Friends and neighbors,
As you well know by now, the 2022 legislative session is underway in Olympia, and while I may be working remotely there is still a lot of work underway to pass important legislation. Keep reading through this e-newsletter to learn more about my team, the bills we’re working on, and more!
Upcoming Virtual Town Hall
I’ll be hosting a virtual town hall later this month, and I want to hear from you! I’ll be chatting through some of our community’s top legislative priorities, how the 2022 session is shaping up and taking your questions about the Legislature and the policies that you care about.
Join me live on Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter on Thursday Feb. 17 from 7-8pm. You can submit questions in advance of the event at this link: surveymonkey.com/r/HasegawaTownHall
Legislative Updates
While we are in session, I like to provide quick video updates on important goings-on in Olympia. Be sure to check out my legislative website for all of the latest updates.
A few of my bills are making their way through the legislative process, including:
Senate Bill 5554, which would allow local governments to establish a progressive income tax as long as the local government at the same time lowers regressive taxes like the sales tax, utility, B&O, and property taxes in equivalent amounts. Washington’s tax system is the most upside-down in the entire country, meaning the wealthiest among us pay the least while working families pay the most. SB 5554 spearheads an important conversation around progressive taxation, and I’m eager to continue that conversation in the weeks to come.
Senate Bill 5116, which would establish guidelines for government procurement and use of automated decision systems (ADS, sometimes referred to as Artificial Intelligence) in order to protect taxpayers, consumers and anyone who interacts with state agencies, improve transparency, and create more equity and justice in Agency decision making. You’d be amazed at how many ways ADS touches your lives in ways you probably never thought about and can’t control. This bill was heard in the Senate Ways & Means Committee earlier in the week!
Meet Team Hasegawa 2022
When the Legislature is in session, my staff is always your first point of contact when you reach out to my office. This year, I’m excited to introduce you all to my legislative assistants, intern, and public information officer.
Jenny Chang has been with my office for a few years now and is the executive legislative assistant on the team. She helps with my role as Senate Democratic Caucus chair, stakeholder correspondence, and all things scheduling. If you need an appointment with me, Jenny is the one to contact.
Natasha Laitila joined our team in November and is the second legislative assistant on our team. She has been a massive help with constituent casework, budget requests, bill tracking and so much more.
Danisha Harris is our intern this session! She is studying Sociology and Media Studies at The Evergreen State College, Tacoma and is a critical part of our team, spearheading constituent correspondence and tracking all constituent bill positions.
Courtney James is the team public information officer. They help coordinate interviews with the press and make sure you all in the 11th stay up to date about what is going on in Olympia. Courtney is especially helpful to me with social media, which I’m really horrible with.
You can always get in touch with me or my team on my website! It is an absolute honor to serve as your state senator in the 11th Legislative District.
In solidarity,
Bob
