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Building a better Washington | January 25, 2018
The capital budget signed into law The new $4.18 billion capital budget, which has now been signed into law, will create thousands of jobs in every corner of the state—and…
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Clibborn and Senn cheer passage of $4 billion construction budget | January 19, 2018
OLYMPIA—Construction projects across the state of Washington and the 41st District now have the funding they need after the House and Senate passed the state’s $4 billion construction budget. “This…
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Equal Pay Passes the House! | January 18, 2018
Yesterday, the House passed the Equal Pay Opportunity Act for the fourth year in a row! I am so proud to be sponsoring this strong legislation for working women and…
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Video Update: The Equal Pay Opportunity Act | January 17, 2018
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Fourth time could be the charm for Equal Pay in Washington | January 17, 2018
OLYMPIA—After active negotiations between the business and labor communities, the Washington House of Representatives passed the Equal Pay Opportunity Act this morning on a 69-28 vote. This is the fourth year…
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Senn sponsors resolution calling for appropriate funding for the 2020 Census | January 16, 2018
OLYMPIA – On Monday, January 15, Rep. Tana Senn, D-Mercer Island, introduced a bipartisan joint resolution calling on the federal government to fund the 2020 Census adequately. In addition, the…
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Welcome to the 2018 Session | January 8, 2018
Welcome to the 2018 Session Today marks the beginning of the 2018 Legislative Session. I am excited to be back in Olympia, and I look forward to continuing to advocate…
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Senn Receives 2017 Child Health Advocate Award | November 20, 2017
OLYMPIA – State Representative Tana Senn (D-Mercer Island) was recently honored for her legislative work advocating for children’s mental health in Washington state. On Wednesday, November 15, Senn received the…
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An Education Update: State and Local Changes | September 11, 2017
The Impact of the New Education Funding Plan Now that the school year has started across the district, I wanted to share my latest video update on the new education…
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Video Update: The Impact of the New Education Funding Plan | August 31, 2017
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No Capital Budget is Bad News | July 31, 2017
Lack of capital budget hurts Washington’s kids, infrastructure, economy While we made great strides in funding public education this session, it’s disappointing that the Senate failed to pass a construction…
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A victory for paid family leave and passing the state budget | July 7, 2017
Washington state makes history with new paid family leave program Earlier this week, Governor Inslee signed Senate Bill 5975 into law, and Washington became the fifth state in the nation to…
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Eastside lawmakers vote against Republican $4 billion statewide property tax increase to pay for schools | July 5, 2017
OLYMPIA — Sen. Lisa Wellman, Rep. Tana Senn, and Rep. Judy Clibborn, Democrats from Mercer Island, voted against a Republican proposal to increase property taxes statewide by $4 billion over…
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Policy Issues Still in the Mix | June 26, 2017
Policy Issues Still in the Mix I hope you had a great weekend enjoying the hot days, Pride celebrations, high school and university graduations, Eid al-Fitr and more! Back in…
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Video Update: Implications of a state government shutdown | June 23, 2017
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Practical New Laws that May Fly Under the Radar | May 22, 2017
Practical Benefits of Laws We Just Passed Although work continues in Olympia to find a solution to fully fund education, we did pass some important legislation during the regular session. Working across the…
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State Republicans’ tax plan could hit Eastside property owners hard. | May 18, 2017
OLYMPIA – Households along much of the I-405 corridor would see a sharp property tax increase as a result of the state Republicans’ K-12 education funding plan. The Senate Republican…
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Transportation, Community Safety, and our Legislative Pages! | May 9, 2017
Investing in transportation Having passed both chambers, the bipartisan transportation budget has been delivered to Governor Inslee and is awaiting his signature. The budget allocates approximately $8.7 billion in much…
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Stalled Negotiations and the End of Regular Session | April 21, 2017
Senate Republicans refuse to negotiate It has become clear that the legislature will need to go into overtime in order to get our work done this year. While making decisions…
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Video Update: Investing in Washington | April 18, 2017
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Children’s mental health passes! | April 13, 2017
Children’s mental health passes! I am so proud to say that yesterday, the Senate passed my children’s mental health bill, HB 1713! On the same day, my op-ed on the…
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House budget invests in Washington’s families | March 31, 2017
OLYMPIA – The “Families First” budget passed by House Democrats on Friday, March 31, includes critical investments in programs and services that benefit the children and families of Washington state….
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Video Update: Putting ‘Families First’ | March 31, 2017
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The Senate Republican Budget and Town Hall Update | March 24, 2017
Why the Senate Republican budget will not work for Washington House Democrats knew the Senate Republican budget proposal would rely on cuts that harm our children, families and our state…
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Video Update: Transportation and ST3 | March 17, 2017
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‘Levy cliff’ fix passes! | March 10, 2017
Levy cliff update: It passed and is on to the Governor’s desk! Wednesday night, the Senate finally passed their version of the “levy cliff bill,” sponsored by our own 41st…
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House passes Equal Pay, Supporting working women and the Upcoming Town Hall! | March 9, 2017
Equal Pay Passes! Last night, on International Women’s Day, the House passed my Equal Pay Opportunity Act! I am so proud to be sponsoring this strong bill for women and families. This…
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House approves Equal Pay Opportunity Act | March 8, 2017
OLYMPIA—The Equal Pay Opportunity Act was the last bill considered on the House floor this evening. It passed on a 61-36 vote and is on its way to the Senate….
