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Telephone town hall on July 2nd – please join us
Dear friends and neighbors,
Next week, I’ll be hosting a telephone town hall for constituents of the 27th Legislative District with Rep. Jake Fey and Sen. Jeannie Darneille. It will go from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
This is a great opportunity for you to ask us questions about the recent legislative session or legislative topics like education, health care, the environment, transportation, public safety, etc.
We will be calling households across the district on July 2nd, but if you want to ensure you are part of the event there are a couple of ways you can opt-in.
First, starting at 6:00 p.m. on July 2nd you can call toll-free 877-229-8493 and enter PIN number 116282. You’ll automatically be connected to the town hall.
Another option is to sign up in advance to receive a call inviting you to participate. You can do this by clicking here.
Telephone town halls are not a replacement for live, in-person town halls like the one we do each year during the legislative session, but they provide a convenient opportunity for more people to participate in a town hall meeting without having to leave home. Each time we host one of these events, we get several thousand participants on the line.
A reminder: at any point during the call if you want to ask one of us a question, all you have to do is press *3 (STAR 3) on your phone keypad. In order to get through as many constituent questions as possible during the hour, we ask that you please try to keep your questions brief.
I look forward to our conversation next week, and hope you’ll be able to take part.
Sincerely,
Getting where you need to go: Tacoma-area transportation projects
Dear friends and neighbors,
There’s nothing more basic than getting where you need to go every day: to work, to school, to a medical appointment, to the gym, or to the grocery store. Our state’s transportation system is essential to helping us get around in our day-to-day lives. It’s also essential to our businesses, whether it’s a local contractor driving to different jobs, or companies sending goods around the state and across the globe via our highways and ports.
Here’s the challenge our state faces when it comes to transportation: it only take days or weeks for someone to get a great new job and move to Washington state, but it takes years to plan, design, and build highways, bridges, rail networks, and ferries to serve our growing population.
That’s why I was pleased to vote in favor of our state’s new two-year $9.8 billion transportation budget for 2019-2021, along with other key reforms to modernize and improve the state’s transportation system. This newsletter focuses on some of the local Tacoma-area projects funded by this budget – projects that will help move people and goods more efficiently throughout our community.
I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout-out to my 27th Legislative District seatmate, Rep. Jake Fey, who chairs the House Transportation Committee and did an outstanding job working across the aisle and with his counterparts in Senate to get a final transportation budget that passed both chambers nearly unanimously.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions or want more information about these projects.
Sincerely,
Big transportation win: Fast-tracking the Puget Sound Gateway project
The Puget Sound Gateway project includes the completion of state routes 167 in Pierce County and 509 in King County, and is focused on getting goods to and from the ports in Tacoma and Seattle faster and more reliably.
Completing this project is hugely important for our region’s economy, but because the legislature initially opted to fund it using a pay-as-you go method, it is not scheduled to be completed until 2031. That’s a long time for something we could really use much sooner.
Completing the corridors will ease congestion and bring more jobs to our state. Thanks to legislation (SB 5825) sponsored in the House by Rep. Fey and in the Senate by Senate Transportation Chair Sen. Steve Hobbs, funding for completion of the Puget Sound Gateway project is moved up by three years, to the tune of $265 million. Accelerated construction not only gets the job done sooner, it avoids inflationary cost increases – a win for the state and for taxpayers.
Other transportation wins:
Also included in the 2019-2021 Transportation Budget is $136.6 million for HOV lane and corridor improvements along I-5 and SR 16 in Tacoma. Like many of you, I’ve experienced frustrations with traffic congestion due to the ongoing construction on I-5 in Tacoma. This funding keeps this project moving forward and on track, so we can all have a smoother commute along this route.
Speaking of congestion, another tough spot along I-5 is through Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Many of us pass through this area daily to get to work or school. When the Legislature is in session each winter, it’s part of my daily commute between my home in Tacoma and the state capitol. The new budget allocates $165 million for expansion of the I-5 corridor through JBLM.
Our local public transit agency, Pierce Transit, also received funding in the new transportation budget to support some critical bus service improvements in the region. Through the Regional Mobility Grants program, $2.1 million is dedicated for Pacific Ave/SR 7 Corridor Bus Rapid Transit stations, to better connect these areas with downtown Tacoma. A separate $9.8 million is allocated through the Connecting Washington funding package for SR 7 Express Service from Tacoma to Parkland/Spanaway.
Finally, freight mobility gets a boost with a $1.14 million grant to Tacoma Rail, to rehab the Marine View Drive track.
Free meals during the summer for children and teens
In recent years, the Legislature has taken steps to help ensure no child is hungry during the school day.
In 2018, we passed the Washington Kids Ready to Learn Act, which expanded highly successful programs to more schools across the state that help students from families with low incomes receive nutritious meals in the morning. We also passed the Hunger-Free Students’ Bill of Rights Act, which banned “lunch shaming” by schools and required them to provide healthy, balanced meals to students, regardless of their ability to pay. I was proud to co-sponsor both of these measures.
