Dear friends and neighbors,
Last week marked the end of the 2022 legislative session! While we had some long days (and some very late nights) I’m so proud of what we accomplished this year.
Join Rep. Noel Frame and me for our post-session virtual town hall on March 23 from 7-8 p.m. You can watch live on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. Questions can be submitted ahead of time here.
As Vice Chair of the House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee and Co-Chair of the House Moms Caucus, I worked hard to deliver policy and budget priorities that protect working families, urgently curb climate change and end gun violence in our communities. Here are my bills that are now on their way to be signed into law by Governor Inslee.
HB 1795 WA Silenced No More Act For too long, NDAs and settlement agreements have been used to perpetuate a culture of silence by blocking employees from speaking out in pursuit of justice, healing, and protecting others. I introduced HB 1795 to allow workers to share their stories of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wage theft in the workplace – if they choose to do so. Read more here.
HB 2076 Supporting Rideshare Drivers This first-in-the-nation law to advance the rights of rideshare drivers in our state will provide the highest statewide minimum wage in the country, paid sick days, workers’ compensation, discrimination protections, and protection against retaliation. Read more here.
HB 1705 Banning Ghost Guns Gun violence is a public health crisis that has reached record highs across Washington. It is now the leading cause of death for children and teens in our state. As a mother, this is devastating. As someone who lost my dear friend Gabe to gun violence, this is heartbreaking. That’s why I was proud to lead on this legislation to ban untraceable, homemade ‘ghost guns.’ Read more here.
HB 1694 Eliminating Toxic PFAS PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ are toxic, pervasive, and threaten the health and safety of us all. After I read a 2019 study that found PFAS in the breast milk of Puget Sound area moms, I wanted to learn more. That’s when I discovered that PFAS chemicals are used in many water & oil-resistant products and don’t break down naturally which can cause serious long-term health problems. I introduced HB 1694 so Washington families wouldn’t have to wait until 2030 to see these harmful products banned. This is an important step toward a healthier future for us all. Read more here.
HB 1173 Redeveloping the Interbay National Guard Site When the National Guard vacates the site of the Seattle Armory property in Interbay, our community will be ready to reimagine a new future for it. I introduced HB 1173 to create the Ballard-Interbay State Lands Development Authority to help oversee and manage the redevelopment of the property when the time comes. By establishing this development authority now, we will be ready to put shovels in the ground, create jobs, and redevelop the property in a way that maximizes the public’s benefit. Read more here.
Historic Community Investments
With some help from one-time federal funds to help us overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, we had the unique opportunity to make historic investments in our community. Here are some I helped secure for our 36th district community.
It is an honor to represent you in Olympia. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me anytime if I can be of assistance at liz.berry@leg.wa.gov.
Best wishes,
