News

Legislative Update: Session kickoff, what we’re up to, and staying in touch | January 23, 2024

Dear friends and neighbors, Earlier this month we kicked off the 2024 Legislative Session! Every year we alternate between a short session, which is 60 days, or a long session,… READ MORE

Legislative Update: Budget Proposals and Another Session Cutoff | April 17, 2023

Dear friends and neighbors, We wanted to reach out with an update on our work as we approach the end of session. The House and Senate have both proposed their… READ MORE

Legislative Update: Session so far and a Virtual Town Hall | March 2, 2023

Dear friends and neighbors, As hard as it is to believe, we’re halfway through this year’s legislative session! This week we started full-time action on the House floor. We wanted… READ MORE

Legislative Update: Kicking off the 2023 Session | February 3, 2023

Dear friends and neighbors, Last month we kicked off the 2023 Legislative Session. We wanted to send you a quick note to highlight some of our biggest priorities for the… READ MORE

House Democrats elect leadership team, including new Majority Leader; Jinkins re-elected Speaker | November 21, 2022

OLYMPIA – House Democrats held their caucus reorganization meeting today, electing seven members of their leadership team while welcoming 12 new caucus members. Democrats retain their majority party status in… READ MORE

Reducing greenhouse gas pollution & prioritizing transformative transportation investments | May 10, 2022

Dear friends and neighbors, The 2021 legislative session was a landmark year in the fight against climate change. During the short 2022 session, we continued that work by passing legislation… READ MORE

Protecting Family & Community Health | February 4, 2022

Dear friends and neighbors, As hard as it is to believe, we’ve already reached the first major legislative cutoff of the 2022 session! With over 2,000 bills introduced in the… READ MORE

Legislative Priorities and Staying Engaged in 2022 | January 20, 2022

Dear friends and neighbors, Just like last session, we’ll be doing most of our work virtually to help keep the public, staff, and lawmakers safe during the 2022 legislative session…. READ MORE

Representative Joe Fitzgibbon Awarded Environmental Achievement Award by the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators | August 6, 2021

On July 29, 2021, the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL) presented Washington State Representative Joe Fitzgibbon with the Leon G. Billings Environmental Achievement Award. The award was announced at… READ MORE

Gov. Inslee Signs Bill to Regulate Powerful Greenhouse Gases | May 17, 2021

SHORELINE – Today at Shoreline Community College, Gov. Jay Inslee signed a package of climate bills including HB 1050, a bill to regulate hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Sponsored by Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon… READ MORE

End of Legislative Session Update: Final Construction Projects, Vaccine Update, Capital Gains, and Big Wins to Fight Climate Change | May 4, 2021

Final construction budget approves projects for Mary’s Place, White Center Food Bank  Photo Credit: Mary’s Place Last time, we told you about the projects we were supporting in the state’s Capital Budget… READ MORE

House passes Climate Commitment Act to reduce carbon emissions | April 23, 2021

OLYMPIA – The House passed the Climate Commitment Act, landmark legislation to reduce carbon emissions and set Washington on a path to meet its statutory goal of net-zero emissions by… READ MORE

Bill Regulating Powerful Greenhouse Gases Passes Legislature, on its Way to Governor’s Desk | April 12, 2021

OLYMPIA – The Washington House of Representatives voted 56-42 today to concur with Senate amendments and send HB 1050, a bill to regulate hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), to Gov. Inslee’s desk. The… READ MORE

Legislative Update: Construction Budget Highlights, Vaccine Update, and Reducing Unnecessary Plastic Waste | April 6, 2021

House proposes historic $5.7 billion construction budget to rebuild economy The 2021-23 capital budget proposed by House Democrats would break the record for total investments and put tens of thousands… READ MORE

Legislative Update: Telephone Town Hall, Vaccine Update, and Police Accountability Bills | March 15, 2021

Telephone Town Hall We’re excited to announce our upcoming telephone town hall this coming Thursday, March 18 at 6:30 pm. Sen Joe Nguyen will be joining Reps. Cody and Fitzgibbon to update… READ MORE

