Happy Fantastic Friday!
The Latest on the COVID-19 Vaccine
Gov. Jay Inslee unveiled an updated COVID-19 vaccine plan earlier this week that aims to vaccinate 45,000 Washingtonians a day. Here’s the latest on what to expect:
- Vaccines are being distributed in phases. You can use the Phase Finder online tool to find out if you’re currently eligible for the vaccine , or to sign up to get an alert when you are.
- We’re in Phase 1B-Tier 1. That means anyone 65 and older, and 50 and older living in a multigenerational household, can get the vaccine. The vaccine is also still available to those who are eligible in Phase 1A, including high-risk health care workers, high-risk first responders and long-term care facility residents. This timeline lays out the phases and estimated start dates.
- The state Department of Health is setting up mass-vaccination sites. Starting next week, there will be four new sites: Spokane Arena in Spokane, the Benton County Fairgrounds in Kennewick, Town Toyota Center in Wenatchee and the Clark County Fairgrounds in Ridgefield.
- The state DOH and Microsoft launched a COVID-19 vaccine data dashboard.
Learn More about COVID-19 Vaccinations in Your County
Click the image to learn more about vaccinations in San Juan County.
Click the image to learn more about vaccinations in Skagit County.
Click on the image to learn more about vaccinations in Whatcom County.
Federal Support for Washington State
With a new federal administration, I look forward to Washington state receiving more support from the federal government. The initial executive orders signed this week by President Biden are positive steps toward addressing many issues our nation is facing, including environmental protections, racial equity, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. I anticipate that these executive orders and further action by the new administration will impact state decisions as we continue to look at COVID-19 relief, economic recovery, and our state budget. Look for more information in an upcoming Fantastic Friday.
Received an Overpayment Letter from ESD?
Legislators met with representatives from the Employment Security Department (ESD) this week to discuss concerns about overpayment letters being received by applicants for unemployment benefits. Below are some of the answers we received.
There are two main situations that would result in an overpayment notice:
- The first is that an overpayment truly occurred and must be either repaid or waived. Please note that victims of fraud will never owe.
- The second is that a claimant did not respond to a request for more information about eligibility, resulting in a presumptive denial of benefits. This triggers an overpayment notice. The good news is if you find yourself in this situation, you have 30 days to file an appeal and the issue can usually be resolved after the needed information is supplied.
Unfortunately, many have experienced issues and delays when applying for unemployment benefits through the ESD over the last year. If you still need help getting what is owed to you, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office. Please email me at Debra.Lekanoff@leg.wa.gov for assistance. The more information that you have available when you email (claim ID number, current claims status, a short summary of your claim, your residential address), the quicker we will be able to help.
Learn more about applying for unemployment benefits.
Small Business Support
The Small Business Administration has resumed the Paycheck Protection Program. For additional information about these programs please visit the Small Business Administration website: English/Español.
The Department of Commerce is offering technical assistance to navigating the Small Business Administration’s business relief programs in many languages. The Washington State Microenterprise Association (WSMA) is also available to provide assistance.
Constituent Corner
I’ve heard from many of you about your support for two bills that affect elections and voter access:
- House Bill 1156, also known as, ranked choice voting would increase representation and voter participation in local elections. Ranked choice voting is a system of counting votes in which votes are tabulated based on a voter’s ranking of candidates in order of preference. In elections where there are more than two candidates for a single position, the winner is determined using the instant runoff voting method in which ballots are counted in rounds simulating a series of runoffs until two candidates remain or until one candidate has a majority of all votes counting in that round. The candidate having the greatest number of votes is declared the winner.
- House Bill 1078, which would automatically restore the right to vote to formerly incarcerated citizens no longer in the custody of the Department of Corrections. When someone is trying to rebuild their life and feel like they are a real part of their community, it’s just common sense that we should give them the kinds of support that we can. The right to vote is one of the most sacred rights we share as Americans. Restoring that right costs us nothing, but it can be an invaluable tool for reducing recidivism. The bill was voted out of the House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee this week.
