News

OLYMPIA — The governor signed legislation today that will expand access to the guardianship assistance program. Senate Bill 5124, sponsored by Sen. Yasmin Trudeau (D-Tacoma), allows any court-appointed guardians who are licensed foster parents to be eligible for state subsidies, instead of just relatives licensed as foster parents. “When kids can't remain at home, being with a trusted community member simply leads to better outcomes,” said Trudeau. “My family relied on me to provide kinship support when they were in crisis. Having experienced the foster care system, I knew I had to do what I could to ...

OLYMPIA – Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig (D-Spokane) released the statement below following Gov. Jay Inslee's announcement that he won't seek a fourth term: “Gov. Inslee has guided Washington on a path to achieve remarkable progress over the past decade. He will be the first to tell you there are many challenges that remain, and I look forward to continuing our work together over the next year and a half. But today is a day to celebrate a legacy and a partnership that produced historic legislation to combat climate change and gun violence, and to expand voting rights ...

OLYMPIA — A bill to better regulate THC products and limit youth access was signed into law after passing both chambers with strong bipartisan support.  Senate Bill 5367, sponsored by Sen. June Robinson (D-Everett), adds products containing a detectable amount of THC to the regulated cannabis market and amends the definition of “cannabis products” in state law to include cannabinoids like delta-8 and delta-10, both of which can be found in infused gummy candies currently being sold at convenience stores in Washington. Products sold outside the regulated market aren’t subject to the state's ...

OLYMPIA – Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig (D-Spokane) released the statement below following the adjournment of the 2023 legislative session on Sunday evening: “When we arrived in Olympia in January, there was urgency to act on the pressing challenges facing our communities. We prioritized legislation to boost support for behavioral health, provide a historic investment in affordable housing, increase funding for special education in public schools, expand access to childcare, improve public safety, and take action to combat our climate crisis. “As we adjourn after 105 days, we have seen remarkable bipartisan progress on all these fronts. We invested ...

The Senate today passed House Bill 1125, the 2023-25 transportation budget. The $13.4 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 46-3, passed the House 98-0 and will now head to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk for his signature and to become law.   Senate Transportation Chair Marko Liias (D-Everett) was most proud of the emphasis placed on safety in this budget. With traffic fatalities ...

OLYMPIA – Budget leaders in the Washington State Legislature announced an agreement today on a $69.3 billion, two-year budget to fund critical state services, including behavioral health, public schools, affordable housing, and a historic investment to address the climate crisis. The two-year operating budget adds roughly $4.7 billion in new spending, leaves $3 billion in total reserves, and does not rely on any new general taxes or fees. It also maintains the services expanded using federal funds during the pandemic that protected vulnerable Washingtonians. “Our new budget investments reflect the needs we see in communities across the state. People ...

Today, the governor signed into law Senate Bill 5070, sponsored by Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest), to make permanent the reimbursement for the Crime Victims Compensation Program for survivors of strangulation. Legislation establishing this reimbursement first passed unanimously in 2021. “In the midst of horrific circumstances, survivors are telling us that this program benefits them immensely,” said Nobles. “By making it permanent, we’re telling survivors they deserve access to treatment and justice.” According to the Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention, 68% of women who report domestic violence suffered near-fatal strangulation. Forensic examinations are the best resource to hold abusers ...

OLYMPIA — A bill to help address the health care staffing shortage by mitigating unmanageable patient loads and worker burnout was signed into law Thursday.  Senate Bill 5236, sponsored by Sen. June Robinson (D-Everett), requires hospitals to submit staffing plans to the state Department of Health. The expected staff-to-patient staffing standards would be developed by a hospital’s designated staffing committee, composed of 50% frontline staff and 50% hospital administration.  If a hospital is less than 80% compliant with its committee’s approved plan, DOH and the state Department of Labor & ...

OLYMPIA—The House of Representatives passed legislation on April 11, 2023, to safeguard the endangered orcas in the Salish Sea. Senate Bill 5371, sponsored by Senator Liz Lovelett (D-Anacortes) and supported by Representative Debra Lekanoff (D-Bow), received overwhelming bipartisan support through Lekanoff’s collaborative striker to strengthen the work of both House Democrats and Republicans. This effort resulted in the bill passing with an overwhelming majority of 96 ayes, 1 nay, and 1 absentee.  Senate Bill 5371 establishes a 1,000-yard setback distance for commercial recreational vessels from southern resident orcas, bringing them under the same ...

OLYMPIA — A new law signed today by Gov. Jay Inslee will ensure hate crimes can be more effectively prosecuted and courts can require offenders to complete rehabilitative programs. “Hate crimes are horrific acts of violence that do more than affect individual victims — they make whole communities feel unwelcome,” said Sen. Manka Dhingra (D-Redmond), chair of the Senate Law & Justice Committee and bill sponsor. “These crimes are corrosive to our society, and we need to have the proper tools available to protect survivors and ensure that courts can effectively supervise offenders in completing rehabilitative programs ...