Dear neighbors,  

The Senate passed my first bill of the session last week. SB 5093 would repeal the outdated crime of “concealing a birth,” protecting Washingtonians who lose a pregnancy from criminal charges. In the year after the Dobbs decision, there were more than 200 cases in other states where a pregnant person faced criminal charges for conduct associated with pregnancy, pregnancy loss or birth — the most recorded in decades. SB 5093 will further protect people who lose a pregnancy from law enforcement involvement or prosecution here in Washington.  

My new committee assignment – Environment, Energy & Technology Committee 

I’m excited to be a new member of the Environment, Energy & Technology Committee. Washington leads the nation in technology innovation and our climate response and is the only state on track to meet the requirements under the Paris Agreement. In the last several years, we’ve passed transformative legislation, like the Climate Commitment Act, to build our state’s clean energy future, create jobs in green manufacturing and energy sectors, protect our environment, and improve the health and well-being of our residents — particularly in communities most affected by decades of pollution. 

The Legislature has supported Lake Washington Tech through capital budget investments in recent years to ensure our tech companies have the trained workforce they need to be successful. The vast majority of satellites currently in space have been built right here in our district. I’m proud to support LW Tech’s work to train the workforce of tomorrow for these jobs. Over the summer, I attended the ribbon cutting event for Project Kuiper’s new satellite manufacturing facility in Kirkland. The project is a low earth orbit satellite network that will provide fast, affordable broadband to underserved communities worldwide. The new facility will create more than 200 highly skilled aerospace and advanced manufacturing jobs in Puget Sound, and LW Tech has partnered to create a satellite technician certificate.  

Working to reduce drug-facilitated sexual assault 

Many of the ideas for legislation I’ve sponsored came from constituents — including some terrific high school students. This year, Lake Washington High School students brought me the idea for a bill aimed at reducing drug-facilitated sexual assault. The bill would require certain establishments that sell alcohol, including bars and night clubs to make testing kits available for patrons to determine if their drinks have been drugged. Check out this Drew Mikkelsen’s story on KING 5. The bill is scheduled for executive session this Friday in the Labor & Commerce Committee. 

Resources for our immigrant neighbors 

Actions at the federal level have created fear and uncertainty for our immigrant communities. In this Washington, we will always stand up for our immigrant neighbors. We have worked hard in recent years to safeguard the rights of every Washingtonian, passing laws like the Keep Washington Working Act, which limits local police involvement in federal immigration actions. We will continue strengthening protections for our immigrant communities, ensuring our state remains a place of safety, opportunity and dignity for everyone who calls it home.  

The Washington State Commission on Hispanic Affairs has compiled resources for our immigrant communities here. Please share with anyone who might benefit.  

How to get involved  

I always enjoy hearing directly from you about the issues you care about. Last week, I got to meet with members of the Washington Academy of Physician Associates (pictured above) on how we can best support them. Your time and effort help me do the best job I can representing our communities. Here’s how you can get involved:  

  • Learn how a bill becomes a law.  
  • Find legislation on the issues important to you.  
  • Watch broadcasts and archived videos of your democracy in action.  
  • Testify before legislative committees remotely or in person.  
  • Reach out via my contact information below. You can also call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000.  

As always, please feel free to reach out to my office directly with any questions or concerns.   

Sincerely yours,  

Manka Dhingra
Senator, 45th Legislative District
Deputy Majority Leader