What is the Landslide Risk in Your Neighborhood?
Washington state recently endured record rainfalls, leading to floods—and now there’s a risk of landslides, given the saturated soil. One slide destroyed a home in Bellevue and others have shut down train service.
Our state also suffered the 2014 landslide in Oso, Snohomish County, which covered one square mile of property, destroyed 49 homes, and caused the loss of 43 lives.
How can you know whether your home—or someplace you’re thinking of moving to—is prone to landslides?
The state Department of Natural Resources maintains a free online mapping tool to show landslide susceptibility.
The department also published A Homeowners Guide to Landslides with tips, infographics, and information about the types and causes of slides.
Helping Victims of Human Trafficking Get a Hand Up
Human trafficking is a widespread issue and a shameful crime that robs victims of their dignity and rights. Across the state and around the globe, women, men, and children are exploited by traffickers every day.
This session, I introduced HB 1748 to help victims of human trafficking get back on their feet. Under this legislation, victims of human trafficking can be eligible for the Housing and Essential Needs (HEN) program and the Aged, Blind, or Disabled (ABD) program. The Housing and Essential Needs program provides assistance to low-income individuals with disabilities who are unable to work for an extended period of time due to physical or mental disabilities. The Aged, Blind, or Disabled (ABD) program allows eligible, low-income individuals to obtain financial assistance.
This bill builds on previous legislation that qualified victims of human trafficking and their family members for state assistance programs including the Food Assistance Program, the State Family Assistance Program, and Medical Care Services. By aligning the HEN and ABD programs with other state programs we can provide a hand up to some of the most vulnerable in our society, victims of human trafficking.
This bill was requested by the Washington Department of Health and Human Services. It received a public hearing in the House Appropriations Committee on January 31st. You can watch the hearing on TVW here and learn more about the bill here.
Home for the Deaf and Blind
This year I am working with the Foundation For the Challenged to fund a house in Kent for those who are both deaf and blind. These individuals have an extremely low-income, a developmental disability, and require 24/7 in-home support. Foundation For the Challenged is a nonprofit that operates affordable, accessible houses across Washington that support low-income people with developmental disabilities. They believe that those with disabilities have the right to participate fully in society. I am excited to be working with the Foundation to bring this resource to the Kent community. With hope, this new house will be funded through the Legislature’s supplemental capital budget. You can learn more about the organization on their website here.
Meet Our Intern
An annual internship program at the Legislature is offered to students attending four-year colleges. This year 58 passionate, engaged, and hard-working students are interning in the Washington State Legislature.
My office is working with Houda Ettayeby, a senior majoring in Law and Justice at Central Washington University. Some of her duties include tracking bills and budgets, drafting documents, and creating newsletters. In addition to working with my office, Houda works with Representatives Steve Bergquist (D-Renton) and David Hackney (D-Tukwila), as well as participating in a variety of internship programming.
Houda is very eager and passionate about fighting for civil rights and women’s rights. Originally from Morocco, her family immigrated to Washington State when she was a teenager. She attended Mountlake Terrace High School.
At Central Washington University, she serves as the vice president of the CWU Paralegal Student Association, which is committed to promoting human rights. As part of Houda’s community outreach, she helps organize pro bono legal clinics, analyzes global law and justice issues, and hosts public events that inform the community about important social issues. Together with her colleagues, she is developing a model to combat systemic racism on campus. As an advocate for women and policymaking enthusiast, Houda hopes to work with the United Nations and is considering attending law school.
As part of the Washington State legislative program, students earn academic credit and work collaboratively to solve real-world problems with state legislators. Students participating in this internship program will gain hands-on legislative experience, learn the ins and outs of the legislative system, and function in a professional work environment. The application period for the 2023 session will open in September. To learn more about the internship program, click here.