Dear friends and neighbors,
Last week we sent you a link to continue learning about your priorities. Many of you took it and the responses increased from 87 to 148! Thank you so much for participating! It really does make a difference to hear from you and learn what you are most concerned about.
I’d like to share the survey results in the graphic below. Your top three priorities are community safety, K-12 education, and affordable housing. These, among others, are also priorities for me and I can assure you I will be supporting legislation that addresses these challenges. You can take a look at my co-sponsored bills, where I have signed on to several measures that fall into those issues.
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FIND MY BILLS EASILY
The Legislative website was redesigned over the interim and paths to pages like bill sponsorship have changed. For easy reference, click here or on the image below for the site where you will find all the bills I am prime sponsoring with links to their individual pages so you can check their status anytime.
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VIDEO UPDATE
In my first video update of 2025, I discuss two of my bills focused on economic development: HB 1302, concerning utility connection charge waivers; and HB 1714, enabling opportunities for risk pooling by small businesses for property and liability risks. Click here or on the image below to watch it.
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A QUICK GLANCE AT A COUPLE OF MY BILLS
I’d like to share a bit of information on the two bills that have already had hearings and have been voted out of their respective committees. Clicking on the bill numbers will take you to the bill history page for each one:
HB 1263 – The Housing and Essential Needs program (HEN) serves individuals who are low-income, disabled, and unable to work. It provides rent assistance and essential personal needs. This bill would make three changes:
- Extend HEN “Bridge Pilot” statewide to support vulnerable Washingtonians transitioning to federal disability benefits.
- Align administration rate for HEN grantees with other Home Security Funded programs.
- Make direct cash assistance allowable in HEN programs.
My bill was heard in committee on January 22 and was voted out of committee on a unanimous vote this morning!
HB 1302 – This bill would promote sustainable practices in Washington and facilitate the development of green technology organizations looking to build facilities with industrial symbiosis in mind. It was heard on January 27 and yesterday, it was also passed out of committee unanimously!
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SUPPORTING OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES
It would be an understatement to say that the news coming out of the other Washington are discouraging. For our immigrant and refugee communities, they are downright distressing and deeply frightening. These are hardworking people just trying to make an honest living, like you and me. And they are our friends, neighbors, maybe even family members.
This past week, Democrats have taken steps to help and protect them in any way we can:
- Governor Ferguson signed an executive order that creates a Rapid Response Team at the Department of Children, Youth, and Families to address family separation. I was honored to speak at this event, you can watch my brief remarks here, or by clicking on the image below.
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- The Commission on Hispanic Affairs put together a rapid response hub with information on resources and protections available for people in Washington state.
- I, along with other members of the Latino Democratic Caucus co-signed a statement issued by our chair, Lillian Ortiz-Self, in response to the safety concerns of undocumented immigrants. Click here to read it (available in English and Spanish).
- The House Democratic Caucus Speaker, Rep. Laurie Jinkins, issued a statement on the federal executive orders that are threatening Washington Residents. Read it here (also available in English and Spanish).
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I truly appreciate the time you’ve taken to read my newsletter. I hope you found its contents useful and, if you need more information on any of the issues discussed here, please do not hesitate to contact my office anytime.
Sincerely,
