OLYMPIA — Legislators, local elected officials, and community members gathered at a press conference today to demand economic and social justice for people living near Sea-Tac Airport. Speakers supported legislation (SB 5955/HB 2103) to direct a small portion of Port of Seattle revenue as well as funding from the state’s Climate Commitment Act to address the significant noise and air pollution that burden communities around the airport. Elected officials in attendance were Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines), Rep. Tina Orwall (D-Des Moines), SeaTac Mayor Mohamed Egal, Des Moines City Councilmember JC Harris, and Des Moines City ...
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OLYMPIA — A bill to help close gaps in wage and advancement opportunities among Washington workers, particularly women and workers in other protected classes, was heard in the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee Monday. Senate Bill 5894, sponsored by Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest), would expand the workplace rights and protections in the Washington Equal Pay and Advancement Opportunities Act to include protected classes beyond gender, such as age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any ...
Read MoreLegislation to allow students to receive state financial aid for the same amount of time they can receive federal aid was heard in the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee Friday. Senate Bill 5904, sponsored by Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest), would align the maximum eligibility time frames for the Washington College Grant, College Bound Scholarship, and Passport to Careers programs with that of the federal Pell Grant at 150% — the equivalent of 18 full-time academic quarters. More than 6,800 Washington students in the 2023–24 academic year are on track to ...
Read MoreWashington’s bees are in trouble. Climate change, chemicals and other factors have caused our state’s bee population to decline at a rate faster than the national average, with colonies decreasing 9% from April 2022 to April 2023. One major contributor to the shrinking bee population is pesticides. That’s why Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds) is sponsoring Senate Bill 5972, which will end the domestic outdoor use of pesticides that contain neonicotinoids. This type of insecticide is absorbed into plants and can be present in pollen and nectar, with deadly effects for the pollinators that feed on them. The bill ...
Read MoreMembers of the Washington State LGBTQ Caucus commend the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to not hear a challenge to Washington’s ban on conversion therapy and issued the following statement Tuesday:
“Conversion therapy is a harmful and discredited practice that lacks scientific validity and often causes severe psychological and emotional distress. “This crucial decision upholds the state’s commitment to protecting LGTBQ+ individuals and reinforces the importance of promoting the mental health and well-being of all Washingtonians. “Despite dissents from three justices, this decision signals a continued ...Read More
November 20, 2023 The Washington State Senate Members of Color Caucus issued the following statement in response to the rising hate in our communities, expressing concern about the far-reaching effects of escalating tensions and conflicts across the world: “In recent weeks, our hearts have grown heavy witnessing devastating violence and conflict, which have deeply affected members of our community. The ripple effect of this international conflict has been felt in Washington state, leading to a troubling rise in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. “As members of the Washington State Senate Members of Color Caucus (MOCC), we stand with our ...
Read MoreMore than $108 million has been refunded to Washington families through the Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC). The WFTC (House Bill 1297) is a sales and use tax remittance rebate to support working families who pay a disproportionate amount of their income in taxes. It is designed to put up to $1,200 per year back in the pockets of nearly 400,000 taxpayers, helping to balance Washington’s upside-down tax code. One in six Washington households is eligible for the tax credit and one in four children will directly benefit from the ...
Read MoreSen. Joe Nguyễn (D-White Center), chair of the Environment, Energy & Technology Committee, issued the following statement on the Department of Ecology’s preliminary decision to link Washington’s carbon market with California and Québec: “I am excited to hear of the Department of Ecology’s decision to pursue a linkage agreement with our partners in California and Québec. While there are details that still need to be worked out, this is a crucial step forward for the stability of our cap-and-invest program. Washington, California and Québec have all exemplified strong commitments to decarbonizing ...
Read MoreOLYMPIA – The Senate Democratic Caucus today voted to confirm committee membership positions for the 2024 legislative session. Sen. June Robinson (D-Everett) was selected to serve as chair of the Ways & Means Committee. Robinson had served as vice chair of the committee since 2020. Sen. Joe Nguyễn (D-White Center) will now serve as vice chair of the committee while Sen. Emily Randall (D-Bremerton) joins Ways & Means and comes off of Transportation. Sen. Drew Hansen, who was appointed to the Senate in August, joins three committees. Hansen (D-Bainbridge Island) will serve on Higher Education & Workforce Development, Labor ...
Read MoreSen. June Robinson (D-Everett) was elected chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee following a vote of the Senate Democratic Caucus on Thursday. “I am honored to have the trust of the Senate Democratic Caucus in being chosen for this key position and feel well prepared to step into this role, given my knowledge of the issues and experience writing and negotiating state budgets,” Robinson said. “Washington state has a healthy economy. We have shown time and again through hard work and innovation our state is leading the way. That said, there ...
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