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OLYMPIA – State Senator Christine Rolfes (D-Bainbridge Island), chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, released this statement following today’s Economic and Revenue Forecast Council meeting: “This updated forecast will put the Legislature in a better position to meet the needs of struggling families and small businesses when we convene in January. Our state still has a lot of challenges ahead, which I’m confident we will continue to meet, and we continue to look to our federal government to help get us through these trying times.”

OLYMPIA – State Senator Christine Rolfes (D-Bainbridge Island), chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, released this statement following today’s Economic and Revenue Forecast Council meeting: “Washington’s diverse economy is showing signs of resilience. While we will still face many challenges ahead, there are some extremely positive signals for our state’s financial picture in this forecast and it represents an enormous step in shoring up our state’s projected budget deficit. “Thanks to action by lawmakers to hold $3 billion in reserves and difficult decisions made earlier this year by the governor to veto legislation and reduce spending, ...

Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle) on Thursday issued the statement below on the US Supreme Court's decision to reject the Trump Administration’s attempt to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA): “This news comes as a tremendous relief for the thousands of DACA recipients living in Washington. From the time the Trump Administration began its racist, xenophobic campaign against immigrant communities across this nation, people who know no other home but this one, have lived in fear. “In our Washington we have taken strides to ensure immigrants have access to education, health care and jobs. This includes our ...

OLYMPIA – Sen. Christine Rolfes (D-Bainbridge Island), chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, released this statement following today’s Economic and Revenue Forecast Council meeting: “Today’s forecast gives us a better understanding of the enormous fiscal challenges facing our state in the months to come. We will continue our work to address the immediate impacts of the pandemic and prepare to make smart, informed budget decisions that will protect households from the continued impacts of a sustained downturn. “While we remain hopeful that our federal partners will act responsibly and support states with a relief package, it will ...

OLYMPIA – Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig (D-Spokane) released the statement below following today’s Economic and Revenue Forecast Council meeting:

“Since session concluded in March, we have not stopped our work to ensure all working people, businesses and those disproportionately impacted by both the economic and health impacts of COVID-19 receive the support they need to survive this crisis in the short-term and thrive in the long-term.

“Today’s revenue forecast gives us a better understanding of the size of the economic problem and reaffirms that we have a daunting task ahead. As we ...

Working people and small businesses are facing unprecedented challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. On Tuesday, the Senate Special Committee on Economic Recovery heard from a variety of experts about ways to help people and businesses recover.

The bipartisan committee focused its first meeting on a wide variety of topics, including unemployment, regional challenges, challenges faced by small businesses, short and long-term recovery strategies, supply chain issues, and much, much more.

“Solving this crisis will require us to be thoughtful, creative and resist the temptation to retreat to our ideological corners. ...

Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig issued the statement below following the Snohomish County Council unanimously appointing June Robinson this afternoon to replace Sen. John McCoy as the Senator from the 38^th Legislative District. McCoy retired last month: “June Robinson has dedicated her life to making the lives of others better. “Throughout her career she has committed herself to the improvement of public health for diverse populations both here in Washington and in other parts of the world. Her public health background, budget experience and expertise in affordable housing are especially important now to the legislature and the entire state. “The ...

*Please see additional documents at the bottom of this statement Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig (D-Spokane) and Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins (D-Tacoma) issued the statement below following the refusal today of Senate Republican leadership to sign off on the Governor’s request to extend emergency protections for survivors of domestic violence: “We find it incomprehensible that the Senate Republican leadership would refuse to approve extending a common-sense proclamation protecting victims of domestic violence, stalking, harassment, and sexual violence. “We understand there are genuine disagreements about some aspects of the state’s attempts to protect Washingtonians from the health effects of ...

OLYMPIA - Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig (D-Spokane) on Wednesday announced the formation of a bipartisan Special Committee on Economic Recovery in the Washington State Senate to address the state’s long-term economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. The committee will hold its first meeting in June and is tasked with making recommendations on COVID-19 recovery legislation in advance of the 2021 legislative session, or before that if lawmakers are called back into session this year. “It’s hard to imagine a single aspect of day-to-day life in Washington that will not be impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, and we must ...