OLYMPIA – Rep. Marcus Riccelli joined Governor Jay Inslee today during his press conference to roll out his 2021-23 budget proposal. Inslee also introduced a package of legislation aimed at building the capacity of public health boards across the state. Riccelli (D-Spokane) will prime sponsor legislation to standardize public health boards across the state.
See his statement below:
“Our current public health system isn’t working for everyone. Rural and underserved communities need help, and we’ve seen firsthand in Spokane what happens when politics is put over public health in a pandemic. It’s time for us to recognize that diseases don’t care where you live or what county you are in. By creating stronger public health districts focused on accountability and effectiveness, this bill will help make sure that our public health system is serving everyone in Washington state. We need to put public health and people first in these difficult times. We know public health is our first line of defense and it is underfunded. Everyone deserves a fair shot to thrive regardless of the zip code they are born in. I want to thank Governor Inslee for bringing forward a roadmap for structural change for a healthier Washington, and I look forward to sponsoring this bill. I am energized to work with Governor Inslee and Senator Robinson to have important conversations with public health professionals and communities across Washington and remained focused on eliminating large health disparities in Spokane and throughout our state.”
You can find more information on the Governor’s public health proposals here.