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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Mar. 1, 2023  OLYMPIA – Legislation mandating instruction on sex trafficking prevention and identification in Washington schools passed the Senate on Wednesday.  Senate Bill 5355 is sponsored by Senator Claire Wilson (D-Auburn), but was created, drafted and negotiated by Eastside Preparatory School senior Ria Bahadur.   Bahadur was inspired to create the bill upon learning that Washington is the sixth largest epicenter of sex trafficking in the United States and that more than 45 percent of all victims are minors in schools.   SB 5355 would ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Mar. 1, 2023  Press Inquiries | 360.786.7298, erin.hut@leg.wa.gov  OLYMPIA – Sen. Claire Wilson’s (D-Auburn) bill to support adults with lived experience of sex trafficking passed the Senate on a unanimous vote Wednesday.   Senate Bill 5114 seeks to create a network of voluntary healing centers, as well as transitional services and supports for those with lived experience of sex trafficking. The bill calls for at least one provider in eastern Washington, as well as one in western Washington.   These supports will ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Feb. 28, 2023 Press Inquiries | 360.786.7298, erin.hut@leg.wa.gov  OLYMPIA – Sen. Annette Cleveland’s legislation to prohibit cost-sharing for patients seeking abortion care passed the Senate on a 29-19 vote today.   In Washington, abortions must be covered by all state-regulated health plans that cover maternity services. However, out-of-pocket costs can often be a burden for patients.   Senate Bill 5242 aims to eliminate the burden of those costs, which often worsen racial and socioeconomic disparities. Under this legislation, no one seeking an abortion would ...

Legislation sponsored by Sen. Sharon Shewmake (D-Bellingham) to expand construction of accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, passed the Senate on a 42-6 vote today. ADUs, often referred to as backyard cottages or mother-in-law units, are residential homes that occupy the same lot as an existing home. As smaller buildings that share a lot, they are typically more affordable and more environmentally friendly than a traditional single-family home. Currently, many local regulations make ADUs expensive or difficult to build, limiting the supply of them available to renters and buyers. Shewmake’s bill, SB 5235, would cut red tape and remove some ...

OLYMPIA — A bill to amend Washington’s drug possession laws and expand access to pretrial treatment programs passed out of the Senate Law & Justice Committee Thursday.  Senate Bill 5536, sponsored by Sen. June Robinson (D-Everett), permanently addresses the state Supreme Court’s 2021 State v. Blake ruling, which struck down the statute that made possession of controlled substances a class C felony and removed any criminal penalties for possession. In response, the Legislature established a simple misdemeanor penalty for knowing possession that same year, but it is set to expire July ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Jan. 26 2023  Washington students are championing two bills that will be heard by the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education committee.   Senate Bill 5355 would mandate Washington schools provide instruction on sex trafficking prevention and identification.  SB 5355 stems from years of hard work by Ria Bahadur, a senior at Eastside Preparatory School. She took on this very critical issue and came up with a solution by creating, drafting and negotiating the bill.   “Youth voices are extremely powerful. They deal with youth for youth. ...

OLYMPIA – New legislation introduced in the Washington State Senate could create more opportunity for housing near transit centers, increasing the state’s supply of housing diversity while amplifying recent investments in public transportation.

“We’ve made massive investments in public transportation in recent years, and this legislation would help to make sure that funding supports more of our neighbors,” said Sen. Marko Liias (D-Everett), prime sponsor of the legislation. “By creating more housing near transportation centers, we can shorten commute times, decrease carbon emissions, increase housing supply, and create more opportunity for communities across Washington.”

OLYMPIA – On the heels of the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Democrats in the Washington State Legislature are proposing comprehensive action to strengthen state protections for reproductive freedom. On Tuesday, five bills will be heard across three Senate committees, as well as several more in House committees. “Hearing and considering all of these bills on the same day demonstrates the ongoing comprehensive work we are focused on and signals how serious we are about protecting the fundamental right to reproductive healthcare,” said Sen. Annette Cleveland (D-Vancouver). “As Chair of the Senate Health and Long Term Care ...

OLYMPIA — Legislation to amend Washington’s drug possession laws and increase participation in pretrial treatment programs was introduced in the Senate Friday. The bill, sponsored by Sen. June Robinson (D-Everett), permanently addresses the state Supreme Court’s 2021 State v. Blake ruling, which struck down the statute that made possession of controlled substances a class C felony and removed any criminal penalties for possession. In response, the Legislature established a simple misdemeanor penalty for knowing possession that same year, but it is set to expire July 1, 2023.

"Substance use disorder is not a partisan issue, it’s a human issue,” ...

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