News Releases

OLYMPIA – Senate legislation passed today by the House will expand a proven state program that helps people re-enter their communities more successfully and productively. SB 5893, sponsored by Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn), aims to reduce recidivism by providing basic clothing, a one-time stipend, and transportation to all those exiting corrections programs. “We see higher rates of productive re-entry and lower rates ...

OLYMPIA —Senate legislation to protect consumers from the knowing sale of foods falsely advertised as halal passed through the House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Recourses today. Having already passed out of the Senate, SB 5799 now awaits a vote on the House floor in order to be sent to the governor to be signed into law. “Increased awareness of culturally ...

OLYMPIA — Legislation passed today by the Senate would add valuable perspective to the state’s 12-member board of professional educator standards by adding a 13^th member who is a current or recent student. SB 5903, sponsored by Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn), would increase the board by one seat held by an undergraduate or a graduate student enrolled in a Professional ...

OLYMPIA — Legislation passed today by the Senate would expand a program that provides a one-time stipend to help people successfully transition back into the community upon release from a correctional institution or a partial confinement setting. “This is an important re-entry tool so people get started on the right foot to continue recovery and rehabilitation,” Wilson said. “When someone’s released ...

OLYMPIA — Legislation passed today by the Senate would make it a crime for sellers to mispresent the content or preparation of halal food products. “When we buy things, as we do every day, we have reasonable expectations,” said Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn), the sponsor of SB 5799. “And when someone buys a halal food product, they expect a product ...

OLYMPIA — Legislation passed today by the Senate would help ensure the availability of childcare by broadening the B&O tax exemption allowed for childcare providers. SB 6038 would extend the existing B&O exemption that applies to childcare providers for children up to age 8 to now apply to children up to age 12 or up to age 18 if the ...

OLYMPIA — Legislation passed late today by the Senate would improve access to extended foster care support to ages 18-21 for older youths who are aging out of the traditional foster care system. “Youth who are aging out of traditional foster care face major obstacles like finding stable housing and dealing with food insecurity, during what might be the most pivotal ...

Six bills passed Monday by the Senate Ways & Means Committee are among eight bills sponsored by Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn) that continue to move through the Legislature. Those bills include:

• SB 6038, to maximize the availability of childcare by increasing stability among small-business childcare providers by making them eligible for a B&O tax exemption currently awarded other childcare providers;
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Legislation passed today by the Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks Committee would make it a crime to mispresent the content or preparation of halal food products. “This is a basic truth-in-packing bill that might be compared to the way sellers can be prosecuted for misrepresenting foods identified as kosher,” said Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn), the sponsor of SB ...

Legislation heard today by the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee would add training and staff to help educators better deal with the increasing incidence of disruptive and sometimes violent outbursts by students. “Teachers, administrators and other school staff have limited tools available to them to preserve safety at a time when students are more frequently showing up in school ...