Dear friends and neighbors,
The 2023 legislative session has begun, and we are back in Olympia after operating mostly remotely for two years. Ahead of us is four months of work that is critical to building resiliency within communities, finding solutions to housing affordability, and addressing workforce shortages.
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This newsletter introduces the work ahead and what it means for our district and state. Please consider clicking here to view my video on staying engaged this session. I hope you will find it useful!
How to Get Involved in the Lawmaking Process
As we tackle these and numerous other issues, I encourage you to stay engaged and participate! I’m excited to let you know that while the legislature will be meeting in person, we will retain the option for remote testimony at committee hearings. This is an important way that we can make the process of creating and amending laws more accessible to everyone. Below are some fantastic ways of following the legislative session:
- Learn—The whole legislative process, from start to finish, is explained at leg.wa.gov/legislature/Pages/Overview.aspx
- Watch—Go to TVW.org for broadcasts of debates, votes, committee meetings, and other events in the House and Senate. There’s also an extensive archive of past events if you couldn’t watch it live.
- Research—To look up legislation by lawmaker or topic, visit app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/
- Testify—The 2021 Legislative Session proved that remote testimony is a great way for everyone to have a chance to share their voice. The remote committee testimony system will continue to be in use for all testimony for all bills.
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Committee Leadership & Priorities
For this upcoming legislative session, I am honored to share that my colleagues elected me as Vice-Chair of both the House Transportation Committee and House Innovation, Community & Economic Development, and Veterans Committees. Since I joined the legislature last year, I have been committed to working on improving community resiliency. Issues such as emergency preparedness, reliable food systems, infrastructure repair, and building safe and affordable neighborhoods are at the top of my mind every day.
I am excited to lead a bipartisan effort to provide solutions to these issues so that our communities can achieve their potential. As session progresses, I encourage you to look at the legislation I will be supporting here.
Legislative Page Program
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With the Legislature returning to in-person meetings in Olympia, the legislative page program is back and accepting applications! The page program gives young Washington residents the chance to learn and participate in the legislative process by attending page school, assisting legislative offices, delivering messages, and working on the House and Senate floors.
This unique opportunity is open to Washington residents who are at least 14 years old but have not reached their 17th birthday. This year only, the House is allowing 17- and 18-year-olds to participate during two specific weeks since the program was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Please note that we have a scholarship program available to students interested in the page program. The goal of the scholarship is to encourage all students – regardless of income level – to participate in the page program by helping to offset the expense of travel to and staying in Olympia during their week of service. By reducing the financial burden for families, the legislature hopes to make participation of this great educational opportunity economically feasible for students across Washington. For more information, please visit the page program’s website by clicking here.
Let Me Know What Is Important To You
If you come down to Olympia, please schedule a time for us to meet so you can share your concerns with me. I am also happy to meet remotely if you are not quite comfortable in a public setting or simply don’t have time to make it to Olympia. My priority is hearing from you however you are most comfortable, whether remotely or in person.
If you have comments, questions, or ideas, please contact my office. I hope to hear from you soon!
In service,
State Representative Brandy Donaghy
44th Legislative District