Dear Neighbors,
This weekend I will be in the district to meet with you. Please join me, Rep. Luis Moscoso, and Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe on Saturday, March 12, at a Town Hall Meeting:
- 10–11:30 a.m. – Northshore Senior Center, 10201 E. Riverside Dr., Bothell, 98011
- 12:30–2 p.m.– Cathcart Elementary School, 8201 188th St. S.E., Snohomish, 98296
- 3–4:30 p.m.– Mountlake Terrace Library, 23300 58th Ave. W., Mountlake Terrace, 98043
Fairer debt collection: HB 1864 passes 98-0
The bill I wrote to require clearer and more informative notices to debtors and help prevent the jailing of people with debt problems passed the House last week on a unanimous 98-0 vote. This bill is a big step forward for consumers and corrects an injustice in our state, and I am glad that Republicans and Democrats came together to support it. HB 1864 now moves to the Senate, and I will keep you updated as it progresses.
Safeguarding our financial system
My bill to rein in high-risk investments by insurance companies, HB 1257, passed out of the House last Saturday by a vote of 98-0. The current law for insurer investments has not been updated in over 60 years, and this bill replaces our outdated regulatory structure by a set of new standards aimed at increasing financial solvency and reducing investment risk.
Three major bills protect Washington’s ‘Evergreen Legacy’
Protecting Washington’s natural resources now and into the future is the aim behind a trio of bills that cleared the House this week. From Puget Sound to Lake Whatcom to the Spokane River, these bills help reduce pollution in our waterways and place our state ahead of the curve in our oil spill response planning.
- HB 1186 incorporates lessons learned from last year’s BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico so that a similar disaster doesn’t occur here. It puts new responsibilities on oil companies for the safe travel of their oil tankers through Washington’s waters, with updated contingency plans and proper equipment in place for a swift, effective response in the event of a spill. The measure is in response to recommendations from a national report that was recently released on the BP oil spill.
- HB 1489 limits the sale of lawn fertilizer containing phosphorous in order to help prevent toxic algae blooms in lakes and streams. Algae need phosphorous to thrive, and other states that have restricted its use in fertilizer have experienced a noticeable reduction in algae blooms. The bill exempts agricultural users and instances where phosphorous is needed to establish healthy root growth.
- HB 1721 makes Washington the first state in the nation to ban coal-tar pavement sealant. The sealant contains high concentrations of toxics called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are linked to cancer and the destruction of fish and aquatic wildlife. Runoff from pavement treated with coal-tar sealant poisons streams and lakes, endangering both human and animal life. Asphalt-based pavement sealants, which are much less toxic, are readily available. Recent studies have shown alarmingly high levels of PAHs right here in Lake Ballinger, which is why I cosponsored this legislation. Click here to read about how this bill will affect our district.
Washington gains thousands of jobs
Despite losing jobs in some fields like government (-600) and construction (-1500), January was the strongest month of job growth in Washington since before the recession began, adding 11,000 new jobs. Over the past year, in fact, we’ve added an estimated 20,500 jobs.
Industries that added jobs in January were professional and business services, up 5,600; education and health services, up 4,500; retail trade, up 1,500; leisure and hospitality, up 1,300; financial activities, up 1,200; transportation, warehousing and utilities, up 800; and mining and logging, up 100.
“It’s unusual to have job gains in the middle of winter, so this is another positive sign that the recovery is under way,” said Employment Security Commissioner Paul Trause.
Industries that added jobs in January were professional and business services, up 5,600; education and health services, up 4,500; retail trade, up 1,500; leisure and hospitality, up 1,300; financial activities, up 1,200; transportation, warehousing and utilities, up 800; and mining and logging, up 100.
Here is ESD’s full report on Washington’s latest job growth.
As always, I want to hear from you! Feel free to call my office at (360) 786-7928, visit my webpage, or find me on Facebook. I look forward to the chance to chat with you at the town hall meetings on March 12.