Happy Fantastic Friday!
An Update on My Bills
This was our second week on the virtual floor of the People’s House debating and passing bills! Now that we are getting closer to the House of Origin cutoff (the date by which bills have to be passed out of the chamber in which they originated), I want to update you on a few of my bills that have moved forward in the legislative process.
On Tuesday, my bill to integrate salmon recovery into the Growth Management Act (GMA), which guides land management and planning in our state, was voted off the floor of the People’s House! House Bill 1117 also sets a standard for net ecological gain, or ‘leaving it better than you found it,’ rather than our state’s current standard of no net less when it comes to community development. Through these policies, our communities will be better able to protect our environment and mitigate the impacts of climate change as we continue to grow. Now on to the Senate!
House Bill 1356 is my bill to help heal our communities and tribes by no longer allowing the derogatory use of Native Americans as mascots in public schools. Native Americans are not animals, we are not symbols, we are people, communities, and nations who deserve respect and dignity. The bill has been scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education on March 12 at 8 a.m.
House Bill 1072 eliminates a provision in current law that denies equity and access to justice for undocumented immigrants by restricting them from accessing state-funded civil legal aid. The bill was heard yesterday in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice and is scheduled to be voted on in committee on March 11.
The Senate vehicle for the Washington STRONG Act (SB 5373) had a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology yesterday! It was amazing to see that more than 1,000 people signed in or testified in support. Before the session even began, Rep. Sharon Shewmake, Sen. Liz Lovelett and myself announced this legislation to authorize a 10-year series of “green” bonds, new financing tools that will stimulate the economy, create jobs, and transition Washington to a clean economy.
Washington STRONG could unlock more than $16 billion for direct investment and has the potential to create upwards of 150,000 jobs by providing much-needed local stimulus with a focus on rural economic development and frontline communities. These recovery bonds will be financed by a per-ton price on carbon, and the proposal has been carefully constructed to minimize the impact on agricultural sectors, moderate and low-income households, and energy intensive and trade exposed businesses.
Washington STRONG will generate a sustainable funding stream needed to finance a resilient recovery and transition Washington to a clean economy. This policy is based on our state’s needs right now, one that puts environmental justice first, instead of increasing inequity and placing the burden on our most impacted communities.
Watch the public hearing on the Washington STRONG Act.
Watch my testimony from yesterday’s public hearing.
Establishing the Office of Independent Investigation
One year ago this past Wednesday, Manuel Ellis died at the hands of Tacoma law enforcement. We grieve with his loved ones, and we stand with Washington communities to seek justice and transform our public safety systems.
Wednesday evening, House Democrats passed House Bill 1267 to establish an independent agency to investigate police uses of deadly force. Nothing we do will repair the loss and trauma suffered by the Ellis family. But that night, we took one more step toward accountability, transparency, and justice.
Protecting communities with safer police tactics
“Justice is just us coming together to make public policy for infinite impact.” –Rep. Jesse Johnson, prime sponsor of HB 1054
Last weekend, House Democrats passed legislation establishing baselines for police tactics that truly uphold just, equitable public safety.
House Bill 1054 is a call to end unnecessary police violence, and it represents our commitment to stand for justice and the preservation of human life. This bill helps us begin the daunting process of rebuilding trust between communities of color and law enforcement.
Too many families have suffered unimaginable loss. We’re grateful for their willingness to share their stories, and we’re grateful for the organizers, advocates, and law enforcement who helped craft this legislation. Together, we’re shaping a Washington that is safer for Black and brown communities.
Ensuring reproductive care for students
Happy Women’s History Month! Washington has some of the strongest pro-choice laws in the nation, and we’re proud to continue passing policies that work toward reproductive freedom for all. Rep. My-Linh Thai sponsored House Bill 1009 to require student health plans to cover abortions if they already cover maternity care. It’s a simple fix to ensure the well-being of young people across Washington so they can focus on their education instead of worrying about insurance. The House passed this bill last week, and it’s now moving to the Senate! |
COVID-19 Vaccine Updates
Major announcements regarding vaccine distribution broke this week and I wanted to make sure you had heard the news. Our teachers and child care providers are approved for vaccinations immediately with additional people becoming eligible later this month. The Washington State Department of Health is seeking clarification from the federal government to ensure the roll-out of this change comes with sufficient supply and equitable access. For more information, please see the Department of Health’s statement in English or Spanish.
