WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Update on My First Month in Olympia

February 12, 2014

Dear Neighbors,

Greetings from Olympia! It is an honor to represent you. I am currently a month into my first legislative session and I would like to provide you with a few highlights from my time here.

Last week, we honored the men and women of Washington’s National Guard. It’s a very moving experience to meet some of the Guard’s 8400 citizen-soldiers and airmen who do so much for our state. Through HB 2171, we are working to provide more protections for active duty service members.

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.


 

Bills I’m currently working on

 
I’m working to improve affordable housing and to advance the interests of the 38th District. I sit on three committees: Community Development, Housing & Tribal Affairs; Government Operations & Elections; and Capital Budget. The Legislature is already hitting cut-off deadlines as this short session approaches the half-way mark. Wednesday was the last day House policy committees could pass non-budget bills on to the Rules Committee or fiscal committees. Tuesday will be the last day that the fiscal committees can approve non-budgetary House bills, too. That means we will begin hearing bills that have been sent to us from the Senate.

  • House Bill 2537—Landlords will not be allowed to charge prospective tenants for multiple tenant-screening reports in one month if this bill passes through the Legislature. It provides protection for prospective tenants who are trying to find safe, secure housing for themselves and their families. You can see me talking about this bill here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9KoMS39CO8
  • House Bill 2276—This is a bill I’m working on with the Everett School District and the Northwest Educational Service District. The measure will improve educational services for our youth at Denny Juvenile Justice Center in Everett.
  • House Bill 2530— People who perform Good Samaritan acts will be able to receive free infectious disease testing at their local health department as a result of this bill.

 

Want help keeping track of your legislature?

 
I try to keep you updated on the major issues we are working on in Olympia. But 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.

 

-June Robinson