Dear friends and neighbors,
The 2024 legislative session is a wrap! It concluded at 5:49 p.m. on March 7 and I’m now back home in Snohomish County working on issues important to you right here in our community.
In this newsletter, I’m giving you an update on my bills that will soon become law, share what I have planned for some policies that didn’t make it through this session and why I’m continuing to advocate for them.
Bills Becoming Law
This year, I had two bills make it through both chambers successfully.
House Bill 1277: This piece of legislation updates the guidance the Paraeducator Board provides and implements a consistent set of resources and training for paraeducators across school districts, while also allowing a bit of flexibility for smaller districts. It’s important paraeducators have access to the training they need to do their jobs effectively—helping our kids develop the skills they need to succeed. I initially introduced this policy in the 2022 legislative session, and reintroduced this bill in 2023 but as the legislature works on a two-year cycle and time is limited, it sometimes takes this long or even longer to see bills pass both chambers and become law. HB 1277 was delivered to the governor on March 7 and is anticipated to be signed by Gov. Inslee by the end of this month.
House Bill 2384: I introduced this bill to improve traffic safety. Did you know that 800 people lost their lives on Washington roads in 2023? It’s the highest rate on record since 1990. Sadly, speeding and substance use are the leading factors in traffic deaths. HB 2384 concerns the use of traffic cameras to deter drivers from speeding, the second most common risk factor in fatal crashes in our state. This piece of legislation clarifies how cities and counties can opt to establish speed camera programs through local ordinances, while maintaining privacy protections and allowing city and county governments to reinvest revenues from traffic camera fines into traffic safety improvements. Studies show that fixed camera sites can reduce injury by up to 25 percent and fatalities by up to 32 percent. People aware of where speed cameras are also less likely to drive recklessly.
HB 2384 passed out of the House on Feb. 12 and passed with a vote of 26-23 on Feb. 29 in the Senate. The Senate added amendments, which the House concurred to on March 5 with a final vote. It was delivered to the governor on the last day of session and will be signed into law by the end of the month.
Bills You May See Again in 2025
Earlier this session, I wrote about my sponsorship of the proposed Smokey Bear license plate. This generated a lot of interest and media attention, but ultimately did not move in either the House or the Senate. My colleague in the House Transportation Committee, Rep. Ed Orcutt (R-Kalama), introduced an omnibus bill that would have combined several proposed license plates into one bill, as it can often take several years to see proposed vanity plates finally receive legislative approval. This also did not move this year, but don’t be surprised if you see this one return.
Additionally, my seatmate Sen. John Lovick (D-Mill Creek) and I worked hard on companion bills in both chambers to lower Washington’s legal blood alcohol concentration limit from 0.08 to 0.05. Utah did this in 2017 and has seen its fatal crash rate drop nearly 20 percent and its fatality rate drop by 18.3 percent. Additionally, Utah statistics show that because of this new law, almost a quarter of people changed their habits regarding getting behind the wheel while impaired. I want to see similar improvements in Washington. We all want our loved ones to make it home safely at the end of the day—this legislation is one step towards making that a reality for everyone. This piece of legislation is also likely to come back next year.
You can also expect to see me introduce more bills surrounding incentives for building additional affordable housing.
Stay in Touch!
Now that I am back home working on issues important to our communities, I encourage you to reach out at any time with your questions, concerns, and comments. I look forward to seeing you out and about, taking your calls or reading your emails.
In Service,
Rep. Brandy Donaghy