News Releases

For National Public Health Week, WashPIRG Students will host a press conference at the University of Washington with Senator Karen Keiser celebrating their successful work to establish a prescription drug affordability board. SB 5532, passed this year, will establish a prescription drug affordability board, which will identify and conduct affordability reviews of drugs that either are priced at excessive levels ...

OLYMPIA — Washington would take an important step to bring down skyrocketing prescription drug prices, under a bill passed today by the House. “It’s no secret that prescription drug prices are out of control,” said Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines), the bill’s sponsor. “And the data shows that when drug prices go up, people's health goes down. When people can’t ...

OLYMPIA – Residents of the 33rd Legislative District would see major improvements to transportation infrastructure under legislation passed today by the Senate. “Move Ahead Washington makes the strongest investments in our communities in memory,” said Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines). “It makes significant additions to pedestrian and bike trails, invests in more sustainable aviation, and much more.” Highlights of the investments ...

OLYMPIA — Workers in Washington state would benefit from new apprenticeship programs in growing fields, reinvigorated support for existing apprenticeships, and significantly increased state funding for apprentices at public colleges, under two bills passed recently by the Senate. “The ‘earn-while-you-learn’ approach, with both classroom instruction and supervised on-the-job training, makes apprenticeships accessible to many—especially women and people of color—who can’t take time off work or afford ...

Update March 1: The House of Representatives has passed SB 5873 unanimously. OLYMPIA — Washington businesses would see $214 million in unemployment insurance tax relief this year, with no use of state funds, under a bill passed by the Senate today. Unemployment insurance (UI) premiums have spiked due to surging demand during the pandemic. “The layoffs due to COVID-19 hit small businesses especially ...

OLYMPIA — Washingtonians with diabetes would pay no more than $35 a month for insulin under SB 5546, passed yesterday by the Senate. “Insulin is a lifesaving medication,” said Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines), the sponsor of the legislation. “It was first used 100 years ago. There is no reason for the price of insulin to be so high today, ...

OLYMPIA — Washington workers and businesses would see significant cuts to payroll taxes under one of the biggest tax relief bills of the year, filed today by Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines). “We have to respond to the continued economic strains on family budgets and business bottom lines around our state,” said Keiser, chair of the Senate Labor, Commerce & ...

OLYMPIA — Workers in Washington state would benefit from new apprenticeship programs in growing fields, reinvigorated support for existing apprenticeships, and significantly increased state funding for apprentices at public colleges, under two bills scheduled for committee hearings on Thursday. “The ‘earn-while-you-learn’ approach, with both classroom instruction and supervised on-the-job training, makes apprenticeships accessible to many—especially women and people of color—who can’t take time off work or afford ...

OLYMPIA — A large bipartisan, bicameral group of Washington state legislators has signed a strong letter of protest urging the Biden administration to withdraw its challenge to the Washington state law strengthening workers’ compensation access for workers at the Hanford nuclear site. The 2018 law grants presumptive workers’ compensation coverage for sick workers who were exposed to toxic fumes and ...