When the school year is over, however, many students lose access to the one meal they can count on each day. The state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction recently sent my office an email announcing the Summer Food Service Program, which is federally funded. Its purpose is to ensure that free, nutritious meals are available for children and teens 18 years of age or younger during the summer break. To find locations in our community where meals are available, visit the Summer Food Service Program website. You can also text “food” or “comida” to 877-877.
Tacoma projects get boost from state construction budget
Dear friends and neighbors,
In odd-numbered years, the legislature passes not one but three separate budgets for our state.
The operating budget is the one most people think of as “the state budget.” It funds the operations of our state – everything from K-12 education, to higher education, to human services, to corrections, to natural resources and more. One of my recent newsletters covered some of the highlights of the operating budget.
The transportation budget, meanwhile, funds our roads, bridges, state patrol, and ferry operations. My next newsletter will focus on highlights from this budget.
Then there’s the capital budget, which is the construction budget. It pays for construction, renovation and maintenance of our public buildings, like schools, colleges, and state hospitals. It also funds construction of affordable housing, mental health facilities, and acquisition and maintenance of state parks and recreation lands, among other infrastructure.
Through various grants, the capital budget also funds local projects in communities each year (here’s a look at what was funded in our community in the 2017-2019 capital budget). This newsletter focuses on specific projects in the 27th Legislative District that received funding in the 2019-2021 state capital budget. Thanks to state investment, these projects are moving forward and will serve the people of Tacoma and greater Pierce County well.
If you have any questions, please reach out to me.
Sincerely,
Capital budget overview
House Democrats proposed bold investments in public schools, affordable housing, environmental sustainability and behavioral health for the capital budget. As someone who works intensely on the behavioral health budget, I am especially proud of the work we did to align the capital and operating budgets to advance behavioral health treatment in Washington.
Working across the aisle as well as with the state Senate, the final compromise budget signed by the governor on May 21st invests nearly $5 billion statewide in projects that create and sustain jobs, bolster our local economy, and serve the people in our communities.
Highlights include:
- $1.1 billion for K-12 public school construction statewide
- $973 million for higher education, including projects at UW Tacoma and Bates Technical College
- $274 million for construction and renovation of behavioral health facilities, including the design of a new forensic hospital here in Pierce County
- $585 million for orca and salmon recovery programs, including habitat protection and pollution control
- $175 million for the Housing Trust Fund, which funds affordable housing projects across the state, the majority of which serve homeless families, seniors, farmworkers, and people with developmental disabilities
Tacoma projects get boost
I’m excited about the Tacoma projects funded in the capital budget! Some of these projects include:
- $1.5 million for the YWCA Pierce County’s “Home at Last” project to help build 54 affordable housing units. Forty-one units will rent to homeless families and 13 units will rent to people with disabilities or other barriers to housing. The YWCA Pierce County operates the largest domestic violence shelter in the region and finding permanent housing for clients exiting the shelter has become increasingly difficult as rents in Tacoma continue to rise. The “Home at Last” project will help fill this deep need. Additionally, $750,000 from the capital budget is specifically for program space within the “Home at Last” project site. The space will allow an expansion of the therapeutic counseling program and add two Housing Advocates to help families access the resources they need to be successful.
- $1 million to help fund renovation of the existing Beacon Center so it can also be used as a Youth/Young Adult Drop-in Center and Young Adult Overnight Shelter while continuing its current use as a Senior Citizens Center.
- $800,000 for Tacoma Housing Authority’s Arlington Drive project, to finish construction of this facility that will serve homeless youth and young adults. The project includes 58 apartments for homeless young adults ages 18-24 years, about 30 percent of whom will be parents of babies or toddlers.
- $413,000 for Tacoma Community House, to complete construction on their new 27,000 square foot building in Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood. TCH provides services to refugees, immigrants, and vulnerable populations in areas like employment counseling, English language classes, citizenship courses, and advocacy for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. They have been in the same location since 1910.
- $824,000 for community radio station KNKX to build a new studio in the heart of Tacoma.
- $4 million for design of an Academic Innovation Building at the University of Washington Tacoma campus. This facility will house labs to support mechanical and civil engineering degree programs, allow for significant expansion of the Milgard School of Business, and become a hub for innovation and learning for academic programs across the campus.
- $40.8 million for construction of a facility to educate health care providers. The development of Tacoma’s “Medical Mile” between Tacoma General and St. Joseph’s Hospitals highlights the need to address health care worker shortages. With this investment, Bates will be able to bring state-of-the-art health education to a broad array of providers.
This Saturday: Pipeline Trail Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
A trail dedication and ribbon cutting event celebrating the second phase completion of the Pipeline Trail will take place this Saturday, June 8 at 10 a.m.
Location of the event is near East 43rd Street and Pipeline Road East in Tacoma.
When fully complete, this multiphase project will be a 14.5-mile trail connecting the Tacoma Dome Station with the Foothills Trail. While the project is funded with local and federal dollars, it is part of our overall transportation system, giving our community a safe and accessible walk and bike path. As someone who works in the public health arena, I love that this trail supports the health benefits of walking, biking, and enjoying the outdoors.
For further project info, click here.
For more info about the ribbon cutting event on Saturday, click here.
