Keeping our promise to make college education more affordable and accessible, SB 6492 – Last Thursday the House voted to pass SB 6492 and the Governor has signed it into law. This bill is an update to landmark legislation from last year. With this fix, about 6,000 students in Washington who otherwise couldn’t afford college, trade school or other degrees will be able to advance their careers. The measure is funded by businesses that depend on, and benefit from, Washington’s skilled workforce. This interim small businesses came to us with recommendations about how to make the program better, and I’m happy that we were able to keep our promise to students while making things easier for businesses across the state. The skilled workforce we’re developing is an important part of why Washington was chosen by U.S. News as the best state to do business in 2019.
Preventing Gun Violence by Banning High Capacity Magazines, HB 2240– I can think of no lawful civilian purpose that requires a magazine with more than 10 rounds.
None.
But the deadliest shootings in United States history all involved high capacity magazines. We should be treating gun violence like the public health crisis that it is. It’s beyond time to take action and that’s why I was proud to cosponsor this legislation.
Affirming the rights of census takers, HB 2527 – Everyone in America should be free to participate in the Census without threat, intimidation, or fear that the information could be used against them. And everyone should be able to access translation help as they complete it. Census data is the best information we get about the people of the United States, and it informs decisions about funding and representation for the next ten years.
Unfortunately, there are some who want to undercount certain populations to justify marginalizing them, and to take funding from their communities. In Washington State, we’re going to do better. That is why I co-sponsored HB 2527 and was proud to vote for it on the House floor yesterday.