House Bill 1117 integrates salmon recovery into the Growth Management Act (GMA) and sets a standard for net ecological gain in community development. Through these policies, we can protect our environment and mitigate the impacts of climate change as we continue to grow. The bill had a public hearing in the Senate Ways & Means Committee on Wednesday and is scheduled to be voted on in committee this morning.

The rest of my bills that are still moving along in the legislative process are awaiting a vote on the floor by the full Senate. Those bills include:

• House Bill 1326, which addresses qualifications, training and accreditation for coroners and medical examiners;
• House Bill 1372, which authorizes putting a statue of Billy Frank Jr. — a dedicated advocate for equality, justice, and environmental protections — in the National Statuary Hall collection in Washington D.C.;
• House Bill 1172, which repeals a part of Washington law in direct conflict with the judicially-affirmed and treaty-reserved fishing rights of Northwest tribes;
• House Bill 1072, which eliminates a provision in current law that restricts undocumented immigrants from accessing state-funded civil legal aid, denying them equity under the law and access to justice; and
• House Bill 1356, which no longer allows the derogatory use of Native Americans as mascots in public schools.

Vaccine eligibility expands to all adults on April 15!

The governor recently announced that all adults over 16 will be eligible to receive the vaccine starting April 15th! So far, the phased approach has helped to ensure that the most vulnerable among us were the first to receive doses. Now, thanks to the heroic work of healthcare professionals and the expanded supply from the federal government, eligibility can expand even more quickly than expected.  

As the governor indicated in his announcement, the accelerated timeline comes, in part, as a response to a recent increase in COVID cases. New variants are highly transmissible and we must continue to wear masks, keep our distance, and wash our hands in line with guidance in order to avoid overwhelming our healthcare system’s capacity to care for people who become sick.  

I know it’s hard, we’ve all been living under these restrictions for so long. But now is not the time to give up. Let’s remember, this time last year we didn’t even know much about the virus. Since then, we’ve come together, protected each other, developed multiple vaccines and given doses to millions of people. 

Use the Vaccine Locator find a vaccination appointment, now available in multiple languages. And if can’t get online, call the state COVID-19 Assistance Hotline at 1-800-525-0127. 

Farmworker Vaccine Distribution 

Our farmworkers are critical frontline workers, ensuring we have food on our tables. They are also among the most vulnerable in our communities.

Last week, I held a roundtable with representatives of local and state government, as well as community partners, to collaborate on how to best support our farmworker community and increase their access to the COVID-19 vaccine.

“Skagit County Public Health is partnering with Community to Community and North Sound Accountable Communities to offer 150 additional vaccinations, by appointment only, for agricultural workers from 4 to 7 p.m. on April 1 and 8 at the Skagit County Fairgrounds.” – via the Skagit Valley Herald

Constituent Corner

This week, I received emails from our 7th grade friends from Fairhaven Middle School about my bill to restrict Native mascots at public schools, House Bill 1356, and starting to think beyond the bill and how our history impacts our present through language, figures, and symbols.

Quote from Henry: “First, I just want to thank you again for visiting with our class and for motivating us to act on issues that are important. After you visited our class, some friends and I testified at a public hearing for your bill banning the use of Native Americans as school mascots, logos, and names. I read your Fantastic Fridays newsletter every week, and I can see how you are a political impact on me.” 

From Jason: “Thank you for clearing a path for the younger generations so we could grow up in a world with change, but also leaving things for us to do ourselves.” 

From Cecelia: “I think I speak for everyone, when I say I thought it was incredible how you had such a grateful and kind mindset. Said mindset encouraged me to think deeper about the ways we can provide a more equal and kinder community. ” 

From Maria: “I think that kids can do a lot of great things—and you inspired everyone in our class to take action within our own lives and beliefs. We have even started a project that will support a social movement we each are passionate about. Movements and laws are impactful ways of changing the world, but these social movements need a large action to be officially done. ” 

Join me for the last virtual Constituent Coffee this session

It has been an honor to meet with you throughout this session to hear your thoughts and answer your questions. As we gear up for the last few weeks of session, I want to hold one final Constituent Coffee on Tuesday April 13th at 8 a.m. We will have just passed the last major cut off and will be headed into final budget negotiations and conferencing to reconcile differences in bills passed out of both the House and Senate. Pre-register for the final Constituent Coffee of the 2021 legislative session today!

Stay tuned for an announcement of an after session town hall!