Signed into law: Celebrating the session’s policy wins
Dear friends and neighbors,
My previous e-newsletter highlighted the budget victories of the 2019 session, including the significant investments made in behavioral health, affordable housing, and education.
For this newsletter, I want to focus on some of the policy wins.
As Chair of one of the highest-volume policy committees – the Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee – I hear a lot of public testimony on a lot of bills each session. Many of these bills don’t make it all the way through the process, and are often revisited in future sessions. Sometimes, it can take years for a good idea to eventually be signed into law.
What impressed me about this session was the large number of good policy bills – many of which had fallen short in in previous years – that finally got to the governor’s desk. This includes several measures I have long championed. In many ways, this was a breakthrough session.
Read on about new policies that have Washington leading the nation in affordable health care, long-term care insurance, clean energy and climate actioin, consumer protection, and tuition-free higher education.
Sincerely,
Signed into law: First-in-the-nation Long-Term Care Trust Act (HB 1087)
No senior should have to spend themselves into poverty before being able to get long-term care. The Long-Term Care Trust Act, which I sponsored for multiple years, makes sure Washingtonians will be able to access care when they need it. Workers will begin paying into the trust in 2022, and benefits can be accessed beginning in 2025. Each Washington worker who is eligible for the benefit will have $36,500 that can help pay for assisted living, in-home care, and even meal delivery or wheelchair ramp installation. The Tacoma News Tribune editorialized in favor of the bill, saying,”It could provide relief for older Washingtonians seeking a modest sum for long-term care in their twilight years; for sandwich-generation family members trying to make sound decisions for elderly parents; and for taxpayers to the tune of an estimated $470 million in state Medicaid savings by 2052.”
Signed into law: First-in-the-nation public health care option (SB 5526/HB 1065/HB 1224/HB 1879)
Washingtonians deserve affordable, accessible health care, and Cascade Care – which will be available on Washington’s Health Benefit Exchange – is the first public health insurance option in the nation. It will be available to all Washingtonians, regardless of income, who are not covered by employer health plans.
This was a terrific session for health care affordability and accessibility. Patients in Washington will now also be protected from surprise billing, and will have more transparency on prescription drug costs. Additionally, patients with chronic diseases or unique health challenges will be able to get the drug they need sooner through a clear and accessible exemption process, rather than being forced to follow a “fail first” strategy by their health plan.
Signed into law: Strongest 100 percent clean energy law in the nation (SB 5116)
Here in Washington, we’re not going to wait for federal action on climate and clean energy. The time to act is now. So we’re transitioning to a clean energy future by requiring utilities to transition away from fossil fuel-generated electricity. With a preliminary “coal elimination” deadline of 2025, and a final “clean grid” deadline of 2045, we are now firmly on a path to 100-percent clean energy from renewable and zero-emission sources like wind, solar, and hydropower.
We are also phasing out super polluting greenhouse gases called hydrofluorocarbons, which are thousands of times more damaging to the climate than carbon dioxide.
Signed into law: Protecting consumers from spiraling debt (HB 1531/HB 1602/HB 1730/HB 1066)
Another bill I have sponsored in previous years concerns medical debt, and I was thrilled to see it pass both chambers nearly unanimously this year. Medical debt is the number one cause of bankruptcy in the United States. My bill lowers the interest rate that often accrues before a patient ever sees a bill, prohibits health care providers from selling medical debt to collections agencies for at least 120 days after the first billing, and requires that patients are informed about opportunities to apply for charity care. Our own community recently witnessed the consequences of charity care being withheld from patients who qualified for it. In addition, bills protecting consumers from becoming destitute due to consumer debt and from unscrupulous debt collection practices also are becoming law this year.
Signed into law: Tuition-free college and apprenticeships (HB 2158)
I mentioned this in my last e-newsletter, but it bears repeating: if you are a student whose family makes 55% of the state’s Median Family Income or less (around $55,000 for a family of four), you can attend one of Washington’s two-year, four-year, or technical colleges tuition-free. This is thanks to the Workforce Education and Investment Act. There are partial tuition grants available for students whose families earn up to 100% of the Median Family Income (around $88,000 for a family of four). As the parent of a graduating senior, I can tell you this a big deal. Every qualified student in our state deserves the opportunity to access affordable higher education.
Signed into law: Eliminating high-stakes testing as a high school graduation requirement (HB 1599)
There are now multiple pathways for high school students to prove proficiency in English language arts and mathematics in order to graduate. Those pathways include earning college credit in dual credit courses, earning high school credit in high school transition courses, or successful completion of AP, IB or Cambridge international studies courses. This is an important change that will ensure a standardized test does not stand in the way of receiving a diploma.
Legislative Youth Advisory Council now accepting applications – deadline is June 3rd
The Washington State Legislative Youth Advisory Council (LYAC) is now accepting applications for the 2019-2021 term!
Serving on LYAC is a fantastic opportunity for student leaders to engage with state government and learn about the legislative process. Established by the Legislature in 2005, the Council consists of 22 students ranging in age from 14 to 18, who serve as the official voice of Washington youth to the State Legislature. LYAC students develop a deep understanding of public policy issues by meeting with legislators, testifying on priority legislation, and organizing civic engagement days at the Capitol for their peers. Tacoma’s own Nadine Gibson, pictured above with me, is a current LYAC member.
