OLYMPIA – Sen. Sam Hunt (D-Olympia) announced Tuesday he will retire after his term ends in January 2025. He has served as a state senator since 2017 and before that served as a state representative in the House from 2001-2016. During Hunt’s tenure as chair of the House State Government and Tribal Affairs Committee and as chair of the Senate State Government and Elections Committee, Washington passed landmark election legislation. Universal vote-by-mail, the Washington Voting Rights Act, the Native American Voting Rights Act, online and election day voter registration, paid return postage for mailed ...
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Our communities are begging for housing stability. It is time to listen. This is why both the Senate and House Members of Color caucuses have prioritized stabilizing rent increases (HB 2114/SB 5961) as our top housing policy for the 2024 legislative session. As chairs of our respective caucuses, we are the first to recognize we are not a monolith and don’t aim to become one. We represent diverse interests and districts. As elected leaders of color, we carry multiple truths born of our varied lived experiences. We hold the perspectives of the constituents we ...
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A bill to restrict the sale of high-capacity firearm magazines in Washington was approved by the state Senate on a 28-20 vote Wednesday. Senate Bill 5078, sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D – Everett), prohibits the manufacture, sale, import or transfer of large-capacity magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. The approved legislation does not ban the current possession of a high-capacity magazine.
“My community has seen firsthand the devastating impact that gun violence can have on families,” said Liias. “We need to act now to protect residents across the state from unnecessary harm, and limiting the capacity of mass shooters to inflict more damage on innocent lives is an important measure for our public ...Read More
Friends, neighbors – I have some news for you! 👉🏽 First up: I’m having the first of several Virtual Town Halls coming up on Saturday, January 29, at 11am!
- Join me on Facebook on Saturday at 11am – click here!
- Pre-submit your thoughts and questions – click here!
If you can’t make it, don’t stress. I’ll continue to have more virtual town halls so that we can keep connecting in real time over our neighbors’ shared questions, ideas, and feedback. The ...Read More
Sen. Yasmin Trudeau (D-Tacoma) announced that she will be sponsoring two policies during the 2022 legislative session that will protect and strengthen Washington state’s democratic systems. SB 5584 would allow local jurisdictions to use a system of ranked choice voting in local elections, which would help increase participation and representation. SB 5583 would end local jurisdictions’ use of “prison gerrymandering,” or the practice of counting incarcerated individuals as residents of the district in which they are imprisoned rather than at their last known residential address. These are the first bills Trudeau has filed since her tenure as state senator ...
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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]“Protecting the health and safety of people and communities in our state was a top priority of the legislature’s work this session, and the governor’s announcement today is an important step in stopping the spread of the virus and its variants. Vaccines are the best defense we have against COVID-19, and that’s why the Legislature put $1.2 billion into making sure people have access to vaccines, as well as contact tracing and testing efforts. State employees and health care providers serve the public. Being vaccinated with a safe, effective vaccine is a simple extension of that commitment. ...
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The budgets approved by the Legislature this year brought significant investments to the 30th Legislative District, which includes Federal Way, Algona, Pacific, Milton, Des Moines and Auburn. “I’m proud to have supported and advocated for investments that will make life in our district better, from improving programs that increase equity and support our youth, to fostering community development and addressing the unique transportation struggles we experience in our district,” said Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn). Highlights of the investments that affect the district communities in each budget are listed below. The operating budget pays for the day-to-day operations of state government ...
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Several provisions of the Fair Start for Kids Act, the system overhaul the Legislature passed this year in response to the state’s childcare crisis, take effect today. “In Washington, over half a million children do not have access to licensed childcare,” said Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn), who sponsored the act. “Even where there is childcare available, the cost is so high that it remains out of reach for most families. The Fair Start for Kids Act will help parents keep their jobs and the salaries they need to take care of their families by increasing access to affordable, ...
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