Dear friends and neighbors, 

The 2024 legislative session is officially over! This session, we passed three robust and bipartisan budgets and made significant strides in policy for K-12 education, behavioral health, childcare, and housing. These policies and budget resources will make a difference for Washingtonians and provide the support needed to help our communities in the 47th district and across the state. 

CRITICAL INVESTMENTS 

Each of our budgets — transportation, capital and operating — strengthens our state, addressing our needs and priorities. 

Some specific investments I’m happy to see in the operating budget include: 

  • $25.6 million for K-12 special education 
  • $215 million for substance use disorder treatment, education, awareness and outreach 
  • $230 million for housing and homelessness prevention 
  • $15.2 million for new beds to support youth with complex behavioral health needs 
  • $850,000 to support the state’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women task force 

 

I’m so pleased to see a project that I advocated for included in the final capital budget: 

  • $258 million for the Auburn Downtown Plaza design and development

The funding will assist in design and construction of a 4,000-12,000 square foot civic space, serving as a pedestrian connector and event plaza. This is a big win for our community. 

 

Our transportation budget continues to fund important projects throughout our district and Washington, like: 

  • $1 million added for the SR 516 Jenkins Creek to 185th Avenue project 
  • $100 million in new funds to preserve roads, bridges and more statewide  
  • $30.8 million for traffic safety measures 
  • $150 million toward fish barrier removal to help expand the salmon population and restore river ecosystems     

All three budgets await the governor’s review and signature and will take effect July 1. You can find more budget details at fiscal.wa.gov. 

2024 POLICY SUCCESSES 

Great news: Four of my bills have passed the Legislature, with one already signed into law! 

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women 

  • Provides families, communities, and agencies with an additional tool to help identify their missing loved ones, aiding our work to address the missing and murdered Indigenous women crisis. (SB 6186) 

Developmental Disabilities 

  • Calls on Congress to fully fund 40% of the costs of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, so we can transform the lives of millions of students with disabilities by ensuring they have access to quality education. (SJM 8007) 
  • Expands the definition of family member to include in-laws as family caregivers, recognizing that the definition of family is different for everyone. (SB 5811) 
  • Ensures records on the historical treatment of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities at Lakeland Village are preserved, providing families a way to gain closure or learn about their relatives if they ever lived there. (SB 6125) 

 

 

SAVE THE DATE 

Join Reps. Debra Entenman and Chris Stearns and me for an in-person town hall 10 a.m. Saturday, April 6, at the Auburn City Hall, 25 W. Main St. in Auburn. We will discuss the 2024 legislative session and our work in Olympia, as well as answer any questions you may have. 

Can’t wait to see you there! 

 

WORKING FAMILIES TAX CREDIT 

In early 2023, we launched the Working Families Tax Credit. Since then, it has provided over $116 million in refunds to more than 163,000 Washington households. Applications for the 2024 cycle open on Feb. 1 and are available through the end of the calendar year.  

To check if you are eligible for the rebate of up to $1,255, click here. 

 

STAY IN TOUCH 

Thank you to everyone in our community who advocated for legislation this year. Your involvement is — and always has been — vital to the functioning of our state government.   

Be sure to stay in touch throughout the interim. Send me an email at Claudia.Kauffman@leg.wa.gov or call 360-786-7692. You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram (@SenClaudiaKauffman) for regular updates. 

Sincerely,  

 

Claudia Kauffman