House Passes Clean Fuel Standard | February 27, 2021

OLYMPIA – Washington is one step closer to joining its west coast neighbors in establishing a clean fuel standard. House Bill 1091, sponsored by Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon (D-West Seattle) directs… READ MORE

Environment & Energy Update: Bills Moving After Policy Cutoff | February 18, 2021

Friends, This Monday was the House’s policy committee cutoff day. The legislative session has a series of deadlines that bills must clear to continue in the legislative process. Any non-tax… READ MORE

Legislative Update: Step One for COVID Relief, Wealth Tax, and Environmental Bills Snapshot | February 4, 2021

Step One for COVID Relief: Rent relief, small business grants, schools, and vaccines! Washington state, like the rest of the country, is facing unprecedented challenges in the wake of COVID-19…. READ MORE

Legislative Update: Vaccine Update, Expanding Healthcare Access, and Local Issues Updates | January 21, 2021

COVID-19 Vaccine Update On Monday, the governor announced changes to how the vaccine is distributed and his plans to speed things up. The first big change is that the current… READ MORE

Legislative Update: Staying in Touch, COVID Updates, West Seattle Bridge and Police Accountability | December 21, 2020

Engaging with Joe and Eileen during a remote session Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s not safe to hold a normal session of the Legislature, so the House of Representatives… READ MORE

34th District Legislative Report | May 7, 2020

Legislative Update: COVID-19 Information & Resources | March 19, 2020

Dear neighbors, The COVID-19 pandemic is creating stressful, overwhelming, and worrying situations for Washington families. Our thoughts are with all of you as you do your best to keep your… READ MORE

Legislative Update: Coronavirus | March 12, 2020

Friends and neighbors in the 34th legislative district,   The 2020 legislative session has come to a close! Please keep an eye on your mailboxes for a paper newsletter from each of… READ MORE

Legislature Passes HB 1793, Don’t Block the Box | March 9, 2020

OLYMPIA—On March 9, the Washington State Legislature passed HB 1793, Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon’s Don’t Block the Box legislation. This bill helps keep crosswalks clear, making cities safer for pedestrians. It… READ MORE

Legislative Update: Coronavirus | March 3, 2020

Dear neighbors, Washington state is experiencing an increase in cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and it is anticipated that the virus will continue to spread. There have been several deaths…. READ MORE

Environmental Update: Low Carbon Fuels, Gas Pipe Leakage, Plastic Bags, Recycled Content | February 28, 2020

With just under two weeks left in this year’s legislative session we’ve passed most of the deadlines that bills face before becoming law. So, what environmental legislation is still on… READ MORE

Legislative Update: Insulin Prices, Affordable Housing, Block the Box, School Meals | February 21, 2020

Telephone Town Hall Notice   We will be hosting a telephone town hall this coming Monday, February 24th at 6pm! You can sign up here to join us and ask questions about issues we’re… READ MORE

Legislative Update: Fireworks Ban, Healthcare Cost Transparency, Childcare Costs | February 7, 2020

Join us for a Telephone Town Hall! We have a Tele-Town Hall coming up on February 24th at 6pm! You can sign up here to join and ask us questions about issues… READ MORE

Legislative Update: Session 2020 Begins, Senate passes plastic bag bag, hearing on healthcare cost transparency | January 20, 2020

Now Accepting Page Applications Every year, students ages 14 to 16 come from all over the state to serve as legislative pages in the House of Representatives for one week…. READ MORE

Looking ahead: Environmental bills in 2020 | November 13, 2019

In the 2019 session, some key environmental policies were enacted and critical investments made to act on climate, promote clean energy, and protect orcas and marine life. We’ve celebrated those… READ MORE

Legislative Update: First in the nation | July 29, 2019

Dear friends & neighbors, We had an incredibly successful legislative session, creating landmark legislation that puts people first. Washington has long been an incubator for progressive policy ideas, and we have… READ MORE

Environmental recap: Breakthrough progress, looking ahead | May 9, 2019

Those of us who care about protecting the environment have many reasons to be happy about the 2019 legislative session. This was the most productive session in decades for clean… READ MORE

