Dear friends and neighbors,
One of the great parts of being a legislator is getting to visit places in our district where people are doing the on-the-ground work of serving our community. Recently I joined other lawmakers from around the state to tour Thurston County. We visited several sites in and around the 22nd District — culverts at Green Cove Creek and Churchill Road to see our work to improve fish passages so salmon can reach their spawning grounds; the Tenino Agriculture Innovation Park and the Rutledge Family Farm to learn about how our local farmers are doing and how the state can help; and some of our local state parks, which are so important for local recreation and having places for families and children to have fun and play outside. It was great to show off our area to legislators from other parts of the state, who often only come to Olympia to do legislative work at the Capitol during session and don’t get to see the richness and diversity of what happens here in Thurston County.
I also toured the construction at the city of Lacey’s new Regional Public Safety Training Center, which received $50,000 from the 2024 capital budget. We all want to be safe in our communities, and part of that is effective, well-trained law enforcement. Better training also helps ensure they’re policing in the best possible manner, with de-escalation techniques to reduce violent confrontations and working with behavioral health professionals when they encounter someone having a personal crisis. I’m glad to see this investment coming together in our community.
The Governors Public Health Alliance
I know many of you are concerned about the future of health care under the Trump administration — I am too. Whether it’s affordability of insurance, life-saving vaccines, abortion access, scientific research, or any number of other issues, there’s a lot to be nervous about. That’s why I was encouraged by this week’s announcement of the Governors Public Health Alliance — a new nonpartisan initiative bringing together governors across state lines to strengthen coordination, preparedness and response on public health issues. By partnering with Massachusetts, Hawaii, New York, Oregon, Connecticut, Guam, Rhode Island, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, California, Colorado, Illinois, and North Carolina, Washington will be able to exchange best practices, align policies and coordinate on issues like vaccine access, emergency response, and health security.
Diseases don’t stop at state or national borders — and preparedness shouldn’t either. Joining forces will enable us to act faster and communicate better to ensure our communities stay healthy. It will also help us keep science front and center when reviewing and approving vaccines, considering public health issues, and developing policy.
Thanks so much for reading. As always, I welcome your thoughts, questions, and input any time at Jessica.Bateman@leg.wa.gov.
In service,
– Jess
