Dear friends and neighbors,

I hope each of you enjoyed a rejuvenating holiday season! How is it 2024 – and another Legislative Session – already?

As we kicked off the 60-day session last week, I’m incredibly proud that two of my top legislative priorities, childcare and electric school buses, were highlighted by the Speaker of the House in her opening day remarks as top House Democratic Caucus priorities in 2024. Even my colleagues across the aisle mentioned the importance of childcare in their speeches!

Please read on to learn about the bills I’ll be championing this year!

Paving the Way for a Cleaner, Greener, Healthier Washington

I’m overjoyed to share that my electric school bus bill, House Bill 1368, is one step closer to a reality for Washington after a hearing in the Appropriations Committee the first week of session.

Did you know that diesel exhaust is identified as the cause of 70% of the state’s airborne cancer risk? Shifting away from diesel buses to ones that produce zero emissions will make our school transportation system cleaner and greener.

A recent Seattle Times article reveals a stark reality: residents in parts of Washington facing poor air quality suffer from increased health risks, living sicker and dying younger, emphasizing the need for cleaner air and environmental justice. I believe it’s a pivotal moment for us to lean in and grow a sustainable, eco-friendly school transportation system.

School districts are not in this alone. Thanks to the Climate Commitment Act, we’re putting in place a state funding program that ensures a smooth shift to cleaner, greener transportation, that covers the cost differential of the buses and the necessary infrastructure.

It’s not just about buses though; it’s about ensuring our kids breathe cleaner air.

Numerous students testified on the bill, including Mercer Island High School Green Team president Moa Valentine! It is clear: our kids want and need us to take action now – for cleaner air, for our one planet and for them!

You can watch my testimony in the House Appropriations Committee here.

My 2024 Legislative Priorities

In addition to my zero emission school bus bill, HB 1368, here’s a look at my bills this year across a broad range of issues to strengthen our communities.

Supporting Our Elderly Neighbors in Adult Family Homes (House Bill 2015): Speeding up the licensing process for adult family home expansions, this bill ensures quicker capacity growth from 6 to 8 beds, ensuring our aging neighbors get the housing and care they need. This has already passed out of Committee and on to the next step!

Making Our Communities Safer (House Bill 2021): Ensuring that your unwanted weapons are dealt with safely and responsibly, this legislation requires all buyback programs to destroy, not sell, the guns.

Helping Our Little Ones with Special Needs (House Bill 1916): Ensuring there’s enough money to support programs helping infants and toddlers with disabilities, this bill is the first step in making sure every child gets the support they need from the very beginning. This has already passed out of Committee and on to the next step!

Giving Young Offenders a Second Chance (House Bill 2186): Providing our courts more flexibility to recognize a young person’s unique situation, this bill offers youth a chance to turn things around without going straight to jail – making communities safer in the long run.

Making Childcare More Affordable for Families (House Bill 2322): Recognizing the crucial role childcare plays in allowing parents to work, this bill states that if a business gets tax breaks, they should help their employees with childcare. It’s a way to support working parents and businesses, grow our economy, and ensure our kids get quality care.

Supporting Special Education in the Summers (House Bill 1109): Securing funding for the development of special education evaluations and IEPs in the summer, this bill ensures that kids with special needs receive the timely help they need. Recognizing that delays can exacerbate challenges, the bill aims to make sure these kids are ready to learn on Day One of the school year!

It’s already exciting being back in Olympia and again chairing the Human Services, Youth and Early Learning Committee. As always, I look forward to hearing from you anytime about policies or budget items you care about. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and make your voice heard.

Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more updates!

Warmly,

Rep. Tana Senn