Dear friends and neighbors,  

It’s time to fix our nearly century-old tax code to make it fairer for working and middle-income families. A Millionaires Tax, introduced in the Legislature this week, will help by asking the wealthiest Washingtonians to pay a little more to fund schools, health care, and reduce taxes for working families and small businesses. A 9.9% tax on annual income in excess of $1 million would affect fewer than 0.5% of Washingtonians and generate an estimated $3.7 billion each year. The proposal would also allow for the expansion of the Working Families Tax Credit to help more families, a sales tax cut for personal hygiene and grooming products, the doubling of the small business occupation tax exemption, and funding to help counties pay for our criminal justice system. 

A hearing on SB 6346 is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 6 at 1:30 p.m. in the Senate Ways & Means Committee. You can sign in to testify or share your position here. 

Senate passes bill to ban ICE from wearing face coverings 

I was horrified to see federal agents murder a second law-abiding American citizen in Minnesota. Alex Pretti and Renee Good should still be here today. In Washington state, we are listening to your concerns about masked agents roaming our streets and generally acting with impunity. This is not normal. 

Last week, we passed a bill to prohibit all law enforcement officers operating in our state, including federal immigration agents, from covering their faces while interacting with the public. We already have a clear expectation for state and local law enforcement officers to be clearly identifiable, with limited exceptions. All law enforcement doing work in our state should be held to the same standard. Senate Bill 5855 would also allow individuals detained by unlawfully masked agents to sue those officers for damages. The bill now heads to the House for consideration.  

I appreciate Gov. Bob Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown’s statements denouncing federal agents’ actions in Minneapolis. They are also taking steps to prepare in the event that ICE launches a similar operation here in Washington.  

Democrats in Olympia are working hard to push back against federal overreach in every way possible to protect the rights of all people. Here are some of the other bills we’re working to pass: 

  • SB 6002, which passed the Senate this week 40-9, would regulate the use of Flock cameras. Smart technology can help law enforcement find missing people and solve crimes but there must be guardrails to protect our civil rights. The bill would put clear rules on how their data is stored and accessed to prevent misuse by bad actors. Learn more. 
  • SB 5906 would prevent ICE from going inside nonpublic spaces of daycares, schools, colleges, hospitals, and more without a judicial warrant. We already have strong protections in this state thanks to the Keep Washington Working Act. The SAFE Act expands these protections because we want people to feel safe working at a daycare, going to class, or seeing a doctor. Learn more. 
  • SB 5892 would protect the state from unlawful federal attempts to access sensitive voter information by ensuring the Secretary of State has the authority to protect information like drivers’ license numbers, social security numbers, and full birth dates. The bill passed the Senate today and now moves to the House for consideration.
  • SB 6286 would fine ICE detention facilities for not letting the Washington State Department of Health in to inspect. The money would be put into a fund to help people and families harmed by ICE. 
  • HB 2165 would address the rising incidences of ICE impersonation by prohibiting individuals who are not law enforcement officers from making, providing or possessing badges or other law enforcement insignia. 
  • SB 5852 would require employers notify employees when the federal government has requested their employment eligibility information, and ensure employers follow the law and only share employees’ personal data when a subpoena or judicial warrant has been issued. 

I hope you will continue to stay engaged and reach out to my office anytime you have questions or feedback.  

Sincerely, 

Derek Stanford