Category Archives: E-News

Thanks to the work and leadership of many survivors of sexual assault in our state, the Legislature took action this year to make it easier for survivors to seek and achieve justice. I am grateful for the courage survivors demonstrated ...

For decades, our state has struggled to guarantee financial assistance for all low-income college students in the state who qualify. Nearly 18,000 people met the requirements for Washington’s State Need Grant last year, for instance, but could not access tuition ...

The next school year starts in less than a month for public school students here in Seattle. My kids are excited to get back into their classrooms at Stevens Elementary, Thurgood Marshall Elementary, and Meany Middle School. Although work remains, ...

The lack of affordable housing has created serious and growing problems across our state, and nowhere more than in the central Puget Sound region. People live under bridges, in tents, and in cars. Families move to distant suburbs to find ...

For decades, Washington state has struggled to meet the needs of people with mental health or substance use disorders, now commonly referred to as “behavioral health.” We have relied on 19th-century models of care and have failed to invest in ...

Orcas and salmon are integral to our region’s cultural identity, economy and tourism industry. Both southern resident orcas and Chinook salmon populations are declining due to the last century of development and human activity along the Puget Sound and Columbia ...

The growing threat of climate change is among the top policy, business and moral issues of our time. Human activities have caused current levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases to exceed all levels measured for at least the past 800,000 years ...

Many people struggle with debt. Whether the debts are incurred intentionally (such as student loans) or unexpectedly (such as emergency medical bills), they can become overwhelming for consumers. Unfortunately, Washington state’s laws have helped contribute to an endless cycle of ...

Washington state has been fortunate for many years to have courageous champions in the state Legislature who stand up for historically-marginalized communities. Their work on behalf of communities of color, immigrants, and the LGBTQ community helped our state advance civil ...

When Senate Democrats met late last year to prepare for the 2019 legislative session, we agreed that access to quality health care should be one of our top priorities. Washington state has dramatically improved access to health care over the ...