Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope you are all doing well, staying safe and warm, and are prepared for this wintry weekend. Typically, I would be driving home from Olympia, so I am thankful to have the privilege to work from home during this remote legislative session. Many people in our community are not as lucky, and some are really suffering. Warming centers are available in our area for people living unsheltered in the cold. Find information here. Follow the same link to find volunteer opportunities with the Snohomish Health District.
Thanks for taking the time to read this update,
The COVID-19 assistance hotline is here to help
If you or someone you know is having trouble booking an appointment to get a COVID-19 vaccine, there’s a number you can call for help. To reach the state COVID-19 assistance hotline, dial 1-800-525-0127 and enter #. You can also call the state’s alternate number at 888-856-5816 (a Spanish option is available) if you can’t reach the hotline with the 1-800 number. The COVID-19 hotline is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and weekends from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Strengthening the Foreclosure Fairness Act
Ten years ago, the Legislature passed HB 1362, just as the nation was slowly climbing out of the worst recession in recent history and foreclosure signs were popping up everywhere. That bill created the Foreclosure Fairness Act Mediation program (FFA). It has been running since then, helping homeowners find a resolution to foreclosure proceedings with their lenders through counseling and mediation.
Last week, on a unanimous vote, we passed HB 1108 out of the House. It maintains funding for the FFA program and goes a step further by expanding the program’s scope to provide counseling and mediation services to small landlords, not only to homeowners.
The coronavirus has wreaked havoc in many aspects of our lives, including the inability of many homeowners to keep up with their mortgage payments. This pandemic will likely lead to a rush of foreclosures once moratoriums are lifted, so passing this bill now couldn’t be more timely.
If you are unfamiliar with the program, I encourage you to watch this 4-minute video, put together by Seattle University School of Law and the City of Seattle, showing the foreclosure process in our state and how the FFA can help. You can also visit the program website for more information.
If you, a family member or a friend are facing foreclosure, please call the Washington State Homeownership Hotline, which provides free, state-sponsored counseling: 1-800-606-4819.
Learning from tragedy to prevent future overdose and suicide deaths
This year I introduced HB 1074 to allow local health departments to establish overdose and suicide fatality review teams to review overdose or suicide deaths and develop strategies to prevent future overdose and suicide deaths. The crisis of suicide and opioid overdose is not new and has been exacerbated by the pandemic. This bill would give county health departments the ability to gather information to find trends and solutions with the goal of preventing deaths. Similar review teams have already been effective at addressing child and maternal mortality. I’m very pleased to report that our bill recently passed the House unanimously. It’s now in the Senate, and I’m advocating for it’s swift passage there too.
Black History Month
This Black History Month, I’m reflecting on the words of Ms. Amanda Gorman.
The Legislature is working to create a Washington that is inclusive, fair, and representative for Black Americans. We’re considering bills to ensure safer police tactics, to restore voting rights to people who have served their time in prison, and to provide law enforcement with stronger tools to address hate crimes. And we are finally considering a bill to give Juneteenth the recognition it deserves as a state holiday.
I am proud of the work we’ve done to write laws that are racially just. But we can’t move forward in progress unless we honor the untold history of Black America. Our work here as lawmakers is only possible because of the tireless labor and courageous activism of our predecessors. And while that work is unfinished, Ms. Gorman’s words bring me hope for our future with each step forward.
Because a future that is fair and inclusive for Black Washingtonians is a future that is fair and inclusive for everyone.
