Dear Friends,

It has been the honor of my lifetime to serve as your State Representative. I am excited to share that I am taking on a new role as Secretary of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), where I will dedicate myself full-time to Washington’s children and families. My last day as your representative will be January 15, 2025. As I prepare to leave the legislature, I’ve been reflecting on our shared accomplishments (highlighted below) and express my deepest gratitude for the privilege to serve this amazing community.

Highlighting Our Impact

Over the past decade, we have achieved so much together. I’d like to highlight a few of my legislative and budgetary successes that have helped shape our community and state for years to come:

Legislative Highlights 

In addition to the hundreds of bills I had the honor to advocate and vote for, I am proud of my leadership on:

• Equal Pay Opportunity Act: Championed groundbreaking reforms to close the gender pay gap, empower workers, and ensure transparency in pay practices, creating a fairer workplace for all.
• Fair Start for Kids Act: Delivered transformative support for families by expanding access to affordable, high-quality child care and early learning opportunities across Washington—funded by the capital gains tax.
• Electric School Buses: Spearheaded efforts to transition school transportation to electric vehicles, setting a bold standard for sustainability and reducing harmful emissions that impact kids health.
• Computer Science BA at Bellevue College: Established the state’s first Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at Bellevue College, creating life-changing opportunities for local students to thrive in the tech industry.
• Pathways to Stability Act: Provided crucial pathways to stability, safety, and support for our homeless youth, ensuring they have a chance to succeed.
• Family Assessment Response (FAR): Strengthened the child welfare system by creating FAR, prioritizing preventative services to help families stay together and thrive.
• Gun Safety Legislation: Advanced public safety by banning firearms in the state Capitol and empowering the Washington State Patrol to destroy confiscated weapons, reducing the risk of gun violence.
• School Resource Officer Training: Ensured school resource officers receive specialized training in de-escalation, student rights, equity issues and more to foster safer and more supportive learning environments for students.
• Developmental Disabilities-related Bills: Advocated tirelessly for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including expanding foster youth access to developmental disabilities services, initiating tax-free home donations to support people with disabilities and increasing funding for Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT).

Key Investments

I’m thrilled to have led efforts to direct critical funding to support our communities, including:

• $40 million grant program for electric school buses: Leading the way to a cleaner, greener future for school transportation. 
• Secured funding for Diaper Banks: Assisting struggling families with access to diapers, a large expense for young families.
• Capital Investment in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue Lake Hills Teen Center: Enhancing opportunities for youth in Bellevue to access safe and engaging activities.
• Support for the Mountains to Sound Greenway: Strengthening multi-modal transportation infrastructure and preserving natural landscapes.
• Investments in Luther Burbank Park and playground improvements on Mercer Island: Restoring habitats and enhancing outdoor recreational space for residents and visitors at Luther Burbank Park and the Boys & Girls Club of Mercer Island.
• Investments in Newcastle’s Boren Park: Enhancing the fishing dock and other outdoor spaces for community enjoyment and well-being.
• Sammamish culvert replacements and PFAs cleanup projects: Addressing critical environmental challenges and improving water quality.
• Funding for Eastside Early Childhood Center at Temple B’nai Torah: Creating over 80 desperately needed childcare slots to support early childhood development.
• Renovation of spaces for people living with disabilities: Ensuring safe and comfortable living environments through Community Homes and providing greater access to Hero House.
• Extensive transportation investments: Increasing transportation mobility and safety along I-405, Issaquah-Fall City Road, SR 18, and more.

Leadership Roles 

I have been proud to serve in numerous leadership capacities over the past decade while in the legislature. I count the following among the most significant:

• Serving six years as Chair of the Human Services, Youth, and Early Learning Committee: Guiding groundbreaking policies that strengthened our state’s safety net and uplifted children and families, including early learning, child welfare juvenile justice and children’s mental health.
• Leading the National Association of Jewish Legislators and the Washington State Legislative Jewish Caucus: Helping support, convene, celebrate and advocate with Jewish legislators in over 40 states.
• Founding and Chairing the Moms Caucus: Spotlighting some of the unique challenges new moms and young families face.
• Co-Chairing the Youth Mental Health Workgroup and the Behavioral Health Joint Legislative and Executive Committee: Spearheading initiatives to address the youth mental health crisis and reform and connect behavioral health systems.

Looking Ahead

While I will no longer be your elected representative, I remain committed to serving you and all people across Washington state. In my new role as Secretary of DCYF, I will be particularly focused on addressing systemic and daily challenges faced by children and families across our state.

Thank you for trusting me to serve you and for your continued engagement in shaping our vibrant and compassionate community. I leave the Legislature with immense gratitude and pride, knowing that the work we have done together has made a significant imprint locally and across our great state of Washington.

With heartfelt thanks,

Rep. Tana Senn