Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We are already halfway through the legislative session and I’m excited for our upcoming town hall this Saturday, March 11 at 10:30 AM. We’ll be meeting at the Spokane Central Library (906 W Main Ave), talking about the progress we have made in the session and hearing from you about the issues that matter most to you and your family.
Update on legislation
With the House of Origin Cutoff deadline behind us, I wanted to give you an update on my bills that passed and are now being considered by the Senate this year.
- HB 1238 is my free school meals bill, which was amended in the Appropriations Committee and, while not universal meals, does mean 90,000 K-12 students will have access to free breakfast and lunch. It passed 93-3.
- HB 1340 is an important bill to protect doctors, nurses, and staff who provide essential reproductive health care, which passed 57-40.
- HB 1050 increases Washington’s apprenticeship utilization to build out our workforce pipeline and passed 58-39.
- HB 1466 passed 95-0 and gives dental hygienists more time to acquire their license when they have a temporary license to work in Washington.
- HB 1678 passed 53-42 and is an important dental access bill that allows dental therapists in certain limited settings.
While not every bill passed and several changed along the way, I’m excited so many of my bills are still moving forward and have a chance to become law. I’ll keep you updated as they progress in the Senate.
It is my honor to serve you!
Sincerely,
Rep. Marcus Riccelli