Fitzgibbon bill puts key orca task force recommendations into state law | May 8, 2019

OLYMPIA – Several measures to help protect endangered Southern Resident killer whales were signed into law today, including a bill codifying key recommendations of the governor’s orca task force. Sponsored… READ MORE

House passes Bill committing Washington to 100-percent clean energy | April 11, 2019

OLYMPIA – A historic bill to commit Washington to 100-percent clean energy from renewable and zero-emission sources took another step forward today following passage by the Washington House of Representatives…. READ MORE

Legislative Update: Tobacco 21 signed into law, vacating marijuana convictions | April 5, 2019

Note from Eileen: Quick Update on T-21 We have spoken about the Legislature’s effort to end youth tobacco use (HB 1074) a number of times. The legislation raises the legal… READ MORE

Legislative Update: High school graduation requirements, college scholarships, collective bargaining | March 28, 2019

Note from Joe: Standing against violence and hate: Our statement on the New Zealand attacks The attacks at two mosques in New Zealand earlier this month have left us deeply… READ MORE

Climate, Orcas, Plastics: What’s still moving forward in the Legislature | March 15, 2019

We have officially passed the deadline known as “House of Origin cutoff” in the state Legislature. Any bills not necessary to implement the budget must have passed the chamber in… READ MORE

MEDIA ADVISORY: Telephone Town Hall with 34th District representatives on Wednesday March 20 | March 15, 2019

Who: State Reps. Eileen Cody and Joe Fitzgibbon, and State Sen. Joe Nguyen What: Telephone Town Hall conversation with 34th District constituents When: 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, March… READ MORE

House approves clean fuels bill | March 12, 2019

OLYMPIA – A measure addressing the state’s biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions by establishing a Clean Fuels Program similar to those already successfully underway in British Columbia, California, and… READ MORE

Slate of orca protection measures moving forward in legislature | March 7, 2019

  OLYMPIA – The state House and Senate took action today to help protect the orca population from further decline, particularly the Southern Resident orca whales, who now only number… READ MORE

Legislative Update: Ferries, Sex Education, and Tenant Protections | March 4, 2019

Telephone town hall on March 20 Join all three of your legislators from the 34th district on Wednesday, March 20 for a telephone town hall from 6:00 – 7:00 pm…. READ MORE

Fitzgibbon’s ferry performance measure bill passes House | March 1, 2019

OLYMPIA – Building on a recent study of Fauntleroy ferry service by the University of Washington’s Evans School, the House today passed a bill that adds and expands performance measures… READ MORE

Acting on climate: House votes to phase out ‘super pollutants’ | March 1, 2019

OLYMPIA – The state House passed legislation today phasing out super-polluting greenhouse gases that are thousands of times more damaging to the climate than carbon dioxide. House Bill 1112 aims… READ MORE

Legislative Update: Addressing opioids, orcas, and affordable housing | February 18, 2019

Note from Eileen: Helping loved ones struggling from the opioid epidemic The opioid epidemic is hitting every city, town, and county in Washington. It is a true crisis. In 2017,… READ MORE

Climate, Orcas, Plastics: Update on House environmental bills | February 15, 2019

We are one third of the way through the 2019 Legislative Session, and the deadline for bills to advance out of policy committees is coming up next week. As Chair… READ MORE

MEDIA ADVISORY: 34th District Lawmakers Host Town Hall Prior to 2019 Session | January 4, 2019

WHO: State legislators for the 34th Legislative District WHAT: Town hall event WHERE: Delridge Community Center, 4501 Delridge Way SW, Seattle, WA 98106 WHEN: Saturday, January 12 from 10 AM… READ MORE

Legislative Update: Putting People First | May 12, 2018

What we accomplished in 2018 It’s been a very busy year. With new leadership in the Senate, Democrats put people first with an ambitious agenda that focused on voting rights,… READ MORE

Legislative update: Environmental Work, Protecting Social Progress | April 27, 2018

Safeguarding community health & natural resources In the short 60-day session, legislators passed some longstanding environmental priorities that had stalled in previous years. As chair of the House Environment Committee, Joe… READ MORE

