Dear friends and neighbors,
It’s hard to believe it’s already the end of August. Between deep-dive meetings with organizers and advocates, and working alongside colleagues to plan for the 2026 legislative session, and my first mobile town hall, this interim has been moving fast!
Check out some updates on bills from this session, community priorities, recent recognitions, and the latest from our caucuses.
Whether it’s closing loopholes in child protection laws, ensuring fair representation for indigenous communities, or fighting for immigrant justice —our work is always grounded in you. We need you to continue showing up, speaking up, and staying connected.
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🏛️ Bills Getting Attention:
HB 1211 – Clergy Reporting Reform
Under the current statute, clergy confession could bypass mandated reporting—but HB 1211 ends that loophole, treating all religions equally while preserving testimonial privilege. It’s supported by faith and non‑faith leaders alike and aligns with similar reforms in other states. However, a federal court recently issued an injunction halting this bill, which removes the religion-based exemption from Washington’s child abuse mandated reporting law. And “President” Trump who has a long list of child sex abuser friends has joined in the attacks on this important bill. Shout out to Senator Noelle Frame for all of her work on this bill!
HB 1946 – Tribal Members on Local Health Boards
On September 15, I’ve been asked to speak at the 2025 Four Directions Conference hosted by the by the Suquamish Tribe. The focus will be around Honoring the Past and Protecting the Future through holistic health, wellness, and recovery support centering on HB 1946, which I successfully ushered through the legislative process and into law. The speech will be presented to treatment providers, prevention specialists, recovery service providers, policy makers, and more.
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👥 Constituent Updates
June Mobile Town Hall: Spokane Farmers Market Thank you to everyone who joined us under the sunshine surrounded by fresh produce. Connecting face‑to‑face in community spaces like the market is the heart of accessible politics—and it’s why I show up.
Keep an eye on our social channels for our September mobile town hall, held at the Shadle Park Library (2111 W Wellesley Ave, Spokane, WA, 99205). It’s a chance for folks to engage in conversation about housing, transit, climate, or anything you care about. Missed it in June? You can still stay connected:
Survey Still Open: Thanks to everyone who’s participated so far in our recent community survey. Your voices are actively shaping my priorities for 2026, and you’ve still got time to share yours! 👉 Take our short survey here to share your thoughts. We’ll use these insights to guide legislation on housing stability, climate resilience, racial justice, and more—because this office works for all of you. |
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🔧 Community Updates
I am honored to be named one of Washington’s 2025 Champions for Children by the Children’s Alliance. This critical work is essential to uplift families and kids across our state. Thank you Children’s Alliance and congrats to all of the honorees!
As a member of the Early Learning & Human Services Committee, I’m spending the interim listening, learning, and touring with Spokane-based partners to shape future policy.
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Caucus & LBC Updates
Standing Up for Immigrant Justice and the Rule of Law In June, Spokane became a flashpoint for federal overreach when two local residents—Cesar Alexander Álvarez Pérez and Joswar Slater Rodríguez Torres—were detained by ICE despite their legal status. These actions are unacceptable and un-American. We are thankful for those in community, local and state-wide, for standing up and speaking up.
Together with the Washington Legislative Black Caucus (WLBC) and the Members of Color Caucus (MOCC), a majority of our democratic caucus publicly condemned these raids. We issued joint statements to defend due process, protect immigrant communities, and push back on federal intimidation tactics.
“The right to protest is not a threat to public safety, it is the foundation of democracy,” said Rep. Natasha Hill, Second Vice Chair of the Members of Color Caucus. “Everyone in this state has the constitutional right to engage in peaceful protest, just like every person has a right to due process.”
📄 Read the letters:
This is personal for our communities—and we will not be silent.
Resources to Know Your Rights
Manzanita House in Spokane (video recordings in English, Spanish, Russian, and Farsi)
City of Spokane ‘Know Your Rights’ webpage (red cards in a multitude of languages)
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🤝Ways to Stay Connected
📧 Email me
📞 Call my office: 360-786-7888
🔗 Visit my official website
👍 Follow me on Facebook
I’m looking forward to seeing many of you in the district over the summer and fall. Thank you for your continued engagement, and for trusting me to serve our vibrant and diverse community.
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🌻 Closing Thoughts
We are living through challenging times—and Spokane has the resources to meet our community needs with courage, compassion, and care. Every phone call, every conversation, every email, reminds me that the strength of our community is in how we show up for each other.
I will keep pushing for policies that reflect equity and will keep demanding progress now! Together, we will build a Spokane and Washington State where everyone can belong.
In solidarity,
Rep. Natasha Hill