Dear friends and neighbors,
Serving in the majority in the Washington Senate this Legislative Session presents a unique opportunity to promote common-sense policies to benefit our communities in the 5th Legislative District as well as people across the state. During this year’s short, 60-day session, I plan to focus on three such measures.
Senate Bill 6018 eliminates the fees credit bureaus charge customers to freeze their credit reports to protect their personal information. This bill was approved by the Senate Committee on Financial Institutions & Insurance earlier this week. It will soon move to the Senate floor for a vote of the whole Senate.
Senate Bill 6087 would allow holders of Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) accounts to directly share in investment gains in the program in recent years. This bill would give people six months to redeem GET units for their actual cash value (35 percent more than current value) and roll that amount into Washington’s new 529-college savings program.
I have been working for months as a key negotiator on passing a long-delayed $4.2 billion Capital Budget. Senate Democrats made passage of this badly needed and long-overdue budget our top priority in the opening days of session, and I am optimistic that we will be able to pass it in the next few days.
This session, I am now the Chair of the Financial Institutions & Insurance Committee, presiding over meetings to consider legislation on insurance company practices, rates and solvency; credit unions; consumer credit and lending; securities and investments; and landlord-tenant and housing issues.
In addition to the Education and Health Care committees that I sit on, I am a new member of the powerful Ways & Means Committee that deals with budget and spending issues.
This session, I am now the Chair of the Financial Institutions & Insurance Committee, presiding over meetings to consider legislation on insurance company practices, rates and solvency; credit unions; consumer credit and lending; securities and investments; and landlord-tenant and housing issues.
In addition to the Education and Health Care committees that I sit on, I am a new member of the powerful Ways & Means Committee that deals with budget and spending issues.
Despite the challenges of a short 60-day session, I am mindful of the incredible potential for action that it presents and the profound duty to use that power responsibly. As I do so, I pledge to always put you and our communities’ needs first.
Best regards,
