Dear Friends and Neighbors – 

Last Wednesday was the house of origin cutoff. This key deadline marks when bills need to pass their original chamber in order to continue advancing in the Legislature. The bills that passed the Senate and House by the cutoff are now in the opposite chamber.  

I want to take a moment to share with you more details on my bills that passed the Senate and are now in the House. 

SB 5141: Eliminates unnecessary hurdles for insurers and streamlines the regulatory approval process by removing the single case filing requirement. It will also reduce administrative expenses for insurers and employers, helping control premiums and keeping benefits affordable. 

SB 5149: Expands the Early Childhood Courts (ECCs) program by broadening the service age. This expansion is designed to allow courts to reach a greater number of families and improve outcomes, particularly by increasing reunification rates, at no added cost. 

SB 5193: Allows school districts with online programs to provide all students within those programs the ability to complete statewide assessments remotely. Right now, students enrolled in online programs are required to travel to testing sites for state assessments. Ensuring equitable access to these online assessments will help students, their families and educators.   

SB 5253: Aligns state law with the federal requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by extending special education services for students with disabilities until the end of the school year in which they turn 22 years old. As a special education teacher, I know how critical specialized and inclusive learning environments are to the lives of students. This bill will help us ensure we are creating a smooth transition from school to post-school life for students with disabilities.   

SB 5331: Strengthens consumer protections for insurance customers by giving the state’s Office of Insurance Commissioner additional enforcement tools if an insurance company is violating the law. This bill centers the consumer and address key gaps in consumer protection. 

SB 5677: Increases assistance to Associate Development Organizations (ADOs) in rural and urban counties and permits the matched portion of the allocation to be provided through cash, in-kind, or a combination. ADOs drive economic development and innovation in our state at the local level, and they have a great return on investment. This bill will help ADOs expand the important work they do for our state. 

Thank you to everyone who has connected with our office this session! It’s essential I hear from you about the issues that matter most to you. Your input is critical, and that’s why I hope to see you at a special town hall with Sen. Annette Cleveland and me at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 22, at Washington State University Vancouver! Here are the details: 

18th and 49th Legislative District In-Person Town Hall
Saturday, March 22
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
WSU Vancouver
Dengerink Administration Building, Room 110 (VDEN 110)
14204 NE Salmon Creek Ave.
Vancouver, WA 98686

A campus map and parking directions can be found here: https://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/campus-map-directions 

If you’d like to share your question for Sen. Cleveland and me in advance, please fill out this brief survey. I hope to see you this Saturday! 

It’s an honor to represent you and a privilege to bring our southwest Washington values to Olympia. 

Sincerely, 

Sen. Adrian Cortes