OLYMPIA – Sen. Jesse Salomon (D-Shoreline), a public defender and former child welfare prosecutor, was sworn into office today to represent the 32nd Legislative District comprised of Shoreline, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, North Seattle, Woodway and parts of unincorporated Snohomish County.

Salomon will be the vice chair of two committees: the Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks Committee and the Senate Local Government Committee. He will also serve on the Senate Law & Justice Committee and the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

“I plan to bring the same problem-solving approach I’ve followed in the justice system and in local government,” said Salomon, who until recently served as deputy mayor of Shoreline. “The difference now is that I’ll be able to improve conditions not only for my neighbors in my legislative district but for Washingtonians who face similar concerns across the state.”

A practicing attorney for more than 15 years, Salomon holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Washington School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from Western Washington University. While serving on King County’s Law, Safety and Justice Committee, he met regularly with law enforcement leaders, judges, and other elected officials to coordinate best practices in law enforcement and court procedures. He also promoted the use of non-violent police de-escalation techniques to prevent violence between police and citizens, an approach that is now a standard part of training for police in many areas of the state, including Shoreline.

“My committee assignments match well with my experience, so I’ve been able to hit the ground running,” said Salomon, who pre-filed two bills even before the 2019 legislative session began. “I’ll be able to apply my expertise in areas I know well, and I look forward to extending my efforts to other areas to address our community’s needs.”

Salomon’s Senate Bill 5145 would prohibit the practice of fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, in Washington state and position communities to establish guidelines protecting them from the destructive impacts of fracking. His SB 5017 would reform aspects of the state’s Uniform Unsworn Foreign Declarations Act to apply more equally to people whether they are inside or outside the boundaries of the United States.

As Shoreline’s deputy mayor, Salomon helped create hundreds of affordable housing units, secured two light-rail stations, passed a paid family and medical leave ordinance, preserved local forest lands and passed a plan to fight climate change. He also played a key role in putting Shoreline on a long-range planning strategy to avoid budget deficits, a style of fiscal responsibility he said he will apply in his work in the Senate as well.