Friends, neighbors —
We hit our first important deadline: policy cutoff. That means that we’ve introduced the last new bills of the 2023 session. Now we’ll begin to move the best of these bills along in the process. I’m so excited we’re going to be able to keep discussing and moving many important pieces of legislation to remove barriers to higher education, strengthen our health care system, protect and expand access to comprehensive medical services, and more.
Scroll down to learn more about our ongoing work and meet our dedicated team:
#1: I’m thrilled to share that TEN (10!) of the 12 bills I introduced are still alive! Some of these are headed to the floor soon, while others still need to make it out of fiscal committees (Ways & Means and Transportation) on their journeys through the legislative process.
👉🏽 SB 5241 to protect patient interests against hospital and health system mergers
👉🏽 SB 5292 to support passenger-only ferries
👉🏽 SB 5373 to reimburse ARNPs and PAs at the same rate as physicians for the same services and care, strengthening access to care in our communities and supporting small businesses and local provider practices
👉🏽 SB 5394 to support physicians trained at international medical schools in providing care in Washington
👉🏽 SB 5555 to address the behavioral health crisis by creating certified peer specialists
👉🏽 SB 5666 to help community or technical college students with housing costs
👉🏽 SB 5703 to expand the Washington College Grant to cover more middle-income families
👉🏽 SB 5534 to move staffing of the Workforce Education Investment Accountability Board to the Washington Student Achievement Council – a good government efficiency bill!
👉🏽 SB 5732 to ensure seniors who qualify for the property tax exemption program remain eligible when they receive a nominal social security increase
👉🏽 SB 5401 to allow motorcycles and mopeds (fuel efficient vehicles!) to travel more efficiently and decrease congestion
These policies have been fine-tuned and championed by our neighbors all over the state, and I’m so honored to be sponsoring them.
#2: Want to get an inside scoop what’s happening in the Legislature? Watch our most recent Leadership Media Availability! I joined Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, and our House leadership colleagues – Reps. Joe Fitzgibbon and Monica Stonier – for a 30-minute overview of the session so far and what you expect to see in the coming weeks. Click here to watch!
#3: Without my stellar team working alongside me, none of this work would be possible! Every day, they help champion our communities’ priorities in one way or another.
First up, meet Santos — my outstanding legislative assistant! Santos joined our office this year and has hit the ground running. He coordinates with stakeholders and neighbors as we craft legislation, schedules meetings, and oversees correspondence, so we can make sure we lift up our neighbors’ voices.
Madeline — my 2023 session aide and constituent! — is new to the team (but not the district) and has been an outstanding advocate for our community from the start! She helps us read and respond to the thousands of emails we receive in a session and is always a friendly face in our meetings with neighbors.
This year, I’m also delighted to welcome Sean to the team — our intern for the 2023 session! He’s brought his passion and curiosity to our work to open career and education pathways, fight for health care access and improve pay equity for all our neighbors!
And finally, we have Olivia — our communications specialist! Olivia is another new addition and helps me stay connected with our community in ways that are accessible to our neighbors, from e-newsletters to social media.
#4: One of our top goals is to ensure the legislative process is not only accessible to all our neighbors but understandable. Are there any terms or procedures you want to learn more about? Let us know at the link!
#5: Save the date for town halls! I’ve been working with my colleagues in the House — Reps. Michelle Caldier and Spencer Hutchins — to make it easier on our constituents to attend the town halls that are most convenient to YOU. While we won’t be hosting joint town halls this time, I’ll host a virtual town hall on Saturday, March 11, (when my House colleagues are in-person) and be in-person at multiple locations around the district on Saturday, March 18, (when my House colleagues host a virtual town hall). More details on times and locations to come!