Legislative update: SB 6617 veto, reducing gun violence, voter registration and more | March 2, 2018

We heard you on legislative transparency Since our vote earlier this week in favor of SB 6617, our inboxes and voicemails have been flooded with messages from constituents deeply disappointed in… READ MORE

MEDIA ADVISORY: 34th District representatives holding telephone town hall tomorrow | February 19, 2018

Who: The state representatives from the 34th Legislative District, Rep. Eileen Cody and Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon What: Telephone town hall meeting When: 6:00 – 7:00 PM on Tuesday, February 20, 2018 Where: Calls… READ MORE

House passes Fitzgibbon climate bill updating emissions reduction targets | February 14, 2018

A bill amending the state’s greenhouse gas reduction targets to align with the latest climate science cleared the House this afternoon, just ahead of the Legislature’s House of Origin cutoff… READ MORE

Legislative update: Homelessness, net neutrality, opioids, and more | February 12, 2018

Telephone Town Hall on February 20 We’re excited to announce we’ll be holding a telephone town hall next week! Please join us for a telephone town hall Tuesday, February 20,… READ MORE

Legislative Update: Health coverage access, low carbon fuel standard, and more | January 18, 2018

Addressing health insurance costs & opioid use disorder Since Republicans in the OTHER Washington aren’t letting up on trying to take away health care for millions of Americans, we’re looking… READ MORE

Statement from Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon (D-Burien), Chair of the House Environment Committee, on Governor Inslee’s carbon tax proposal | January 9, 2018

“The public is ready for meaningful action on addressing carbon pollution. The Legislature has been working on this issue for many years, but every year our state doesn’t act is… READ MORE

MEDIA ADVISORY: Public hearing on bill to establish a Clean Fuels Program in Washington state (HB 2338) | January 5, 2018

Who: Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, D-Burien, Chair of the House Environment committee What: Public hearing on House Bill 2338, which would establish a Clean Fuels Program, also known as a low… READ MORE

Legislative Update: Gun Safety, Atlantic Salmon | November 27, 2017

Approaches to Gun Safety in the Legislature Like many of you, we are horrified by recent mass shootings around the country that have claimed so many innocent lives. Whether in… READ MORE

Statement by Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon (D-Burien), chairman of the House Environment Committee, on settlement of PSE rate case | September 15, 2017

“I congratulate Puget Sound Energy, the Sierra Club, and the other signatories to today’s multiparty settlement for taking a big step toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fighting climate change. This… READ MORE

Major construction projects in jeopardy | July 18, 2017

New schools and over 70k jobs at risk Although the Operating budget has passed, we remain in session because our work is not yet over. Over a billion dollars in… READ MORE

Our thoughts on the state budget compromise | July 11, 2017

A budget is a reflection of shared values: Do we support those who are struggling, or do we tell them to fend for themselves? Do we recognize that we all… READ MORE

Statement by Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon (D-Burien), chairman of the House Environment committee, on President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement: | June 1, 2017

“The Paris Agreement was an unprecedented coming together of nearly every nation in the world to commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through nationally-determined targets. It represents rare unanimity among… READ MORE

Legislative update on special session from Joe and Eileen | May 12, 2017

Operating budget negotiations slowed by Republican refusal to negotiate The regular legislative session has come and gone, and we are now two and a half weeks into a special session… READ MORE

Legislative update from Joe and Eileen | April 21, 2017

Heading into Special Session It has become clear that the legislature will need to go into overtime in order to get our work done this year. While making decisions about… READ MORE

Legislative Update from Eileen and Joe | March 31, 2017

House Budget fully funds education and social services This week, the House Democrats released our budget for the 2017-2019 biennium, putting Washington families first. People across the state have asked… READ MORE

MEDIA ADVISORY: Public hearing on Clean Energy Transition Act/HB 1646 | March 13, 2017

Who: Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, D-Burien, Chair of the House Environment Committee What: Public hearing on House Bill 1646 – the Clean Energy Transition Act When: Tuesday, March 14, at 1:30… READ MORE

