Dear friends and neighbors,
Ensuring all Washington families have access to high-quality, affordable health care is incredibly important to me—just as it is for many in our community. As Vice Chair of the House Health Care & Wellness Committee, this is one of my highest legislative priorities. In this newsletter, I wanted to share just some of the steps we’re taking this year protect & expand access to care.
Protecting & Preserving Reproductive Care
As we marked the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade last week, my colleagues and I stood in solidarity with millions of people who had their right to reproductive freedom stripped away from them by the U.S. Supreme Court last year.
Washington has consistently upheld the right for individuals to make their own reproductive health choices and we will not go back. In fact, we’ll go forward by strengthening protections for abortion providers, increasing access, and reducing costs. Here are the bills we’ve introduced this session to keep reproductive care available, accessible, and affordable.
HB 1115, which I introduced, prohibits co-pays and deductible requirements for anyone seeking an abortion.
HB 1286 protects employers who provide support for reproductive care if they’re targeted by other states.
HB 1155 (My Health, My Data Act) blocks websites and apps from collecting and sharing health data.
HB 1340 ensures that Washington’s providers cannot be disciplined in our state because they provide reproductive or gender affirming care, regardless of where their patients reside.
HB 1469 (Shield Law) protects patients and providers of reproductive and gender-affirming care in Washington from retribution by other states.
HB 1263 (Keep Our Care Act) prohibits hospitals from merging if the consolidation diminishes patients’ access to services — including reproductive, end-of-life and gender-affirming care.
Expanding access to mental & behavioral health care
With the growing shortage of psychiatric medication providers, many people experiencing mental & behavioral health conditions are forced to wait for months to see a prescriber. Some never get to see anyone at all—leaving them to suffer needlessly.
I introduced HB 1041 to create a new credential pathway for psychologists to prescribe certain medications, helping us meet the needs of patients safely and increasing access to critical mental & behavioral health services for all WA residents. See me testify on this important bill by clicking here.
A New Tax Credit for Washington Workers Starts this month!
The Working Families Tax Credit is a new program that will provide payments of up to $1,200 to low-to-moderate income individuals and families. The amounts are based on income level and the number of qualifying children (if any).
This program will help us stimulate local economies, promote racial equity, and provide the financial stability Washington families need right now. To find more information in several available languages, visit WorkingFamililesCredit.wa.gov.
It is an honor to represent you in Olympia. Please don’t hesitate to reach out anytime. For more frequent updates, I invite you to follow my legislative Facebook page.
Best wishes,
State Representative Jessica Bateman
22nd Legislative District