Dear friends and neighbors,
The 2023 legislative session is under way! Ahead of us is four months of critical work to increase civic engagement, empower workers and working families, create safer communities, and provide increased access to reproductive rights and childcare. This newsletter introduces the work ahead and what it means for our district and state. I hope you will find it useful!
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How to Get Involved in the Lawmaking Process
As we tackle numerous 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 and 2022 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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Leadership Assignments
For this upcoming legislative session, I am honored to share that my colleagues have elected me Assistant Majority Whip. Additionally, I have been elected Vice Chair of the House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee. Looking ahead, I am excited to help address the most pressing issues in our state such as economic resiliency, the expansion of workers’ rights, and increasing shared prosperity for all working families.
Legislative Page Program
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We need pages! 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. For more information, please visit the page program’s website by clicking here.
2023 Legislative Priorities
This session has been moving quickly! I am proud to share two of my bills, House Bill 1106 and House Bill 1107 have already passed committee!
Creating a vibrant state that is economically resilient and civically engaged is one of my focuses. I am looking forward to working on increasing bargaining rights for workers (House Bill 1291, House Bill 1307), addressing childcare issues (House Bill 1525, House Bill 1199, House Bill 1511), and reducing delays on and housing infrastructure (House Bill 1526).
As session continues, I encourage you to look at the legislation I will be supporting 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 priorities 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. If you have comments, questions, or ideas, please contact my office. I hope to hear from you soon!
In service,
State Representative Mary Fosse
38th Legislative District