A “putting people first” budget
Dear friends and neighbors,
The 2019 legislative session adjourned just before midnight on April 28. While the final days were a marathon of late, late nights and way too little sleep, I’m happy to report that this is the first time in a decade that a 105-day (odd year) session has adjourned on time with no special session necessary. Special sessions cost money and pose challenges for our part-time citizen legislature, with many lawmakers taking leave from other jobs in order to serve. I also hear the frustrations expressed by people who feel that many important votes (like the budget) happen in the final hours of the session, and they would like more time for debate and consideration.
The timelines for legislative sessions were set decades ago, in order to accommodate the agricultural calendar. Many lawmakers at that time were farmers. Our state, our population, and the makeup of our legislature has changed significantly since then. Maybe we should be asking, “Does the legislative calendar best serve the people of our state today?” And if not, what changes would make it better serve the people we represent?
I don’t have a quick answer for that, but it’s a topic I’d like to hear your thoughts on. You can send me an email, or maybe we can discuss it at one of the community conversations I’ll be hosting this interim (stay tuned for details on dates, times, and locations). Also, now that session is over my district office with Rep. Fey is once again open. To get in touch with me there, please call 253-593-2033.
This newsletter is a quick update on highlights from the state operating budget. I call it a budget that puts people first, because I believe the investments made will have a meaningful and positive impact on the lives of people in Tacoma and across the state.
Lastly, a word about the photo at the top of this email. On the last day of the session, the House passed a resolution honoring Speaker Frank Chopp, who stepped down after serving two decades as Speaker. Many lawmakers from both sides of the aisle shared kind words and humorous anecdotes about him, and many of us wore stick-on mustaches in his honor as the resolution was read on the House floor. It was a genuine and heartwarming moment of levity and bipartisan camaraderie during the grueling final hours of the session.
Sincerely,
Critical investments: Behavioral health, affordable housing, education, and more
Here are some of the highlights of the new two-year operating budget for our state:
Behavioral Health
We’re making significant investments in continued efforts to reform and improve the state’s behavioral health system so that people can access the treatment they need, where they need it. We are transitioning from an outdated 20th century system to a 21st century system that better serves patients and their families, mental health care workers, and the public.
- $47 million to expand community behavioral health beds and services. This is a critical investment because we know the best outcomes happen when people with mental illness get the treatment they need right in their own communities, where their family and friends are, rather than in large state hospitals that take them away from these support networks. But this infrastructure is not yet built out in our state to meet the demand. With this investment, we are making headway in this regard.
- $92 million in this biennium to ensure the stability of state hospitals and the safety of patients and staff. This will specifically help address the ongoing challenges at Western State Hospital.
Affordable Housing
Our state faces an affordable housing and homelessness crisis. We saw this in our own community last year when the sale of the Tiki Apartments caused residents, many of whom were people with low incomes or with disabilities, to scramble frantically to find housing.
- $15 million focused on permanent supportive housing and youth homelessness. Permanent supportive housing is one of the best ways to address chronic homelessness. It is low-barrier housing that includes supportive services such as case management, mental health services, and employment services.
- $14.5 million for the Housing and Essential Needs Program, which helps people with disabilities who are struggling to find or maintain housing.
- $1.25 million for operating expenses for Tacoma Housing Authority’s Arlington Drive Youth Campus.
Education
When the state Supreme Court said last year that the legislature had satisfied its duty to fully fund basic education under the McCleary lawsuit, it closed a long-running chapter. But it didn’t mean there weren’t other needs in our K-12 system that needed to be addressed. We invested in those needs this year.
- $155 million for additional special education funding ($294 million over four years).
- $61 million for additional levy assistance for areas with low property values.
- $12 million for paraeducator training.
- $2.5 million additional funding for student mental health and safety.
Higher education
This is kind of a big deal, folks. We have made a bold investment in our state’s future by making higher education more affordable, and even tuition-free for many families.
- Workforce Education Investment: Creates a new Washington College Grant to make public college (two- and four-year public colleges and technical schools) tuition-free in Washington state for families earning less than $50,000 per year, with partial scholarships for families up to state’s median income, and significantly invests in community colleges.
Other investments:
- $35 million to expand Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) slots and rate increases for ECEAP childcare providers.
- $31 million to improve habitat and protect Orcas.
- $9 million to eliminate the backlog in testing sexual assault kits.
- $24 million in state general funds to increase our wildfire response and address natural disasters.
- $4.5 million to expand rural broadband.
The budget also included funding to continue two pilot projects in Pierce County that I championed:
- $750,000 for reducing potentially preventable hospitalizations. The 27th Legislative District has nearly twice the average statewide rate of preventable hospitalizations, and that’s concerning. If we’re the epicenter of the problem, I want us to be the epicenter of the solution. This funding goes towards increasing immunization rates and implementing more health screenings, interventions and referrals by providers.
- $1.25 million for child abuse prevention. The Help Me Grow pilot project is helping ensure parents have the supports and resources they need to avoid child abuse and neglect. The goal is to keep families together and prevent crisis situations that result in children being removed from their family home and placed in foster care.
