February 07, 2011
Dear Neighbors,
I hope this newsletter finds you well. Here’s a quick update on some legislative issues.
My Legislation
I’d like to highlight several important bills which were introduced in the past week:
· HB 1864 is a consumer protection bill on which I am the prime sponsor. This bill will prohibit debt collectors from hijacking our court system to avoid proper debt collection procedures. Click here to read the moving article that inspired this bill.
· HB 1800 creates a registry for convicted animal abusers, similar to the existing registry for sex offenders. This bill is a great example of your 1st LD legislators working together – I sponsored and Representative Moscoso cosponsored the House bill, and Senator McAuliffe is the prime sponsor in the Senate.
· HB 1721 is particularly important for Lake Ballinger, where a recent USGS study found very high levels of toxic chemicals from coal tar pavement sealants. Better asphalt-based sealants are available, and major home improvement stores have not carried coal tar sealants for several years. This bill bans the use of coal tar pavement sealants in our state.
Old, unwanted medications need safe disposal options
Did you know that Washington is one of 16 states where accidental poisonings have surpassed auto accidents to become the number one cause of accidental deaths? Even more troubling is that most accidental poisonings are from medications found in our own homes. Young children and pets sometimes get into old, unwanted medicines, but a growing number of teenagers are misusing prescription drugs – often with tragic consequences. Flushing old medicines down the toilet isn’t a solution either, since most wastewater treatment plants aren’t set up to filter out medications and they end up harming our water supply.
This week, a bill that would create a statewide program for the collection, transportation, and disposal of unwanted medications had a public hearing before the House Environment Committee. Some local jurisdictions already have drug “take back” programs, which have worked well over the past several years. Under House Bill 1370, we will have a streamlined, state-wide system, resulting in cleaner water and safer kids.
Looking out for patients, consumers
One of the fastest-growing parts of a budget – whether we’re talking about the state budget or your own budget – is health care and health insurance.
It’s important to keep insurance companies accountable for rate hikes, some of which have skyrocketed by double digits annually. Too many families are being priced out of health care, leaving them one accident away from bankruptcy or being forced to access care in the emergency room.
That’s why we’re working on a bill this year that would continue to allow the state Office of the Insurance Commissioner to review the rate changes proposed by insurers for individual health plans. The Insurance Commissioner is your elected watchdog of the insurance industry, and we are giving him the tools he needs to continue working for lower health insurance rates.
Questions, Comments, and Concerns
Many good pieces of legislation begin with an email from a constituent about a problem they have observed, so please do not hesitate to contact me about issues that are important to you. I look forward to hearing from you – please call (360)786-7928 or email Derek.Stanford@leg.wa.gov.
In This Issue
My Legislation
Medication Safe Disposal
Health Insurance Rates
Questions and Comments
Contact
MAIL
MOD E 204
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
PHONE
(360) 786-7928
1 (800) 562.6000 toll free
1 (800) 635-9993 TTY-TDD (hearing impaired)
EMAIL
derek.stanford@leg.wa.gov
WEBSITE
My home page
