Dear friends and neighbors,

This was the first week of the legislative session, with eight more to go. The week began with all the usual start-of-session steps, like hearing the state of the state address from Gov. Bob Ferguson. You can read about it here. Despite these challenging times, it felt good to get back to work for the people of Washington.

Seeing my friend Rep. Monica Stonier at the state of the state address

I appreciated hearing the Governor reiterate his commitment to progressive tax reform so we can fix our upside-down tax code, fund our schools, and ensure that the wealthiest pay their fair share. Now it’s our job in the Legislature to get it done! We’re hearing bills and getting to work quickly on some of the major issues before us.

Out-of-control immigration enforcement

I think many of us are shocked by the aggressive tactics by federal immigration enforcement we see in our communities and on the news in cities like Minneapolis. The killing of Renee Good is horrifying and far from the only instance of violence perpetrated by federal agents. As state legislators, our ability to control federal immigration enforcement is limited, but I know this is something our district is passionate about. That’s why we’re advancing new legislation to better protect our community.

  • SB 5852 requires employers to notify workers about federal I-9 form audits, protects against retaliation, limits federal access to employment records, and establishes enforcement mechanisms and penalties to ensure that workers’ rights are respected.
  • SB 5906 prohibits immigration enforcement from entering schools, daycare centers, hospitals, and other sensitive locations without a court order, so that people can access essential services without fear.
  • SB 5855 prohibits law enforcement from wearing masks when interacting with the public, protecting communities from aggressive and warrantless raids, and promoting transparency, accountability, and trust in law enforcement.
  • SB 6002 establishes reasonable regulations on automatic license plate reader cameras – such as the Flock cameras that were until recently used here in Olympia – to prevent their use by immigration enforcement and provide true community safety for all Washingtonians.

I am a co-sponsor of all four of these bills. Legislative action alone cannot solve the problem of federal abuses of power and violations of our civil and human rights. It also requires our community to organize, support each other and our neighbors and bear witness to the actions of federal agents. But I hope you know that your state legislators are pushing everything in our power to help bring transparency, accountability, and protection from intimidation and abuse.

Supporting senior housing

Supporting our seniors is another issue I’m putting a special emphasis on this year. Last week’s newsletter included a mention about a bill I’ve introduced to give more protections for seniors in independent living facilities – you can read more about that bill here. Besides that bill, SB 6153, we have several other proposals in both the House and Senate I’m tracking and supporting that will help our more elderly neighbors.

  • HB 1542 is a ‘bill of rights’ for seniors in independent housing, ensuring they can be free from coercion and discrimination, install their own safety and security devices, organize meetings, and communicate with and receive timely responses from their housing provider. These are important rights that independent living residents need.
  • HB 2265 will provide additional protections and rights for tenants dealing with extreme heat waves. Many of our older neighbors are more vulnerable to the high summer heat that’s only getting more frequent with climate change, and this bill would help make sure they can use devices like portable air conditioning.
  • HB 1204 is a bill sponsored by one of my Republican colleagues that has bipartisan support – it would ensure that manufactured and mobile home residents can’t be prevented from having a roommate who can help share the cost of their rent, help with everyday chores, or just provide companionship.
  • SB 6069 would help us build permanent supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. This might not seem like a “seniors” bill, but the most rapidly expanding demographic of people without homes is people over the age of 50. Fixed incomes and rising housing costs are a very difficult combination, and we don’t want to see our seniors out on the street.

We all deserve to age with grace and dignity – that means making sure seniors can get the housing they need.

Online town hall

I also want to remind you about the virtual town hall that I’m holding on Monday, Jan. 19, with Reps. Beth Doglio and Lisa Parshley. It will be streamed online on YouTube and social media, and you can watch live or the recording later at those links. If you have questions for us, please submit them ahead of time here.

Thank you so much for staying engaged and reading!

In service,

-Jess