Welcome to the 2023 Legislative

January 11, 2023

Dear friends and neighbors,  

January 9th marked the beginning of the 2023 legislative session, and I am honored to return once again as your 1st Legislative District representative. This year, I was re-appointed Chair of the Regulated Substances and Gaming Committee and will co-lead  the committee alongside Chair  Wylie. I will also continue to serve on the Capital Budget and Agriculture & Natural Resources Committees.  

For the first session since 2020, my colleagues and I will be working in-person, in Olympia. While this restores our opportunities to connect face-to-face, the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us new ways to communicate with one another and make democracy more accessible. We will have virtual online meeting options as well as a hybrid version where we’ll meet simultaneously with in-person or virtual participants. I look forward to seeing many of you, both virtually and face-to-face, and hearing about your legislative priorities for our community, district, and state. 

Continuing to serve a better state

I believe that people have a fundamental right to privacy, and this includes data privacy.  The shift towards digital communication, heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic, vastly increased the amount of data about you that is collected, stored, and sold, often without your knowledge or consent. 

Last session, I worked to build strong privacy protections, giving you both data privacy rights, and the tools to exercise these rights. I also worked to change a Senate bill that would have weakened your current rights. Because this legislation didn’t pass last year, this issue remains—and continues to be my greatest legislative priority.  

This year, as Co-Chair of the Regulated Substances and Gaming Committee, I will also continue to champion cannabis research, patient access, and evolving our cannabis regulations. I will continue to work on issues in cannabis equity, alcohol and cannabis industry workforce development, and implementation of the Problem Gambling Task Force recommendations. 

Finally, one of my greatest priorities that I will be working on alongside my colleagues this session is expanding affordable housing and easing tax burdens. Our state is in a housing crisis, which is why I will continue my work on property tax exemptions for accessory dwelling units and existing multifamily buildings when they are rented at an affordable rate.  This bill would give cities and counties an option to incentivize private landowners to provide more affordable housing options to renters and relieves some of the property tax pressures. 

The Kenmore City Council held a Legislator Send-off on January 5th. I was pleased to hear their priorities for the upcoming session and look forward to working with them to accomplish their goals.

Here’s how to share your legislative priorities this session:

One of my greatest priorities has always been to continue serving Washingtonians better.  

Because of changes to the 1st legislative district during redistricting, I am new to many of you.  It is incredibly important to me to hear your input on some of the key challenges, priorities, and policies that we’ll be working on in 2023. 

Here are some ways to continue to stay involved in the legislative process this year:  

  • Watch — TVW.org broadcasts all the debates and votes that happen in the House and Senate, along with committee meetings and other events you may be interested in. You can watch live or access recorded content. 
  • Research — Look up legislation by lawmaker or by topic. 
  • Learn — Learn about the legislative process, from start to finish. 
  • Testify — Committee testimony will continue to have a virtual option, so instead of driving to Olympia to weigh in on legislation during the committee process, you can continue to do so from home. Written testimony is also an option, and you can always share your story with me. Learn more about how to testify.  
  • Get in touch — You can reach my office by email at Shelley.Kloba@leg.wa.gov, or are welcome to call the legislative hotline number (toll free 800-562-6000). This year, we will accommodate in-person and virtual meetings. To schedule a meeting, please contact my Legislative Assistant, Brian Haifley, at Brian.Haifley@leg.wa.gov 

It’s an honor to continue to represent the 1st Legislative District. I look forward to hearing your continued advocacy, feedback, and engagement throughout the 2023 Legislative Session–please don’t hesitate to send me an email or give me a call at 360-786-7900. 

Thank you for reading! 

Sincerely, 

Rep. Shelley Kloba