News Releases

OLYMPIA—The final two of the four widely supported bills that made up the Washington State Consumer Protections Package were signed today by Gov. Jay Inslee, marking significant consumer-centric upgrades for the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC).   “Our communities have clearly called for policies that put people before profit and increase protections for consumers across the board. ...

TULALIP—A bill unanimously passed out of the House and Senate was signed into law today, effectively increasing availability of potentially life-saving over-the-counter opioid overdose treatment (NARCAN) in schools amidst a climb in youth overdose rates.  Prior statute required that only school districts with over 2000 students keep or make an attempt to keep a single dose at their ...

OLYMPIA—Tuesday night the House voted unanimously (96-0) to push forward SB 5804, which increases NARCAN availability in all school districts in the state, regardless of size, including charter schools, state tribal compact schools, elementary, middle and high schools.   “This bill expands access to over-the-counter opioid overdose treatment (NARCAN) in schools. The goal is to have ...

OLYMPIA—Landmark legislation from Sen. Patty Kuderer (D-Bellevue) sets a unanimously supported stage for the Washington State Consumer Protections Package. Wednesday night in the Senate marked the passage of the third of three major consumer protections bills brought forth by Kuderer, bringing her unanimously passed bill list to a total of four this session. “Our communities from across Washington have called for ...

OLYMPIA— A bill to put NARCAN opioid overdose treatment in local schools unanimously passed the Senate today (49-0) as part of a coordinated effort to combat a historic climb in overdose rates among high-school-aged youth — a nearly threefold increase since 2019. In the committee hearing on SB 5804, prime sponsor Sen. Patty Kuderer (D-Bellevue) nodded to a group of ...

OLYMPIA — A bill to enhance consumer protection was heard in the Senate Law & Justice Committee Tuesday. SB 6081, sponsored by Sen. Patty Kuderer (D-Bellevue), emphasizes that clarity empowers consumers, making it mandatory for every consumer and insurance contract to be written in plain language. The bill also mandates that contracts be appropriately divided and labeled according to their ...

OLYMPIA— A bill introduced in the Senate today would increase available doses of potentially life-saving NARCAN opioid overdose blockers in schools. Current statute mandates only school districts with over 2000 enrolled students carry a single dose. The new legislation would broaden the regulation to include all districts within the state. Sen. Patty Kuderer (D-Bellevue), prime sponsor of Senate Bill 5804, ...

OLYMPIA— A package of consumer protection bills targeting key fixes in the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) and insurance industry was introduced today by Sen. Patty Kuderer (D-Bellevue). “The Washington State Consumer Protection Package is 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 ...

A monumental step toward gun safety cleared another hurdle Saturday as the Senate passed House Bill 1240, a measure to ban the sale, manufacture and distribution of assault weapons in Washington state.  The bill passed 27-21. “We are the only country in the world that grapples with the horror of mass shootings, and today we ...

OLYMPIA—The House of Representatives passed legislation sponsored by Sen. Patty Kuderer (D-Bellevue) to remove the state’s requirement for advisory votes on revenue legislation, eliminating the ballot-cluttering remnant of an unconstitutional initiative that cost the state and local governments millions each election cycle. “Advisory votes are non-binding referendums that do not carry any legal weight. They have no real impact on policymaking. ...