Welcome to the short session
The first week of the legislative session has come and gone. This year’s session is only 60 days as opposed to the 105 days that the Legislature meets in the first year of a biennium. This is because Washington passes two-year budgets. Last year we passed the Operating, Capital, and Transportation budgets. This year we will pass Supplemental budgets with the goal of assisting existing programs. This allows me to continue to work towards the priorities of the 47th district.
Welcome to the new Speaker
For the first time in twenty years, the Washington House of Representatives swore in a new Speaker of the House. For the first time ever that Speaker was a woman. On Monday, history was made when Representative Laurie Jinkins from Tacoma formally took the gavel as Speaker of the House. Speaker Jinkins has spent the last three months traveling around the state and meeting with lawmakers from both parties. I am confident that she will lead the House of Representatives into this new decade with wisdom, fairness, and vision while ensuring that we stay true to our mission of putting people first.
You can now find me on Facebook. Like my official legislative page, Representative Debra Entenman, to get updates from the Legislature and information about upcoming events.
New committee assignment
I will now serve on the Innovation, Technology & Economic Development Committee. The Innovation, Technology, & Economic Development Committee focuses on financing local business, technology driven jobs, developing industry clusters, and international trade. This year we will focus on expanding broadband access, the use of facial recognition technology, and consumer data privacy protection. While this means I will have to leave my role on the Housing, Community Development & Veterans Committee, I will continue to be able to focus on my main legislative goals of investing in our local community and prioritizing workforce development.