Dear friends and neighbors, Before the end of the 2020 session, the COVID-19 pandemic was just hitting Washington state. We voted to spend $200 million to fight the virus. But…
Category: Laurie Jinkins
Unity and resiliency: Protecting our community from COVID-19
Dear friends and neighbors, Last month, Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Washington. Since then, he has implemented a series of…
WA Legislators request federal disaster unemployment assistance for independent contractors
The Senate and House Democratic Caucuses have requested that the federal government unlock disaster unemployment assistance for thousands of independent contractors in Washington who are losing work during the coronavirus…
Statement from legislative leaders in support of Stay Home, Stay Healthy
OLYMPIA – Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig (D-Spokane), Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins (D-Tacoma), Senate Minority Leader Mark Schoesler (R-Ritzville) and House Minority Leader JT Wilcox (R-Yelm) released the…
COVID-19/Coronavirus Update – Pierce County
Dear friends and neighbors, We want to help pass along the information that Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has shared with the public regarding COVID-19 or Coronavirus. First, the response to…
An update on the novel coronavirus/COVID-19
Dear friends and neighbors, Washington state is experiencing an increase in cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), including several deaths. It is anticipated that the virus will continue to spread….
Cutoff week and town hall reminder
Dear friends and neighbors, It’s a busy week at the state capitol! Yesterday, February 19, was “House of Origin cutoff.” That’s the final date for bills to be voted out…
Civic participation: Town hall, Census, and more
Dear friends and neighbors, It’s Week 4 of the 2020 legislative session, which means I’ve been on the job as Speaker of the House for about a month now. I’m…
A historic first for Washington state
Dear friends and neighbors, On Monday, surrounded by my family, my House colleagues from both sides of the aisle, and many dear friends and mentors, I was sworn in as…
Jinkins sworn in as Washington’s first woman, first out lesbian House Speaker
OLYMPIA – History was made in Washington’s legislature today with the swearing in of the first new Speaker of the House in nearly 20 years. Speaker Laurie Jinkins (D-Tacoma), is…