News Releases

Legislation to streamline permitting for housing construction and renovation in Washington state passed the Senate unanimously today. SB 5290, sponsored by Sen. Mark Mullet (D-Issaquah), improves the predictability and timeliness for review and approval of many residential permits by exempting some projects from permit requirements and providing additional resources for local governments to review permits more quickly and to ...

Sen. Mark Mullet (D-Issaquah) issued the following statement following the Senate’s passage of SB 5536, legislation to address the state’s drug addiction crisis: “I’m glad the Senate passed this bill in this form – I think it’ll do a lot of good for people who are struggling with drug addiction and need help. We need to give people who are ...

On March 19, my seatmates and I will be holding a town hall meeting to discuss the legislative session, share the issues we’re working on, and hear from you about your thoughts, concerns, and questions. It’s an important chance for us to get feedback and I’m glad that Rep. Bill Ramos, Rep. ...

Today the Washington State Senate unanimously passed SB 5399, legislation sponsored by Sen. Mark Mullet (D-Issaquah) to protect homeowners from unfair contracts with real estate agents. The contracts, known as future listing contracts, provide the homeowner a small up-front cash payment in exchange for the homeowner committing to contracting with a certain real estate agent should they ever sell ...

Rihtik Banthia, a freshman at Mount Si High School in Snoqualmie, served as a page for the Washington State Senate the week of Jan. 23, 2023. Sen. Mark Mullet (D-Issaquah) sponsored his week at the Legislature. The page program offers a hands-on opportunity for students to find out how state government works. During the week-long interactive learning experience, students get a ...

SB 5105, legislation to authorize digital driver’s licenses through a mobile phone application, will be heard TODAY, Jan. 23, at 4 p.m. in the Senate Transportation Committee. Much like a smartphone can act as a digital credit card or boarding pass, digital driver’s licenses are an electronic version of state-issued identification. Arizona, Colorado, and Maryland already allow their residents to ...

Sen. Mark Mullet (D-Issaquah), chair of the Senate Business, Financial Services & Trade Committee, released the following statement today after Thurston County Superior Court Judge Indu Thomas invalidated a ban imposed by the state insurance commissioner on the use of credit scores in setting insurance rates: “Anyone whose insurance premiums went up due to the insurance commissioner’s unilateral actions should be ...

Sen. Mark Mullet (D-Issaquah) released the following statement today in response to news that UCLA and USC had decided to leave the Pac-12 college athletic conference and join the Big Ten. “As the vice-chair of the state capital construction budget, I have spent my 10 years in the Senate supporting the higher education institutions in our state. I'm extremely proud of ...

OLYMPIA — Sen. Mark Mullet (D-Issaquah), chair of the Senate Business, Financial Services & Trade Committee, released the following statement after state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler fired a staffer who had complained of abusive and inappropriate workplace behaviors. “This is clearly grounds for removal. Firing a whistleblower? Commissioner Kreidler needs to resign immediately and allow someone else to go to work ...

Sen. Mark Mullet (D-Issaquah) has received the Gene Cotton Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC). “Sen. Mullet showed tremendous leadership during the Washington legislative session,” Steven Strachan, WASPC executive director, said. “He worked tirelessly to improve laws that help balance the need for public safety and ensure law enforcement is accountable to ...