Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The summer is flying by, and I have been busy meeting with community partners to hear directly about issues facing Spokane. I’ve also had the opportunity to use this interim time between legislative sessions to celebrate several groundbreakings and other community projects that will improve life here in Spokane. Earlier this week, I attended the Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council to provide a legislative update and hear from neighbors. This week I also attended the ribbon cutting and grand opening of The Landing (pictured above), Excelsior Wellness’s new 25-unit intergenerational housing community on NW Boulevard in Spokane. It was created to help address housing instability among youth transitioning from foster care and meet Spokane’s growing need for affordable housing.

These events help me identify key issues people are focused on in our community and I plan to connect with more neighbors in the days and weeks to come! Stay tuned for details on a mobile office I’ll be hosting later this year.

Improving emergency services

Earlier this month I joined the Spokane County Fire District 9 commissioners, their chief, and their talented crew to celebrate the launch of the new Advanced Life Support ambulance service. With rising ambulance rates in our region, they set off on an effort to trailblaze and offer expanded affordable access to emergency medical transport for those who need it most. At their request, I worked to press the state Department of Health and the EMS and Trauma Care Council to approve their application expeditiously. Access to affordable healthcare will always be a top priority for me and our community.

Wildfire Insurance Town Hall

Increasing wildfire risk has been reshaping the homeowners insurance market in our region over the last several years. For too many people living in vulnerable areas, the higher premiums are squeezing budgets or are out of reach altogether. Next month I will be cohosting a town hall with state Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer and Spokane Councilmember Kate Telis to discuss the current insurance market and wildfire mitigation efforts. Last session, I sponsored legislation to establish a voluntary wildfire mitigation grant program to reduce insurance policy non-renewals and cancellations due to wildfire risk. The bill passed the Senate but stalled in the House. I will continue to work on this bill next session so homeowners have more tools to protect their property from the growing risks from wildfires. The town hall will take place on Aug. 5 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture. I hope to see you there!

Celebrating new recreation fields

Earlier this year I had the chance to celebrate the new turf and lighted fields at Plantes Ferry Sports Complex and just a few weeks ago I attended a celebration for the groundbreaking of new lighted all-weather turf fields at Shadle Park High School. I am also excited to eventually see new softball and baseball infields at Rogers High School. I am proud to support the work of Together Spokane as we create better facilities where our young people can recreate, learn, and thrive!

Renewed hope for ditching the switch

Last week the U.S. House of Representative passed a measure to make daylight saving time permanent. Since 2019, when the Legislature passed HB 1196, my bill to move Washington to permanent daylight saving time, we have waited for Congress to act and stop acting like a broken clock. Changing our clocks twice a year has been associated with increased heart attacks, strokes, and traffic collisions. We now only need the U.S. Senate to pass and President Trump to sign the bill to stop the unhealthy practice of changing our clocks, which is also disruptive to children and extremely annoying to parents. Washingtonians are ready to #DitchTheSwitch, #LockTheClock, and never fall back again! As I told KHQ last week, if we can change time, we can change anything!

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!

Sen. Marcus Riccelli