Safer communities: Firearms bills update
Dear friends and neighbors,
It’s the final days of the 2019 legislative session, and bills that have passed both the House and Senate are heading to the governor’s desk for signature. For this newsletter, I want to focus on the firearms bills that have successfully made it through the process this session. Most of my focus this year was to make the laws we have work better for people so that we keep people and communities safe.
I hear from a lot of constituents who are concerned about gun violence, and want lawmakers to take action to help minimize the risk of it happening to them or to a loved one. One of the best ways to prevent gun violence is to prevent guns from getting in the hands of those who are determined to use them to kill themselves or others. Progress in the Legislature on this front has generally been more incremental than at the ballot box, but I’m very pleased with the steps we have taken this session. Simply put, I believe these bills will help save lives in our state.
Your comments and feedback and are always welcome. It’s an honor to represent you.
Sincerely,
Firearms bills that will be signed into law this year
Protecting domestic violence victims, families, and law enforcement officers (HB 1225) – I sponsored this bill
If we’re serious about preventing gun violence, we have to address the deadly combination of domestic violence and firearms, and that’s exactly what this bill is about. It requires law enforcement to temporarily remove firearms they have probable cause to believe were threatened or used at the time of a domestic violence call. Officers must also temporarily remove firearms in plain sight and request consent to remove any firearms the alleged abuser has access to until a court hearing is held. In the U.S., an estimated 4.5 MILLION women have been threatened with a gun by an intimate partner. Domestic violence calls also lead to more police fatalities than any other type of law enforcement response. I’m so glad we were able to pass this bill.
Ensuring proper background checks for CPL transfers (HB 1465) – I co-sponsored this bill
This bill is necessary due to changes at the federal level. The FBI is discontinuing courtesy National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) checks for concealed pistol license (CPL) holders in Washington state. These checks have allowed CPL holders to walk out of the shop with a pistol the day it is purchased. Without them, there is a public safety risk because a person could present a CPL that is duplicated or forged or that should be revoked because of a disqualifying conviction. These background checks are important to protecting Washingtonians. Washington State Patrol reports that nearly 1000 people have been denied the ability to walk out of a gun store with a gun this year because f our background checks. With this bill, CPL holders will go through a local law enforcement background check.
Banning “ghost guns” (HB 1739) – I co-sponsored this bill
Untraceable and undetectable firearms are also referred to as “ghost guns” since they do not have serial numbers and may not contain enough metal components to be picked up by common metal detectors. The bill makes it illegal to manufacture, buy, sell, or possess an undetectable firearm in most circumstances.With 3D print technology becoming more widely used, this is an attempt to get out ahead of a potential major public safety concern regarding consumer production of 3D-printed guns.
Improving procedures for protection orders (HB 1786) – I sponsored this bill
For too long, our standards for firearm removals for a protective order, no contact order and restraining order, or extreme risk protection order have been inconsistent. This has made it confusing and difficult for victims, courts, and law enforcement. This bill essentially aligns the ways in which law enforcement serves and implements these orders with our approach to extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs). This makes sense since 70% of the voters in Washington voted for ERPOs.
Single point of contact background check system (HB 1949)
The discontinuation of the courtesy NICS check by the FBI (see HB 1465, above) creates an urgent need for establishment of a single point of contact firearm background check system in Washington state. This bill conducts a feasibility study to examine and make recommendations about how such a system would be established. Passed both chambers unanimously.
Extreme risk protection orders (SB 5027) – I sponsored a House version of this bill; the Senate version is being signed into law
This bill came from a recommendation of the Mass Shooting Workgroup, which met during the 2018 interim. It is meant to help keep firearms out of the hands of minors who are at a high risk of hurting themselves or others during a behavioral health crisis or through potential violent behavior. The bill allows petitions for Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) to be applied to people under the age of 18. If the petition is approved, an order would prohibit the minor from accessing, controlling, purchasing, possessing or receiving a firearm. The minor’s parent or guardian would be notified of their legal obligation to safely secure any firearms.
Closing a loophole for safer communities (SB 5205)
This legislation gives law enforcement a critical tool to keep our communities safe. It closes a loophole in the law created by accident a few years ago. A person who is incompetent to stand trial and has a history of violence is not competent to have a firearm. Under this bill, they are prohibited from possessing a firearm unless the court restores their firearm rights.
Reducing the risk of suicide and murder-suicide (SB 5181)
There is evidence of increased risk of suicide or murder-suicide when a person is released from a 72-hour involuntary treatment hold. When someone is in crisis, giving them time to cool down and get the help they need saves lives. This bill imposes a six-month suspension on a person’s right to possess a firearm when the person is detained under the Involuntary Treatment Act.
Protecting consumers: Debt collection bills close to finish line
Dear friends and neighbors,
In these final weeks of the 2019 legislative session, bills are reaching the final steps in the process of how a bill becomes a law. Today’s newsletter focuses on a package of consumer protection bills that passed the House earlier this session and have been making their way through the Senate. All of them relate to debt collection practices.
