Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As your newly elected state representative, I’m honored to be serving our community and working hard on the issues that matter most to you. Every day, I’m inspired by the dedication and resilience of the people in our district, and I’m committed to making sure your voices are heard in Olympia.
As an environmental scientist with a PhD in Ecology, I bring a data-driven approach to policy-making, and I am fighting for clean air and clean water for our communities. With experience on the Issaquah City Council, I am committed to tackling housing affordability and expanding Transit-Oriented Development. As a mother of two, I am dedicated to supporting high-quality, affordable childcare and ensuring our public schools are well-resourced to help students succeed, while advocating for policies that benefit families, educators, and students.
I’m excited to serve as Vice Chair of the Environment & Energy Committee and as a member of the Local Government Committee and the Transportation Committee. These roles allow me to advocate for policies that protect our environment, invest in infrastructure, and ensure Washington remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family.
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What I’m Working On
This session, I’ve introduced several bills aimed at strengthening our energy security, safeguarding our environment, and improving local governance. Here are some key initiatives I’m working on:
✅ HB 1610 – Protecting Critical Energy Infrastructure: Cyber threats and security risks are increasing. This bill strengthens protections for critical energy infrastructure by protecting sensitive facility data, ensuring our grid remains secure and resilient.
✅ HB 1670 – Public Transparency around Sewage Spills: Clean water is a basic necessity. This bill creates a publicly available dashboard on sewage spills, so all Washingtonians can see information that affects water quality and that impacts the health of our environment.
✅ HB 1329 – Strengthening Wholesale Power Purchases: Energy security is critical to our state’s future, as is transitioning to clean energy. This bill improves the process through which utilities purchase wholesale energy, keeping costs more stable for families and businesses.
✅ HB 1871 – Expanding Access to Residential Energy Storage: Energy independence and grid resilience are key to our state’s sustainability. This bill helps homeowners adopt battery storage solutions, reducing reliance on non-renewable energy sources and providing backup power, while enhancing overall grid reliability.
✅ HB 1922 – Woody Debris Removal: After events like the November 2024 bomb cyclone, communities are tasked with the difficult task of recovering and mitigating impacts, including removing fallen trees and woody debris from our waterways. This bill clarifies the guidelines for these efforts, so we can all work together to expedite disaster recovery while ensuring our waterway ecosystems are healthy.
✅ HB 1562 – Ensuring Diaper Changing Stations in Public Restrooms: Accessibility and family-friendly facilities are essential. This bill requires baby diaper changing stations to be installed in newly constructed public buildings and during major restroom renovations. The bill will ensure that more caregivers have access to these facilities.
✅ HB 1901 – Holding Mattress Producers Responsible for Recycling: Too many mattresses end up in landfills, adding to our waste problem. This bill creates a producer responsibility program, ensuring proper recycling and promoting a circular economy.
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Visits from Our Community
Wonderful to welcome students and educators from the Tahoma School District! Their enthusiasm for learning and civic engagement is truly inspiring. Investing in education means investing in our future, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to hear their perspectives.
It was great to welcome Maple Valley! I appreciate the opportunity to hear their thoughts on the issues that matter most to them. Building strong communities starts with listening, and I’m grateful for their engagement.
Fantastic to welcome advocates from Issaquah Alps! Protecting our natural spaces and supporting conservation efforts are key to preserving the beauty of our region. Grateful for their dedication to environmental stewardship.
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Keeping You Informed
I’ve partnered with TVW to create a series of educational videos on key environmental topics that impact our daily lives. I encourage you to check them out!
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What’s Ahead?
As we move forward in the legislative session, I’ll continue working alongside my colleagues to push for investments in transportation, education, healthcare, and economic development. I will advocate for expanded public transit, infrastructure investments, reproductive healthcare access, and increased behavioral health resources.
I want to hear from you! Your feedback and ideas help shape the policies we work on in Olympia. Whether it’s concerns about energy costs, transportation needs, housing, or environmental protections, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Your voice matters.
Together, we can build a greener, safer, and more prosperous Washington!
Best,
Rep. Victoria Hunt