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A bill aimed at expanding community-based support systems for Washingtonians living with mental illnesses passed the Washington State Senate today. Engrossed Senate Bill 5328, sponsored by Sen. Liz Lovelett (D-Anacortes), would make funding available to establish Clubhouse services statewide. Clubhouses are voluntary programs that enable those struggling with mental illnesses to focus on their strengths in a collaborative setting. The program provides an opportunity for people in similar situations to recover and improve their lives through friendship, shared work, education and employment. The bill would also require the Department of Health to review and redesign the licensure and ...

OLYMPIA – A bill to better protect workers during a public health crisis was approved by the Senate on a bipartisan vote of 40-7 on Tuesday. SB 5254, sponsored by Sen. Jesse Salomon (D-Shoreline), would bar employers from prohibiting employees from wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) when a public health state of emergency is declared because of an infectious disease.

  OLYMPIA – Legislation passed today by the Senate would reduce environmental health disparities in Washington state and improve the health of all people in Washington using principles of environmental justice. Senate Bill 5141, also known as the HEAL Act, would address the disproportionate exposure of Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color, along with low-income communities to environmental hazards in neighborhoods across Washington state. Due to this exposure, there is a higher risk of adverse health outcomes for those communities, which is further amplified for communities with pre-existing economic barriers and environmental risks. The HEAL Act, sponsored ...

  OLYMPIA – Legislation passed today by the Senate would raise awareness among families in the public education system about the services of the Office of Education Ombuds in Washington (OEO). Senate Bill 5376, sponsored by Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn), would require public schools to notify students and their families of the services available through OEO in at least one of two ways. Starting Sept. 1, 2021, schools would need to either include a link to OEO’s website on the school’s website or include contact information and a description of OEO services in annually shared materials such ...

A bill to reform the Employment Security Department and correct several of the issues that prevented Washingtonians from receiving unemployment benefits in a timely manner received bipartisan support Thursday. Senate Bill 5193, sponsored by Sen. Steve Conway (D-Tacoma), addresses many of the problems exposed in the wake of the layoffs caused by the pandemic and resulting “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” orders. The bill, which passed on a 48-0 vote, will implement additional oversight and performance measures at ESD to ensure Washingtonians who have lost their job will find a more responsive agency, receive benefits quickly and securely ...

  OLYMPIA – Legislation passed today by the Senate would help kids in foster care to stay with family members and in their communities where possible. Senate Bill 5151, sponsored by Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn), would also waive licensing fees for childcare providers until 2023 and would make permanent a pilot program for outdoor, nature-based early learning. Help for kinship caregivers Family reunification – wherever possible – is the ultimate goal of our foster care system. SB 5151 would allow DCYF to issue a child-specific license to a relative or other suitable person to provide foster care, which would help ...

OLYMPIA – Survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault will gain crucial protections and supports, and abusers will be held more accountable, if four bills passed unanimously by the Senate become law. SB 5180, passed today, would make it easier for survivors to wipe off their record sentences they received for offenses that were the result of being a victim of sex trafficking, domestic violence or sexual assault. “Traditionally our justice system has not done a good job in understanding the trauma of survivors,” said Sen. Manka Dhingra (D-Redmond), the bill’s sponsor. “This bill is about helping ...

OLYMPIA – A bill to restrict local governments from enacting arbitrary housing restrictions on accessory dwelling units (ADU) and home occupancy was approved by the Senate by a vote of 43-6 on Wednesday.Add New SB 5235, sponsored by State Sen. Marko Liias (D-Lynnwood) would prevent local governments from having ordinances that restrict who can live in ADUs in most circumstances. The bill would also restrict local governments from placing arbitrary limits on the number of unrelated people within a home. These arbitrary limits disproportionally impact historically and currently marginalized communities, and have contributed to widespread discrimination in ...

A bill to expand eligibility for a certain type of blood donation to 16- and 17-year-olds was approved by the Senate by a vote of 48-1 on Tuesday. SB 5179, sponsored by State Sen. Marko Liias (D-Lynnwood) would allow people ages 16 and 17 to donate blood through the apheresis process with parental or guardian permission.