If you’re an educator or licensed childcare worker and you have a healthcare provider, they will contact you when they have enough vaccine to set up an appointment. You can also find a vaccine provider using the state Department of Health’s Vaccine Locator. And if you need translation assistance or can’t get online, call the state COVID-19 Assistance Hotline at 1-800-525-0127.
Our healthcare providers are telling us that vaccine supply from the federal government is low and appointments fill up fast, but more vaccine is on its way. We’ve come a long way, with 1.7 million Washingtonians having received at least one dose and increasing progress towards our goal of 45,000 vaccines a day. We owe our thanks to the healthcare workers who are working hard to vaccinate people quickly!
We also passed a sobering milestone recently – over 5,000 lives lost to COVID-19 in our state. I honor the grandmas, grandpas, sisters, brothers, cousins, sons, daughters, and parents that were lost. The pandemic may haven taken them from us, but we will carry their legacy as we continue to persevere through the pandemic and recover, together.
This also serves as an important reminder to remain vigilant in our fight against COVID-19. New variants of COVID-19 are much more transmissible and can continue to strain our healthcare system. We can still save lives if we continue to mask up, wash our hands and keep our physical distance. We can carry the legacy of the lives lost and help our community and economy recover more quickly when we do it together.
Whatcom County
There are 37 enrolled vaccine provider sites in Whatcom County. The county received 11,030 first doses and 1,900 boosters this week from the state, and pharmacies received 3,670 doses from the federal government late last week.
Skagit County
Please check the website for next week’s appointment
availability on Saturday, March 6th at 9:00 a.m.
If Public Health does not currently have availability, please check here for other vaccine locations near you. Appointments with Public Health can now be made online for those eligible. If you have questions, call the Public Health COVID-19 vaccine hotline at 360-416-1500. The hotline operates Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. English and Spanish language call takers available.
Learn more about vaccine distribution in Skagit County.
Anacortes Update
Following the fourth consecutive week of Island Hospital not receiving first dose allocations of the COVID-19 vaccine, your 40th District delegation has reached out directly to Governor Inslee and the Department of Health to request the equitable distribution of vaccines to
Island Hospital moving forward. While we understand that Anacortes is one of many rural areas that were left out of last month’s vaccine distribution, the trend is concerning and unacceptable. We’ve shared these concerns and many of the comments and messages from the community, and will continue to advocate for equitable distribution to our Northwest region.
San Juan County
At this time, vaccine eligibility is limited to individuals in the Phase 1a or Phase 1b Tier 1 groups. This includes healthcare workers, first responders, educators and school staff, child care staff, those over 65, and those over 50 and caring for a grandchild or elder. Full details are available here.
Pandemic EBT Round 2
Washington has been approved for Round 2 of the Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program for the 2020-21 School Year. P-EBT provides benefits to hundreds of thousands of students who are eligible for Free or Reduced-Price school meals. This includes all students who attend a school that serves universal free meals – Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) or Provision 2 schools.
Eligibility: Children are eligible if two conditions are met:
- They would be eligible for free or reduced-price meals if the federal school meals programs were operating normally, and
- They are not receiving meals as part of their educational day because the school is closed or operating with reduced attendance for at least 5 consecutive days.
Unlike last year, families do not need to apply for these benefits. Instead, eligible students will have a P-EBT card automatically issued in their name. This will remove barriers to participation. Questions can be directed to the P-EBT Call Center at 1-833-518-0282.
Visit www.dshs.wa.gov/pebt for more information.
Applications for the Washington Legislative Youth Advisory Council are open
The Washington Legislative Youth Advisory Council (LYAC) is now accepting applications for the 2021-2023 cohort!
Overseen by the Office of the Lt. Governor and Washington State Leadership Board, the LYAC is composed of 22 student members from a wide variety of geographic, political, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Some of LYAC’s several projects include:
- Meeting with senators and representatives to advocate for policies;
- Testifying before the state legislature in support of legislation;
- Advising government officials, policymakers, and leaders in various fields;
- Collaborating with nearly 200 community organizations to promote statewide change;
- Talking with media outlets about student voice; and
- Writing, lobbying for, and passing actual laws.
This year, I have had the honor to work with a member of the LYAC, Ivy Pete, on my bill to address inappropriate Native American mascots in public schools. She has brought to the table the perspective of a Native youth and helped build a strong coalition of youth advocates. This is a great opportunity for students across the state!
To learn more and apply, visit https://www.walyac.org. All applications must be submitted by March 31, 2021.
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