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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Feb. 28. 2023

Press Inquiries | 360.786.7298, erin.hut@leg.wa.gov 

OLYMPIA — Sen. Joe Nguyễn’s (D-White Center) bill to make changes to the candidate filing process passed the Senate unanimously on Tuesday.   

Senate Bill 5182 moves the deadline for candidates to file for office and modifies deadlines for candidate statements prepared for the voters’ pamphlet.  

Currently, candidates only have one week to prepare those statements after filing to run. Allowing them more time to complete these will result in more thoughtful and informative statements for voters. 

SB 5182 would also allow auditors more time to produce materials and make them available in multiple languages.  

“On the surface, this bill seems simple,” said Sen. Nguyễn. “But it will have deep effects. It’s really about ensuring that everyone, from candidate to voter, has time to make thoughtful decisions about the factors that contribute to our democracy.”  

The bill now heads to the House for consideration.  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Feb. 15, 2023 

Press Inquiries | 360.786.7298, erin.hut@leg.wa.gov 

Sen. Joe Nguyễn’s (D-White Center) bill to crack down on political spending by corporations with foreign influence has passed the Senate.  

Foreign investment in U.S. corporations has risen from 4 percent in 1986 to more than 40 percent in 2020.  

That same year, the City of Seattle passed legislation to ban political donations in local elections from companies with at least 5 percent foreign ownership. Senate Bill 5284 would follow Seattle’s lead and make it the standard for all of Washington state.  

SB 5284 also increases oversight of online political ads by placing responsibility of those ads on the person placing them. 

Lastly, this bill establishes an additional reporting period for large campaign contributions. This would be before ballots are mailed so voters can be informed about the rise in campaign spending leading up to the voting period.   

“This bill is about transparency and ensuring we are in control of our own elections,” said Sen. Nguyễn. “Our future should be decided by the voters.” 

SB 5284 now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.  

Grace McMahon, a junior at Seattle’s Bishop Blanchet High School, served as a page for the Washington State Senate the week of Jan. 23. Sen. Joe Nguyễn (D-White Center) sponsored her week at the Legislature.

The page program offers a hands-on opportunity for students to find out how state government works. During the week-long interactive learning experience, students get a firsthand look at the legislative process and get to explore the Capitol campus by delivering papers for Senate staff. Along with the practical experience, pages are also taught about local government by staff and by guest speakers.

McMahon applied for the program because of her interest in politics.

“I’ve always had an interest in law and government, and so I thought this would be a perfect opportunity,” she said. “And my dad works down here, so it was kind of just a perfect match.”

“It’s been very interesting,” McMahon added. “I think that my favorite thing about it is talking to security, they’re all very nice and kind.”

After finishing her time in the page program and graduating from high school, McMahon plans to go to college to study politics.

“Right now, I’m looking at colleges and universities. I’d really like to go to the east coast or the UK, and I’m looking to major in political science or international relations,” she said. “This program is a perfect fit for that, and I think it would look great on a college application.”

Sen. Nguyễn said that he enjoyed his time with McMahon and that he is looking forward to “seeing the change she will make in her community.”

For more information about the Senate Page Program, contact SenatePageProgram@leg.wa.gov.

Gavin Horton, a sophomore at West Seattle High School, served as a page for the Washington State Senate the week of Jan. 23.

The page program offers a hands-on opportunity for students to find out how state government works. During the week-long interactive learning experience, students get a firsthand look at the legislative process and get to explore the Capitol campus by delivering papers for Senate staff. Along with the practical experience, pages are also taught about local government by staff and guest speakers.

Horton applied to the program because of an existing interest in politics.

“I heard about it from Sen. Nguyễn and his family,” he said. “But, I’ve always had an interest in politics so I thought this would be a great opportunity for me.”

Horton has greatly enjoyed the experience, calling it “one of the coolest things I’ve ever done.”

“It’s a very unique experience. Everyone here is extremely nice, they’re very welcoming. It’s a very positive environment,” he said. “It’s so interesting to see the inner workings of government.”

Sen. Joe Nguyễn (D-White Center) sponsored Horton’s week at the Legislature. Horton said he greatly enjoyed speaking with the Senator.

“He’s one of the nicest people that I’ve ever met,” he said. “He’s very generous, very kind, and he’s a great person to talk to.”

Nguyễn said he enjoyed his time with Horton and believed that he would go on to “make great changes in his community.”

For more information about the Senate Page Program, contact SenatePageProgram@leg.wa.gov.

For 30 years, local towns, cities and counties have been blocked from taking their own action to prevent gun violence.  

This is because of a statewide preemption of local gun regulations.  

SB 5446 would remove that preemption so local municipalities may have the flexibility to make decisions that are best for their communities.  

“Gun violence is a public health crisis in Washington and local governments are bringing ideas to the table to fix it. They should have the authority to address the problem in a way that best suits their community. This bill would do just that,” said Senator Joe Nguyễn (D-White Center).   

This bill was submitted in partnership with Mayor Bruce Harrell of Seattle.  

“Seattle has seen a deeply troubling increase in shots fired and shooting deaths over the past several years, irreparably harming too many families and children in our city,” said Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. “While our city is advancing both law enforcement and community-based solutions, we must go even further to address the gun violence epidemic. Cities need the freedom to set their own commonsense gun safety laws and better keep communities safe.” 

Read SB 5446 in full here.  

Joy Ohta, 16, spent the week of January 9-13 serving as a page for the Washington State Senate. Sen. Joe Nguyen (D-White Center) sponsored her week in the Legislature.

The page program offers students a hands-on opportunity to learn about state government through classes, guest speakers, and direct contact with legislators. Ohta was motivated to serve as a page in order to learn more about state government and explore her options for college.

“I thought the page program would be a good opportunity to kind of find out how the government works,” said Ohta. “I don’t know a lot about the government, and I am looking for careers and what kind of career I’m going to be interested in.”

Ohta learned a lot from the program, through both page school and experience talking with legislators. However, her favorite part of the program was the relationships she built with her fellow pages.

“My favorite part has been meeting the other pages, because we all come from such different cities or towns,” Ohta said. “I think that interaction between all of us has been really nice and aiding how I feel comfortable here at the Capitol.”

Sen. Nguyen said that Ohta was “a pleasure to be around” and is glad that the page program has returned.

Ohta is a junior at Chief Sealth International High School, where she plays an active role in her school’s community. She plays for the volleyball and tennis teams, plays piano for jazz band, and serves as an ASB representative. For more information about the Senate Page Program, contact SenatePageProgram@leg.wa.gov.

Olympia– Sen. Joe Nguyen (D-White Center) was selected by the Senate Democratic Caucus to chair the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee in the 2023 legislative session.

“Washington is a renowned environmental leader powered by a robust technology sector and an innovative energy industry,” said Nguyen. “The conversations in this committee aren’t just about our state’s immediate needs, but also about the infrastructure we are building for an equitable future. I’m deeply honored to assume this position, not just as a representative of our community, but as a parent.”

The committee considers issues relating to the availability, production and conservation of energy, and technology. It also has jurisdiction over climate change and the environment, the State Environmental Policy Act, oil spill prevention, recycling, and hazardous and toxic waste.

Nguyen will now serve on the Ways & Means Committee and continue on the Human Services Committee and as the Assistant Floor Leader.

The Senate is scheduled to vote to confirm all committee positions on the first day of the 2023 legislative session on Jan. 9.

Members of the public interested in participating in legislative hearings can find information at www.leg.wa.gov. Legislative hearings are streamed live on www.tvw.org and are recorded and available to view in TVW’s archive.