OLYMPIA – Yesterday Gov. Jay Inslee approved the creation of a committee to address
safety in the application of pesticides in Washington.
Senate Bill 5550, sponsored by Sen.
Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle), will establish a Pesticide Application Safety
Committee to examine how state agencies collect and track data related to the
application of pesticides, and evaluate how the development of a shared
database would improve the display of this data. The committee will also
explore policy recommendations for related issues such as improving the safety
of pesticide application and the communication of information to the
agricultural community.
The committee
established by this legislation will contain representatives from the Legislature,
state agencies that oversee pesticide application, and agricultural experts
from Washington State University and the University of Washington.
“This
legislation is the result of a lot of hard work done during the interim by a
bipartisan work group of stakeholders and legislators from both chambers,” said
Saldaña. “This committee will help us to use new technology and farming methods
to promote best practices and training to achieve as close to zero pesticide
drift as possible, protecting workers and surrounding communities from
exposure.”
The
committee’s initial report to the Legislature will be submitted in January
2020, and it will subsequently submit yearly reports.
OLYMPIA
– Yesterday
Gov. Jay Inslee signed legislation establishing a work group that will develop
recommendations for a program to aid international medical graduates in
overcoming barriers to professional careers in Washington state.
The
work group established by Senate Bill 5846 will recommend
strategies to reduce barriers for graduates of medical programs at institutions
outside the U.S. and Canada but then struggle to gain access to residency programs
necessary for licensing in Washington.
“As
we address health disparities, physician shortages, and a lack of access to
culturally competent medical care, we need to eliminate the barriers for these
providers,” said the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle). “This
workforce is an untapped resource that could provide more accessible, quality
care to our vulnerable communities.”
The
work group will bring together representatives from state medical schools as
well as hospitals, international medical graduate organizations, migrant health
centers, the state Department of Health, and others.
“This
impacts the real lives of some of our community members who have dreamed of an
equal opportunity to practice medicine in the professions they spent decades
pursuing,” said Ahmed Ali, executive director of the Somali Health Board. “This
bill gives them a window of hope to further their practice in medicine, and the
implementation of a program for international medical graduates would
significantly help in addressing health disparities in low income, underserved
communities throughout the state.”
The work group must report its recommendations to the governor and the Legislature by Dec. 1, 2019.
OLYMPIA – A law approved by Gov. Jay Inslee today establishes a child welfare
housing assistance program to shorten the time that children remain in out-of-home
care.
Senate Bill 5718, sponsored by
Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle), creates a Department of Children, Youth and
Families (DCYF) pilot program to provide housing assistance to parents whose
lack of appropriate housing is the primary barrier to reunification with a
child who has been removed from their care.
“We heard of situations where children
were staying in foster care for months because their parents lacked appropriate
housing,” said Laurie Lippold, Public Policy Director at Partners for Our
Children. “This adds to the trauma
children have already experienced and places an unnecessary financial burden on
the state. We need to do everything we
can to safely reunify children with their parents and minimize the negative
impact being separated can have.”
“We know that, whenever possible,
keeping families together is best for kids,” said Saldaña. “But when they have
to be separated, safely reuniting kids with their families becomes the top priority.
Doing this sooner cuts down on the adverse impacts of separation on children’s health.”
It is not uncommon, however, for parents
to lose their housing assistance when their children are removed. That can lead
to unstable housing situations and in some cases, homelessness. In far too many
cases, parents who have addressed the issues necessary to have their children
returned home are then unable to find appropriate, affordable housing. The
result is lengthier stays for children in out-of-home care.
DCYF will consult
with a stakeholder group made up of parent allies, parent attorneys and social
workers, housing organizations, behavioral health providers and others to
determine the pilot program’s details, such as eligibility requirements and
equitable distribution.
OLYMPIA – Gov. Jay Inslee
signed into law today a bill applying stricter penalties to public works
contractors who violate prevailing wage laws.
Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle)
sponsored Senate Bill 5035 at the request
of the state attorney general to combat wage theft and delay by contractors on
public works contracts, all of whom are required by state law to pay workers
prevailing wages. To ensure that workers receive fair wages, the Department of
Labor and Industries establishes prevailing wages for each county based on the
hourly wage, usual benefits, and overtime paid in that county’s largest city to
the majority of workers.
This legislation increases penalties for
failing to pay prevailing wages, plus interest. Notably, this is the first
increase for these penalties since 1985, according to the attorney general’s
office.
The new law also extends the time period
for filing prevailing wage complaints, and closes a loophole that previously
allowed employers to avoid penalties by returning wages prior to any action by
the state.
“Wage theft and delay of pay cause real
harm to workers and their families, who are often struggling to make ends
meet,” said Saldaña. “This bill will protect workers, ensure a level playing
field for businesses that play by the rules and pay quality wages to workers on
time, and hold accountable the bad actors who fail to do so.”
Saldaña partnered with House companion
bill sponsor Rep. Mike Sells (D-Everett), Attorney General Bob Ferguson, and
industry stakeholders to move this legislation forward.
