Dear neighbors,

I first want to thank you for your confidence in my continued service as your 48th District senator. It is truly an honor. We’re back in the legislature for a short session spanning from January to mid-March and it’s already a powerful one. As you may already know, Washington State alternates between “long sessions” (120 days) and “short sessions” (60 days) every other year. This is called a “Biennium” type of legislature and it’s written into our state’s constitution. This means we have a relatively short timeframe to get our work done. But just because this is a short session does not mean we cannot make BIG change.

I’m working on a wide variety of bills this session to increase consumer protection and housing supply, along with healthcare and legal reforms designed to strengthen individual rights and protections — I hope you will follow along and engage as we continue to put #WorkingFamiliesFirst in the Legislature.

Washington State Consumer Protection Package

This week I introduced what I am calling the Washington State Consumer Protection Package—our response to community calls for changes that empower the Office of the Insurance Commissioner with the tools it needs to both look out for the consumer and keep insurance providers operating at peak efficiency.

Six bills make up this package. Three were heard in committee on Thursday:

  • SB 5797, raising the fine level for insurers selling homeowners/car insurance and life/disability policies to be on par with other types of insurances sold in the state.
  • SB 5798, extending the insurance nonrenewal notice requirements to 60 days for homeowners/car insurance.
  • SB 5842, restricting the use of social security numbers to be given out only in cases where it is absolutely necessary to determine identity for child support purposes.

The fourth, SB 6081, requires all consumer contracts like insurance, leases, financing agreements, etc., to be in plain language so consumers know what they are signing.  The fifth is scheduled to be heard next week, SB 5608, creating an exemption to our public records act for insurance company data to strengthen oversight of the industry.  The sixth is in the Rules Committee, waiting to come to the floor; SB 5213, reduces some of our healthcare drug pricing complexity by prohibiting certain practices used by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).

It has been more than 50 years since some of these policies were updated or, as in the case of PBMs, since the type of business was created. A lot has changed in that time and our laws need to keep up. These are simple edits that pave the way for big protections.

Tackling Overdose in our Schools

Lake Washington High School students brought a bill idea to me to increase the availability of potentially life-saving NARCAN opioid overdose treatment in high schools. Current statute mandates only school districts with over 2000 enrolled students equip their high schools with a single set of doses. This new legislation, SB 5804, would broaden the requirement to include all districts within the state regardless of size.

We are all impacted by the drug use crisis affecting our state and country. It is our moral imperative to ensure the safety, health, and well-being of our students. Especially those who struggle with difficult life circumstances. This bill helps us ensure all Washington high schools have their bases covered with NARCAN at the ready. This, obviously, is something I think we all wish we will never have to use. But this is an opportunity for adults to stay prepared and to save the lives of children.

High-school-aged kids are experiencing a climb in overdose rates compared to adults — a nearly threefold increase since 2019. Under this bill every school is required to have one set of doses prepared. A two-dose dispenser costs around $50. I am absolutely honored and simultaneously blown away to have been joined this week by some of our powerful change-making youth who testified during today’s bill hearing. These Lake Washington High School students (pictured above) came all the way down to Olympia and testified to the dire need for this legislation.

You can watch these students’ full testimony following mine on my Instagram by clicking here, or by clicking the screenshot from my Instagram below.

And, if you have a sec, check out what the press is saying about it. Here’s a couple of good stories that we’ve received so far.

https://www.chronline.com/stories/its-practically-health-care-washington-teens-urge-lawmakers-to-require-narcan-in-every-high,332530?

https://www.anacortesnow.com/news/discover/5253-washington-officials-turn-to-schools-in-fight-against-opioid-epidemic

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/regional/two-bills-introduced-to-washington-senate-on-fighting-drugs-in-schools/article_2433593a-b105-11ee-a4fe-3fe35d72efcb.html

My new Instagram/Facebook video series!

As my way of getting even more involved with our community on social media, I’m kicking off a new Facebook video series where every week, I give a quick 90 second (or less) rundown of the legislative session. Kind of a “session at a glance” if you will. If you’re on Facebook, please check out my first video of the series below!

MLK Day

MLK Day (one of my favorite days of the session) is coming up quickly! Every year the Senate passes a floor resolution honoring Dr. King’s memory and his barrier breaking work that lives on in all of our sacred institutions. Be on the lookout next week as we’ll be on the floor passing our annual MLK resolution.

Signing off!

We’re seeing more testimonies and more diverse voices than ever before. While we recognize and work to address the digital divide across the state, removing the physical barrier of needing to be present in Olympia to gain access to the legislative process has allowed a more open and robust dialogue. 

If you’d like to participate in this mostly remote session, here are some helpful links: 

  • Universal remote testimony: The Legislature has expanded remote testimony capabilities so people can sign up to testify on any bill from anywhere up to an hour prior to a committee meeting. 
  • Submit written testimony: People can also submit written testimony on any bill scheduled for a public hearing. People have long been able to submit written comment on a bill, but prior to this year, those comments were sent directly to the constituent’s own legislators. The new written testimony system allows committee members and staff to read it more easily and maintains it as part of the permanent public record. 
  • Written testimony can be submitted at the same links used to sign-in for public testimony above. 
  • Set up a Zoom with your legislator: Due to Covid-19 protocols, legislators won’t be meeting in person with constituents, but people are encouraged to schedule Zoom meetings with their senators and representatives. 
  • It’s all on TVW: As always, every committee meeting, floor session, press conference and special event will be broadcast at TVW.org 

 

As always, you can find more information on what I’m working on at sdc.wa.gov/Kuderer. And you can reach me with your questions, comments, and concerns at patty.kuderer@leg.wa.gov. I will be meeting with constituents and stakeholders via Zoom this session, so please reach out if you’d like to meet.  

 

Sincerely,