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Valdez bill providing support for victims of hate crimes and bias incidents signed into law

Valdez bill providing support for victims of hate crimes and bias incidents signed into law

OLYMPIA — A bill to provide meaningful help to victims of hate crimes and bias incidents in Washington state was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee today. Senate Bill 5427, sponsored by Sen. Javier Valdez (D-Seattle), establishes a support system for victims of hate crimes and bias incidents by creating a hotline administered by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) ...

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Valdez bill prohibiting firearms in certain public spaces signed into law

Valdez bill prohibiting firearms in certain public spaces signed into law

OLYMPIA – A bill prioritizing the public safety of Washingtonians was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee today. Senate Bill 5444, sponsored by Sen. Javier Valdez (D-Seattle), expands upon existing legislation by including additional designated places where possession of weapons is prohibited. Among the newly added locations are public libraries, zoos, aquariums, and transit stations or facilities utilized for ...

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Valdez election reform bills to improve voter access and election integrity signed into law 

Valdez election reform bills to improve voter access and election integrity signed into law 

OLYMPIA — Two bills aiming to strengthen Washington state's democracy and address concerning ballot rejection rates were signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee.  Sponsored by Sen. Javier Valdez (D-Seattle), Senate Bill 5890 and Senate Bill 6269 represent a significant step forward in improving voter access and inclusivity in the state’s electoral ...

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Valdez bill providing support system for victims of hate crimes and bias incidents passes House 

Valdez bill providing support system for victims of hate crimes and bias incidents passes House 

OLYMPIA — A bill to provide meaningful help to victims of hate crimes and bias incidents in Washington state passed the House on Wednesday.  SB 5427, sponsored by Senator Javier Valdez (D-Seattle), establishes a support system for victims of hate crimes and bias incidents.  Valdez’s bill would create a hotline administered by the Attorney General’s ...

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Valdez bill prohibiting firearms in certain public spaces clears Senate 

Valdez bill prohibiting firearms in certain public spaces clears Senate 

OLYMPIA – A bill prioritizing public safety passed the Senate on Friday.   Senate Bill 5444, sponsored by Sen. Javier Valdez (D-Seattle), expands the list of public places where possessing weapons is strictly prohibited. Among the newly added locations are public libraries, zoos, aquariums, and transit stations or facilities used for public transportation services. The bill ...

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Valdez bill enhancing support for student athletes passes Senate

Valdez bill enhancing support for student athletes passes Senate

OLYMPIA – A bill to enhance support for student athletes passed the Senate. SB 5913, sponsored by Sen. Javier Valdez (D-Seattle), addresses concerns regarding the Ethics in Public Service Act, ensuring public resources, including personnel, can be utilized by state higher education employees to benefit student athletes. The bill specifically allows them to provide advice, facilitation, acknowledgment, or education on matters ...

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Valdez bill to provide support to victims of hate crimes 

Valdez bill to provide support to victims of hate crimes 

OLYMPIA— Sen. Javier Valdez (D-Seattle) reintroduced legislation aimed at providing support to victims of hate crimes and bias incidents. SB 5427, initially introduced during the 2023 legislative session, was heard in the Senate Ways & Means Committee Thursday.  It creates a useful hotline under the administration of the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) for reporting hate crimes and bias incidents. The hotline ...

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2023 End-of-Session Newsletter

2023 End-of-Session Newsletter

After the 2023 session, I sent out an update highlighting my work on issues like housing, climate change, education, reproductive rights, and more. Click here to read more.  

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Valdez bill addressing synthetic media in elections signed into law

Valdez bill addressing synthetic media in elections signed into law

OLYMPIA— A bill addressing the use of synthetic media in campaigns was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee today. Synthetic media — also known as “deepfakes”— involves generating, manipulating, or altering data, particularly through the use of artificial intelligence and has become increasingly common in political campaigns, often with malicious intent. This practice can be used to mislead people or ...

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Valdez bill expands eligibility for public employment positions

Valdez bill expands eligibility for public employment positions

OLYMPIA – A new bill sponsored by Sen. Javier Valdez (D-Seattle) to expand eligibility for certain civil service positions passed the Senate Wednesday. Senate Bill 5274 gives job access to people who are qualified but have previously been excluded from applying to public employment positions. With current job shortages and not enough workers to fill the roles, this will expand ...

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