MEDIA ADVISORY: 34th District legislators to hold telephone town hall | March 9, 2017

Who: 34th Legislative District Delegation: State Representative Eileen Cody, State Representative Joe Fitzgibbon, and State Senator Sharon Nelson. What: Telephone town hall meeting. When: 6:00 – 7:00 PM on Wednesday,… READ MORE

House Democrats pass education funding plan — What’s next? | February 24, 2017

As week seven of session ends, we want to update you all on the important work done to ensure we fully-fund education for our kids. The House of Representatives voted… READ MORE

A quick update from your reps in the 34th as the 2017 session goes into full swing | February 13, 2017

Education Funding As we continue to work towards fully funding education, the House passed legislation that delays the “levy cliff” which you may have heard about in the news. The… READ MORE

Fitzgibbon bill targets carbon pollution, invests in clean energy economy | January 25, 2017

OLYMPIA – A proposal aimed at reducing carbon pollution while investing in Washington’s clean energy future has been introduced by state Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon (D – Burien). HB 1646 addresses… READ MORE

Legislative update from Joe Fitzgibbon and Eileen Cody | January 20, 2017

A quick update from your reps in the 34th as the 2017 Session goes into full swing What’s Joe been up to since last session? I spent much of the… READ MORE

What kind of Washington do we want to live in? | June 23, 2016

The Washington State Constitution tells us that funding K-12 education is the state’s “paramount duty.” And more than just a legal obligation to fund public schools, we have a moral… READ MORE

2016 Legislative Review | June 3, 2016

Returning to Olympia | January 21, 2016

Returning to Olympia and MLK Day at the Capitol We’re back in Olympia for a short session, scheduled to last until March 10 this year. With only 60 days this… READ MORE

Group of House Democrats sends letter to Inslee supporting acceptance of refugees | November 23, 2015

OLYMPIA – Today a group of 18 House Democrats sent a letter to Governor Inslee commending his leadership in the potential resettlement of thousands of families and orphans from war-torn… READ MORE

Rep. Fitzgibbon named Legislator of the Year by Washington Conservation Voters | August 26, 2015

Earlier this week, Washington Conservation Voters recognized Representative Joe Fitzgibbon for his leadership on environmental issues by awarding him with their highest award, naming him the 2015 “Legislator of the… READ MORE

New proposal targets carbon reduction, rural economic growth | May 11, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 11, 2015 New proposal targets carbon reduction, rural economic growth OLYMPIA – As legislators continue work to come to an agreement on the state operating budget… READ MORE

Rep. Fitzgibbon’s statement on the status of the Carbon Pollution Accountability Act | March 31, 2015

“The Carbon Pollution Accountability Act would require that large emitters secure allowances for the privilege of emitting carbon into our state’s atmosphere. For too long, the cost of pollution has… READ MORE

Keeping dangerous chemicals out of our water | March 11, 2015

OLYMPIA – With a strong bipartisan vote of 63-35, the House of Representatives passed a bill today to improve the way we prevent water pollution. HB 1472 would help remove… READ MORE

Bill to encourage voter registration advances | March 4, 2015

OLYMPIA – This afternoon, the House of Representatives passed House Bill 1428 to encourage more people to register to vote by changing voter registration deadlines. The legislation would change the… READ MORE

The Cost of a College Degree | February 26, 2015

You may have heard stories from your grandparents about how they used to walk 15 miles in the snow—uphill both ways—to get to school. (Eileen remembers these long treks herself!)… READ MORE

Funding our kids first | February 25, 2015

Why we must fund KIDS first   Last week we told you about a little boy named Theo who will grow up in a world shaped by climate change. This… READ MORE

Delaying action on climate change is not an option | February 12, 2015

Let us tell you about a boy named Theo. Theo was born in 2014, the hottest year on record since accurate record-keeping began. In a world shaped by climate change,… READ MORE

Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon’s statement on HB 1314; a measure to combat the harmful damage of global warming | February 10, 2015

“Running away from tough problems only makes them worse. In Washington, we confront problems, we don’t run from them. The negative economic impacts of climate change are here and we… READ MORE

