OLYMPIA — Workforce shortages are plaguing nearly every industry in Washington, and that’s especially true for the state’s behavioral health professions. Today, the Washington House of Representatives passed House Bill…
Category: News
Streamline, Pipeline, Bottom Line: Addressing our workforce shortage
Dear friends and neighbors, Our housing shortage isn’t the only crisis we’re facing right now. Washington is seeing unprecedented workforce shortages across nearly every sector, including health care, behavioral health,…
Protecting & preserving access to health care
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…
Everyone needs a home
Dear friends and neighbors, As we take our first steps into the 2023 legislative session, I am so honored to continue representing our community at the Capitol. I’ll never stop…
Bill aims to eliminate cost-sharing for patients seeking abortions
OLYMPIA – In Washington, abortions must be covered by all state-regulated health plans that cover maternity services, but out-of-pocket costs can currently be a burden for patients. Sen. Annette Cleveland (D-Vancouver) and Rep. Jessica Bateman (D-Olympia) are looking to ease that…
Bateman and Barkis unite behind middle housing legislation
OLYMPIA—Everyone deserves a home, yet the dream of home ownership is out of reach for too many families, says Rep. Jessica Bateman (D-Olympia), who’s introducing bipartisan legislation to boost the…
Legislation and budgets that put people first
Dear neighbors, With only a few weeks left in the 2022 session, I wanted to give you a quick update. This e-newsletter includes what’s happening to legislation I introduced, the…
Capitol Ideas Podcast: Homes for WA Act
Friends and neighbors, Last week, I had the pleasure of joining Sen. Mona Das on the Capitol Ideas Podcast to talk about the Homes for WA Act. Listen here:
Homes for WA introduced to provide more housing choices and easier commutes
OLYMPIA – On Wednesday, Rep. Jessica Bateman and Sen. Mona Das, introduced legislation to make it easier for Washington families to find safe and affordable homes, especially in areas near…
A session that put people first
Dear friends and neighbors, This was the first remote session in our state’s history–and many of us, myself included, were not sure how it would work. Before it even began, our state was looking…