Dear friends and neighbors,
Many of the new laws I sponsor each year originate with neighbors and community leaders who take the time to reach out to my office. I’m always eager to work with constituents to develop and advance legislation to solve problems and improve life in the 43rd District. In this newsletter, I’ll highlight a few of the bills I sponsored during the 2024 legislative session.
Service animals (SB 5788): Thanks to a constituent named Spencer Lang (pictured above), I learned that Washington is one of only three states without any accommodation protections in place for people who are training service animals. This leaves trainers like Spencer shut out from public spaces they rely on for socialization and obedience training. This bill will ensure that service dogs in training are allowed to accompany individuals in all public places so that they can learn to be effective guides for people with disabilities who will rely on their services.
Common interest communities (SB 5796): For several years, I’ve been working to clarify and simplify the rules governing condo associations, homeowner associations, and cooperatives in Washington. For decades, a patchwork of laws has created confusion for many people living in these communities. This legislation will improve clarity and transparency by adopting a single set of rules that govern all these communities, as well as strengthening protections for homeowners.
Guardianship (SB 5825): This bill will help people who are stuck in the hospital; do not need to be there based on their medical condition; but are not capable of consenting to a different placement and have no one in their lives who can do that on their behalf. The new law will allow a hospital to request that the Office of Public Guardianship provide someone who could serve as a guardian to protect the interests of these vulnerable people. This change will allow OPG to help discharge individuals from acute care hospitals in a safe way to less expensive placements, opening up space for those who need those beds.
Thanks for taking the time to read my newsletter. If you missed my previous updates on gun safety, K-12 education, environmental protections, affordable housing, LGBTQ+ rights, public safety, transportation, health care, higher education, community projects, or worker protections, they are available on my website. Please reach out with any questions at Jamie.Pedersen@leg.wa.gov.
Best wishes,
Jamie
