OLYMPIA – Senate Bill 5141, also known as the HEAL Act and introduced by Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle) this week, would reduce environmental health disparities in Washington state and improve the health of all Washington state residents using principles of environmental justice. Studies have found that people of color and low-income people are disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards in communities across Washington state. As a result, there is a higher risk of adverse health outcomes for those communities, and this risk is amplified for communities with pre-existing economic barriers and environmental risks. The HEAL Act would implement recommendations from the Environmental Justice Task Force – established by the Legislature last year – on how state agencies should incorporate environmental justice ...
Read MoreAbout Rebecca
Sen. Rebecca Saldaña is the Washington State Senate Deputy Majority Leader and represents the 37th Legislative District. She is a proud Chicana of Mexican and Germanic roots who grew up in the Delridge neighborhood of Seattle and has lived and worked primarily in Seattle and Oregon.
During her tenure in the Senate, Rebecca has used her experience and expertise to spearhead legislative efforts to increase equity for historically oppressed communities, protect workers’ rights, encourage sustainable development, build equitable transportation solutions, and increase voter access to elections.
Read Rebecca’s full biography here.
