Dear Friends and Neighbors,
It’s week ten of the legislative session—and we’re over halfway through! We’ve been very busy on the House floor the last few weeks, running bills late into the night to push our priorities forward. I’m honored to share that we passed 328 bills, 60% of which were passed unanimously, and 78% of which were passed with 80 votes of more, to better support housing opportunity, workforce development, behavioral health support, education, and climate resiliency in Washington.
Watch my video about House Bill 1469 and Washington’s protection and expansion of reproductive rights, live from the wings!
Town Hall Invitation – TONIGHT!
I’m hosting a Town Hall THIS EVENING alongside my seatmates, Sen. Sam Hunt and Rep. Jessica Bateman, and hope to see you there!
What: 22nd Legislative District Community Town Hall
When: Thursday, March 18th, 6:30 P.M.
Where: Lacey SPSCC Campus Event Center, 4220 6th Ave SE in Lacey
We will share updates from the 2023 legislative session and answer your questions on the issues important to you. We look forward to seeing you there!
Prioritizing Community Safety
When is it enough? Washington communities continue to experience the horrors that weapons of war can unleash. In 2021, there were 692 mass shootings nationwide. The following year, there were 647. In 2023, there have already been over 67 mass shootings in just 75 days. Over 85% of fatalities were caused by assault rifles.
House Bill 1240 limits the prospective sale of assault weapons in Washington state. This is the same prohibition structure as last year’s bill restricting high-capacity magazines, which the legislature passed into law. The bill prohibits the manufacture, importation, distribution, sale, or offer for sale of any assault weapon. Gun violence is a public health crisis—and the passage of this bill in the House is a major step towards reducing the risk of harm to Washingtonians. Weapons of war have no place in our communities—this policy will save lives.
Dignity, Safety, and Humanity for WA Workers
All workers in Washington deserve safety, dignity, and humanity. Workers in large distribution centers have powered the growth and expansion of e-commerce and have consequently experienced serious work-related injury and illness at more than three times the average rate for other industries. Unfortunately, this has not been a self-correcting problem: without statewide protections, the rate of this abuse will only increase. Large distribution warehouses are a rapidly growing industry in Washington—but also one of the most dangerous. I sponsored House Bill 1762 to protect warehouse employees in the state of Washington. We can lower injury rates in warehouses by enforcing safety standards and requiring employers to communicates clearly with workers about expectations. This bill is now in the Senate.
Supporting State Employees
The 22nd Legislative District is home to more state employees than any other district in the state. I seek to make Washington state the best place to work possible. I sponsored House Bill 1122 to grant some Washington Management Service (WMS) employees the right to collectively bargain. Most employees of Washington’s state agencies and institutions of higher education can participate in a union and collectively bargain on terms and conditions of employment such as wages and hours. However, the WMS is a separate personnel system for managers within the executive branch of state government and under current law these managerial positions are not able to form a union. House Bill 1122 grants certain employees in the WMS personnel system the same rights to collectively bargain that other state employees and managers at the city and county level already enjoy. This will not only better support our state managers but will also benefit staff recruitment and retention for these managerial positions.
Prioritizing a Decarbonized Future
Natural gas is a fossil fuel, and Washington cannot meet its climate commitments if it continues to burn it in inefficient, expensive applications. Currently, gas in the residential sector is responsible for almost half of Seattle’s current carbon emissions. Buildings represent the fastest-growing sector of greenhouse gas emissions in Washington—and gas costs are also rising at a rate much faster than increases in electricity costs, locking people into a fuel that will become more expensive with little leniency. The 2019 Clean Energy Transformation Act and the 2021 Climate Commitment Act have put Washington on a fast track to reducing emissions and decarbonizing utilities. I sponsored House Bill 1589 to replace fossil-fueled power plants with new renewable energy projects in the state.
This bill incentivizes and develops a pathway to clean energy with important labor and workforce provisions included: the bill prioritizes creation of family-wage jobs through project labor agreements. A pathway to clean energy with public and private-sector collaboration provides certainty, opportunity, and clarity in Washington’s necessary transition to a decarbonized future.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read. It’s an honor to represent you. Hope to see you tonight!
Sincerely,
Rep. Beth Doglio