OLYMPIA – On August 10, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington ruled in favor of Latino voters living in Central Washington in Palmer v Hobbs, finding that Washington’s legislative map violates the federal Voting Rights Act. The court concluded that the districts drawn in the Yakima Valley dilute the Latino vote and prevent the Latino community ...
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OLYMPIA — A bill to crack down on the use of vapor and tobacco products among minors was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee. SB 5365, sponsored by Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle), focuses on holding retailers and adults accountable for allowing minors to access tobacco products. The bill recognizes that minors who use these products may have a ...
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OLYMPIA – A new bill to address inequities in the criminal justice system was signed into law by Gov. Inslee today. SB 5046, sponsored by Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle), authorizes the Office of Public Defense (OPD) to provide postconviction access to counsel to people who can't afford it. Personal restraint petitions are essential in challenging unjust criminal judgments and sentences, ...
Read MoreOLYMPIA — A bill to extend and amend the original Social Equity in Cannabis Program was signed into law Monday. SB 5080, sponsored by Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle), extends the Social Equity in Cannabis Program until July 1, 2032, and modifies the licenses that the Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) may issue or reissue under the program. It waives ...
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OLYMPIA – A bill creating additional pathways for trainees to become licensed electricians was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee Friday. SB 5320, sponsored by Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle), expands the pathways for more people to reach the eligibility threshold for taking the licensing exam for the 01 electrical license. It allows a person issued an electrical training certificate ...
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This news release is available in English here.
OLYMPIA – El gobernador Jay Inslee firmo una propuesta de ley que requiere un proceso de examen y certificación para las personas que brindan acceso lingüístico a los servicios estatales. La nueva ley requiere que el Departamento de Servicios Sociales y de Salud (DSHS, por sus siglas en inglés) del estado ...Read MoreOLYMPIA – A bill to mandate testing and certification for individuals providing language access for state services was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee Friday. The new law requires the state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to ensure all language access providers are fluent in English and a primary non-English language and successfully pass oral and written tests ...
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Hello friends and neighbors, Today marks the 64th day of the 2023 session, which means we are officially in the second half. The last couple weeks we spent many hours on the Senate floor, voting on bills that will have a positive impact on our communities. I’m proud of what’s been accomplished so far for our community and Washingtonians across the state ...
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Dear friends and neighbors, We are now well into the 2023 session and have been working hard on legislation that will benefit our communities in the 37th and across the state. I’m excited to share with you the progress we’ve made since my last update. Recent Happenings Over the last few weeks, I have had the opportunity to meet with many constituents ...
Read MoreOLYMPIA – La Senadora Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle) presentó un proyecto de ley, copatrocinado por el Senador Electo Javier Valdez, que crearía un programa de reemplazo de salarios que ayudaría a quienes pierden su trabajo y no son elegibles para recibir los beneficios del seguro de desempleo. El seguro de desempleo es esencial para garantizar que aquellos que pierden sus ingresos puedan sobrevivir ...
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