Happy New Year! The calendar turning to a new year also means a new Legislative session is upon us. The 2023 session begins on Monday, January 9th. My priorities going into session, as always, are to help build opportunity and prosperity for the people of Spokane and throughout our great state. Based on the needs in our community, my specific areas ...
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I recently toured Frontier Behavior Health's 988 crisis hotline call center. I was pleased to have the two lead sponsors of the program, Sen. Manka Dhingra and Rep. Tina Orwall, join me along with 911 dispatchers, call center administrators, and other local legislators. In 2021, the Washington State Legislature passed HB 1477 to implement the national 988 crisis hotline, which ...
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A public meeting to explore how Washington can navigate the intersection of substance use disorder and the criminal justice system in light of the 2021 Blake decision is scheduled for 5 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Central Library in Spokane. Hosted by State Sen. Andy Billig of Spokane, the event will feature a panel of community leaders, including Superior Court ...
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As part of our effort to keep everyone updated on the details of the very productive 2022 legislative session, we recently sent a print newsletter to most of the registered voters in our district. The newsletter highlights significant investments made throughout Spokane as well as statewide efforts in many different policy areas including education, housing, health care, public safety, transportation, and ...
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Last week we wrapped up the 2022 legislative session, adjourning sine die on Thursday night. For the moment, gone are the days of Senate floor debates, cutoff dates, and committee hearings. This week, we begin the part of the year called the legislative interim. The interim is the time between legislative sessions when we engage more deeply with the community, work on ...
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A bill that offers a way to reconnect communities in Spokane split by Interstate 90 and the US 395 North Spokane Corridor was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday. Senate Bill 5853, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, allows the Washington State Department of Transportation to more efficiently lease surplus property for things such as parks, ...
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The Senate on Tuesday passed Senate Bill 5974 -- Move Ahead Washington, a historic and community-centered investment in transportation projects throughout Spokane, Eastern Washington and the state as a whole. “Today marks a historic day for our state and provides yet another example of how Washington leads the nation,” Sen. Andy Billig said. “This bill and the projects in it ...
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Join your Spokane legislators for a live virtual town hall on Wednesday, Feb. 2 at 6 pm. Sen. Andy Billig, Rep. Timm Ormsby, and Rep. Marcus Riccelli will share thoughts on their legislative priorities and answer your questions on the issues you care about. Submit questions ahead of time: Read More
OLYMPIA - Gov. Jay Inslee, together with Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig (D-Spokane) and House Speaker Laurie Jinkins (D-Tacoma), released the following statements this morning on delaying the Washington Cares Fund premium assessment: “I have been in ongoing discussions with legislators about the long-term care bill, which is set to begin collecting funds in January. This bill will help provide much-needed ...
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