Safe Routes to School
Three of state government’s most important responsibilities are education, transportation and protecting the health and safety of the state’s residents. It is rare that we have a program that delivers on all three of these priorities, but that is exactly the case with the successful Safe Routes to School program.
Safe Routes to School encourages children to “actively commute” to school by providing grants to local governments to pay a portion of new infrastructure projects including safer sidewalks, bikeways, and intersection improvements.
To further support Safe Routes to School, I am prime-sponsoring SB5724, a bipartisan bill which will provide sustainable funding for this program and help reverse a nationwide trend of fewer students walking and biking to school. Last week, we had a productive hearing on SB 5724. I am optimistic that either the bill will pass or its provisions will be incorporated into the 2015 transportation budget.
Click HERE to check out Washington Bike’s blog on this issue!
Sen. Billig with Kate Johnson and Barb Chamberlin from Washington Bikes
Spokane Town Hall
Thank you to all who participated in our telephone town hall on Wednesday night!
I was joined by my seatmates, Representatives Ormsby and Riccelli, as we fielded questions and heard comments on some of the biggest issues facing the legislature this session: Education, the transportation revenue package, living wages, and job creation. Your questions were thoughtful, relevant, and challenging—Spokane knows how to hold its legislators accountable!
If you didn’t get a chance to ask your question, or if you missed the call, you can listen to the entire conversation HERE.
If you weren’t able to join us on the phone, don’t worry, because we will be hosting an in-person town hall event in Spokane next month. This town hall meeting will take place on Saturday, March 14th, so mark your calendars and stand by for details!
Thank you for participating in these citizen engagement events. I work for you, and I am able to do my job most effectively when I receive your input.
TVW Capitol Classroom 2016
TVW (Washington’s State’s version of C-Span) has a dynamic experiential education program that lets students participate directly in the state legislative process via TVW video connection.
In Capitol Classroom, students and teachers work with a lobbyist and legislators to choose legislation to support, oppose, or amend, and then participate in the legislative process as their bill makes its way through the Legislature.
Are you, or do you know, a teacher from Spokane who would be interested in having their class participate next session in a great learning experience such as this? If so, please let us know by e-mailing Kate Burke at kate.burke@leg.wa.gov and we will connect you with TVW for possible participation in Capitol Classroom next session.
Keeping In Touch
If you have a comment, idea, or question, please let me know. I would love to hear from you! You can reach me by e-mail atandy.billig@leg.wa.gov or by phone at 360-786-7604.
If you know someone who would like to receive their own copy of my weekly e-newsletter, tell them they can go to my website athttp://www.senatedemocrats.wa.gov/senators/billig/ and click on the link to “Sign up for my e-newsletter.”
Onward!
-Andy
