Dear Friends and Neighbors,
It is the utmost honor to serve you and our 28th Legislative District. Since taking the oath of office and being officially seated, we have returned to our districts, and I will be working this session remotely from home in Lakewood. Having the chance to hear from constituents on the issues that matter most to you, helps develop impactful policies that will serve our community. This term, I am serving on the House Transportation, Health Care & Wellness, and Labor & Workplace Standards committees. As a firefighter, first responder, and frontline healthcare worker, I have seen firsthand how equitable access to quality and affordable health care, will play a critical role in both COVID-19 and economic recoveries.
There are many challenges before us as a state: our economy will need time to fully recover, our teachers and our families must feel safe returning to school, and our neighbors on the front lines continue to need protections. So, here’s what I am asking of you: together we need to work in a bipartisan fashion to support everyone who lives here, we are all friends, family and neighbors. I want to hear from you, I want to virtually meet you, and I want our communities to grow to meet the demands of today.
I understand how important it is to keep you updated, so I will be sending you periodic newsletters and will also share video updates like the one below. In this first one I share my impressions of our remote legislative session and information on how you can get involved.
Video link: https://housedemocrats.wa.gov/bronoske/2021/01/20/rep-dan-bronoskes-legislative-update/
Please keep in touch with me to share your priorities, questions and concerns about the legislative session and state government. My legislative aide, Jennifer Way, and I are here to help. You can stay engaged and up to date on our website here: https://housedemocrats.wa.gov/bronoske/
Supporting first responders with my first two bills
Hundreds in our community and many thousands across the state are serving as volunteers and are prepared to assist during emergencies and natural disasters. Programs like Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) work collaboratively with agencies like West Pierce Fire & Rescue in this effort. We need to make some changes to our state’s Good Samaritan laws to give assurance in decision-making during critical moments. House Bill 1209 grants immunity protections for actions taken to provide non-medical assistance. Say there is a flood approaching and the only way to help you escape is to break down door or windows, response teams would be able to take that emergency step without fear of personal liability. That does not mean you would be left without financial help like insurance or disaster aid, just that the emergency volunteers responding would be protected too.
I have also introduced House Bill 1276 to allow emergency medical services personnel to work in diversion centers that offer short-term shelter to community members, like those who need help with behavioral health or substance use disorders. These centers steer people away from institutions and emergency rooms, in favor of treatment and the most appropriate care.
Update on COVID-19 vaccination efforts
We need to ensure that everyone in our district who wants to receive a vaccine, gets their vaccine. This is a critical component in keeping our neighbors and family healthy and safe. This is also key to re-opening schools and re-starting our local economy
What is the plan for distributing and administering COVID-19 vaccines in Washington?
- Vaccines are being administered in phases. As of 1/18/21, we are currently in Phase 1B-Tier 1.
- This visual timeline shows phase 1a and phase 1b and the estimated dates for each.
When and where can I get vaccinated?
- Phase Finder – This is a website where you can go and fill out a questionnaire to determine what Phase you qualify for. You can choose to be notified when your Phase is activated. The notification will also include information about where you can receive the vaccine locally.
- Contact your healthcare provider to find out when and where you can receive the vaccine.
- Find vaccine information from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department here.
As a firefighter and front-line health care worker, I am grateful to have received both doses of the vaccine recently. This will allow first responders like me to be protected and safely treat friends and neighbors as we continue to battle this pandemic. My biggest priority is to ensure that every community has the appropriate public health resources to get vaccines, if they want them, out to our families.
My experience in receiving the vaccine was great. No adverse side effect whatsoever, and I can’t emphasize this strongly enough. I feel more confident than ever to be able to get back to work as a first responder and help our community persevere.
Join your 28th Legislative District legislators, Senator T’wina Nobles, Representative Mari and me, on Monday, January 25th, for a virtual Coffee & Conversation at 6:30 PM. We want to hear from you and what you think we should focus on this session. You can sign up here.
Sincerely,
