News

OLYMPIA – A bill to address a major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, spur job creation, and position Washington as a leader in an emerging industry, passed the Senate on a bipartisan 46-2 vote on Wednesday. Senate Bill 5447, sponsored by Sen. Andy Billig (D-Spokane) would encourage the purchase and manufacture of aviation biofuels through tax incentives while positioning the state as a leader in a developing sector of the green economy. “Our state is already at the forefront of the aviation industry, and we should also be a leader in the development of cleaner fuels for those ...

OLYMPIA – A bill to create more opportunity for housing near transit centers passed the Senate on a bipartisan 40-8 vote today.   Senate Bill 5466, sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D-Everett), provides development targets near light rail and bus rapid transit stations and gives local jurisdictions flexible tools to meet these targets in ways that reflect the unique characteristics of their communities.   Washington is currently facing a massive housing shortage, and the Urban Institute predicts that the approach in this legislation will create nearly one million new ...

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 ...

OLYMPIA – Washington would become the 41^st state in the country to outlaw female genital mutilation (FGM), under legislation passed unanimously today by the Senate. FGM, the cutting or removal of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons, is often used to control a girl’s sexuality and make her acceptable for marriage in her community. It can cause serious consequences for reproductive health as well as psychological trauma. “Female genital mutilation is an extreme form of gender-based violence that is unfortunately still practiced in our state,” said Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines). “Forty other U.S. states have already ...

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. Joe Nguyễn’s (D-White Center) bill to make changes to the candidate filing process passed the Senate unanimously on Tuesday.    Senate Bill 5182 moves the deadline for candidates to file for office and modifies deadlines for candidate statements prepared for the voters’ pamphlet.   Currently, candidates only have one week to prepare those statements after filing to run. Allowing them more time to complete these will result in more thoughtful ...

The Washington State Senate today passed SB 5729, legislation to ensure that Washingtonians with diabetes would continue to pay no more than $35 a month for insulin. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines) and passed unanimously. In 2022, legislators passed Keiser’s previous insulin bill, SB 5546, which capped the cost of insulin at $35 a month, but the cap in that bill is scheduled to expire on Jan. 1, 2024. The cap was intended to be temporary while Congress passed legislation to control the cost of insulin at the federal level, but Congress ...

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 ...