{"id":3156,"date":"2026-02-10T16:09:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T23:09:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/senatedemocrats.wa.gov\/robinson\/?p=3156"},"modified":"2026-02-10T16:09:42","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T23:09:42","slug":"3156","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/senatedemocrats.wa.gov\/robinson\/2026\/02\/10\/3156\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s happening at the Capitol"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dear friends and neighbors,<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As the session moves into its next phase, I want to share an update on the work underway in Olympia,\u00a0including efforts to strengthen state-local partnerships, where budget work stands, and how your feedback continues to shape the priorities\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0advancing for our community.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

STRENGTHENING STATE-LOCAL\u00a0PARTNERSHIPS<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Government works best when\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0collaborative \u2014 when the state sets clear policy and local governments have the tools and flexibility to meet the needs of their communities. In Snohomish County, housing stability and emergency services depend on strong coordination across all levels of government and a shared commitment to making systems work in real life, not just on paper.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This session,\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0co-sponsoring\u00a0legislation that\u00a0strengthens those partnerships.\u00a0<\/span>Senate Bill 6027<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0updates existing housing tools so cities and counties can better\u00a0maintain\u00a0affordable housing, support permanent supportive housing, and protect investments\u00a0we\u2019ve\u00a0already made as costs rise. These changes help ensure state housing dollars are used effectively on the ground and continue serving people who need them most.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m\u00a0also supporting\u00a0<\/span>Senate Bill 6037<\/span><\/b><\/a>, which emphasizes collaboration between cities, labor, hospitals, and local stakeholders when forming fire protection districts. It gives communities more practical options to sustain fire and emergency medical services while keeping decision-making transparent and locally accountable.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Together, these bills, which both passed the Ways & Means Committee, reflect a simple principle: strong outcomes come from shared responsibility, local expertise, and partnerships built to last.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

COMING\u00a0UP NEXT<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ways & Means has passed its fiscal cutoff for Senate bills, marking an important transition in the legislative process. Senate bills with a fiscal impact that moved out of committee by the deadline remain eligible to advance this session.\u00a0Some Senate bills were not subject to fiscal cutoff because they are necessary to implement the budget, meaning they directly affect state revenue or spending authority and move alongside the budget itself.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the past week, the Senate has spent more time on the floor debating and passing the bills that advanced out of committee ahead of\u00a0the\u00a0cutoff, and that floor work will continue\u00a0early into next week. At the same time,\u00a0we\u00a0continue to be\u00a0in the budget-writing phase, working through priorities and fiscal constraints to develop\u00a0our\u00a0Senate\u00a0operating budget\u00a0proposal.\u00a0It\u00a0is expected to be released in the coming weeks, and\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0share more details\u00a0in future e-newsletters.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

WHAT WE\u2019RE HEARING FROM YOU<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For years, constituents across Snohomish County have shared that the cost of health care is one of the biggest pressures on household budgets. In a recent survey I sent to the district, many of you again raised health care costs as a top affordability concern \u2014 reinforcing what\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0heard throughout my legislative career.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Health care affordability has long been a priority for me, which is why I voted yes on\u00a0<\/span>Senate Bill 5993<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0the Senate floor. The bill builds on Washington\u2019s ongoing work to address medical debt by lowering the interest rate on new medical debt to 1% and stopping interest from accruing while patients are still being screened for charity care. It also requires refunds when medical debt is later reduced or found to be invalid, helping protect families from unnecessary financial strain.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This legislation follows important progress made last year, when I co-sponsored a\u00a0<\/span>bill<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0that is now law prohibiting medical debt from being reported to credit bureaus and strengthening consumer protections around medical billing. Senate Bill 5993 is now\u00a0under consideration\u00a0in the House, continuing the state\u2019s work to reduce the harm medical debt can cause for families in our district.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

SAVE THE DATE<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Please join Reps. Mary Fosse and Julio Cortes and me for our telephone town hall from\u00a0<\/span>7-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24<\/span><\/b>! We will share an update on our work here in Olympia and answer any questions you might have about the 2026 session.<\/span><\/p>\n

The call will go out to constituents across the 38th Legislative District. If you do not receive one, you can still\u00a0participate\u00a0by dialing\u00a0<\/span>855-756-7520<\/span><\/b>\u00a0and using extension\u00a0<\/span>130180#<\/span><\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

I hope to hear from you then!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

STAY IN TOUCH\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Staying connected with the people I\u00a0represent\u00a0is one of the most important parts of this job. Your insights and feedback help shape the work we do in Olympia, and I value the conversations we have \u2014 whether\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0over email, on the phone, or in person. I encourage you to reach out, follow along for updates, and stay engaged in the legislative process.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sincerely,\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sen. June Robinson<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dear friends and neighbors,\u00a0 As the session moves into its next phase, I want to share an update on the work underway in Olympia,\u00a0including efforts to strengthen state-local partnerships, where budget work stands, and how your feedback continues to shape the priorities\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0advancing for our community.\u00a0 STRENGTHENING STATE-LOCAL\u00a0PARTNERSHIPS\u00a0 Government works best when\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0collaborative \u2014 when the state sets clear policy and local governments have the tools and flexibility to meet the needs of their communities. In Snohomish County, housing stability and emergency services depend on strong coordination across all levels of government and a shared commitment to making systems work in real…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":3160,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3156","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-e-news"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat\u2019s happening at the Capitol - Sen. 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