E-Newsletters

Dear friends and neighbors,   As vice chair of the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee, I’m excited about the work we’re doing to expand access to college and career training and respond to workforce demands and shortages.    I recently attended the launch of a new regional health sciences campus in Poulsbo, a joint effort between Olympic College, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and many other partners. I’ve supported health care worker training for many years — in 2019, my bill (the “Workforce Education Investment Act,” HB 2158) funded nurse educator faculty ...

Dear friends and neighbors,   We just wrapped up the 2024 legislative session! This is my first year in the Washington State Senate, and I focused on some of the most pressing issues Kitsap County faces—ferries, homelessness, and substance use disorder—and built on my work to make college and apprenticeships more affordable to help people get jobs and support their families.   Funding for ferries  Good news to share on ferries! This year’s transportation budget includes key investments Rep. Tarra ...

Dear friends and neighbors,  The Senate just released its proposal for the state’s capital budget (the budget that builds things—hospitals, schools, drug treatment centers, etc.). I’m happy to report that the Senate budget proposal funds significant projects I requested to help Kitsap County with homelessness as well as the fentanyl and opioid crisis.    Funding to allow St. Vincent de Paul Bremerton to house more people  We need many more options for people without homes—affordable housing, short-term shelter beds, permanent supportive housing, and more. St. Vincent de Paul Bremerton is working on a ...

Dear friends and neighbors,  We’re over a third of the way through the 2024 legislative session! We’ve got our first deadline this week – Jan. 31. That’s when policy bills will need to make it through their committee of origin. After that, much of the action will happen in the fiscal committees and on the House and Senate floors.  My bill (SB 5999) to make college and apprenticeships more affordable for working families made it out of committee with bipartisan support. We heard testimony from so many students ...

Dear friends and neighbors,  We’re off to a busy start of the 2024 legislative session! I’m so excited about the work we have ahead of us over the next 54 days.  Chief Justice Gonzalez swore me in on the first day of the legislative session last Monday. It’s an honor to continue working for the people of the 23rd Legislative District as the Senate’s newest member. On Friday, we had a hearing on a bill (SB 5999) I’m sponsoring that would make college and career ...

Dear friends and neighbors,   We’re less than a week out from the 2024 legislative session. Over the last several months, I’ve been busy meeting with constituents, community partners and legislative colleagues as we gear up for the first day on Jan. 8.    My new role in the Washington State Legislature   Some exciting news: I’m now serving the 23rd Legislative District as a state Senator! In August, the Kitsap County Commissioners appointed me to fill the vacancy left by my friend Sen. Christine Rolfes.    I’ll keep working to help people in Kitsap ...