I wanted to focus on these particular bills because they really put people first. They will make a big difference for people and families in our state. It’s about ensuring the scales aren’t tipped entirely toward debt collection agencies, and against consumers who are trying to meet their financial obligations. It’s also about addressing some unscrupulous debt collection practices.
These bills caught the attention of consumer advocate Jesse Jones, who did a story for KIRO 7 in which he interviewed me and some of the other sponsors. At this point, I’m feeling pretty good about the chances of all these bills getting signed into law this year.
Sincerely,
Protecting consumers from a downward financial spiral
The following bills are all awaiting a floor vote in the Senate. They have already passed the House.
Medical debt (HB 1531)
You wouldn’t hand over your credit card to be swiped by a retailer without first knowing what you actually owe. But that’s often what we’re required to do to get medical treatment. Medical debt is the number one cause of bankruptcy in the United States, and that’s why I sponsored this bill to help prevent medical debt from spiraling out of control. With protections like lowering the rate on interest that sometimes accrues before the patient even sees a bill, prohibiting health care providers from selling medical debt to collections agencies for at least 120 days after the first billing, and ensuring patients are informed about the opportunity to apply for charity care, this bill will help reduce medical bankruptcies in our state.
Consumer debt (HB 1602)
This bill is meant to help working families break the cycle of poverty by ensuring they are not left destitute by wage garnishment. It brings down the interest rate on the amount you actually owe, and lets people retain more of their money. This ensures that those living paycheck to paycheck can keep enough of their wages to pay for their most basic necessities, like rent, so they don’t end up homeless.
Zombie debt (HB 1730)
What is zombie debt? It’s when the 10-year statute of limitations on a debt is suddenly and unexpectedly revived through unscrupulous debt collection practices. People who think they’ve long since settled a debt continue to be haunted by it, finding it impossible to escape. This bill kills zombie debt once and for all by making clear that when the statute of limitations expires, no more collection activity can take place.
Pocket service (HB 1066)
This is about fairness and transparency. Consumers are being harmed by a confusing process called “pocket service.” If someone receives a summons, but it contains no filing number from the court, they can’t verify if the summons is real or a scam – even if they do their due diligence. The consequences of ignoring a valid summons can be extremely damaging, including liens, wage garnishment, negative credit reports – even bench warrants. This bill prohibits debt collectors from engaging in this practice.
In case you missed it…
There’s a short window each spring when the cherry blossoms on the capitol campus are in full bloom. It’s a beautiful time of year and if you are able to come to Olympia and see the campus for yourself, it’s well worth it. If you missed them this year, here’s a photo of the Yoshino Cherry Tree Grove, which was dedicated in 1984 by Governor John Spellman.
Staying engaged: Town hall highlights
Dear friends and neighbors,
Thank you to everyone who came to our town hall meeting last Saturday at the Eastside Community Center in Tacoma. These meetings are one of several ways I stay engaged with constituents in person throughout the year. We had a strong turnout as usual, but if you couldn’t be there you’ll have other opportunities to meet with me and ask questions about legislative issues. After the legislative session, I always hold several “community conversations” around the district, which are smaller, less structured gatherings where you can show up and share your thoughts. Look for dates and times of these events in an upcoming e-newsletter.
You’ll find some highlights of the town hall below. If you haven’t already, you may want to like or follow my official Representative Laurie Jinkins Facebook page, where I post regularly about my legislative work and provide a behind-the-scenes look at the day-to-day happenings in our state capitol. Announcements of upcoming meetings and events are also posted there.
Finally, the House unveiled its budget proposal for our state this week and I’m pretty excited about it. Not only does it make smart investments in areas of critical need, like education, housing and behavioral health, but it pays for these investments with a revenue package that brings more balance to our state’s regressive tax code. This is something I’ve been pushing for since I first came to the Legislature. The wealthiest Washingtonians should have to chip in to fund the needs of our state just like working and middle class families already do.
Sincerely,
The state budget: Opportunities for investments
At the town hall meeting, I spoke about where things currently stand with our state budget. While we got some good news last week in the form of a positive revenue forecast, this alone is not enough to pay for critical investments in areas like more beds for behavioral health treatment and housing programs to help address the homelessness crisis.
Here’s why. The state budgets on two-year cycles, and we’re nearing the end of the current cycle. If we simply carry forward the current budget, with zero new investments or increases to anything, we would have been looking at a shortfall of over a billion dollars.
How can that be? Because our population has increased over the past two years, and the cost of providing services goes up like everything else. The same dollars today don’t buy as much as they did two years ago. Additionally, when the legislature finally satisfied the constitutional obligation to fully fund our K-12 schools (the “McCleary decision”), it committed to billions of dollars more for education. Thanks to that positive revenue forecast, though, we don’t have a billion-dollar shortfall.
That doesn’t mean our state doesn’t have some very critical needs. During the Great Recession, deep cuts were made to our state budget, impacting people and families. We have still not restored many of those cuts to pre-recession levels, even as our economy recovered. Additionally, we need to do more in special education, and in addressing levy equalization for school districts.
Who pays for state investments?
