The 2022 legislative session is already a third of the way finished and week 4 brings an important deadline. Thursday is the final day policy committees can vote to move bills out of committee and into a fiscal committee or rules, the last stop on the way to a floor vote. Policy committees will spend much of this week in executive session, making the important decision whether or not to move a bill forward ahead of Thursday’s deadline.
HEALTH CARE WORKER AND PATIENT SAFETY
Monday, January 31
9:30 am
Washington’s health care workers have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic and it’s important to ensure that they are supported just as they’ve supported us through this crisis. Senate Bill 5751, sponsored by Sen. June Robinson, will improve worker safety and patient needs in health care facilities throughout Washington. Watch on TVW.
VAPOR PRODUCT SAFETY
Monday, January 31
1:30 pm
The Health and Long Term Care Committee will hear Sen. Patty Kuderer’s Senate Bill 5768, which allows the Dept. of Health to prohibit the sale of flavored vapor products and to regulate the nicotine content of these products. Here’s more information about the negative health impacts caused by vaping. Watch on TVW.
SDC-HDC JOINT MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Monday, January 31
2:45 pm
Leaders from the House and Senate Democratic Caucuses will answer questions from the media Monday. Watch on TVW.
TAX REFORM
Tuesday, February 1
4 pm
The bipartisan Tax Structure Work Group will report its findings on Washington’s tax structure following its work visiting communities throughout the state last year. You can learn more about this group and it’s work here. Watch on TVW.
MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT
Wednesday, February 2
8 am
The Health & Long Term Care Committee will hear public testimony on Senate Bill 5660, the Washington Psilocybin Wellness and Opportunity Act. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Jesse Salomon, would decriminalize and make the active ingredient in certain psychedelic mushrooms available for supervised use for people over the age of 21. Research has shown that there are healing properties in mushrooms for people seeking treatment for depression, PTSD, anxiety, addiction and other mental health conditions. You can read more about the bill in this Seattle Times article. Watch on TVW.
IMMIGRANT UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF
Wednesday, February 2
10:30 am
Immigrants living in Washington contribute so much to our state’s economy. Sen. Rebecca Saldaña is sponsor of Senate Bill 5438, a first-in-the-nation policy to provide unemployment relief to immigrants living in Washington who have lost their job, but are ineligible for benefits because of their immigration status. Watch on TVW.
HOUSING
Wednesday, February 2
10:30 am
Washington needs to build more housing. Sen. Mark Mullet is sponsoring Senate Bill 5964, which will have a hearing Wednesday in Housing & Local Government, to streamline the process for building housing in Washington. This policy will improve permitting timelines by offering a grant for permitting departments to hire outside consultants to speed up processing and build homes more quickly. Watch on TVW.
FLOOR ACTION
Wednesday, February 2
1:30 pm
The Senate will take to the floor on Wednesday afternoon. Watch on TVW.
