Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We’ve been very busy on the House floor this week, 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 so far, we have passed 249 bills: 150 of which were unanimous and 197 of which received over 80 votes.
To learn more, follow me on Facebook for the most current updates on our work in the House, and come to my Virtual Town Hall on Thursday, March 9 at 6:30 PM!
Protecting Safe, Private Reproductive Care
Washington House Democrats are keeping reproductive care available, accessible, and affordable for every resident. House Bill 1155 (My Health, My Data Act), which passed off the House floor this past week, blocks websites and apps from collecting and sharing health data.
Under current law, Washingtonians’ health data is left vulnerable to be used by advertisers or shared with anti-choice groups:
- Period tracking apps can sell sensitive information about a person’s late period or miscarriage to data brokers. Law enforcement from states with strict anti-abortion laws or anti-choice advocacy groups can purchase this data and prosecute people who have abortions or miscarriages.
- Pregnant individuals sometimes contact or visit crisis pregnancy centers looking for reproductive health care services, only to find that they cannot receive an abortion at that facility—but pregnancy centers can collect and share the woman’s sensitive data with anti-abortion groups who can then target the woman with pro-life messaging and political ads.
- Digital advertising firms can set up geofencing around health care facilities that trip when a person brings their cell phone or mobile device across the barrier. The individual can be bombarded with text messages and advertisements urging them not to seek reproductive or gender-affirming care.
The right to health data privacy is about autonomy. Recent attacks on reproductive healthcare have shown the importance of protecting health data for all people—and empowering them to protect their health privacy. I was proud to vote YES!
Fighting Hatred and Harm
As technology has become more integral to our day-to-day lives—our work, education, healthcare, entertainment, and social connections—we’ve seen a dramatic increase in the weaponization of personal information to harass, intimidate, and silence voices.
I’m proud to support House Bill 1335, which would create a civil cause of action for victims who have suffered harm, allowing them to recover damages—including statutory damages of $5,000 per violation. This bill is a piece of a greater effort to combat an increase in hate crimes, threats, and harassment: last year, the FBI reported the highest number of hate crimes in Washington in the last 20 years, and the Anti-Defamation League Pacific Northwest (ADL) reported the most anti-Semitic incidents since the ADL’s inception.
As Chair of the Jewish Caucus, I know this bill is a much-needed step towards fighting hatred and harm.
The Right to Repair
The United States is one of the largest producers of waste in the world. Small devices and technological components make up much of this waste—and at the same time, in 2020, a nationwide laptop shortage left millions of students unprepared for virtual learning for months. Estimates at that time suggested that refurbished computers could have filled a significant portion of the gap in supply.
Under House Bill 1392, Washingtonians would have the “right to repair” their own electronic devices like phones and computers through local technicians, rather than only relying on manufacturers and their authorized technicians. In a world where access to broadband is critical to accessing our work, education, healthcare, democracy, entertainment, and social connections, it is critical that we remove barriers to access. We’d have many more computers available–and much less waste in our planet–if we encouraged and valued reuse and the secondary life of electronics. Washingtonians deserve the right to repair.
Visits to Olympia
I recently had a great visit with Arry Yu, a fellow member of the Blockchain Workgroup, and Brittany Jarnot from the Washington Technology Industry Association! With so many hi-tech businesses and employees in my district, staying abreast of the issues effecting this industry is critical!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read! Please continue to reach out to my office with questions, advocacy, and feedback—and I hope to see you virtually at our 41st LD Town Hall on March 9th!
Sincerely,
Rep. Tana Senn