Our state’s regressive tax system (the most regressive in the nation, according to the non-profit, non-partisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy) means that average taxpayers carry the bulk of the tax burden. I don’t think it’s right to ask hard-working families or our seniors – many of whom are living paycheck to paycheck or are on fixed incomes – to pay more in sales or property taxes when the wealthiest Washingtonians pay far less of their incomes in taxes. The chart above shows the stark difference in what people in our state at different income levels pay in terms of taxes as a percentage of income.
That’s why I strongly support the House’s revenue proposal that was released on Monday. It simply asks the wealthiest people in our state to contribute to these critical investments like behavioral health, housing, and education. Through an extraordinary profits tax and a progressive real estate excise tax, our tax system will be more balanced and not tilted so heavily against working families.
Extraordinary Profits Tax
I call this the “You’ll-Never-Have-To-Pay-This Tax,” because it would affect less than 0.5% of households statewide. If you are one of those households, congratulations. You are doing extremely well.
The proposed tax would be a 9.9% excise tax on the sale of high-value assets like stocks and bonds, if the profit from the sale is $100K or more for single filers ($200K or more for married filers). Here’s what is NOT subject to the Extraordinary Profits Tax: retirement accounts (IRAs, 401Ks); sales of single-family homes, duplexes or triplexes; sale of agricultural land or timber land; sale of cattle, horses or breeding livestock; sale of certain qualifying small businesses.
Progressive Real Estate Excise Tax
Washington currently has a flat real estate excise tax of 1.28%. Everyone pays that same rate – whether you sell your home for $200,000 or for $2 million. A graduated rate structure provides an opportunity to actually lower the rate for 80% of home sales in our state (those for $500K or less). Another 18% will see no change at all (sales above $500K but less than $1.5 million). Only those whose homes sell for $1.5 million and above would see an increase in the rate (to 2.0%) – and only on the portion above $1.5 million. There is an additional rate bump to 3.0% if a home sells for more than $7 million – on the portion above $7 million only.
Questions about these proposals? Contact me.
Behind the scenes in Olympia
Have you ever heard of the House Rules Room in the state capitol? What exactly is a Rules Room, and what happens there? I recently recorded a short video to give constituents a peek behind the scenes at this little-known and rarely-seen room in the Legislative Building. Click above to watch!
Affordable, accessible health care
Dear friends and neighbors,
By the time this newsletter lands in your inbox, we’ll have reached a critical deadline in the state legislature. It’s called “House of Origin Cutoff.” This is the deadline by which bills must be voted out of the chamber in which they were originally introduced. House bills making this cutoff are now being considered by the Senate, and Senate bills are now making their way through the House.
In the days leading up to this deadline, several important health care bills were voted on and advanced by the House. I’m excited to share these bills with you in this newsletter.
Also, a reminder that on Saturday, March 23rd, I’ll be hosting a town hall meeting together with Rep. Jake Fey and Sen. Jeannie Darneille at the Eastside Community Center. We’re hoping for a strong turnout and look forward to answering your questions about the issues state lawmakers are working on. I hope to see you there.
Sincerely,
Cascade Care: Moving closer to affordable health coverage for all
Our state has made significant increases in the number of people with health care coverage. But too many working families and individuals still struggle to afford health care for themselves and their families. Currently, 70,000 people in Washington state have health plans with a deductible of $9,000 or more. That’s neither affordable nor acceptable.
Last week, we moved closer to improved access to affordable health care by passing HB 1523, known as Cascade Care. It creates a series of up to three standardized health plans per tier provided on the state health benefit exchange. Cascade Care plans will be designed and procured by the state in an effort to bring stability to the marketplace along with usability, lower cost, and better value for consumers.
The people of Washington state have been saying they want access to affordable health care for all, and this bill is what’s going to bring it to our state. I was a strong “yes” vote when it passed the House last Friday.
Network adequacy bill passes!
In a previous e-newsletter, I mentioned my bill, HB 1099, which would give consumers more transparency about the health care plan they’re considering for themselves and their families. I sponsored this bill because a lack of network adequacy failed an amazing young man named Brennan.
Brennan had what his mom Rachel Smith assured him was top-notch health care that covered treatment for the behavioral health crisis he was experiencing. Sadly, he was not able to access that treatment soon enough. He had a 29-day wait for the first available appointment; four days before that scheduled appointment, Brennan took his own life.
Under HB 1099, health carriers would be required to post information on their websites like when a provider in their network is no longer accepting patients, the number of days in which a patient is entitled to an appointment with a mental health or substance use provider, how a patient can complain if they’re not receiving timely access, and information on complaints filed against the insurer relating to these access issues.
Additionally, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner is required to publish an annual report regarding complaints received about access to behavioral health services.
Rachel was in the House chambers when the bill passed last week, and we shared an emotional moment afterwards in the House wings. I strongly believe the information this bill provides will help people in the decision-making process when choosing the health care plan that’s right for their family.
Here’s a short video I recorded right after the bill passed.
Prescription drug access & affordability
Prescription drug cost transparency
No one should have to decide whether to put food on the table or pay for their prescription drugs. Yet the rising cost of needed medications are forcing too many Washingtonians to make that awful choice. That’s why I’m a co-sponsor of HB 1224, which cleared the House last week.
