We’ve had another exciting week, with bills passing and our town hall meeting with constituents. Watch my legislative update below.
Town Hall
Last Saturday, the 41st legislative district held its 2015 Town Hall meeting at Somerset Elementary, which was attended by well-over 300 of our constituents. It was a wonderful chance to answer questions and talk about some of the solutions I am working on down in Olympia. Thank you to all of those who made their voices heard.
The resounding theme from the town hall was funding our education system. Between the Supreme Court’s ruling in McCleary and the voter-passed class size Initiative 1351, we have a budget shortfall of roughly $4 billion! The reality is: we need new revenue. For school districts with little local funding, we must find a way to increase their budgets. For those districts with proven community support, we must recognize the quality of their education and at the very least do no harm.
Pay Equality
Another major issue this session is gender wage discrimination. I’m excited to share that the House voted my Equal Pay Opportunity Act off the floor last week and now it’s off to the senate! I will be working closely with my colleagues in the senate to help make this bill a law…and I urge you to do the same.
The Equal Pay Opportunity Act would update our equal pay laws to ensure that employees are able to openly discuss and inquire about their wages without fear of retaliation. Pay transparency is a vital step toward ensuring we end the gender wage gap. It’s long past time for Washington to start paying women equally.
Come Visit
Over the last few weeks, I’ve met with dozens of constituents from the district. Here are just a few of the visitors who came to see me to advocate on the issues most important to them.
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As always, make sure to reach out to me with any questions or comments you may have, and thank you for all of your input!