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Olympia– Today the governor signed into law Senate Bill 5838, sponsored by state Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest), to address a diaper need for Washington families who are on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) after the bill passed nearly unanimously from the Legislature. “We have a paramount duty to ensure the safety and health of our communities,” said Nobles. “As a result of the skyrocketing prices of diapers, Washington families and children have been burdened with cost for a necessity.” The Diaper Need Act directs a monthly diaper subsidy to be distributed by the Department of Social and Health ...

OLYMPIA – Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig on Thursday released the statement below following the adjournment of the 2022 legislative session: “There is a feeling that finally, as a state and as Washingtonians, we are turning the page. “But as we turn the page, we can’t forget the lessons we have learned. The pandemic showed us how much we have by taking so much of it away. “It shuttered some businesses and brought others to the brink. It challenged our physical and mental health. It closed our schools, it cost thousands of people their jobs and many their homes. “And for ...

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Legislature gave final approval to a nearly $17 billion transportation package today.   Move Ahead Washington, sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D – Everett) and Rep. Jake Fey (D – Tacoma), the respective chairs of the Senate and House transportation committees, invests $16.9 billion over 16 years in major projects throughout the state.  

“We said when this package was announced that it was a first draft, and now we’ve passed a package that incorporates the feedback we’ve received over the last month,” ...

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OLYMPIA – Legislation to restrict the sale of high-capacity firearm magazines was approved by the Washington House of Representatives on a 55-42 vote Friday. Senate Bill 5078, sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D-Everett), prohibits the manufacture, sale, import or transfer of large-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. The approved legislation does not ban the current possession of a high-capacity magazine. “Enough families have experienced the tragedy of gun violence in our state,” said Liias. “It is long overdue that we step up to protect Washingtonians from mass shootings. The Legislature took that step today by voting to limit high-capacity magazines, ...

OLYMPIA - The Washington State Senate today approved the spending portion of Move Ahead Washington, a 16-year transportation investment package. Senate Bill 5689, the Supplemental Transportation Budget, invests primarily in ferries, backfilling of Connecting WA projects, and preservation and maintenance while Senate Bill 5975 funds carbon reduction initiatives. 

“We are on the verge of a new day in Washington – one that puts people, our environment, and working families at the center of every policy decision we make,” said Sen. Marko Liias (D-Everett), chair of ...

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OLYMPIA – Senate Democrats today introduced several measures aimed at reinvigorating the state’s small business economy while also providing free incentives for families to get outside and enjoy Washington. The proposal includes a tax cut for more than 125,000 small businesses across the state, waives entrance fees for county fairs and state fairs, and makes the Discover Pass available for free for a year starting July 1. The Senate has already approved measures to make transit and ferry fares free for youth and to reduce tolls on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. “As we start to look beyond the pandemic, ...

OLYMPIA – Budget leaders in the Washington State Senate today unveiled a $63.4 billion supplemental operating budget plan that increases investments to support working families and public schools, reduce poverty and homelessness, and address the climate crisis. The budget adds roughly $5.8 billion in new spending to the two-year budget passed by lawmakers last April, including a $2B transfer to help fund the Move Ahead Washington transportation package. “After two difficult and challenging years, Washingtonians are ready to look to the future with hope, and this budget provides an optimistic vision for our state,” said Sen. Christine Rolfes, (D-Bainbridge ...

OLYMPIA– On Tuesday, the Senate passed Move Ahead Washington, SB 5974, an investment in our community and our environmental health. “We know that transportation is one of biggest carbon-emitting sectors in our state,” said Sen. Joe Nguyen (D-White Center). “This package responds to the climate crisis and makes brave investments in maintenance and preservation, including investments in multimodal with transit, high-speed rail, and ferries. This package invests in a future in which we have prioritized the health and wellbeing of our communities, locally and globally.” Move Ahead Washington is a $16 billion, 16-year, transportation investment package with unprecedented ...

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Senate today approved revenue sources for Move Ahead Washington; the 16-year transportation investment package sponsored by Transportation Committee Chair Sen. Marko Liias (D – Everett). Senate Bill 5974 passed the chamber on a 29-20 vote Tuesday evening.  Move Ahead Washington includes $16.8 billion in investments for projects across the state, including historic funding for public transportation, bicycle and pedestrian safety, road preservation and maintenance, and climate mitigation. 

“We are on the verge of a new day in Washington – one that puts people, our environment, and working families at the center of every policy decision we make,” said Liias. ...

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Olympia– Legislation unanimously passed by the Senate would advance college affordability for military veterans, active military members, and their families by applying Washington state residency more broadly. “Our service people valiantly serve our nation,” said Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest). “They have our backs and we need to have theirs. Education is such a powerful tool in which our service members and their families could access career paths, jobs, income and much more. They deserve whatever we can do to alleviate their stressors.” Nobles’ Senate Bill 5874 would expand residency status for all active duty, veteran, and dependent students ...