Featured Stories

Washingtonians 18 and under soon won’t have to pay to use public transit across most — if not all — of Washington state. In March, the Legislature approved $3 billion in additional money for transit that  will roll out over the next 16 years. But about half of the money comes with a specific condition attached: Transit agencies must let people 18 and under board buses and trains  free.

Last fall, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) announced a series of improvements to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, which is designed to give student debt relief to borrowers who work full time in public service. The program, which originated in 2018, was roundly criticized for rejecting nearly 99 percent of applicants under the Trump administration. But with the new changes, which were spurred by a lawsuit filed by the American Federation of Teachers, there is new optimism that more borrowers can benefit from PSLF. SB 5847, sponsored ...

Washington State Senator Joe Nguyen, who represents Vashon Island as part of the 34th District, visited 6th to 8th grade Civic students and their families at FamilyLink, answering student questions and providing an opportunity to demonstrate how representatives work with their constituents. “We’ve seen photos of him and read about some of his bills,” said sixth-grader Beaux Johns. “I was excited to see him in person. I think it is important for everyone to be able to meet their senator and ask them questions.” Click here to read more...

On Tuesday, the Washington State Legislature’s Democratic caucus unveiled a $16 billion proposal funding a suite of transportation projects intended to be completed over the next 16 years, through 2038. The proposal represents both a dramatic shift from the proposals of years past, with a significant increase in the amount of state funding that would be allocated toward transit, walking, and biking investments. The proposal funds fare-free transit for people under 18 years old and high speed rail planning. Still, it’s a package very much tied to previous choices the state has made around transportation, with billions ...

Senator Mona Das, Liz Lovelett, Joe Nguyen, and Rebecca Saldaña submit Senate Bill 5732 in Washington State. This bill would require all new large commercial and multifamily buildings in the State of Washington to have green roofs, blue-green roofs or bio-solar panel energy generation on their roofs. The bill will go to public hearings with the Senate Committee on January 26, 2022. “Green roofs are an innovative and common-sense way to help our local economies, our learners and our planet,” said Sen. Mona Das (D-Kent). Click here to read more...

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Senators are proposing a new police reform law, which would limit officers from pulling someone over for specific traffic violations. SB 5485, proposed by Senator Joe Nguyen and T’wina Nobles, is set to be heard Thursday by the Senate Committee on Transportation. Click here to read more...

State Sen. Joe Nguyen (D-34, White Center) has proposed a bill that would make it easier for homeless service providers to build homeless shelters across the state, including in Seattle. The city of Seattle consulted with Nguyen on the legislation, which would allow cities to permit homeless shelters without subjecting such projects to a time-consuming environmental review under the State Environmental Policy Act. The bill would apply to jurisdictions, including Seattle, that have declared a homelessness state of emergency, and to shelters permitted for three years or less that serve 200 people or fewer and do not require the ...

WASHINTON, D.C. — The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed nation in the world with rates more than double the rate of any of its peer nations. Tuesday, the White House held the first-ever federal Maternal Health Day of Action to address these staggering trends. Studies show Black and Native American women are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared to white women. During today’s summit, Antoinette “Toni” Brown, a mother from Illinois, shared her story with lawmakers. Her daughter died in 2017 after health complications from giving ...

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined Vice President Harris and the White House during their Maternal Health Day of Action Summit. Senator Murray participated in a panel moderated by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure and focused on the historic measures to improve maternal health in the Build Back Better package. During the panel, Senator Murray stressed that in order to build back stronger and fairer from the pandemic, Congress and the federal government must prioritize addressing the maternal ...

Despite Washington’s status as a technology hub, more than 40% of the state’s public K-12 school districts didn’t offer a single class in computer science, according to recent data. That’s abysmal. Not every young Washingtonian will want to grow up to work in computer-related industries, but each student should have the opportunity to explore these in-demand and lucrative careers. Click here to read more.