I am proud to co-sponsor both of these bills, and will keep you updated as they move through the legislative process.
2020 Election Recap with Secretary Wyman
This week in the House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee, of which I am Vice Chair, we heard from Secretary of State Kim Wyman about the election system in Washington state and the implementation of recent legislation affecting voting, such as the Access to Democracy package passed in 2018.
“I really want to start in talking about Washington elections with one of the things that I’m most proud of with our elections, and that is the way that we balanced access and security when we pass legislation on either voter registration or voting.” – Secretary of State Wyman during her remarks in the State Government & Tribal Relations Committee on January 18.
Learn more by watching the committee work session on TVW.
Upcoming Event
I’m honored to be part of The Big Bold Jewish Climate Fest, which is being held next week. On Wednesday January 27, from 5:30-6:30 p.m., together with lawmakers from Rhode Island and Maine, I will participate in the panel on State-level Strategies to Win Climate Solutions. The festival is open to all people who want to help move the needle on climate change, no experience or prior knowledge required.
Welcome to the Team, Max!
Join me in welcoming my intern for the 2021 session, Max Turner. Here is a brief message from Max about joining the 40th LD team:
Hello! My name is Max Turner and I am a student at Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, Washington. At my school I am the President of our Black Student’s Union, lead mentor of our AHANA program for students of color, and an outspoken advocate for equity at our great University. I am beyond honored to serve in Representative Lekanoff’s office as I try to do my part to assist the people of the 40th LD during these unprecedented times.
Notable Meetings
Local government roundtable
I met with local government leaders last week, along with Senator Liz Lovelett. We discussed the importance of affordable housing and ensuring we care for our homeless community. With the ongoing pandemic, cities and counties continue to collaborate to acquire land and funding for several projects including emergency shelter, tiny homes and permanent supportive housing. We shared in our mutual interest to get citizens facing homelessness out of the elements and into comfortable dwellings. We discussed the cleaning and maintenance of our ports, as Port Commissioner Shepherd detailed how bottomfish are being caught and are finally coming up healthy, an important signifier of the tremendous progress we’ve made at these locations. Lastly, Skagit Coroner Hayley Thompson discussed my bill, House Bill 1326, which addresses qualifications, training and accreditation for coroners and medical examiners.
Terrific Tuesday Roundtable
As we continue to navigate our first ever remote legislative session, my office has been exploring a number of new ideas to find the best way to remain accessible and engaged with our key partners as these perspectives, insights, and feedback help inform our work. As always, our number one priority is ensuring that our local voices are heard and issues are prioritized.
This year, it is my honor to host a weekly Terrific Tuesday Roundtable as an opportunity for constituents and stakeholders to share their legislative priorities. Each week will feature a different topic, and this week’s inaugural roundtable focused on Higher Education and Workforce Development. We heard from students and staff from all the major colleges and universities across the states on their top legislative priorities and concerns.
Thank you for joining me for the first Constituent Coffee of 2021!
Thank you to all those who came to my first virtual Constituent Coffee yesterday. These meetings are an opportunity for me to provide you with a brief update on what’s happening in the Legislature and answer your questions. I’ll be continuing to host these events throughout the remote 2021 legislative session. Learn more and register for next week’s Constituent Coffee on January 28.
In The News
- At the beginning of the month, I, along with other state legislators, participated in an online call with Skagit County business leaders to discuss legislative priorities during the 2021 session. To learn more about the meeting, read this recent article in the Skagit Valley Herald.
- “Washington state is facing an economic crisis, and we have the choice to use progressive revenue to grow our economy by investing in green infrastructure and clean transportation projects that put people to work and build a climate-resilient future,” she said. – My quote on the Washington STRONG Act, which I’m sponsoring this session, in this recent article in the Skagit Valley Herald.
News Coverage on Salmon
The recent State of Salmon in Watersheds report from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office found that some salmon species are “on the brink of extinction.” Learn more in this recent article in the New York Times and this article from Crosscut.
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