Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We’ve been very busy on the House floor over the last few weeks, running bills late into the night to push our priorities forward. We’re working hard to better support healthcare, workforce, education, and climate resiliency in Washington. I’m honored to share that we passed 328 bills, 60% of which were passed unanimously, and 78% of which were passed with 80 votes or more.
The most important part of my job as a legislator is making myself and the legislative process accessible to you. March 8th was the “house of origin” cutoff, which means that all House bills that will continue for consideration in the Senate have already been passed on the House floor. The Senate will now be hearing House bills in committee and on the floor—and the House will be hearing Senate bills. Click here to track a bill, find out its status, or provide comment.
As we consider Senate bills and continue to advocate for House bills, I would love to hear more from you on your priorities, what bills you support, and what legislation would make the biggest difference in your family’s life this year. Please click here to fill out my 30th LD Priority Problem-Solving Survey, and read on for an invitation to an upcoming Town Hall where you can hear more about our work, ask questions, and provide feedback.
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Here’s a look at some of the priorities I brought to the legislature this year and what has passed the House and will now be heard in the Senate:
Leveling the playing field for ecological protection
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has many acres of land that have been burned and can’t be reforested due to funding limitations. I sponsored House Bill 1789 to provide authority to create a new revenue stream for our state beneficiaries – K-12 schools, counties, and universities – on lands managed by the DNR. Currently, the DNR is competing on an uneven playing field with the private sector, and is unable to sell carbon credits, limiting their ability to comply with Climate Commitment Act goals. This bill allows them to sell carbon credits, increasing yields on these lands for agricultural production, and supporting a variety of projects in critical habitats.
Growing a new generation of farmers
No family in Washington should struggle to put food on the table. I sponsored House Bill 1552 to tackle some of the data questions necessary to make sure working families can put food on the table, whether through community gardens, or various agricultural opportunities. The state needs an all-hands-on-deck approach to utilizing the urban environment to provide food security, and community gardens provide a sense of unity and connection where kids can learn about nature, nutrition, and plant growth. Just as cities preserve spaces for recreation, they should preserve spaces for agriculture. Demographics of farmers and other agricultural producers are shifting, and it’s important to expose youth to these opportunities to grow the next generation of farmers and keep our cities well-fed with local produce.
Keeping our waterways clean
Washington’s waterfronts are littered with derelict structures that jeopardize the health and economic wellbeing of local communities and hinder efforts to revitalize salmon habitats. Often, the owners of these structures lack the funds to effectively restore or remove them, so the structures remain vacant and derelict for years. I sponsored House Bill 1378 to grant the Department of Natural Resources with the authority and capacity to remove these structures, allow the DNR to collaborate with local governments and tribes, and assist small businesses that need help to keep aquatic structures within agency guidelines. Removing these structures will make waterways safer and cleaner and will get rid of eyesores that stifle communities’ economic growth, endanger wildlife, and impede public enjoyment of shorelines and waterways throughout the state.
30th LD Community Town Hall
Mark your calendar! This Saturday, March 18th, at 10am, I am hosting a Community Town Hall alongside my seatmates, Sen. Wilson and Rep. Taylor, at Pacific Community and Events Center. Please email my legislative assistant at Thalia.Corona@leg.wa.gov if you have any questions. Hope to see you there!
Have a coffee with me!
If you aren’t able to make it to the town hall but still want to chat, every Tuesday morning from 7-9am, I host “constituent office hours” at Ebony and Ivory Coffee (33930 Weyerhaeuser Way S, Federal Way, WA 98001) and you’re invited to join me! I’d love to hear about your stories, interests, legislative priorities, challenges, and what’s most important to you and your family.
If you’d like to get in touch but can’t make it on Tuesdays, please feel free to email me (Kristine.Reeves@leg.wa.gov) or my legislative assistant Thalia (pronounced Ta-lee-uh), Thalia.Corona@leg.wa.gov, to find a time to stop by our office in Olympia. I hope to hear from you soon!
All best wishes,
Rep. Kristine Reeves