Dear Friends and Neighbors,
March is Women’s History Month! As the proud mom of two young kids, I have been reflecting on all that we have asked of moms this past year. Moms are fulltime caregivers, part time teachers and critical members of the workforce. Many moms have been forced into impossible situations. Simply put, our moms deserve better from our communities, our workplaces, and the government.
It’s time to demand more for women. That’s why I’m proud to be a member of the House Democrats Moms’ Caucus. This week we delivered our legislative priorities to leadership that included affordable childcare, expanded Paid Family & Medical Leave, quality health care, racial justice, and a healthy environment.
I’ve been making my voice heard on these issues on the House floor. On Saturday, I was proud to speak in support of establishing a Clean Fuel Standard in Washington. I told the story of explaining to my 4-year-old son George that his preschool was closed last summer because climate change had fueled massive wildfires across our state. Our families can’t afford anymore delay in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Watch my speech below:
Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Rideshare Companies
Rideshare companies, like Uber and Lyft, have changed the transportation landscape dramatically over the past decade, especially in Seattle. Studies have found that rideshare services produce 69% more climate pollution on average than the trips they displace. That’s why I proposed House Bill 1075 to regulate greenhouse gas emissions produced by rideshare companies. By passing this law, we can hold them accountable and ensure they’re doing their part to combat climate change and protect air quality for all.
SAVE THE DATE: Virtual Town Hall
Please join Sen. Reuven Carlyle, Rep. Noel Frame and me on Monday, March 15 for our second 36th District Virtual Town Hall. The town hall will be streamed live on the House Democratic Caucus’ Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages. You can submit questions in advance at surveymonkey.com/r/36thLDTownHall.
What: 36th Legislative District Virtual Town Hall
When: Monday, March 15 at 7:00 PM
Where: Streaming live on the House Democratic Caucus’ Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube pages.
Please note, you do not need a Facebook or Twitter account to view the livestream and the video will be saved on YouTube.
Constituent Corner
Thank you to everyone who has contacted me this session. I truly love hearing from you. Our office receives hundreds of emails and calls each week and we are doing our best to respond to every one of them. We keep this section up to date with popular topics you are reaching out about.
This week’s topic is: Teacher Vaccinations!
Many of you have contacted me to express your concern about getting our kids back into the classrooms. I am excited to share that this week Gov. Jay Inslee added preK-12 educators, school staff and licensed childcare workers to Washington’s current vaccine prioritization. This decision is an important step as we work to safely reopen our schools. I was proud to sign a letter to fast-track teacher vaccinations right before the Governor’s announcement.
I have consistently heard from many of you about the difficulties of accessing vaccine appointments. The Department of Health (DOH) has emphasized its commitment to continued vaccination for older adults and others currently prioritized. We remain optimistic that vaccine production and distribution will be vastly improved with the recent approval of a third vaccine. As we have more information, we will share it with you.
How to participate in this legislative session:
Watch – Committee meetings, debates, and more can all be seen live or in a recording at TVW.org
Research – Look up legislation by lawmaker or by topic here.
Learn – Learn about the entire legislative process from start to finish here.
Testify – Visit here for an overview of the process. Written testimony is also an option, and you can also email me your story.
Get in touch – As always, please feel free to contact my office with any questions or comments.
Thank you,
Rep. Liz Berry, 36th Legislative District