News Releases

OLYMPIA — A bill to expand resources for high-poverty schools and students was heard in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee Thursday.  Senate Bill 5120, sponsored by Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest), aims to strengthen the Learning Assistance Program (LAP) High Poverty by increasing eligibility and enhancing funding to better serve students across Washington.  Read More

OLYMPIA — A bill to address critical funding gaps in Washington’s K-12 schools was heard in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee Wednesday.  Senate Bill 5192, sponsored by Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest), would increase funding for materials, supplies, and operating costs (MSOC) in schools while tying future adjustments to a specific inflation ...

OLYMPIA — A bill aimed at improving resources for incarcerated individuals and their families was heard in the Senate Human Services Committee Tuesday.  Senate Bill 5182, sponsored by Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest), seeks to expand access to parenting programs, enhance maternal health care services for incarcerated individuals, and update language in state policies to reflect greater ...

OLYMPIA — A bill to expand anti-discrimination protections in Washington’s public schools was heard in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee Tuesday. Senate Bill 5123, sponsored by Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest), updates state law to explicitly include protections for students based on immigration status, neurodivergence, ethnicity, and homelessness. It also distinguishes between ...

OLYMPIA — A bill aimed at expanding workplace protections for pregnant and postpartum workers was heard in the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee Monday.  Senate Bill 5217, sponsored by Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest), extends existing requirements for employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy and postpartum needs to all employers regardless of size. The bill also ...

OLYMPIA — A bill to improve access to higher education and financial aid guidance for Washington students was heard in the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee Thursday. Senate Bill 5164, sponsored by Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest), establishes a statewide postsecondary outreach and enrollment specialist program and expands support for students navigating financial aid and enrollment ...

OLYMPIA — A bill to increase access to the ballot for uniform and overseas citizen voters was heard in the Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections Committee Tuesday.  Senate Bill 5017, sponsored by Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest), ensures continued participation in Washington’s elections for service members, military families, and expatriates while aligning the state’s voting processes ...

OLYMPIA — Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest) was appointed to the Workforce Education Investment Accountability and Oversight Board Tuesday by the Senate Democratic Caucus.  The board was established in 2019 and is responsible for:  

• Providing guidance and recommendations to the Legislature on what workforce education priorities should be funded with the ...
  Read More

OLYMPIA — Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest) was appointed to the Joint Higher Education Committee Wednesday by Lt. Gov. Denny Heck.  The joint committee consists of eight members — two members from each of the major caucuses in both the House and Senate — and meets at least twice annually.  Nobles is the current chair of the Senate ...

OLYMPIA — Washington state will soon have the highest Medicaid reimbursement rate for birth doulas in the U.S. thanks to the efforts of Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest).  The supplemental operating budget, signed into law Friday, allows birth doulas to claim up to $3,500 per doula — making it the highest rate in the nation, according to the National ...