Dear friends,

This summer, I’ve been fortunate to meet with constituents across the 40th District and beyond—hearing directly from you about your stories, your hopes, and your concerns. Earlier this month, I had the deep honor of joining Governor Bob Ferguson for a series of public meetings on Orcas Island, including an economic roundtable, a town hall focused on ferries, and conversations with ferry workers in the engine and steam rooms.

These visits haven’t just been ceremonial—they’ve been essential. Whether it’s a conversation on a front porch, a community forum in a school gym, or a quiet moment with a nurse or farmworker after their shift, every interaction has reminded me of why I serve.

We’ve heard from families worried about losing their health care, immigrants fearful about privacy violations, teachers struggling with outdated classrooms, and small business owners building hope out of hardship. We’ve also met young people stepping into advocacy, elders guiding us with wisdom, and communities organizing in the face of adversity with grit and grace.

This newsletter is about honoring what we’ve heard and updating you on how we’re responding—from defending your privacy in the wake of federal overreach, to standing up against a federal budget that threatens working families, to sharing vital resources.

More than anything, I want you to know: your voice is powerful, and it’s being heard. We are working every day in partnership—with each other and with you—to uphold the values that make Washington home.

The recent federal Republican budget proposal—what many are calling the Big Betrayal Bill—is not just a policy document. It’s a direct attack on the health and well-being of Washingtonians. As your State Representative and Vice Chair of the House Health Care & Wellness Committee, I want to speak plainly: this bill robs our elders, working families, and vulnerable communities of the care, dignity, and security they deserve. 

The cuts are staggering. Hundreds of billions of dollars are being stripped from health care, food assistance, clean energy, housing, and education—and handed over to the wealthiest individuals and corporations through irresponsible tax breaks. This is not governance. This is greed. 

Here in Washington state, we are standing strong in the face of this cruelty. Governor Ferguson is already taking action to backfill the federal defunding of Planned Parenthood with emergency dollars from our Health Care Authority—because access to reproductive health care is non-negotiable. Attorney General Brown is leading legal efforts with other states to defend public health funding and protect critical medical research. 

Even while the Legislature is out of session, I am working closely with the Governor’s office, agency leaders, and my fellow lawmakers to evaluate the full impact of these cuts and pursue every tool available to protect our people. We are particularly focused on assessing how the bill’s Medicaid reductions will impact rural and tribal communities, small clinics, and the providers who serve them. 

These decisions being made in Washington, D.C. will affect every person in our state: rising health care costs, longer waits for care, disappearing providers, and fewer safety net programs for those already living on the margins. 

If your family, your nonprofit, your clinic—or you personally—are experiencing harm due to these federal changes, I urge you to share your story with my office. Your voice matters, and it will guide our fight forward. 

I also encourage you to raise your voice with our federal delegation. Reach out to Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell. Call Congressman Rick Larsen. Let them know what’s at stake in your life. 

This is a moment for courage and unity. We are not powerless. We are not alone. And we are not giving up. 

I will continue to fight for a Washington that reflects our shared values: compassion, health, justice, and care for one another. 

As your state representative and Vice Chair of the House Health Care & Wellness Committee, I want to share urgent news that may affect the privacy of some of our most vulnerable community members—especially immigrants and non-citizen residents who rely on Apple Health for essential medical care. 

On June 13, 2025, we learned through a troubling news report that the federal agency overseeing Medicaid, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), may have shared personal information of Apple Health clients with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). 

Let me be clear: the State of Washington did not approve this, and we were not notified in advance. We were blindsided, and we are outraged. 

For our immigrant neighbors—especially those enrolled in Apple Health Expansion, a state-managed Medicaid program partially funded with federal dollars—this is an unacceptable breach of trust. While the Health Care Authority (HCA) never disclosed specific immigration statuses, any sharing of personal data with immigration enforcement agencies is harmful and dangerous. 

Our values as a state do not change with federal administrations. We believe that health care is a human right—not a tool for surveillance or punishment. 

In response: 

• Governor Ferguson acted swiftly to stop unnecessary data sharing and protect the privacy of Apple Health Expansion clients. 

• HCA has now halted the submission of non-emergency care data for enrollees in that program, unless federally required. 

• Our team in Olympia is working closely with agency leaders to assess the full scope and develop long-term safeguards. 

We are committed to building systems of care and trust—not fear. That includes strengthening our programs, improving oversight, and ensuring no one in Washington is afraid to seek medical care. 

For help, I encourage you to visit Washington for All—a one-stop resource hub created in collaboration with state agencies and local partners. It offers multilingual tools, immigration rights information, and access to public services, regardless of immigration status. 

If you, your family, or your organization is affected by these developments, please reach out. You are not alone, and we are in this fight together.  

Your health, your story, and your dignity matter. And as long as I serve, I will fight to ensure this state remains a place where everyone belongs, and no one is left behind. 

Read the HCA statement here. 

Read the Apple Health Data Privacy Document here.  

The opioid and fentanyl crisis has deeply impacted families and communities across Washington—and the 40th District is no exception. But in the face of this heartbreak, I see something powerful: our neighbors and institutions coming together, shoulder to shoulder, to save lives and build a healthier future. 

In Whatcom County, local leaders recognized that tackling the overdose crisis couldn’t fall on one agency or one solution alone. That’s why, in the summer of 2023, they launched the Opioid Multi-Agency Coordination (MAC) group—a groundbreaking collaboration of public health leaders, schools, fire and EMS, social service providers, hospitals, law enforcement, tribal nations, recovery advocates, and more. 

The MAC is more than a meeting—it’s a movement. It was created to coordinate a countywide response to rising overdose deaths and substance use. Together, its members are aligning efforts to prevent drug misuse, improve access to treatment, support long-term recovery, and reduce the strain on emergency services.