“This bill is about holding those
responsible for wage theft accountable,” said Sells. “We give too
many violators an escape route. This beefs up the enforcement, so people can
expect to get the pay for which they worked.”
“This bill ensures that employers who
cheat their workers out of hard-earned pay will face consequences, the same as
you or I would face if we stole something,” said Ferguson.
OLYMPIA — In an April 22 letter to the Office for Coastal Management at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 21 Washington Democrats voiced concerns over proposed procedural changes to the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) federal consistency review process.
The state senators expressed concern that the proposed changes would reduce the voice of coastal communities in decisions on offshore leasing, resource exploration and development, and weaken the state’s ability to exercise its right to object to offshore activity. They urge NOAA to halt efforts to implement the proposed procedural change, saying it would undermine Washington’s legal authority under the CZMA to protect the coastal management and well-being of Washington communities.
In the Senate we are making significant progress in advancing progressive legislation to improve the quality of life in Washington. Today I’m happy to talk about some bills that I sponsored this year that have passed both chambers and continue to advance through the legislative process as the session comes to a close.
Prioritizing
Worker Protections
I introduced SB 5035 to combat wage theft or delay by contractors fulfilling public works contracts, all of whom are required to pay workers prevailing wages. This legislation will increase penalties for failing to pay prevailing wages, and extend the time period for filing complaints. It will also close a loophole that previously allowed an employer to avoid penalties by returning wages before the state could take action. This will protect workers, support the businesses who pay quality wages to workers on time, and hold accountable the bad actors who fail to do so.
Two House bills whose companion bills I introduced in the Senate are also making progress in the name of protecting workers. HB 1568 expands opportunities for port district worker development and occupational programs. HB 1756 protects adult entertainers by requiring education about worker rights and safety, reporting and record-keeping of harassment and abuse, and the installation of panic buttons in key areas of clubs to prevent assaults on workers.
Finding
Solutions to Provide Accessible and Affordable Housing
Access to affordable housing is an ongoing challenge for us here in Washington. For families who have had a child removed from their homes, this challenge can result in children staying in foster care for months longer than necessary, and often the primary barrier to family reunification is the lack of appropriate housing. SB 5718 creates a pilot program to provide housing assistance to parents in this situation to reduce the adverse impacts of separation on kids’ health.
Another House bill whose Senate companion I sponsored, HB 1377, would empower faith communities to increase the supply of affordable housing by adjusting zoning to allow increased density on property owned by religious organizations.
Safeguarding
Health and Wellness
To address health disparities, the shortage of physicians, and the lack of access to culturally competent medical care, I sponsored SB 5846. This legislation establishes a work group to develop strategies to reduce professional barriers for qualified medical providers from other countries living in Washington, many of whom are unable to access the residency programs necessary to meet licensing requirements.
With the goal of protecting community and worker health and safety, SB 5550 will establish a Pesticide Application Safety Committee to improve the collection and tracking of pesticide application information among state agencies, and to make policy recommendations for improving safety and communication to the agricultural community about pesticide application.
SB 5558 fixes an unintended consequence of legislation passed last year, and restores the authority of the state Department of Social and Health Services and the state Health Care Authority to contract interpreter services for individuals with sensory impairments.
Celebrating
and Protecting Diversity in Our Government
This session, I sponsored SB 5266 to help implement the Washington Voting Rights Act by requiring timely elections for governing body positions after districting plans are modified.
I also sponsored the Senate companion legislation to HB 1906, which designates April 10 as Dolores Huerta Day. This bill recognizes the work of the civil rights activist and labor leader who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association in 1962 and was instrumental in California’s adoption of a law granting collective bargaining rights to farm workers. We were blessed to have Ms. Huerta join us at the Capitol on the day the Senate passed this bill, which was signed into law by Gov. Inslee on March 21.
Moving Forward
We have now entered the concurrence phase of session, where bills that were amended and passed by the opposite chamber return to their chamber of origin for a concurrence vote before they can be sent to the Governor’s Office to be signed into law.
Remember, we rely on your continued support to move these bills to the finish line!
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Please let us know what matters to you. Your participation makes a difference and helps improve our communities! Stay in touch by calling or emailing my office.
OLYMPIA – Sen. Rebecca
Saldaña (D-Seattle) issued this statement today regarding the passage of House
Bill 1155:
“I do not support eight-hour work days
for nurses. I support the flexible work schedule choices nurses make through
collective bargaining to suit what works best for them and their families as
well as for their patients’ needs.
“I believe all frontline workers doing
patient care deserve regular and consistent breaks. This is essential to
patient safety and a matter of respect for a workforce that has historically
been and continues to be predominantly women.
“What was before us on the Senate floor
gutted the original bill. My vote on the amendment regarding eight-hour work
days was procedural, and does not reflect my desire for the final outcome of
the bill.
“I will not support the bill in its
current form, but will push for a conference with the House of Representatives
to resolve these issues.”
OLYMPIA
– Yesterday
the House passed legislation on an overwhelming 92-5 vote to shorten the time
that children remain in out-of-home care by establishing a child welfare
housing assistance program.
