Dear friends and neighbors,

It is week three of the legislative session and bills are moving through their respective policy committees and onto the floor. This newsletter includes an update on the Working Families Tax Credit, an important tax rebate bill we passed in 2021 that is now in its implementation phase as well as information on how you can influence legislation that is being created in real time.

Update: Working Families Tax Credit

The Working Families Tax Credit launched in early 2023. In its first year, the WFTC has provided over $116 million in refunds to 163,000 Washington households, with an average refund of $714 per household. I am glad to say that 249,000 kids have been positively impacted by this program.

Applications for the 2024 cycle open on February 1st and are available through the end of the calendar year. For Frequently Asked Questions, click here. To check if you are eligible for the rebate of up to $1,255, click here.

This tax rebate program, which is funded in part with proceeds from the Climate Commitment Act, is helping the people who need it most.

How to Testify on a Bill

A few weeks ago this newsletter highlighted all the ways you can get involved this session, and one of the most direct is testifying on a bill. Every bill considered on the floor first receives a public hearing which allows members of the public to share your thoughts directly with the committee. At this hearing constituents can testify in three ways: presenting verbal testimony in person or remotely, submitting written testimony, or signing in for or against a bill. Here’s how:

  1. Find Out When the bill is scheduled for a public hearing: You can find out when the bill you are interested in will receive a public hearing by visiting the legislature’s Committee Schedules, Agendas, and Documents page or calling the Legislative Information Center at 1.800.562.6000. You can also directly input the bill number on this webpage for information about where the bill is in the bill process.
  2. Sign in to testify: Regardless of how you plan to weigh in, the next step is visiting the Senate Committee Sign In page or in-person kiosks on the capitol campus to sign in and sign up. Note that registration for in-person testimony, remote testimony, and signing in pro or con closes one hour before the committee, but you can submit written testimony up to 24 hours after the committee ends.
  3. Attend the hearing: Once you sign in you will receive a personalized Zoom link. If you are joining the hearing remotely you will use this link when the time comes, or if you are testifying in person you will visit the assigned hearing room.
  4. Testify: the chair of the committee will bring up each bill that is scheduled for that day one by one, and they will call up testifiers. Once you are called, you will typically be limited to between 60 and 90 seconds to speak. Visit the legislature’s  How to Testify in Committee page for more details about a typical hearing’s procedures.

Testimony is an important way for legislators to hear from the people of Washington, and with remote and written options you can weigh in all the way from Spokane.

Stay in Touch

I always welcome your feedback. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at Andy.Billig@leg.wa.gov.

Onward!

Andy