It has been a busy two weeks in Olympia. I have introduced my first bills, testified in front of a House committee, given a speech on the floor, and met with stakeholders and constituents. I am excited to share with you all some of what I have been working on. Expect me to send out these email updates every few weeks and please let your friends and neighbors know they can sign up to receive these messages by visiting the signup page.
My First Speech: Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Growing up, Dr. King was a source of inspiration for me. His message of love and hope along with optimism for the future but grounded in a reality of the fight for justice. It stuck with me and all the way to Monday, when I stood up on the floor of the state House of Representatives to honor his work and share his impact on my family. Click the image below to watch my remarks.
Improving our Community and Technical Colleges
I came to Olympia in large part to shed light on the need for greater financial support on our community and technical education programs in the state. As a former non-traditional student and having served on the Renton Technical College Board of Trustees, I have seen how important these CTE programs are for working families. Whether you are a high school senior wanting to take introductory classes without committing to a large university or a working parent interested in expanding your skill set or finding a new career, community and technical colleges are an amazing resource. However, too often CTCs are an afterthought, seen only as a stepping-stone to other forms of higher education. That is reflected in CTC budgets and how they pay their faculty and staff.
That needs to change. Students, regardless of their status in life, deserve an education that helps them reach their goals. That’s why I am proud to co-sponsor House Bill 1300, which brings much needed improvements to community and technical colleges. Among other things, it increases the number of guidance counselors available to students, provides better pay equity so CTCs can hire and keep faculty and staff, and adds a cap to certain administrative costs.
We have a long way to go to improve our community and technical colleges and I’m proud to join my colleagues in taking this step forward.
Stopping sex traffickers when they violate no-contact orders
Under current law, a person can get a no-contact order against someone for “Promoting Prostitution and Trafficking.” These are often the case when someone forces another person, usually young women, to engage in prostitution. It is a terrible crime and no-contact orders are designed to stop traffickers from contacting their victims while criminal proceedings are ongoing.
Unfortunately, too many sex traffickers ignore these no-contact orders and may intimidate or even physically harm their victims when a law-enforcement officer is not present. That is why I have introduced legislation to allow police officers to arrest traffickers who violate their no-contact orders in these cases without first going to a judge and losing valuable time that can save a victim’s life. This bill, HB 1055, passed out of the House Committee on Public Safety this Thursday.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this email update. Please spread the word to friends and neighbors and reach out to my office via any of the contact options below if you have thoughts, ideas, concerns, or questions.
Debra