It’s going to be an exciting weekend. GO HAWKS!!
Where we are so far
This busy third week of session ended on a particularly high note – we honored the men and women of Washington’s National Guard in both the House and Senate today. It’s a very moving experience to meet some of the Guard’s citizen-soldiers and airmen who do so much for our state.
Did you know?
With approximately 640,000 veteran residents, Washington state has the 12th largest veteran population in the United States. When combined with the over 62,000 active duty military personnel and members of the National Guard and Reserve, veterans and military personnel account for more than 10 percent of Washington’s total population.
Enforcing the rights of our veterans and service members
Did you know that a service member whose active duty orders are signed by the governor has fewer protections than one whose orders are signed by the President?
It’s true, it’s irrational and it’s unfair to the men and women who put their lives at risk in defense of our nation and our freedom.
Not for long, though! This session, 35 House members from both sides of the aisle have teamed up with Governor Inslee and Attorney General Ferguson to right this wrong.
My bill, HB 2171, will ensure our troops can carry out their jobs without having to worry about their cars being repossessed, their homes foreclosed on or their families evicted while they are making great personal sacrifices for our nation.
The bill strengthens Washington’s Service Members’ Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by:
- Ensuring all military personnel can enforce their rights under the SCRA.
- Making SCRA protections equal to those provided in federal law.
- Authorizing the Attorney General to investigate SCRA violations.
- Ensuring employment and reemployment protections are in place.
HB 2171 was passed unanimously by the Judiciary committee and will receive a public hearing in the House Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government & Information Technology on February 6.
Quality counts with early learning
 Washington state has been a leader in creating and expanding early learning programs for our children. We’ve done a great job getting 3- and 4- year-olds ready for kindergarten, especially those from low-income families. But more and more studies are showing that the early years of a child’s life – zero to 18 months – are critical to brain development. The learning process for a child begins immediately after she is born. |
The evidence also shows that only high quality early learning programs will lead to the results we all want like higher academic achievement, improved graduation rates, and lower incarceration rates.
The Early Start Act of 2014 will reform our early learning system by creating a mix of incentives and requirements for early learning providers to improve the quality of child care they deliver. We have over 174,000 kids in child care programs in Washington state and we need to ensure they’re getting the best care possible.
Closing the opportunity gap, increasing graduation rates, and breaking the cycle of poverty will be impossible without an improvement in the quality of our early learning programs.
Early learning is a great investment, too! For every dollar spent on high quality early learning programs, taxpayers save up to $8 in future costs like prisons and food assistance programs.
Ask me!
 Click to watch me respond to constituent emails on teacher COLAs (Cost of Living Adjustments), and on Initiative 594, which would require criminal and public safety background checks for gun sales. |
Protecting our kids from harmful toxins
Last week, the House approved the Toxic-Free Kids and Families Act with strong bipartisan support. The bill bans six different toxic chemicals – known carcinogens that are probably present in the couch you sit on or the car seat you strap your child into.
These chemicals end up in our household products for fire safety, but sound research casts serious doubt on the effectiveness of these toxics in slowing the spread of the fire. In fact, these chemicals actually make household fires more lethal by increasing the toxicity in the smoke inhaled by firefighters, first responders and victims.
Tris, the toxic flame retardant of choice, is not only a known carcinogen – it is also proven to alter hormones and hinder brain development in children. You can find Tris in car seats and strollers, as well as changing pads and nursing pillows.
What makes this bill effective is that it prohibits an equally toxic – or more toxic – chemical from being substituted for the banned ones. No parent should ever have to choose between their child’s health and their safety – especially when we know that there are non-toxic ways to meet our fire standards.
The bill now moves to the Senate, where it died last year.
If you are interested in learning more about the Toxic-Free Kids and Family Act, check out this KING 5 interview with Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, a firefighter from Sequim, and Senator Sharon Nelson:
Want help keeping track of your legislature?
While I try to keep you updated on some of the major issues we are working on in Olympia, you may want to keep track of other bills, too. Here are some quick shortcuts to finding out what you want to know.
To simply check on a bill, go to the main bill information site. You can find legislation by bill number, prime sponsor (the lawmaker who introduced the bill) or by topic.
Now, if you want to get all advanced and show off your techno-political skills, there are ways to automatically track whichever bills you care about – House or Senate. Just create a free account on the bill tracker and it will let you do all kinds of complicated and impressive things.
To look at all bills introduced in the House, click here. Want to know what’s already passed the House?
Wonder what lawmakers are debating on the House floor? Check the Floor Activity Report.
You can look at all bills introduced in the Senate, dead or alive, and get a peek at every bill that has passed the Senate. To see what senators are debating on any given day, use the Senate’s version of the Floor Activity Report.
And to see video, or hear audio, of any legislative meeting or floor debate, go to www.tvw.org
Correction:
My January 22nd e-newsletter article on Washington’s Health Care Exchange contained an incorrect phone number for the Toll-Free Customer Support Center. The correct phone number is 1-855-WAFINDER (1-855-923-4633).