It requires reporting by drug manufacturers on drugs that increase in price, and the justification for the increase. There is overwhelming public support for requiring drug companies to be more transparent about how they decide on prices. This bill is an important step toward improved transparency and price control, and I am hopeful the Senate will agree.
Improving the prior authorization process for certain prescriptions
It didn’t make the headlines, but I’m especially happy that HB 1879 passed the House last week. This bill I sponsored makes improvements to the way some patients with chronic diseases or unique health challenges can access the drug that’s most effective for their condition.
Often, the prior authorization process means following a “fail first” strategy, in which the patient has to show that a substitute drug preferred by their health plan is not effective before they can get approval for the drug their provider has actually prescribed. This strategy can delay treatment and have adverse effects on the patient.
My bill provides an exemption process that is clear and accessible, and ensures decisions about prescription utilization management by health plans are based on clinical evidence, not on cost. These changes will improve patient safety and help people get the treatments they need sooner.
Paging slot still available for 2019 session!
Each year, my office sponsors a certain number of student pages. Serving as a legislative page is a great opportunity for youth ages 14-16 to learn firsthand how our state government works. Students serve for one week in the House and applications can be completed online. I still have a paging slot open for the 2019 legislative session, which runs through April. Click here to learn more about the page program, and click here to fill out an application.
A scholarship is available to help offset the costs of living in Olympia for the week. Click here for more information.
Reforming our broken eviction system
Dear friends and neighbors,
The recent snowstorm threw many of us for a loop, even causing the cancellation of all House and Senate committee hearings at the state capitol this past Monday. As someone who grew up in Wisconsin, I was not as fazed by the amount of snowfall, but as a resident of Tacoma for the past 30-plus years I know out here we are not as used to driving in it, nor do we have the snow removal equipment that’s ubiquitous in the Midwest. I hope you were able to stay warm and safe during “Snowpocalypse 2019.” For families and individuals dealing with housing insecurity or homelessness, however, this winter storm was especially challenging – even dangerous.
That’s why I’m glad my colleagues in the House raised the issue of our state’s affordable housing and homelessness crisis last week with a media availability. The House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee, which I chair, also heard bills aimed at reforming our broken eviction system. Read below to find out more. I encourage you to watch this video link featuring Rep. Melanie Morgan – another Pierce County legislator – testifying before the Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee on her bill (HB 1694), which would allow tenants to pay certain deposits and fees in installments. The Tacoma City Council unanimously passed a Rental Housing Code last year that includes this provision for tenants. I hope to see it enacted on a statewide basis, and that’s why I am a proud co-sponsor of the bill.
Sincerely,
Reforming our broken eviction system
Our state’s affordable housing and homelessness crisis doesn’t impact everyone equally. Renters and people of color are more likely to be overburdened by housing costs, and are at greater risk for displacement.
Last week, the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee heard three bills specifically aimed at reforming our broken eviction system, because there is no other situation where a person or family could lose something so critical, so quickly, and evidence shows that evictions are a leading cause of homelessness:
- HB 1453 extends the 3-day notice to pay or vacate to 21 days, and provides judges with discretion to act in the interest of justice. 90% of evictions are for nonpayment of rent, so this bill is needed to end the cycle of evictions leading to homelessness.
- HB 1446 requires that when a landlord sends an eviction notice, they would also have to provide notice of the opportunity to mediate. In most eviction situations, tenants walk away from the property. An opportunity for mediation would at least give tenants the chance to make things right and avoid an eviction on their record. An eviction record can make it hard for tenants to secure housing.
- HB 1656 requires that landlords cite a legitimate business reason for terminating a tenancy (nonpayment of rent, waste or nuisance and rule violation). Under current law, a landlord may decide that they no longer want to continue renting to a tenant and simply issue a 20-day notice to terminate the tenancy without citing any reason whatsoever. Once the notice has been delivered, the tenant has no legal recourse to remain in their home. This is a glaring loophole for discrimination and retaliation against renters who assert their rights, and it is being used that way.
- HB 1694 permits tenants to pay deposits, nonrefundable fees, and last month’s rent in installments, with certain exceptions.
Reforming the eviction system is just one tool to address this crisis. In a media availability last week, House Democrats laid out a blueprint for improving housing affordability and reducing homelessness, and it focuses on the following:
Build More—We need affordable housing in ALL parts of the state. A LOT more. One of the ways we can build more is by making additional investments in programs we know work well, like the Housing Trust Fund, sales tax credits, and public works loans.
Build Up—We need more density around transit centers. Affordable housing and public transit go hand-in-hand.
Build Better—There’s too much red tape that gets in the way of addressing community needs quickly and efficiently. Lawmakers can do more to streamline environmental permitting, make better use of available public land, and expedite lending procedures.
Build Stability—Our communities are unstable because our broken eviction system imposes life-shattering consequences in a very short amount of time. We are proposing bold reforms aimed at truly and justly balancing the relationship between tenants and landlords. We also seek to better support students and children experiencing homelessness, and provide targeted property tax reductions for seniors and veterans.
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