Dear friends and neighbors,

We successfully ended the legislative session with a biennium budget on time for the first time in a decade with big wins for the people of Washington.

Read more about how we are putting people first.

Washington takes home major policy wins

Preparing Washington students for Washington jobs

With the support of business leaders, including Microsoft president Brad Smith, the Workforce Education Investment Act takes steps to meet the growing economy’s demand on Washington’s workforce. The Act, which renames the State Need Grant as the Washington College Grant, makes public apprenticeship training and college tuition free for families making up to $50,000 and allocates over $100 million into career connection services in high-demand industries, including engineering, nursing and technology.

Strongest 100 percent clean energy policy in the nation

Washington took huge steps to address and mitigate the current and impending impacts of climate change. We enacted the strongest 100 percent clean energy policy in the county, committing to moving to clean, renewable and zero-emission energy sources, including wind, solar and hydro power. Washington already generates more than 75 percent of electricity from carbon-free sources, but by 2025 coal will be removed as an energy source, working toward fully carbon-free electricity by 2045.

First public health care option, long-term care trust act

Washington is leading the nation when it comes to health care. This session, we became the first state to establish a public health care option, Cascade Care, and to create a long-term care insurance benefit, the Long-Term Care Trust Act.

Cascade Care’s plan is more understandable, usable and affordable than ever. Available to any Washingtonians who is not covered by an employer sponsored health plan, the state insurance health insurance program will not affect those on employer sponsored plans, Medicare or Apple Care.

The Long-Term Care Trust Act sets up an insurance benefit to help cover the costs of critical health care services needed as more people than ever age into the 65+ age bracket. The program will help fund things like rides to the doctor, in-home care and home modifications for wheelchair ramps.

33rd Legislative District office moving

Along with my seatmate, Rep. Tina Orwall, we will be moving out of our Des Moines district office at the end of the month. We are still in processes of finalizing details for our new office location, but stay tuned for details in the coming weeks.

Hate crimes legislation, crime victims compensation program pass

Over the past several months, numerous reports have illustrated that hate crimes are on the rise in Washington. Between 2016 – 2017, reporting of hate crimes in Washington increased 42 percent. The Seattle Police Department tracked 521 bias-related crimes in 2018, up from 418 in 2017 and 256 in 2016.

To address this, Gov. Inslee recently signed House Bill 1732 strengthening state hate crime laws. The legislation clearly renames “Malicious Harassment” to “Hate Crime Offenses” and includes “gender identity or expression” to the list of protected classes and increases the maximum civil liability from $10,000 to $100,000.

For those impacted by hate crimes, we know little can be done to take away the impact of these, hateful, traumatic actions. However, funded in our newly passed budget is the Crime Victims Compensation Program which helps ease the financial burden that some victims face after an attack.

Learn more about the Crime Victims Compensation Program.

All best wishes,

Rep. Mia Gregerson