Dear friends and neighbors,

We’re starting week four of this 60-day session, so It’s time for an update. The big news this past week was that Governor Inslee signed the two measures to make reforms to the WA Cares Fund. House Bill 1732 delays the start of the program by 18 months and House Bill 1733 allows military spouses and disabled veterans to exempt themselves from the program. These changes were necessary, and this delay will give us time to review the program.

Where are my bills?

I am happy to report that three of my bills have been passed out of committee:

Passed Appropriations:

• HB 1153 – Increasing language access in public schools
• HB 1703 – Modernizing the statewide 911 emergency communications system

Passed State Govt & Tribal Relations:

• HB 1849 – Creating a work group to study and make recommendations on a monument to honor service members who died in the Global War on Terror

And three other bills are scheduled for committee votes this week

Children, Youth & Families on Jan 31 at 1:30 pm:

• HB 1989 – Concerning commercially sexually exploited children and adults (Watch this KING5 report on the anti-human trafficking campaign)

Public Safety on Feb 1 at 8 am or Feb 3 at 10 am:

• HB 1916 – Supporting crime victims and witnesses by promoting victim-centered, trauma-informed responses in the legal system
• HB 1848 – Addressing crimes concerning fraud in assisted reproduction.

I hope my bill to establish programs and measures to prevent suicide among veteran and military members (HB 1181) is scheduled for a hearing in Appropriations soon.

Watch the first Ask Tina video of the year!

I respond to constituent emails regarding HB 1868, Staffing Standards (read more about this measure in the next section), and SB 5615, designating pickleball as the official state sport.

Safe Staffing Standards for Our Healthcare Heroes

Our nurses and front-line healthcare workers have moved mountains over the last two years, but they are burning out.

A December poll found that 84 percent of healthcare workers said they were burned out and 49 percent said they are likely to quit healthcare. When asked the reasons for considering leaving the profession, 71 percent cited staffing shortages as a major issue. With all the pressures of the pandemic, hospitals should not be adding stress to nurses and healthcare workers with inadequate staffing. We must ensure that healthcare workers and patients are protected from unmanageable patient loads. That is why I am supporting legislation to create new safe staffing standards for hospitals. House Bill 1868 will make Washington the second state in the nation to mandate safe staffing ratios at hospitals. The bill also ends mandatory overtime policies and puts protections in place to ensure that rest and meal breaks are respected. The goal is to protect healthcare workers and ensure that patients get the care they need.

Bills Supporting Students

We know it is extremely important to support each and every student across our state, especially as the pandemic continues to take a toll on young people. So here are some of the bills we are working on to do just that:

• HB 1905: Helps ensure young people aren’t released into homelessness from foster care, juvenile rehabilitation, or in-patient behavioral health treatment. You can hear more about this legislation on Capitol Ideas, the state House Democratic Caucus’ podcast. Tune in here!
• HB 1890: Creates the framework for building a statewide plan to provide behavioral health services when and where children, youth and families need them.
• HB 1834: Allows students to take excused absences from school to take care of their mental health in the same way they would for their physical health.
• HB 1723: Too many kids are struggling to access their online classes. The Digital Equity Act helps close the digital divide by boosting access to the internet for students and others.
• HB 1659: Creates $1,000 grants for low-income students and increases the funding most students would get from the Washington College Grant, our state’s largest financial aid program.
• HB 1835: Makes it easier for students to fill out the FAFSA, Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and the WAFSA, Washington Application for State Financial Aid.

Go deeper: For more on the variety of approaches we’re taking to address youth mental health (and the mental health system more broadly), check out this Seattle Times article.

Working Families and Small Businesses get a Sales Tax Holiday

The pandemic has put enormous financial strain on so many families. Hard-working Washingtonians and small businesses need our help right now. This is one tangible thing we can do to give people a break and strengthen our local communities.

Whether your kids need back-to-school clothes, or you need a new dishwasher, a proposed law would exempt such purchases from sales taxes for three days in September. House Bill 2018 is about helping our friends, neighbors, and small businesses on Main Street.

Under the legislation, there would be no sales tax this year on September 3, 4 and 5 for certain items priced $1,000 or less, including clothing, school supplies, computers, durable medical goods, and energy efficient appliances.

The bill does not include tobacco or marijuana products, alcoholic beverages, utilities, travel, meals, motor vehicles, boats, services, or construction goods. 

Fourth-annual Lunar New Year celebration at the Legislature

Happy Lunar New Year! I wish you and your family happiness and good health as we enter the Year of the Tiger.

This new beginning is a time to reflect on the year past, make room for joy, and honor cultural unity. This will be the fourth year the Legislature celebrates the Lunar New Year. Please join us virtually on Tuesday, February 1 at 1 pm.

Keep in Touch

Thank you for reading my newsletter, please be sure to contact my office if you have feedback or questions.

                                      Sincerely,