Our communities are begging for housing stability. It is time to listen. This is why both the Senate and House Members of Color caucuses have prioritized stabilizing rent increases (HB 2114/SB 5961) as our top housing policy for the 2024 legislative session. As chairs of our respective caucuses, we are the first to recognize we are not a monolith and don’t aim to become one. We represent diverse interests and districts. As elected leaders of color, we carry multiple truths born of our varied lived experiences. We hold the perspectives of the constituents we ...
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A bill to restrict the sale of high-capacity firearm magazines in Washington was approved by the state Senate on a 28-20 vote Wednesday. Senate Bill 5078, sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D – Everett), prohibits the manufacture, sale, import or transfer of large-capacity magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. The approved legislation does not ban the current possession of a high-capacity magazine.
“My community has seen firsthand the devastating impact that gun violence can have on families,” said Liias. “We need to act now to protect residents across the state from unnecessary harm, and limiting the capacity of mass shooters to inflict more damage on innocent lives is an important measure for our public ...Read More
Sen. Yasmin Trudeau (D-Tacoma) announced that she will be sponsoring two policies during the 2022 legislative session that will protect and strengthen Washington state’s democratic systems. SB 5584 would allow local jurisdictions to use a system of ranked choice voting in local elections, which would help increase participation and representation. SB 5583 would end local jurisdictions’ use of “prison gerrymandering,” or the practice of counting incarcerated individuals as residents of the district in which they are imprisoned rather than at their last known residential address. These are the first bills Trudeau has filed since her tenure as state senator ...
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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]“Protecting the health and safety of people and communities in our state was a top priority of the legislature’s work this session, and the governor’s announcement today is an important step in stopping the spread of the virus and its variants. Vaccines are the best defense we have against COVID-19, and that’s why the Legislature put $1.2 billion into making sure people have access to vaccines, as well as contact tracing and testing efforts. State employees and health care providers serve the public. Being vaccinated with a safe, effective vaccine is a simple extension of that commitment. ...
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The budgets approved by the Legislature this year brought significant investments to the 30th Legislative District, which includes Federal Way, Algona, Pacific, Milton, Des Moines and Auburn. “I’m proud to have supported and advocated for investments that will make life in our district better, from improving programs that increase equity and support our youth, to fostering community development and addressing the unique transportation struggles we experience in our district,” said Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn). Highlights of the investments that affect the district communities in each budget are listed below. The operating budget pays for the day-to-day operations of state government ...
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Several provisions of the Fair Start for Kids Act, the system overhaul the Legislature passed this year in response to the state’s childcare crisis, take effect today. “In Washington, over half a million children do not have access to licensed childcare,” said Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn), who sponsored the act. “Even where there is childcare available, the cost is so high that it remains out of reach for most families. The Fair Start for Kids Act will help parents keep their jobs and the salaries they need to take care of their families by increasing access to affordable, ...
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Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig and Chair of the Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks Committee Sen. Kevin Van De Wege issued the statements below following the passing of former Senator and Representative Mark Doumit. Doumit represented the 19th Legislative District from 1996 until 2006. He passed away June 21 at the age of 59. "Mark had a reputation as a person that brought instant credibility to an issue. He spent his entire life in public service, first working on behalf of his community and then as a champion for Washington’s forests. Even years after he had left ...
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Sen. David Frockt appeared on TVW's The Impact this week to share his vision for the newly created bipartisan Special Committee on Economic Recovery.
The committee will hold its first meeting in June and is tasked with making recommendations on COVID-19 recovery legislation in advance of the 2021 legislative session, or before that if lawmakers are called back into session this year.
"If you're not thinking about jobs in this environment, you're not thinking about the right things," said Frockt during the interview.
Frockt (D-Seattle) will serve as the committee’s chair. Republican Senator Randi Becker (R-Eatonville) will serve ...Read More