July 2013
Legislature adjourned, at last
The 2013 Legislature finally wrapped up on June 29. It’s great to be back in the 48th Legislative District full-time, and I very much appreciate all the feedback and support given to me during my first session in Olympia.
As the interim period begins, I want to make myself available for meetings and calls with constituents. If you have an idea for legislation, know of a great community event I should attend or would like to speak with me for another reason, I want to hear from you. As a member of the Transportation, Business and Financial Services, and Technology & Economic Development Committees, I am well-positioned to assist Eastside businesses and residents.
Please feel free to contact my legislative assistant, Emily Wicks, at Emily.Wicks@leg.wa.gov or at 425-576-5189. She would be happy to set something up.
Investing in education and supporting our communities
This year we passed an operating budget that adds $1 billion for education funding, extends health care coverage to 300,000 more residents, holds higher education tuition steady for the next academic year and maintains and begins to restore vital social services for children, families, seniors, and those with disabilities.
While I don’t agree with 100% of the decisions that brought about our budget compromise, I can say with confidence that this is a very good budget and that we should be proud of it. Thank you again for reaching out to me during the session with your priorities and feedback while we worked through the budget process.
A transportation package that wasn’t
I am very proud that my House colleagues and I were able to pass a comprehensive transportation investment package that, if enacted, would have spurred job growth in our district and around the state, improved transit and pedestrian safety, and allocated more funding to mend and maintain our vulnerable roads and bridges.
I successfully introduced an amendment to the package that would have added $41.7 million to improve transportation around State Route 520.
Moreover, the transportation package included $675 million to widen Interstate 405 from Lynnwood to Renton – one of the most congested areas in the United States — and would have invested $100 million in State Route 520 to accommodate future light rail and improve transit service.
The overall package invested $926 million in general transit and in bicyclist and pedestrian safety, and it would have authorized local transportation revenue options, allowing King County Metro to ensure drivers and transit riders could get around our region with ease. The package we approved in the House was backed by business, labor and environmental groups.
Unfortunately, the Senate failed to bring this — or for that matter, any — transportation package up for a vote. Their decision denies our district resources that would have kept our communities moving, supported our struggling businesses and improved transportation access for everyone. As we head into the interim, please let your friends, neighbors and co-workers know how important a transportation package is for the Eastside.
Protecting SR 520 toll-payers
I am thrilled to announce a tremendous victory for the 48th District, the passage of House Bill 1941, which I introduced and which was signed by Gov. Inslee on May 13. This bill goes into effect on July 28, and you may have read about it recently in the Seattle Times.
The new law ensures that the Washington State Department of Transportation provide 520 bridge users an opportunity to present evidence that they either were wrongly charged a toll or were late in making a payment through no fault of their own. Judges are now given the option of reducing or dismissing the civil penalties for such drivers. This has been an issue for many of my constituents and other 520 users in the region, so I am thrilled we were able to pass a bipartisan measure that solves this problem.
Incentivizing STEM education through legislation
Another win this year was the passage of House Bill 1472 sponsored by Rep. Drew Hansen and me. HB 1472 aims to improve and expand access to computer science education by allowing school districts to count an Advanced Placement (AP) computer science course toward a student’s high-school graduation requirement in mathematics or science.
The Seattle Times recently published an article about the number of students considering careers in the STEM field. This bill helps students train for high-technology jobs and will increase the supply of computer science professionals we have within our state. Washington needs to pick up the pace and start providing more opportunities for its students to gain the skills needed to work for our largest employers and industries. Students who take an AP computer science course in high school are eight times more likely to major in computer science in college, and this bill provides that incentive.
In addition, we were able to include $18 million to boost engineering and computer-science programs at the UW, WWU and Washington State University.
While more is needed, HB 1472 serves as a great foundation. I look forward to working with my colleagues in future sessions to develop even more ways to incentivize STEM education.
Support for our communities
Although the transportation package failed in the Senate, the House, Senate and governor came together to pass a great capital budget. I am happy to report that my advocacy for our district paid off, and that there are a number of items included in the package that will benefit the 48th Legislative District:
- $28 million for the Bellevue College Health Science Building
- $3 million for Meydenbauer Park improvements
- $1.8 million for Hopelink Housing in Redmond
- $1.3 million for the Redmond Central Connector
- $1.3 million for South Kirkland transit oriented development and the Cross-Kirkland Corridor
- $700,000 for the Friends of Youth’s Young Adult Transitional Project
- $388,000 for the Bellevue Boys and Girls Club
- $199,000 for the Bellevue Youth Theater
The capital budget gets funded every two years and is intended to make important investments in our communities across the state. If you know of a project that deserves consideration by the Capital Budget Committee, please let me know and we will help walk you through the process.
Once again, thank you for the privilege of serving you in the Legislature. I look forward to speaking with you by phone or in person about the many great things we can work on together in the coming session. Please be in touch.