Happy Fantastic Friday! This week has been quite exciting in the capitol. Today is the cutoff for passing non-fiscal bills out of committee. You can view the 2019 Session Cutoff Calendar here for future reference.
Legislation update
*Please follow the links to view the current status of my bills.
HB 1181: This bill provides tax relief for senior citizens and veterans. Our elders and our military heroes deserve our respect, and this bill will make sure that their struggles are noted in our taxing structure.
HB 1339: This bill, The Native American Voting Rights Act, ensures that Native Americans living on reservations across Washington will have the same opportunities to register to vote and cast ballots as the rest of the population.
HB 1425: This bill changes the definition of eligible pupil for the purposes of the transitional bilingual instruction program. This bill will help open the program to a much larger group of people.
HB 1485: This bill implements the use of religious coordinators in our Department of Corrections. This is to ensure that all inmates receive the opportunity to partake in their religion of choice with a leader of the same faith.
HB 1578: This bill reduces threats to southern resident killer whales by improving the safety of oil transportation.
HB 1610: This is a bill I created to assist commercial and treaty fishers in getting compensation for lost or damaged gear, caused by vessel traffic.
HB 1849: This bill is designed to remove the archaic requirement of platting state owned aquatic lands.
HB 1996: This bill with authorize the creation of a new license plate design for stewards of the San Juan Islands. These selfless individuals deserve to be recognized for their service to our communities and our environment.
Bills I’m supporting
HB 1923: This bill is an effort to reduce the number of residents in Washington experiencing homelessness and implement support efforts for affordable housing. It is my hope that this bill will provide assistance to many residents in the 40th LD who suffer from these afflictions.
Notable meetings
This week I met with:
4H Student Constituents
- We discussed civil discourse, general media, and affordable housing.
Whatcom Council of Governments
- We discussed transportation projects.
WA Trails Association Constituents
- We shared trail stories and talked about legislative priorities.
Life Care Center of America, Mount Vernon
- We discussed Medicaid funding.
City of Sedro-Woolley
- We discussed multiple projects the city is working on.
Chief Seattle Club
- We discussed providing resources for urban Indian communities.
Skagit County Commissioners
- We discussed providing support for those in the Skagit County trying to recover from addiction, by developing a stabilization campus.
Skagit Land Trust & San Juan Preservation Trust
- We discussed efforts to preserve the beautiful landscape and natural resources in the 40th LD.
House Resolutions speak to Washington’s diversity
Resolutions are different from bills, but they can still have a meaningful impact. The adoption of a resolution by the House generally celebrates or commemorates an individual, organization, or event. While they don’t create law, resolutions are a statement about where the legislature stands and are entered into the legislative record.
With one of the most diverse cohorts of elected officials in state history, legislators are bringing forward resolutions that reflect the diverse fabric of our state. The first-ever Lunar New Year resolution was adopted by the House earlier this month, celebrating a holiday of great importance to many Asian communities.
This week, a resolution commemorating Black History Month was adopted. And each year, the House adopts a resolution commemorating a dark time in American history – the internment of Japanese Americans on American soil during World War II. The Day of Remembrance, which was observed this week, reminds us that our government failed to uphold the constitutional rights of all Americans, and that we must never let it happen again. As a person raised by the Aleut community, that also suffered internment during World War II, I greatly appreciate this resolution being brought forth.
Secure Scheduling for Washington Workers
Our lives are run by schedules, from daycare centers and schools, to doctor’s offices and work meetings, schedules help bring order to our lives. For those who don’t know what shifts they are going to work in advance, life is unpredictable and chaotic. It also results in income irregularity, since workers without fixed schedules often don’t know how much money they will make in any given week.
I am cosponsoring HB 1491, modeled after a standard recently approved in the City of Seattle. This statewide secure scheduling proposal would ensure that people who work for large fast food, coffee, restaurant, and retail chains in Washington get schedules that are more predictable and balanced. The bill would require:
- Two weeks’ notice of shift schedules.
- Access to additional hours for current employees before new jobs are posted.
- Input into work schedules, and more flexibility to accommodate care-giving, schooling, and other major life needs.
- No mandatory clopening shifts (working the closing shift one night and then an opening shift the next morning).
The bill was passed out of the Labor and Workplace Standards Committee on February 21.
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