools our growing communities need. Like many districts across our state, reaching the 60% threshold to pass a bond is an uphill battle — leaving too many communities unable to fund critical school construction and improvements.

I introduced SB 5186 to lower the school bond threshold to 55%, allowing more districts to secure funding to build schools that offer the resources and safety needed today. The WEA, BIAW, and Washington Relators have come together in partnership and proposed reducing the threshold to a simple majority (50% +1) to align Washington with most other states AND eliminate builder and developer impact fees for schools, reducing construction costs and encouraging more affordable housing. I introduced these amendments and am incredibly excited SB 5186 passed out of committee! We are now awaiting a vote on the Senate floor.

Bipartisan support is essential to lower the threshold to a simple majority, making stakeholder partnership critical. SB 5186 will only take effect if SJR 8200 — an amendment to the state constitution — also passes. SJR 8200 requires a supermajority in the Legislature before heading to the November 2025 ballot, where voters will have the final say with a simple majority vote.

The Seattle Times Editorial Board commented on this bill and its counterpart SJR 8200.

Protecting emergency medical care & reproductive rights

SB 5557 passed the Senate last week and is now in the House. This bill codifies existing emergency rules to ensure pregnant individuals can access treatment for emergency medical conditions in hospital emergency departments. It does not change or expand current laws but reinforces these rights to ensure they remain protected, regardless of potential federal-level changes. This guarantees every patient receives the critical care they need during a medical emergency.

Representative Adison Richards and Senator Deborah Krishnadasan with students from Mullenix Ridge Elementary in the 26th LD – Feb. 28, 2025

Visitors

One of the highlights of being a senator is welcoming school groups to the Capitol. It’s always a joy to recognize them from the Senate floor, and when time allows, hear their stories and answer questions. Last week, I had the pleasure of hosting students from Mullenix Elementary. To give them a taste of the legislative process, I had them vote on a fun debate from the State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections Committee — should the official state clam be the razor clam or the geoduck? The students cast their votes, and the razor clam won!

Working with our Youth

I’ve been working with Sen. Fortunato and Colton Hong, a student with Washington Legislative Youth Advocacy Council (LYAC), on SB 5637, which adds civics and media literacy content to high school civics courses. Colton’s work  coordinating with legislators, stakeholders and testifiers has been impressive.

Your student can get involved! LYAC is a nonpartisan advocacy body to the Legislature and made up of 24 students from across the state. The organization is accepting applications for their 2025-2027 cohort. Applicants must be in grades 7-10, live and attend school in Washington, and have parent or guardian permission. The application deadline is April 30, 2025.

Constituent contact

Thank you to everyone who has reached out to the office. Your voice is a crucial part of the democratic process and helps me better represent you. My staff and I work hard to respond to all our constituents. We have received and responded to 7,877 emails since session started.  I look forward to that number growing! I’ve heard the most about education, transportation, election, and environmental issues.

Town halls

I have four town halls coming up! I’m so excited to connect with you in person and discuss what I’m doing in Olympia. These are a great opportunity to ask questions and meet your neighbors.

Gig Harbor:

• Saturday, March 22
• 10-11 a.m.
• Swift Water Elementary School
• 10811 Harbor Hill Dr., Gig Harbor, WA 98332

Key Center:

• Saturday, March 22
• 12:30-1:30 p.m.
• Key Peninsula Middle School
• 5510 Key Peninsula Hwy. NW, Home, WA 98349

South Kitsap:

• Saturday, March 22
• 3-4 p.m.
• South Kitsap High School
• 425 Mitchell Ave., Port Orchard, WA 98366

Bremerton:

• Saturday, March 22
• 5-6 p.m.
• Norm Dicks Building, Bremerton City Hall
• 345 6th St., Bremerton, WA 98337

Contact

I always appreciate your input! As we move through session, please reach out to my office with any feedback. We’re here to serve you and all our neighbors in the 26th Legislative District.

Phone: 360.786.7650

Email: Deborah.Krishnadasan@leg.wa.gov

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Working for the 26th district is such an honor, and I’m so excited to keep going. Thanks for reading!

All the best,

Deb