Dear friends and neighbors,
The last time I wrote you, I had just testified on HB 1392 (SB 5464) with co-sponsor Sen. Derek Stanford (D-Bothell) on the fair repair legislation we introduced earlier this session. A week later, with a 7-6 vote, this bill passed out of committee and is now headed to the House Appropriations committee before it can be eligible for a floor vote.
If you’ve been following the news surrounding this bill, you may remember that last year was the first time right to repair legislation passed out of committee. While a few adjustments may still be needed, I remain optimistic that 2023 is the year that Washington passes right to repair legislation. Our state is just one of about 20 in total that have introduced similar legislation this year.
HB 1392 will require consumer electronics companies to share instructions and tools to fix their products with the public. It is important to me because it will help prevent electronic waste and enable people to get their phones and laptops fixed in more accessible and affordable ways. I’ll keep you updated as this bill continues to move.
I also wanted to mention that the first cutoff of Session is this Friday! Any bills that do not make it out of policy committees by then will not advance any further, though they will be automatically reintroduced next year.
My Housing Bills Are Moving!
I’m happy to share with you that HB 1129 concerning the sale or lease of manufactured/mobile home communities and the property on which they sit passed out of committee just yesterday! There will still be some refinements to this bill in the weeks ahead, and I’ll be sharing these out with you as news becomes available.
Last week, HB 1337, which expands housing options by easing barriers to the construction and use of accessory dwelling units (ABUs), was referred to the Rules committee for review and placed on a second reading by the Rules Committee, as well.
ADUs are some of the most affordable options to construct additional housing supply. By easing barriers to ADUs, the bill will require cities and counties to allow ADUs in urban growth areas and prohibit certain regulations that hinder ADU construction. Cities and counties will need to comply with at least three of the following regulations:
- No parking requirements;
- No impact fees that are greater than 50 percent of the impact fees of the principal unit;
- Owners do not need to reside on the lot; and
- Must allow at least two ADUs on the lot.
Undoubtedly, there will also be some refinements to HB 1337 as well, but I’ll keep you updated as this bill also continues to move, so stay tuned!
Working to Stop Hunger in Our State
Last week, I introduced HB 1784 to address hunger relief in our state. This bill will provide $28 million to Washington’s General Fund in 2023 to support food assistance programs operated by the departments of Agriculture, Social and Health Services, and Health. Why is this necessary now? Starting in March our state faces a hunger cliff because emergency SNAP allotments will be ending. These emergency allotments were granted during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but many people—seniors and disabled people on fixed incomes, as well as low-income families—rely on this extra money to get by. With food prices 13 percent higher now than they were this time a year ago, it is critical that we pass this bill for early action for increased support before the start of the next biennium.
Click here to hear testimony I provided on this bill just yesterday. HB 1784 is scheduled for executive session on Thursday. Click here to watch live at 4 p.m. on Thursday or come back later for an archived recording of this session.
On a related, yet side note, I encourage you to check out an opinion piece I recently co-authored with Jilma Meneses (Secretary of Washington’s Department of Social and Health Services) for the Seattle Times. As state leaders charged with reducing poverty, seeing our state’s child poverty numbers go down by 67 percent over the past 30 years is validating and motivating for why I’m so invested in this work. Our programs protect many children and families from poverty and have the potential to end it altogether. Read more.
Video Update
If you like to follow what’s going on this Legislative Session on TVW, perhaps you didn’t know that the television station also does “legislator profiles” every year? I enjoy doing these informal interviews and see this as a great way for people to get to know me on a casual basis. Click here to watch this short “interview” with me.
Meet Legislative Page Clara Swart
I recently sponsored Mount Rainier High School student Clara Swart as a page in the Washington State House of Representatives. She is the child of David and Jessica Swart of Des Moines.
Pages assume a wide variety of responsibilities, from presenting the flags to distributing amendments on the House floor. They support the efficient operation of the Legislature while also receiving daily civics instruction, drafting their own bills, and participating in mock committee hearings.
The legislative page program gives young Washington residents the chance to learn and participate in the legislative process. This unique opportunity is open to all Washington residents who are at least 14 years old but have not reached their 17th birthday. In 2023, a one-time exception is being allowed for 17- and 18-year-olds to participate during two specific weeks since the program was discontinued during remote legislative sessions in the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information, including how to apply, please visit the page program’s website by clicking here.
Save the Date!
Your 33rd Legislative District delegation consisting of Sen. Karen Keiser, Rep. Tina Orwall, and I will host an in-person town hall on March 18. All the information and details will be announced soon, and a link will also be provided so you can submit questions in advance, but for now, mark it on your calendar!
Best wishes,
