Friends and neighbors,

I hope you will join me and Reps. Timm Ormsby and Natasha Hill on Tuesday, Feb. 11 for a telephone town hall. We’ll provide an update on progress we are making this session and answer your questions about issues critical to Spokane.

The event will run from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and you can call 855-756-7520 Ext.119801# to participate. I hope to hear from you next week!

Removing medical debt from credit score reporting

People who get sick or a have a medical emergency shouldn’t have their financial future ruined. My bill (SB 5480) to remove medical debt from credit score reporting is a common-sense step to help families in Spokane and across the state. An unexpected medical event should not make it more difficult to qualify for an affordable loan, rent an apartment, or get a job. That’s especially true for the 6 in 10 adults in our state who say they could not pay an unexpected $500 medical bill. Removing medical debt from a credit score improves a score by 20 points, on average. Medical debt has no bearing on whether a person makes sound financial decisions and should not be used in consumer financial credit reports. I recently spoke with KHQ about the bill on you can watch my testimony on the bill here.

Universal free school meals

My bill to make free meals available to all 1.1 million public school students in Washington had a public hearing this week. As I said during my testimony, we can’t expect kids who are hungry or doing their homework by the dome light of a car to be successful. They need to be fed. We know that if they have access to nutrition, they will thrive in school. I’ve been working on this issue for a decade in the Legislature and I’m proud that about 70 percent of kids now have access to free breakfast and lunch. Now it’s time to finish the job and make it universal across the state and work to end childhood hunger in Washington. Feeding kids can’t wait.

Thanks for taking the time to read this newsletter and please don’t hesitate to reach out at Marcus.Riccelli@leg.wa.gov.

It is my honor to serve you!

Sincerely,

 

 

Sen. Marcus Riccelli