Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Last week we crossed the halfway point in our annual legislative session, and we have transitioned from primarily hearing public testimony and considering House bills in committee meetings, to passing bills off the House floor. Earlier this week, we passed a bill I introduced to grant immunity protections for actions taken to provide non-medical assistance by volunteers who assist during emergencies and natural disasters. Click here or on the image below to watch my remarks on final passage of the bill.
We also received major announcements regarding COVID-19 vaccine distribution recently, and I want to make sure you heard the news. Our teachers and child care providers are approved for vaccinations immediately with additional people becoming eligible later this month. The Washington State Department of Health is seeking clarification from the federal government to ensure the roll-out of this change comes with sufficient supply and equitable access. For more information, please see the Department of Health’s statement in English or Spanish.
If you are an educator or licensed child care worker and you have a healthcare provider, they will contact you when they have enough vaccine to set up an appointment. You can also find a vaccine provider using the state Department of Health’s Vaccine Locator. And if you need translation assistance or can’t get online, call the state COVID-19 Assistance Hotline at 1-800-525-0127.
Sincerely,
Unemployment reform
I know many people in our community remain rightfully frustrated by their experience trying to access unemployment insurance benefits during the pandemic. Improving our unemployment system and the Employment Security Department (ESD) remains a key priority this legislative session. Last week, a bill to reform the Employment Security Department and correct several of the issues that prevented Washingtonians from receiving unemployment benefits in a timely manner received bipartisan support in the state Senate.
The legislation will implement additional oversight and performance measures at ESD to ensure Washingtonians who have lost their job will find a more responsive agency, receive benefits quickly and securely and when disputes do arise, they are handled in a timely manner. It will increase the number of adjudicators available to work at ESD so they can better handle and resolve benefit claims. It also mandates that ESD provides notices in plain, easy-to-understand language with clear expectations.
I look forward to helping advance the bill through the House now that it has passed the Senate since it closely resembles my legislation, HB 1487.
Supporting our long-term care staff and facilities
Washington state has the second-best long-term services and supports system in the country, according to the AARP. One of the challenges the legislature faces almost every year is ensuring that reimbursement rates for nursing facilities are keeping up with the cost of providing care. This challenge has been made worse this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this challenge, the Governor’s proposed budget offered an increase to cover those facility costs and moving those rate reviews from a biennial to an annual schedule to more accurately reflect the cost of providing care. That proposal is supported by both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. In the House, we considered legislation that also made changes to add inflationary adjustments and changes to the Medicaid rate methodology. This more accurately reflects the actual costs of taking care of senior citizens in long term care in our state. The bill did not pass the House but could still be incorporated to the House budget that comes out later in March.
It’s important that we continue to be thoughtful in our investments in long term care, maintaining our workforce to meet the need at our long-term care facilities. I’ll let you know what changes are proposed in the House budget and what is ultimately decided in the final budget approved by the Legislature.
Civic education spotlight: Join the Legislative Youth Advisory Council
Do you know a high school student who is passionate about community work and making a change?
The Legislative Youth Advocacy Council (LYAC) is a nonpartisan, student-led youth advisory body under the Washington State Legislature. Students across Washington from different backgrounds make up this extraordinary group of young leaders, promoting youth participation in the state government, fostering long-lasting relationships between policymakers and young people, and achieving tangible legislative progress on behalf of Washington students.
Last month I had the pleasure of meeting our local youth advisors who are focusing their efforts on HB 1373 that passed the House floor with a 93-5 vote after advocacy from members of the LYAC across this state. These students recognized the need to use today’s technology to help young people who want access to behavioral health resources.
The deadline to apply is March 31 and letters of recommendation are due April 2. Check out their website here and apply here.
More information about our other civic educational opportunities including our undergraduate and graduate internship programs and the House Student Page Program for youths can be found here.
In case you missed it: Virtual town hall
Thanks so much to all who could join Rep. Mari Leavitt, Sen. T’Wina Nobles and me to for our recent virtual town hall. We recorded the event for viewing by anyone who was unable to join. Click here or on the image below to watch it.
