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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 9, 2023  OLYMPIA – Nurses who have suffered repeated traumatic events, like those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, will soon have access to improved workers’ compensation benefits.   Gov. Jay Inslee signed Sen. Annette Cleveland’s (D-Vancouver) Senate Bill 5454, which recognizes repeated exposure to traumatic events as an occupational disease.   A report from the International Council of Nurses found nurses are facing mass trauma as a result of the pandemic, which could lead to devastating consequences for individual nurses and ...

PASCO — Sen. John Lovick (D-Mill Creek) attended the opening of the new Criminal Justice Training Center in Pasco on Wednesday. The center is one of three new regional training facilities planned to open in the state. Clark and Skagit Counties are among the other locations being discussed and are expected to open in the coming months. Lovick, who served in the Washington State Patrol for 31 years, first proposed establishing regional training complexes in addition to the original facility in Burien a little more than 10 months ago. He said he was thrilled that the idea was able ...

OLYMPIA – Sen. Joe Nguyễn’s (D-White Center) legislation to further advance Washington toward a clean energy future has been signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee.   Senate Bill 5165 changes transmission planning from a 10-year to a 20-year timeline. It also requires transmission planners to consider the electricity grid impacts of integrating the large increase of renewable energy projects to ensure Washington increases its capacity to interconnect clean energy projects in future years.   Thoughtful transmission planning will help ensure Washington meets its obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide consistent, renewable ...

OLYMPIA — The governor signed legislation today that will expand access to the guardianship assistance program. Senate Bill 5124, sponsored by Sen. Yasmin Trudeau (D-Tacoma), allows any court-appointed guardians who are licensed foster parents to be eligible for state subsidies, instead of just relatives licensed as foster parents. “When kids can't remain at home, being with a trusted community member simply leads to better outcomes,” said Trudeau. “My family relied on me to provide kinship support when they were in crisis. Having experienced the foster care system, I knew I had to do what I could to ...

OLYMPIA – Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig (D-Spokane) released the statement below following Gov. Jay Inslee's announcement that he won't seek a fourth term: “Gov. Inslee has guided Washington on a path to achieve remarkable progress over the past decade. He will be the first to tell you there are many challenges that remain, and I look forward to continuing our work together over the next year and a half. But today is a day to celebrate a legacy and a partnership that produced historic legislation to combat climate change and gun violence, and to expand voting rights ...

OLYMPIA – Small towns around Washington state that have seen local news wither will get a civic shot in the arm from new funding in the state’s budget, passed Sunday. The appropriation of $2.4 million over the next two years, championed by Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines) and Sen. Marko Liias (D-Everett), establishes a new public-interest journalism fellowship program in the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University, which will support reporting focused on topics essential to civic life. “A strong press is fundamental to a thriving democracy,” said Keiser, a graduate of the UC Berkeley ...

OLYMPIA — A bill to better regulate THC products and limit youth access was signed into law after passing both chambers with strong bipartisan support.  Senate Bill 5367, sponsored by Sen. June Robinson (D-Everett), adds products containing a detectable amount of THC to the regulated cannabis market and amends the definition of “cannabis products” in state law to include cannabinoids like delta-8 and delta-10, both of which can be found in infused gummy candies currently being sold at convenience stores in Washington. Products sold outside the regulated market aren’t subject to the state's ...

OLYMPIA – Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig (D-Spokane) released the statement below following the adjournment of the 2023 legislative session on Sunday evening: “When we arrived in Olympia in January, there was urgency to act on the pressing challenges facing our communities. We prioritized legislation to boost support for behavioral health, provide a historic investment in affordable housing, increase funding for special education in public schools, expand access to childcare, improve public safety, and take action to combat our climate crisis. “As we adjourn after 105 days, we have seen remarkable bipartisan progress on all these fronts. We invested ...

The Senate today passed House Bill 1125, the 2023-25 transportation budget. The $13.4 billion plan invests in traffic safety, expands the state patrol and ferry workforces, funds green transportation options, and keeps work on schedule for transportation projects big and small across Washington.  The bill passed the Senate 46-3, passed the House 98-0 and will now head to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk for his signature and to become law.   Senate Transportation Chair Marko Liias (D-Everett) was most proud of the emphasis placed on safety in this budget. With traffic fatalities ...

OLYMPIA – Budget leaders in the Washington State Legislature announced an agreement today on a $69.3 billion, two-year budget to fund critical state services, including behavioral health, public schools, affordable housing, and a historic investment to address the climate crisis. The two-year operating budget adds roughly $4.7 billion in new spending, leaves $3 billion in total reserves, and does not rely on any new general taxes or fees. It also maintains the services expanded using federal funds during the pandemic that protected vulnerable Washingtonians. “Our new budget investments reflect the needs we see in communities across the state. People ...