Respect and dignity in the State Legislature
I’m proud to announce that the State Legislature adopted House Concurrent Resolution 4401; the code of conduct of the State Legislature. Members on all sides of the aisle agreed in solidarity that we will not tolerate unsolicited, unwelcome, and inappropriate comments or conduct in the Legislature. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity in the legislative community and this code of conduct reaffirms that belief by legislators.
Getting Down To Business
I am a strong believer in the necessity of protecting our waterways, our wildlife, and our environment. We are blessed to live on the Salish Sea in the 40th LD and it is important that we make protecting it and the life within it a priority. I am a proud supporter of the following bills that support these beliefs.
HB 1579: This bill implements efforts to increase the abundance of Chinook salmon in our waters. Increasing these numbers is vital to supporting our resident orca population.
HB 1211: This bill focuses on Washington switching to clean, affordable, and reliable energy sources.
This week I co-sponsored the following bills:
HB 1796: A bill concerning commercial property assessed clean energy and resilience.
HB 1703: A bill which increases tax exemption transparency and accountability in Washington.
HB 1713: A bill improving law enforcement response to missing and murdered Native American women.
Notable meetings
This week I met with:
Orcas Women’s Coalition
- I met with women leaders from the San Juan islands to discuss priorities for protecting our orca populations.
Whatcom & Skagit Conservation Districts
- We discussed natural resource protection projects.
Hospitality constituents
- We secured scheduling options.
Students from Friday Harbor High School
- We discussed my support for southern resident orcas.
Port of Skagit, Port of Anacortes, Port of Bellingham
- We discussed transportation and revitalization projects.
Environmental Priorities Coalition Constituents
- We discussed preventing oil spills to keep the Salish Sea safe.
10th District Firefighters
- We discussed funding the LEOFF 2 Benefit Improvement Account.
Washington firefighters show their support for Rep. Lekanoff while visiting the Capitol.
NARAL constituents
- We discussed women making their own decisions for their health.
Solar Installers of WA
- We discussed solar incentive programs.
SEIU 775 constituents
- We discussed livable wages for home care workers.
First Native American State Senator Claudia Kauffman joins Rep. Lekanoff to support of getting out the vote for First Americans in Washington State.
Save the Earth, send a robot
With climate change becoming a more and more dangerous reality, House Democrats recognize that every year our state does not act is time we cannot get back. Among the many bills introduced to protect our environment, House Bill 1325 takes a different approach in the fight against carbon emissions. Small, automated devices called Personal Delivery Devices (PDDs) will soon be coming to the sidewalks of our cities.
These PDDs make deliveries within the final mile of their destination to prevent the unnecessary use of full sized vehicles on the roads. Many feel that these devices will help mitigate the damaging effects of climate change and assist in lowering traffic congestion in urban areas.
Measles
Last week, Governor Inslee declared a state of emergency in response to the measles outbreak in Clark County. Although our area is not yet affected, there was one confirmed case in King County and measles could easily spread our way. If you have questions, local public health districts are a great resource and source of information for keeping ourselves healthy.
For most people, getting immunized against measles is a safe and effective way to prevent the spread of the disease. However, children under the age of one and people with certain medical conditions cannot get the vaccine.
Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and those who cannot get immunized.
Thank You
Thank you all for taking to the time to read this week’s Fantastic Friday and for taking an interest in our progress at the House of Representatives. I will be sending out a Fantastic Friday letter every Friday throughout the legislative session. Please feel free to reach out to me using the information below, with any questions, inquiries, or concerns you may have. I am here for you!
Sincerely,
Debra Lekanoff