Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As I write that four weeks have already gone by, I almost don’t believe it! We’ve been busy advancing good policy for our communities to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in various ways. This is the job at hand, the needs are pressing and we’re moving as fast as we can to get help where it is needed most.
I’ve been meeting with constituents and stakeholders, holding committee work sessions, listening to testimony in bill hearings, caucusing with colleagues and, of course, debating and voting on legislation on the House Floor. All from my desk at home through a computer screen. Doing the business of the people of Washington remotely is actually turning out smoother than expected.
A lot has happened since my last newsletter, so let’s get to it!
Unemployment Insurance relief for businesses and workers
My office receives emails and calls on many different issues daily but this year, of course, the coronavirus and its consequences have taken center stage. We have heard from many business-owners who are facing unprecedented hikes (up to 500 percent in some cases!) in their Unemployment Insurance premium tax bills, and from struggling workers whose unemployment benefits are just not enough to support their families.
The urgency of this matter could not be overstated. We had to do something, and we had to do it right away. So the first week of session, the chairs of the labor committees in both chambers introduced bipartisan identical bills (SB 5061 / HB 1098) to bring relief for both businesses and workers.
The Senate passed its bill on a 42-7 vote and we passed it off the House Floor last Friday on an 89-8 vote. The governor is scheduled to sign it into law tomorrow. Business-owners will breathe more easily seeing the reductions in their UI tax bills due in April, and the state’s hardest-hit lowest-wage workers will see a 5 percent raise in their unemployment benefits. This means people who make between $21,000 and $27,800 annually will receive a larger share of their weekly wages in benefits. For the details and information on how the bill will better prepare our state for the next health emergency, as well as rebuild Washington’s Unemployment Insurance trust fund, please go here. |
Step One for Washington’s Community and Economic Recovery
Earlier this week, the House passed a $2.2 billion package in federal funds to help Washington families and businesses that have been most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation is on the Senate Floor calendar and they will likely pass it on Wednesday. This is the first step toward Washington’s community and economic recovery.
It is one of the bills I discuss in this week’s Ask Bill video:
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This package will ease the financial hardship of struggling renters and landlords, small restaurants and other neighborhood businesses, school districts, uninsured and underinsured individuals, and Black and Brown communities, which have been disproportionately hurt during the pandemic.
- BOOSTING PUBLIC HEALTH: $618 million for a state Department of Health fund for vaccine administration, contact tracing and testing.
- KEEPING PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES AND FED: $365 million for rental assistance and foreclosure assistance, and for small landlords to stay on top of their mortgages. The plan also includes $52 million for food and cash assistance, and TANF extension.
- INVESTING IN SMALL BUSINESSES: $240 million for grants for small businesses and non-profits to maintain operations and help with reopening.
- GETTING STUDENTS CAUGHT UP: $714 million for schools to address learning loss, keep teachers on the payroll and get ready to bring kids back to the classroom when it’s safe to do so. The plan also includes $50 million for grants for childcare providers.
- SUPPORTING ALL WASHINGTONIANS: $70 million for long-term care and developmental disabilities programs and $6 million for health care for those who are underinsured and uninsured. The plan also includes $65 million for immigrant relief assistance and $5 million for grants to provide emergency financial aid for undocumented college students.
This is just the first step in making sure we support those most impacted by the pandemic so that we can recover, together. We’re in session until the 25th of April, so you’ll be seeing more bills that make investments in public health, equitably address needs across the state in struggling communities, and help families and small businesses.
My Urban Forestry bill was featured in Crosscut!
I’d like to share this Crosscut story about House Bill 1216, aimed at helping cities manage their forests and encouraging robust tree canopy within urban communities. This legislation will enable the state’s Department of Natural Resources to deliver guidance, grant money and other resources to cities interested in improving urban forests.
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State representative Bill Ramos touches a tree while walking on a trail leading to Tiger Mountain in Issaquah, Washington on January 24, 2021. Ramos has introduced a bill that would energize the state’s leading urban forestry initiative, which stalled early in the last recession.
(David Ryder for Crosscut)
Celebrating diversity
This is the first week of February which, as you know, is Black History month. I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the many contributions the Black community has made and continues to make every single day to the betterment of our state and our nation.
Now let me share a couple of facts you may not know about your Legislature:
The very first Legislative Session held in our state was in 1889, many of the members were farmers, including William Owen Bush, a Thurston County Republican who introduced the bill that established Washington State University. He was the first African-American to ever serve in the state House of Representatives. And, today, I am proud to serve alongside nine Black legislators (eight in the House and one in the Senate), who together comprise the largest Black Members Caucus in Washington’s history.
I also want to congratulate all the families in our district who celebrate the Lunar New Year, which will be the Year of the Ox. May it smile upon us and bring joy, prosperity and above all, health.
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I feel very fortunate to live in a nation where we have the freedom to celebrate our many cultures’ different heritages and learn from each other. Because, make no mistake, it is the diversity of our people what makes us truly strong.
Thanks for taking the time to read this update. Please don’t hesitate to contact my office any time with your questions or comments. And visit my Official Facebook page for frequent updates.
Stay safe,
