Dear neighbors,

I stand together with the vast majority of Americans in excoriating the hateful violence and intimidation we saw this week in our nation’s capital and in our state capital. I am appalled that many prominent Republicans, including the President, fed the flames of extremism and inspired an insurrection. All elected officials—all Americans—must unite to renounce political violence.

A New Beginning

In this Washington, we will begin a new legislative session on Monday, focusing on the most important issues facing the families and small businesses hurt by this pandemic. At the top of the agenda are getting the pandemic under control, supporting families and small businesses who are hurting, jump-starting our economic recovery, and bringing greater accountability to our law enforcement officers.

This session is unlike any we have previously held. Due to the pandemic, we will be holding most hearings and meetings remotely. Legislators and staff have been working for months to ensure that the session is still as transparent and accessible as possible. Here are some ways you can get involved:

  • Learn—How a bill becomes a law, from start to finish, is explained here.
  • Find—You can look up legislation on the issues important to you here.
  • Watch—Visit TVW.org for broadcasts and archived videos of your democracy in action.
  • Testify—Register to testify remotely before legislative committees here.
  • Reach out—You can find and contact your legislators here.

Vaccine Distribution

The state Department of Health is working to distribute COVID-19 vaccines. We are currently in Phase 1A of their plan—vaccinating frontline health care workers, first responders, and residents and staff of nursing homes. After Phase 1A, vaccines will be made available to Washingtonians by age and level of vulnerability. You can see more detail about the plan in the graphic above and on the Department of Health website here. You can also use their online tool to check your vaccine eligibility by answering a few questions here: findyourphasewa.com.

Stay safe and take care.

Sincerely yours,

Sen. Manka Dhingra
45th Legislative District
Deputy Majority Leader