News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 9, 2023  OLYMPIA – Sen. Marko Liias’ (D-Everett) legislation to authorize tolling on the Interstate 5 Bridge has been signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee.   Passage of Senate Bill 5765 is the next step in Washington’s effort to replace the I-5 Bridge. This legislation simply authorizes tolling along the bridge; it does not set a cost, nor does it state when tolling will go into effect.   Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 25, 2023  OLYMPIA – Gov. Jay Inslee signed Sen. Marko Liias’ (D-Everett) legislation to address diversity, equity, and staffing concerns within the Washington State Ferries (WSF) workforce on Tuesday.   Senate Bill 5550 requires WSF to adopt a formal diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy, and develop an action plan to address issues identified in a newly mandatory annual employee survey.   It also directs WSF to seek methods to improve ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 13, 2023 Press Inquiries | 360.786.7298, erin.hut@leg.wa.gov  OLYMPIA – Legislation to protect transgender and at-risk youth seeking gender-affirming or reproductive care passed the House on Wednesday.  Sen. Marko Liias’ (D-Everett) Senate Bill 5599 affirms that trans youth are protected in Washington state by removing barriers to safe shelter.   This legislation gives meaningful choices to young people who may not have supportive families at home ...

The Senate on Wednesday passed House Bill 1125, the 2023-25 transportation budget. The $12.9 billion plan invests in traffic safety, expands the state patrol and ferry workforces, funds green transportation options, and keeps work on schedule for transportation projects big and small across Washington.  The bill passed the Senate 42-6.   The Senate amended its own transportation budget proposal, Senate Bill 5162, onto the House’s version of the budget which passed the House on ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 4, 2023   Press Inquiries | 360.786.7298, erin.hut@leg.wa.gov  OLYMPIA – Sen. Marko Liias’s (D-Everett) bipartisan legislation to protect workers on Washington’s highways was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday.   Senate Bill 5272, which received unanimous support in both the Senate and House of Representatives, increases worker safety by authorizing the use of speed safety cameras in state highway work zones. Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Mar. 30, 2023  Press Inquiries | 360.786.7298, erin.hut@leg.wa.gov  OLYMPIA – Gov. Jay Inslee signed Sen. Marko Liias’ (D-Everett) bill increasing access to HIV medication into law on Thursday.   The Washington Department of Health’s Early Intervention Program (EIP) is funded by the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Grant Program.   The EIP provides crucial support to Washingtonians living with HIV, including payment for some prescriptions, assistance for clients to get ...

The Senate on Wednesday announced details of the 2023-25 transportation budget, a plan totaling $12.9 billion in investments across the state. The proposal focuses on traffic safety, workforce expansion in the state patrol and ferry system, electrification, transit and other green investments and keeps work on schedule for transportation projects big and small throughout Washington.  A second supplemental transportation budget for the 2021-23 biennium totaling $10.6 billion was also introduced Wednesday. “It ...

OLYMPIA – Members of the Senate Transportation Committee will release their 2023-25 budget proposal on Wednesday, March 29 at 10:30 a.m.   The state transportation budget funds various projects across the state – including ferries and passenger rail – and focuses on investments to improve traffic safety. This is also the first budget to use money raised by the Climate Commitment Act auctions.   Budget details will be available online at fiscal.wa.gov at approximately 10:30 ...