Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The last three weeks of the session have flown by. Committees are hearing testimony and bills are moving! This week we passed our first legislation off of the House floor, three of my bills have been passed by their respective committees (HB 1047, HB 1048, and HB 1085), and I have had the honor of speaking at several events. Please give my legislative Facebook page for more frequent updates and check out my first video update to learn more about these bills:
Removing toxic chemicals from cosmetics
You shouldn’t have to be a toxicologist to shop for your cosmetics. When we go to the store we assume that a product on the shelf is safe, but that isn’t always the truth. A recent study by the Washington Department of Ecology found that many cosmetics, especially those marketed to women of color, contain dangerous toxic chemicals like formaldehyde, lead, arsenic, and PFAS also known as ‘forever chemicals.’ These chemicals have been linked to cancer, brain damage, kidney damage, decreased lung function, and nervous system damage. That is why I have proposed legislation to ban the use of toxic chemicals in cosmetics.
My bill, HB 1047, will ensure that the products on the shelf in Washington are safe to use. It was passed by the House Environment & Energy Committee this Thursday and will now be considered by the full House. You can read more about the bill and Ecology report in the Seattle Times.
Making our roads safe for everyone
Michael Weilert went for a bike ride near his home in Parkland last July and never came back. He was one of 745 people who died on our roads this year, the highest number since 1990. Our roads are becoming more dangerous and urgent action is need.
This week, I met with the Weilert family and joined them along with Governor Inslee, the chairs and ranking members of both the House and Senate Transportation Committees, the Secretary of Transportation, the Director of the Washington Traffic Safety Coalition, the Chief of the Washington State Patrol and representatives from the Transportation Choices Coalition and Washington Bikes at a press conference to outline measures the Legislature will take to stem the tide of traffic fatalities. Some of these measures include:
- Prohibiting a free right on red (HB 1582) Rights on red are extremely dangerous for pedestrians, whose fatalities are up 31% this year.
- Providing support for young, low-income drivers to receive driver’s education (SB 5430)
- An update to the Cooper Jones Act which requires a reexamination of the driver’s license of anyone involved in a fatal accident. (HB 1319)
Michael was in a crosswalk when he was hit. He did everything right, and he still lost his life. Michael should be alive today and it shouldn’t be up to his parents to advocate to make our streets safe for kids to ride their bikes. This package of bills will help turn the tide on traffic fatalities in Washington and prevent another family from having to turn their grief into action.
Protecting & preserving reproductive care
Washington state residents have a right to reproductive and gender-affirming care. Even though House Democrats and the voters have protected that right here, Republicans in other states are trying to punish anyone who pursues or provides support for an abortion – even those who live in our state.
This week I spoke at a rally on the capitol steps for our reproductive rights. I am working with other Democrats in the Legislature to ensure that reproductive care remains available, accessible, and affordable for every resident in the state with a package of bills that will stand up against extremists and states looking to take away your rights. Here are some of the bills that we are considering this year:
House Bill 1155 (My Health, My Data Act) blocks websites and apps from collecting and sharing health data. It also prohibits the sale of Washingtonian’s health data, the use of “geofences” to send unsolicited messages to persons at health facilities, and requires companies that collect personal health data to create, maintain, and publish a privacy policy for consumer health data.
House Bill 1340 ensures that Washington’s providers cannot be disciplined in our state because they provide reproductive or gender-affirming care in accordance with Washington state law, regardless of where their patients reside.
House Bill 1469 (Shield Law) protects patients and providers of reproductive and gender-affirming care in Washington from retribution by other states.
House Bill 1286 protects employers who provide support for reproductive care by allowing them to recover damages here in Washington if targeted by hostile lawsuits or judgments from other states.
House Bill 1263 (Keep Our Care Act) prohibits hospitals from merging if the consolidation diminishes patients’ access to services — including reproductive, end-of-life and gender-affirming care — by creating a system of public oversight that ensures people’s needs are prioritized over corporate growth.
House Bill 1115 prohibits co-pays and deductible requirements for anyone seeking an abortion.
A new tax credit for Washington workers starts in 2023!
The Working Families Tax Credit is a new program that will provide payments of up to $1,200 to low-to-moderate income individuals and families. The amounts are based on income level and the number of qualifying children (if any).
This program will help us stimulate local economies, promote racial equity, and provide the financial stability Washington families need right now. To find more information in several available languages, visit WorkingFamiliesCredit.wa.gov.
Thank you for reading my newsletter. Hearing from you is the most important part of my job. Please do not hesitate to reach out with your thoughts and ideas.
Sincerely,
Sharlett Mena
State Representative
29th District