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Dear friends and neighbors,
Legislative session began the second Monday of January, just like every year. And we all convened in Olympia, following all safety recommendations, wearing masks and keeping our distance. Unlike every year, however, this time it was solely to adopt temporary rules allowing for remote proceedings for the remaining 104 days.
On the Friday before the start of session, I attended a six minute virtual swearing-in ceremony along with several of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle. I was honored to take the oath of office to uphold the constitution and serve the people of Washington to the best of my ability.
Click on the image below for the TVW footage.
Leadership and Committee Assignments
In November, my colleagues elected me as their Caucus Chair. This is the number three leadership position after speaker and majority leader, and I am truly honored!
Presiding over caucus meetings, which are very frequent, is one of my new responsibilities. If anyone had reservations over the success of holding session remotely, I can assure you that the caucus meetings and Floor debates we have held so far through our screens have gone significantly better than expected. It took a little getting used to and there were a few bumps along the road, but every time we meet, it is smoother than the previous one. I am confident we will be able to complete our work without major glitches.
This term I am continuing my service on the Education Committee and the Children, Youth & Families Committee (formerly Human Services & Early Learning), and I joined the Labor & Workplace Standards Committee. I am excited to be tackling pressing issues such as increasing educational opportunities, improving behavioral health services, addressing justice in child welfare, and protecting our workforce.
My Bills
You can click on each link below to go to the bill history and follow its progress, or you can visit my bill sponsorship page.
HB 1090: Bans private for-profit detention facilities in Washington State. Corporations should not be profiting from the detention of some of our most vulnerable residents.
HB 1113: Provides additional student supports to promote daily school attendance, which is important to attain student success.
HB 1154: Increases access to the Building Communities Fund to help struggling non-profit organizations recover from this pandemic.
HB 1194: Improves parent-child visitation during child dependency proceedings to support both the child and the parents.
HB 1227: Keeping Families Together Act. A series of reforms to help support families in the foster care system.
HB 1363: Requires school districts to adopt a policy and procedure to prevent and address secondary traumatic stress in the K-12 workforce.
Diversity in the House!
The Washington House Democrats Members of Color Caucus (MOCC) was founded in 2003 by a small group of lawmakers seeking to increase the cultural competence of House Democrats, and elevate issues impacting marginalized communities. Today, with 19 state representatives, we are the largest cohort of legislators of color in the history of our state, and we make up one-third of the House Democratic Caucus.
I am proud to be in this group of diverse and spirited individuals who, each year, prioritize policy proposals that break down structural barriers and reimagine opportunity, access, and representation for people of color.
This session, the MOCC also has a new Facebook page.
COVID-19 Vaccine Update
The Snohomish Health District has a great portal with a wealth of vaccine information, including an infographic on how vaccines work, a link to the phase finder to find out when you can get vaccinated, a map to find vaccination locations, the information you will need to provide when you get your vaccine, and more. Please check out!
Watch my first Video Update of 2021
Keep in touch
Thank you for taking the time to read my newsletter, I hope you found it informative.
As we are working in a virtual environment, I encourage you to participate in your democracy by learning the ways in which you can get involved. To follow the issues I am working on, please visit my website and my official Facebook page.
I am interested in hearing what you think, so please call or email my office to give me your input and feedback. Your comments and ideas help guide my decisions. As caucus chair, I am determined to continue bringing the voice of the 21st Legislative District to the leadership table as we discuss priorities and policies this session.
Stay safe,
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