News Releases

OLYMPIA – Washington would become the 41^st state in the country to outlaw female genital mutilation (FGM), under legislation passed unanimously today by the Senate. FGM, the cutting or removal of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons, is often used to control a girl’s sexuality and make her acceptable for marriage in her community. It can cause serious consequences for ...

The Washington State Senate today passed SB 5729, legislation to ensure that Washingtonians with diabetes would continue to pay no more than $35 a month for insulin. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines) and passed unanimously. In 2022, legislators passed Keiser’s previous insulin bill, SB 5546, which capped the cost of insulin at $35 a month, ...

The Washington state Senate today unanimously passed SB 5111, legislation sponsored by Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines) to help short-term construction workers accrue paid sick leave. “When voters passed Initiative 1433, they said they expect Washington workers to get paid sick leave. It’s fair, it’s right, and it’s what the voters want. Unfortunately, there are some workers for whom that ...

OLYMPIA – New hires in Washington would no longer have to take cannabis tests as a condition of employment, under legislation passed today by the Senate. Currently available cannabis tests work by detecting metabolites that can remain in the body for weeks after use, long after there is any chance they are causing impairment. This makes cannabis different from how alcohol ...

OLYMPIA – Legislation from 2021 and 2022 saved employers roughly $2.5 billion in state unemployment insurance (UI) premium payments over the last three years, according to a new report from the Washington State Employment Security Department. The report, part of a presentation to be heard during a work session in the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee on Thursday, also ...

OLYMPIA – After the release of a poll showing that half of healthcare workers in Washington say they are likely to leave the field in the next few years, Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines), the chair of the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee, released this statement:

“We all know the last few years have been especially hard on ...

OLYMPIA – On the heels of the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Democrats in the Washington State Legislature are proposing comprehensive action to strengthen state protections for reproductive freedom. On Tuesday, five bills will be heard across three Senate committees, as well as several more in House committees. “Hearing and considering all of these bills on the same day demonstrates the ...

OLYMPIA – Two legislators from the 33^rd Legislative District have been chosen by their colleagues to preside over floor debate in the Washington State House and Senate. Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines) was unanimously reelected Jan. 9 as Senate President Pro Tempore, a role she has served in since 2018.  She also serves as vice chair to the Senate Rules ...

OLYMPIA – Employers in Washington state who provide reproductive health care benefits would gain recourse against penalties imposed by other states under legislation filed by Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines) and Rep. Liz Berry (D-Seattle). “After the U.S. Supreme Court’s radical decision to take away reproductive freedom, lawmakers and governors in other states are attempting to penalize employers who ...

OLYMPIA – At the request of Gov. Jay Inslee, Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines) and Sen. Patty Kuderer (D-Bellevue) have filed a constitutional amendment that would provide the strongest possible state-level protection for reproductive freedom. Senate Joint Resolution 8202 would enshrine in the state’s constitution the individual right to make decisions about reproduction free of the interference of ...