It has been a big week here in the People’s House while we debate legislation on the House floor.
You can read some highlights here, or watch my video update on my YouTube page!
Notable Meetings
We have had a whirlwind week passing bills off the House floor, so there has been limited time for meetings, but here is who I was able to connect with this week at the Capitol.
- Mountain biking constituents
- We talked about development of bike trails for the 40th Legislative District.
- Skagit County Public Works
- We discussed a project for an electric ferry Guemes Island Ferry.
- Adult Transistion to Independence Center
- I spoke with constituents with developmental disabilities in need of better supports to enter the work force.
Preventing oil spills to save the Salish Sea and our orca
This week House lawmakers took a stand to protect our waters, natural resources and precious orca population, by passing a series of bills, including one of my biggest session priorities, House Bill 1578.
This piece of legislation reinforces the Oil Spill Prevention Act and Strengthening Oil Transportation Act by requiring tug escorts for small oil tankers and barges traveling across narrow straights within the San Juan Islands.
Oil spills could have devastating ramifications for our coastal economies and environment. Additionally, averting spills is a more cost-effective approach than clean-up responses and restoration. A major spill could cost taxpayers around $10.8 billion and impact 165,000 jobs.
Read more here about the other great legislation passed by the House and Senate this week to help our killer whales and environment today, and for all the generations to come.
Native American Voting Rights Act passes House
We were joined this week by tribal leaders from across Washington to watch the Native American Voting Rights Act (NAVRA) pass from the House floor this week.
Sponsored by Sen. John McCoy (D-Tulalip), Senate Bill 5079 would permit specific privileges for Native American voters living on tribal lands. This legislation is vital we know most of our reservations do not use standard addresses which creates a barrier to voter registration. Additionally, it is not uncommon for the closest ballot drop box to a reservation to be up to 100 miles away.
Soon our tribal communities will be able to use designated building addresses on reservations and tribal ID cards for voter registration. Support for voter registration and ballot drop boxes will also be available.
In attendance was Cowlitz Tribe Chair Bill Iyall, whose late grandfather, Frank Iyall, worked closely with President Coolidge to pass the Native American Citizenship Act of 1924. Frank Iyall passed away before Native Americans received the right to vote in Washington state.
It was an honor to stand with all these leaders this week to remove barriers to the ballot box.
Watch my video statement with Sen. John McCoy on Twitter.
Constituents and Coffee: a thank you message
A few weeks back, around 50 members of our community took time out of their days to come chat with me over coffee about what matters the most to them. I am incredibly humbled by the support of our community. I look forward to seeing everyone again at the 40th Legislative District Town Hall and future Constituent and Coffee gatherings. |
Helping communities address substance use disorder
For so many in our community, substance use disorder is a daily struggle. Whether affected themselves, or watching a friend, family member, or neighbor struggle, most people have some experience with the growing opioid epidemic. We have to take action.
I proudly voted for three bills that broaden the ability of our communities to help people struggling with substance use disorder. House Bill 1528, House Bill 1529, and House Bill 1768 address the behavioral health workforce shortage by addressing housing needs in the recovery community, removing barriers that hold people in recovery back from becoming peer counselors, and remove stigmatizing language from the state statute surrounding substance use disorder.
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 each week 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!
All best wishes,
Rep. Debra Lekanoff