OLYMPIA—Rep. Joe Timmons (D-Bellingham) was sworn into office on Dec. 21 by Justice Mary I. Yu of the Washington Supreme Court in Olympia.
In late 2021, Timmons announced that he would run for the 42nd Legislative District Position 2 seat after former Rep. Sharon Shewmake announced her decision to run for a seat in the state Senate, which she won in November. Shewmake was sworn into the state Senate on Dec. 9.
During the 2023 Legislative Session, Rep. Timmons will be Vice Chair of the Transportation Committee.
“Last year, the Legislature passed the Move Ahead Washington transportation package and work this year will include ensuring that Whatcom County receives the benefits of this investment, including road maintenance and preservation projects, increased access to transit and the removal of fish passage barriers,” Timmons said.
He will also serve on the Education Committee and the Postsecondary Education and Workforce Committee.
“Education is near and dear to my heart. As someone who attended Washington state public schools throughout my life and as a former preschool teacher and administrative staff member at Western Washington University (WWU), I understand the challenges from a variety of perspectives,” Timmons said. “At WWU, I was the assistant director of government relations, which meant I advocated in Olympia on behalf of the university and its students.
“I’ll be working to close the opportunity gaps for students from pre-school through higher education to ensure we have a well-trained workforce and that everyone has the tools necessary to succeed in life,” Timmons added.
Prior to joining the Legislature, Rep. Timmons has spent the past decade working as a dedicated public servant at the local, state and federal levels of government. Most recently, he worked in Gov. Jay Inslee’s office as the regional outreach representative for Whatcom and neighboring counties.
Rep. Timmons and his wife Heather live in Bellingham with their son, Malcolm.