E-newsletter: The 2023 Legislative Session is underway!
Friends and neighbors,
The 2023 legislative session kicked off on Monday, and after a few years of virtual sessions due to the pandemic, I’m excited to be back in Olympia to pass laws with my colleagues this year. I was recently re-elected as Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus and look forward to another term of working on solutions that matter most to our neighbors across Washington.[/vc_column_text]
Participate in committee hearings
While we may be back to in-person operations, committees are still providing the option for people across the state to testify remotely from wherever they may be. This means that you can join in and make your voice heard from the comfort of your own home rather than having to come all the way down to Olympia to testify for two minutes.
This process has allowed more folks across Washington to get involved in the legislative process, which in turn makes our democracy stronger. You can learn more about how to testify by clicking the photo above or heading to the Legislature’s website: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Senate
Sign up for intro sheets
Just like in prior sessions, I welcome your input and feedback on bills that are introduced by other legislators. These bills are all listed on the Senate’s daily Introduction Sheets reports, which I send out to a subscribed email list every day as soon as it is delivered to my office.
Due to the high volume of bills introduced each day, I would very much appreciate your taking a quick glance at the Intro Sheets reports to see if there are bills that you think are worthy of my co-sponsorship, have potential if amended, or are so bad that we need to make every effort to kill them.
You can sign up to be included in this process by emailing me at Bob.Hasegawa@leg.wa.gov with the subject line “Introduction Sheet sign-up.”
Check out my legislative update videos
While we are in session, I try to keep you all updated on the legislative goings-on in Olympia, and that includes regular video updates every other week. Head to my website to watch videos from prior sessions and catch my latest updates.
The latest video update includes a brief tour of my new office, an overview of my committee membership, an introduction to my staff and more. Watch it here, or click the photo above!
Stay in touch
As always, your feedback is a crucial part of the lawmaking process. You can reach out to me at Bob.Hasegawa@leg.wa.gov or 360-786-7616 with feedback, and be sure to follow my official social media accounts on both Twitter and Facebook to stay in the loop. I look forward to hearing all of your thoughtful ideas throughout the legislative session.
In solidarity,
Bob
