News Releases

OLYMPIA – A bill that aims to increase voter participation among young adults was approved Thursday by the Senate on a vote of 28-19. “We have to do more to bring down barriers for young people to participate in our elections,” said state Sen. Marko Liias (D-Lynnwood). “The data is clear -- if young people participate when they are 18, 19, 20, in those first formative elections, their lifetime voter participation is much higher. We want to teach young people ...

OLYMPIA – A bill that would require restaurants in Washington to offer healthier drink options for any children’s meal on the menu that includes a beverage was approved by the Senate on Thursday. “With this bill, we’re asking all of our restaurants in Washington to feature menus that are healthy, and promote healthy beverages for healthy kids,” said the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Marko Liias, D-Lynnwood. “It’s a good step forward to improving health in our communities and encouraging families to ...

OLYMPIA – Lawmakers on the Senate Transportation committee approved SB 6606 today, a measure introduced by state Sen. Marko Liias (D-Lynnwood) that seeks to keep light rail construction in the Puget Sound area on track while also implementing a fairer vehicle valuation system for car tab fees. “When I talk to my constituents, they don't want to be stuck in traffic.” said Liias. “They want light rail to come to us but they also want their cars to be valued ...

OLYMPIA – Continuing his efforts to make the college dream a reality for more students across the state, State Sen. Marko Liias (D-Lynnwood) is sponsoring several bills during the 2020 legislative session designed to remove barriers and expand access to college. “Obtaining a post-secondary education has become increasingly important for getting a high-paying, in-demand job in this 21^st century global economy,” Liias said. “We need to look at more ways to help Washington students get into and pay for college.” Washington “Next Step” Pilot Program Senate Bill 6542 would open ...

The Senate Health and Long Term Care committee held a public hearing today on a bill from State Sen. Marko Liias, D-Lynnwood, that would require restaurants to offer healthier drink options for any children’s meal on the menu that includes a beverage.

OLYMPIA – At a time when several states are making concerted efforts to restrict the voting rights of residents, lawmakers in Washington state are once again focused on expanding access to democracy to as many eligible voters as possible. This week state Sen. Marko Liias, D-Lynnwood, introduced Senate Bill 6313 – the Voting Opportunities Through Education (VOTE) Act, a measure aimed at increasing voter participation among young adults. “Every voice ...

In an effort to address the growing student loan debt crisis, the Senate today passed legislation to establish new student debt refinancing options coordinated by the state and to offer alternatives to conventional student loans. Sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D-Lynnwood), the Student Loan Relief and Reform Act would permit the Washington Student Achievement Council to contract with up to five private financial institutions to negotiate more favorable interest rates on student loan debt. “With over 800,000 students owing more than ...

Legislation limiting the reach of non-compete clauses in employment contracts today passed the Washington state Senate on a bipartisan 30-18 vote.

Senate Bill 5478, sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D-Lynnwood), would ensure that employees earning $100,000 a year or less are no longer locked into terms of employment that can limit opportunity and innovation.

“Through impassioned vision and hard work, Washington has established itself as one of the American capitals of innovation. Small startups becoming ...