Dear friends and neighbors,
We’re almost at the halfway point of this Legislative Session and we are right in the midst of the first set of deadlines. As I told you in my previous newsletter, last Friday was the first cutoff to get bills out of policy committees, and this Friday is fiscal cutoff. I explain more about these important days in this video.
Here’s a look at where some of my bills are as of today:
Rules Committee
HB 1105 – This is an efficiency bill! It streamlines the collective bargaining process for the state and workers by allowing the Department of Corrections employees who have interest arbitration rights and the state to negotiate separate from the coalition bargaining table.
HB 1185 – Improves the Correctional Industries Advisory Committee by adding two voting members from underrepresented populations with lived experience to bring valuable insights to the committee.
HB 1644 – This important legislation is called the Child Labor Safety Bill; it passed the Labor & Workplace Standards Committee on February 14 (watch my remarks below). This policy ensures that all working minors are extended the same protections no matter which field they are working in, and that companies that repeatedly violate their rights and harm children have consequences.
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Appropriations Committee
HB 1128 – Establishes a Childcare Workforce Standards Board that brings workers, employers, parents, and agencies together to make rules that improve industry standards and working conditions.
Capital Budget Committee
HB 1549 – Modifies the responsible bidder criteria for public works projects and support workforce development in construction through training for apprentices; informing contractors of requirements and resources; and increasing public transparency.
HB 1723 – Requires Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) for School Construction Assistance Program projects over $35 million so that projects are completed on time and on budget. By requiring a PLA, school districts can mitigate labor disputes before construction begins, preventing future labor strikes, walkouts, or labor discord. PLAs ensure that workers are paid a fair wage and have safe working conditions, while helping build our state’s pipeline of qualified workers.
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VIDEO UPDATE
In my latest video update, I discuss House Bill 1217 concerning rent stabilization; and House Bill 1549, modifying the responsible bidder criteria for public works projects.
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RENT STABILIZATION
I’ve heard it from so many constituents, the urgency for rent stabilization in Washington state cannot be overstated. Skyrocketing rents continue to inflict a devastating impact on our communities. I am cosponsoring House Bill 1217, because we need solutions sooner than later that both protect our neighbors and are reasonable enough for mom and pop landlords and nonprofits.
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We must address the underlying problem of price gouging to make our state’s investments are as cost-effective as possible. Increased housing supply will take years, or even decades, to bring significant relief to renters. We need to stabilize rent to help tenants now. Residential and manufactured home renters alike deserve rental predictability and stability.
Our community, along with many people across the state are facing staggering rent increases, with some facing 50 percent hikes, while others are being displaced due to the sale and consolidation of manufactured home parks.
Our legislation includes several key protections:
- A 7 percent cap on rent increases.
- Similar limits on fee increases and new fees.
- Predictable 12-month leases.
- 180-day notices for annual rent increases.
- The ability to terminate rental agreements if an increase exceeds 3 percent.
- Reasonable exemptions for new construction and nonprofit buildings.
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AN ALL-CUTS BUDGET SCENARIO
One of the issues that we’ve been getting emails and calls about is the state budget. Understandably, people are concerned, and so are lawmakers.
Yesterday, we launched a new website, WA Budget Cuts, highlighting what an all-cuts, no revenue budget would look like.
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With the state facing a $12 billion budget deficit to balance, this is what our budget could look like if we choose not to find solutions for new revenue. To be frank, the cuts are pretty dire. To understand what those cuts would mean for working families across Washington, here are some examples:
- Major cuts to behavioral health services and corrections.
- Severe cuts to human services and early learning programs, including the elimination of some programs and major reductions in others.
- Significant reductions in services for seniors and people with developmental disabilities.
- Eliminating essential services like adult dental care, kidney dialysis, and family planning or abortion services for Medicaid recipients.
- Deep cuts to state colleges and universities, weakening our ability to train the workforce needed to keep Washington’s economy strong.
When we see how these cuts would impact Washingtonians, we can have a more informed discussion about cuts versus new revenue.
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PREVENTING CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
As one of the sponsors of HB 1149, I am happy to share that we passed it out of the House earlier this month. This legislation will expand the crimes of animal cruelty and animal fighting, modify enforcement, and set a standard of care to make it clear what is and is not acceptable. My friend and colleague (also my office next door neighbor), Rep. Darya Farivar, delivered floor remarks that were difficult to hear, but necessary to truly grasp the degree of abuse some animals are subjected to. When Mahatma Ghandi said that the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated, he was right. While our family dog has passed on, my family still has our beloved hens, and we love these hardworking girls as our pets. Here’s a photo of Mabel. |
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As always, I truly appreciate your taking the time to read my legislative updates. If you need more information on any of the topics included in this newsletter or you’d like to suggest other topics to include, please don’t hesitate to contact my office.
In solidarity,
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