News - Washington Senate Democrats

Legislature passes Wilson bill creating commission on LGBTQ inequities

by sdcadminApr 23 20190 Comments

Legislation to establish a state commission to identify concerns specific to LGBTQ individuals and apply those concerns to inform practices and policies at state agencies is on its way to the governor to be signed into law.

“Our state constitution promises to protect us against discrimination in its many forms, but not everyone receives those protections,” said Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn), the sponsor of Senate Bill 5356. “Many people regularly experience discrimination and other challenges, including physical violence, based merely on their identity or someone else’s perception of their identity.”

Wilson’s legislation will establish a state ...

House passes Wilson bill creating commission on LGBTQ inequities

by sdcadminApr 13 20190 Comments

Legislation passed late Friday by the House would establish a state commission to identify concerns specific to LGBTQ individuals and apply those concerns to inform practices and policies at state agencies.

“Many members of our community face an extreme and disproportionate risk of violence, discrimination and other challenges based merely on their identity,” said Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn), the sponsor of Senate Bill 5356. “This action is needed to ensure that LGBTQ people receive the same consideration and protections against discrimination guaranteed all other Washingtonians under our state constitution.”

The legislation would create a state LGBTQ Commission whose ...

House passes Bill committing Washington to 100-percent clean energy

by sdcadminApr 11 20190 Comments

OLYMPIA – A historic bill to commit Washington to 100-percent clean energy from renewable and zero-emission sources took another step forward today following passage by the Washington House of Representatives.

Representatives voted 56-42 in favor of Senate Bill 5116, a centerpiece of Gov. Jay Inslee's 2019 agenda to take meaningful action on climate change and reduce Washington's carbon footprint.

Sponsored by Sen. Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle) and in House companion legislation by Rep. Gael Tarleton (D-Ballard), the bill requires all electric utilities in Washington to transition to a 100-percent, carbon-neutral electricity supply by 2030 and to 100-percent carbon-free electricity ...

Two-year operating budget approved by Senate

by sdcadminApr 04 20190 Comments

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Senate today approved a $52.2 billion state operating budget to fund vital state services, including targeted support for the state’s behavioral health system, K-12 special education, higher education, and the environment.

Because the Senate amended ESHB 1109 before passing it, budget writers from the Senate and House must now begin a conference process to negotiate the differences in the versions that passed each chamber and pass a final operating budget before the end of the legislative session on April 28.

More than half of the state budget pays for K-12 education, honoring ...

Senate passes legislation to create LGBTQ Commission

by sdcadminMar 06 20190 Comments

Legislation to create a state commission to work with state agencies to develop and implement policies to address the unique needs of the LGBTQ community passed off the Senate floor today on a 34-14 vote.

Sponsored by Sen. Claire Wilson, Senate Bill 5356 would direct the governor to appoint commissioners who present a balanced and diverse representation of race and ethnicity, geography, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, and occupation.

"This will help members of our community whose identify puts them at extreme and ...

State Legislature welcomes one of the most diverse cohorts on record, including women of color

by sdcadminJan 16 20190 Comments

The Washington State Legislature welcomed one of its most diverse cohorts of elected officials in state history on January 14. The most recent class includes a female majority in the House Democratic Caucus with women of color serving in both the House and Senate leadership ranks. Washington currently ranks fourth in the nation in terms of gender parity in the state legislature.

Billig elected Senate Majority Leader

by sdcadminNov 12 20180 Comments

TUKWILA – Sen. Andy Billig, D-Spokane, will be the new Senate Majority Leader in the Washington State Senate, following a vote among Senate Democrats on Monday. Billig will take over immediately as Sen. Sharon Nelson, D-Maury Island, prepares to retire after more than a decade of service in the Legislature, including five years (2013-18) as leader of the Senate Democrats. Billig has served in the Senate since 2013 and was first elected to the state House of Representatives in 2011. Billig is the only Democrat in the Senate representing eastern Washington, but he’s not the first Spokane Democrat to ...

Washington makes history, becoming the 10th state to protect LGBTQ youth from conversion therapy

by sdcadminMar 28 20180 Comments

From The Trevor Project: This week the state of Washington made history, becoming the first state in 2018, and the 10th state in total, to pass protections for LGBTQ youth from the barbaric practice of conversion therapy. Conversion therapists falsely claim be able to change LGBTQ youth into straight and cisgender youth. Prominent professional health associations—including the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, among numerous others—oppose the use of conversion therapy on youth, calling the practice harmful and ineffective. As the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services ...

With Dems in control, voting rights, health care access, gun safety, education, jobs take center stage

by sdcadminMar 09 20180 Comments

OLYMPIA — With Democrats back in control, Washingtonians saw a Legislature that fought for their values, putting the focus on issues that will leave a lasting, positive impact on people in communities throughout the state. “I am so proud of what we have accomplished on behalf of the people of this state,” said Senate Majority Leader Sharon Nelson. “We put people first and followed through on an agenda that every Washingtonian can be proud of.” The Legislature adjourned today on time for the first time in four years, passing a balanced budget plan that will make substantial investments in ...

Senate passes new protections for LGBTQ youth

by sdcadminJan 19 20180 Comments

The Washington State Senate today took a significant step to protect LGBTQ youth by passing legislation to ban so-called “conversion therapy” and require school districts to adopt or amend anti-harassment policies to include transgender students. “It is long past time for Washington to make it clear to our LGBTQ youth that we value their safety and affirm that they too deserve protection as they navigate their young lives,” said Sen. Marko Liias, D-Lynnwood, sponsor of Senate Bill 5766 and Senate Bill 5722. “I am thankful to my colleagues in the Senate for taking this stand today ...