Senate
Bill 5718,
sponsored by Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle), creates a Department of
Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) pilot program to provide housing
assistance to parents whose lack of appropriate housing is the primary barrier
to reunification with a child who has been removed from their care.
“We
know that when possible, keeping families together is best for kids,” said
Saldaña. “But when they have to be
separated, reuniting kids with their families sooner reduces the adverse
impacts of separation on kids’ health.”
“We
heard of situations where children were staying in foster care for months
because their parents lacked appropriate housing,” said Laurie Lippold, Public
Policy Director at Partners for Our Children.
“This adds to the trauma children have already experienced and places an
unnecessary financial burden on the state.
We need to do everything we can to safely reunify children with their
parents and minimize the negative impact being separated can have.”
Keeping
families together is the first priority; however, when this isn’t possible,
safely reunifying parents and children who have been placed in out of home care
becomes the number one goal.
It
is not uncommon, however, for parents to lose their housing assistance when
their children are removed. That can
lead to unstable housing situations and in some cases, homelessness. Parents generally have a number of issues to
address in order to have their children returned home, and in far too many
cases the inability to find appropriate, affordable housing leads to lengthier
stays for children in out-of-home care.
Under this legislation,
DCYF would consult with a stakeholder group made up of parent allies, parent
attorneys and social workers, housing organizations, behavioral health
providers, and others, to determine the program’s details, such as eligibility
requirements and equitable distribution.
Having been amended by the House, the
bill now returns to the Senate for a concurrence vote.
Here in the Senate we are working hard to move forward progressive legislation that prioritizes improvements to quality of life for all who live in Washington. Addressing the lack of accessible and affordable housing is a major focus of the Legislature this session. I’d love to tell you about several key pieces of legislation to ease this crisis that are now under consideration as we move into this phase of session.
Increasing the supply of affordable housing
In all parts of our state, we need a lot more affordable housing to address the housing stability crisis. We can build it by investing more in programs we already know work well, as well as new innovative approaches to increasing the supply.
HB 1406 encourages investment in affordable and supportive housing by authorizing sales tax bonding to fund programs to address these needs. These bonds would come at no cost to homeowners, renters, property owners or developers—an all-around win.
SB 5812 would enable property owners to increase the housing supply by requiring local authorities to permit accessory dwelling units—such as backyard cottages and in-law units—in urban growth areas.
SB 5334 encourages the development of condominiums by addressing current barriers to their expanded use as a supply of accessible homeownership opportunities.
HB 1219 would authorize local governments to use existing Real Estate Excise Tax revenue for homelessness services and to build affordable housing.
HB 1377, the companion to a bill I introduced this session, would empower faith communities to contribute to housing stability by adjusting zoning to allow increased density on property owned by religious organizations
Protecting tenants’ rights and dignity
Problems like inflexible eviction policies and unexpected rent increases are a major source of housing instability. While we address the current homelessness crisis, we must also work to prevent these crises in the future through long-term prevention strategies.
SB 5600 and HB 1453 would both add numerous protections to residential tenants. They would increase the time tenants are given to comply with a notice to pay rent or vacate to 14 days (up from three days), helping tenants whose finances are temporarily exhausted by a sudden expense like a major car repair or serious illness.
They would also allow courts to use discretion in unlawful detainer cases, and allow some landlords to recover unpaid judgments through the Landlord Mitigation Program Account.
Another key bill, HB 1440, would require landlords to provide at least 60 days prior written notice of a rent increase in rental agreements that are not subsidized tenancies. This doubles the notice period currently required, and would help tenants prepare for increases and assess their options for addressing them.
Remember! We rely on your continued support to move these and other essential progressive bills forward through the legislative process.
Please let us know what matters to you. Your participation makes a difference and helps improve our communities! Stay in touch by calling or emailing my office.
My colleagues and I in the Senate continue to advance progressive legislation to improve the quality of life in Washington. Don’t miss our district’s town hall this weekend, where your House representatives and I will chat with you about the issues that matter most.
I’m especially excited this week to share our recent progress with
health and wellness legislation.
Access to health care is a right, and last week the Senate
passed numerous bills that get us closer to affordable, quality healthcare for
all. SB
5822 would initiate the process of finding the best way to provide
universal health care in Washington. In the meantime, SB
5526 would increase the availability of quality, affordable health
coverage in the individual market by developing standardized health plans and
premium subsidies for individuals who purchase insurance on the Washington
Health Benefit Exchange.
We are also working hard to get critical health care to some of the most marginalized communities in our state. SB 5602 would expand access to family planning programs regardless of immigration status, and would protect transgender folks from discrimination in receiving reproductive health care services. In addition, SB 5274 would extend health care programs for Washington residents who are citizens of the Marshall Islands, Micronesia or Palau to include dental care services.
All of these bills passed the Senate last week, and now we need
your help to make sure they get through the House as well. Make your voice
heard by contacting legislators about the issues that are important to you.
Thank you for contacting us
on what matters to you. Your participation is making a difference and helping
to improve our communities! Follow my official Facebook page for updates and
remember to stay in touch by calling or emailing my office.