How much will your next ER visit cost | February 10, 2015

Are you confident you’re paying a fair price for your health care?Probably not. Think about the last time you went to the emergency room. What was going through your head?… READ MORE

In case you haven’t heard – the state has a budget problem | January 22, 2015

In this week’s e-newsletter we are talking about the challenges and options for the 2015-2017 state budget. After you read through our thoughts, we would welcome your comments on how… READ MORE

Pass a bill in 8 simple steps. | January 21, 2015

How to pass a bill in 8 simple* steps *as if it were that easy!Have you ever had an idea for a new law or wondered what it would take… READ MORE

Carbon Pollution Accountability Act a “huge piece of the puzzle” | January 16, 2015

OLYMPIA – Bills introduced by Sen. Kevin Ranker (D-Orcas Island) and Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon (D-Burien) on Friday will require the state’s major polluters to pay for producing carbon pollution. “This… READ MORE

Joe Fitzgibbon – Talking Transit | June 30, 2014

What would the 34th district look like if bus service suddenly vanished? Take a minute to imagine what changes our community would undergo. Seniors would no longer be able to… READ MORE

Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon’s statement on new EPA carbon reduction rules | June 4, 2014

“The Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday that it will seek to cut greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants 30 percent by 2030. It is the most ambitious effort by… READ MORE

Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon’s statement on Governor Inslee’s executive action to reduce carbon pollution and promote clean energy. | May 6, 2014

“I applaud Governor Inslee for his leadership on this urgent issue that requires immediate action. Climate change is one of the most present and serious problems facing our communities. It… READ MORE

Greetings from the 34th District | March 20, 2014

That’s right, the legislative session has ended on time and we’re thrilled to get back to our “normal” lives in the 34th District. While we’ll continue to meet with you… READ MORE

Rep. Fitzgibbon proposal helps fund basic education with price on carbon pollution | March 11, 2014

Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon (D-Burien) today introduced HB 2803, setting a price on emissions of climate change causing carbon pollution and using the proceeds to meet the legislature’s obligation to fund… READ MORE

Weekly E-Newsletter: Funding our schools | March 6, 2014

It’s been a busy week in Olympia! We’ve spent every day on the House floor considering bills that have passed out of the Senate as well as the 2014 House… READ MORE

Prioritizing mental health | February 20, 2014

We are devoting this week’s newsletter to one of Eileen’s priority bills for the 2014 session. House Bill 2725 will make it easier for individuals with severe mental illness to… READ MORE

Houses Passes bill to bring transparency to oil transport in Washington | February 18, 2014

The Washington House of Representatives passed HB 2347 designed to enhance the safety of the transportation of oil over rail lines and through waterways. Domestic oil production is surging and… READ MORE

Weekly E-Newsletter | February 13, 2014

Greetings from Olympia!   We hope you enjoyed the winter blitz that hit Seattle this weekend. We’re happy to report we made it back to Olympia on Monday ready to… READ MORE

Weekly E-Newsletter | February 7, 2014

Hello from Olympia!   What an exciting week it’s been for Washingtonians! Congratulations to the Seattle Seahawks and the 12th Man on an impressive Super Bowl victory! On Wednesday, we… READ MORE

House committee approves environmental protection bills | February 6, 2014

The House Environment Committee approved five bills yesterday that will create greater environmental stewardship for individuals and involve Washington communities in environmental decision-making. “We intend to open up the doors… READ MORE

Reps. Fitzgibbon and Cody to hold telephone town hall | January 29, 2014

On Wednesday February 5th, 34th Legislative District Representatives Joe Fitzgibbon and Eileen Cody will hold a telephone town hall with their district. The purpose of the town hall is to… READ MORE

House OKs elections bills highlighting fairness, efficiency | January 27, 2014

Equity, common sense emphasized in voting measures sent over to the Senate  The state House of Representatives today approved plans for major improvements in the elections system. Aimed at helping… READ MORE

Legislative Update from Reps. Cody and Fitzgibbon | January 23, 2014

MLK Day at the Capitol   There are exciting things happening in Olympia this week! Monday was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and while this may be a day off… READ MORE