Dear friends and neighbors, 

This month, I had the opportunity to speak at the State of Washington Tourism Summit, which took place right here in Spokane. I’ve been working on boosting our local tourism industry for many years and this event was an excellent chance to connect with tourism professionals, community leaders and outdoor advocates.  

Earlier this year, I sponsored and passed legislation to secure sustainable, long-term funding for tourism promotion across Washington. I also secured state funding to support Spokane’s Team Base Camp and Fan Zone during next summer’s 2026 FIFA World Cup. Spokane, as I said in the Spokesman article linked here, truly is the Soccer Heartbeat of the Inland Northwest!   

Thanks for attending our Mobile Office 

Thank you to everyone who joined us at our mobile office last month. I appreciated the opportunity to sit down in small-group conversations and hear directly from constituents about the issues impacting their lives. Your input helps guide my work, and I remain committed to bringing your voices to the Legislature and moving our community forward! 

Meeting the next generation of health care providers 

Sen. Riccelli pictured with students at Whitworth University 

Visiting local college campuses and connecting with the next generation of leaders is one of the most rewarding parts of my work. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Whitworth, Gonzaga, and Eastern Washington University to meet with students pursuing degrees in physical and occupational therapy. These future providers will play a vital role in strengthening our state’s health care system and serving communities across Washington. 

During our conversations, many of these students shared thoughtful questions about how federal policy decisions might impact their future patients and practice. They were particularly interested in potential effects from the H.R. 1 tax and spending bill, and how proposed federal cuts to Medicaid and other health programs could shape access to care across our state.   

If you’re interested in learning more about this issue, I encourage you to watch a recent Senate Ways & Means Committee meeting where we heard troubling updates from Senate staff and agency experts. Roughly 620,000 Washingtonians who rely on Medicaid—known here as Apple Health—could be affected by new federal requirements, putting thousands at risk of losing their insurance coverage.

Programs like SNAP, which help ensure families have food on the table, are also at risk. These federal actions create serious challenges for our state budget and for the health and wellbeing of Washington families. In the upcoming session, I’ll be working closely with my colleagues to do everything possible to protect these essential programs and the people who rely on them.  

Thanks for taking the time to read my newsletter. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram for more updates and please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at Marcus.Riccelli@leg.wa.gov.   

It is an honor to serve you!