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MEDIA ADVISORY- Passage of Equal Pay Opportunity Act anticipated today | March 8, 2017
Passage of the Equal Pay Opportunity Act is anticipated later today. Rep. Tana Senn (D-Mercer Island), the bill’s sponsor, will be available for questions from reporters in the wings of…
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Video Update: Saying No to Hate | March 8, 2017
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Podcast: Saying no to hate, with Rep. Tana Senn and Rabbi Daniel Weiner | March 8, 2017
Rep. Tana Senn and Rabbi Daniel Weiner discuss the rise in anti-Semitism and acts of hate across the nation, and what’s being done about it here in Washington state. Click the play…
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41st Legislative District Town Hall | March 6, 2017
Who: State Rep. Tana Senn, State Rep. Judy Clibborn, and State Sen. Lisa Wellman What: Town hall meeting When: 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Saturday, March 18, 2017 Where: Somerset Elementary School,…
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Video Update: Student Loans | March 1, 2017
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Statement Condemning Bomb Threat at Mercer Island JCC | February 28, 2017
In response to the bomb threat at the Jewish Community Center in their own community of Mercer Island, Rep. Tana Senn, Rep. Judy Clibborn and Senator Lisa Wellman, issued the…
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Day of Remembrance, Preventing Gun Violence and Civics for Kids | February 24, 2017
Day of Remembrance and standing up to federal executive orders On February 19, 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066. That order resulted in 120,000 Japanese-Americans and people of…
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House passes strong education proposal | February 22, 2017
Keeping our promise to one million school kids The House of Representatives voted today to approve HB 1843, a bill that would ensure our schools are fully funded and that…
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Day of Remembrance Video | February 15, 2017
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Immigration Executive Order, Education Funding & Childcare | February 10, 2017
Washington v. Trump’s Executive Order President Trump’s executive order that restricted all refugees and immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries was a shock. As the granddaughter of Holocaust refugees, and…
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VIDEO UPDATE: Children’s Mental Health | February 3, 2017
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MEDIA ADVISORY: Individuals touched by children’s mental health issues available after bill hearing | January 31, 2017
WHO: Rep. Tana Senn (41st Legislative District) Mary Richards Roseann Martinez WHAT: Hearing on House Bill 1713, related to children’s mental health and media availability with affected individuals WHERE: Olympia,…
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Labor Committee approves Equal Pay, Salary History, and Fair Chance measures | January 30, 2017
Labor Committee approves Equal Pay, Salary History, and Fair Chance measures The House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee passed three bills Monday that could help close the gender wage gap…
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Levy Cliff, Social Emotional Learning & Equal Pay | January 26, 2017
Extending the Levy Cliff Passes the House! The House passed its first bill of the 2017 Legislative session on Monday—extending the levy lid lift! (Also known as the “Levy Cliff”…
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Senn pushes for equal pay again | January 24, 2017
This afternoon, the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee heard compelling testimony from advocates, workers and business owners in support of HB 1506, the Equal Pay Opportunity Act aimed at…
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MEDIA ADVISORY: Equal Pay and Salary History to be heard today at 1:30 PM | January 24, 2017
Today at 1:30 PM, the House Labor and Workforce Standards Committee will hear public testimony on two bills that would support Washington families by improving economic conditions for working women:…
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Rep. Tana Senn introduces legislation to help students gain social and emotional skills, reduce summer learning loss | January 20, 2017
OLYMPIA – Rep. Tana Senn is looking out for kids who need a little extra help with the bill she introduced today (HB1518) to increase the availability of social emotional…
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Welcome to the 2017 Legislative Session | January 16, 2017
Greetings from Olympia! During the first week of the 2017 legislative session, I was officially sworn in to serve the constituents of the 41st District for my second full term….
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Legislative update from Rep. Tana Senn | December 1, 2016
Dear Neighbor, I’m happy to report that the 41st Legislative District voted overwhelmingly to send me back to Olympia as their State Representative. It has been an honor to serve…
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Election year restrictions in effect | June 30, 2016
Because this is an election year, certain restrictions on my external communications are currently in effect, to avoid even the appearance of using state resources for election purposes. Those restrictions…
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Senn Elected Chair of Children’s Mental Health Work Group | June 27, 2016
Children’s mental health is a burgeoning field with more and more research focused on the importance of brain development in the first six years of life and the negative and…
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Representative Tana Senn gets Crayon Award for her advocacy on behalf of young children | June 2, 2016
June 2, 2016 Legislative news from Rep. Tana Senn Rep. Tana Senn (D-Mercer Island) has been selected by the Early Learning Action Alliance as a Crayon Award recipient for 2016….
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End of session newsletter from Rep. Tana Senn | May 4, 2016
It’s been an exciting year in the Legislature and wanted to share with you a few policies that effect our community, our kids, and our economy. OUR ECONOMY Bellevue College:…
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A look at our 2016 budgets | April 28, 2016
Budget Overview In our closing e-newsletter of the 2016 session, I want to share with you a little about the operating and capital budgets and how they work together to…
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Statement by Representative Tana Senn Recognizing April 12 as Equal Pay Day | April 12, 2016
OLYMPIA – Representative Tana Senn (D-Mercer Island), the lead sponsor of Washington State’s equal pay bill, released the following statement today in recognition of Equal Pay Day – which marks…
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How did your priorities fare this session? | April 7, 2016
With special session wrapped up, and the supplemental budget on its way to the Governor’s desk, I want to respond to YOUR questions. Below is a quick update on the…
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An Update from the Legislative Session | March 16, 2016
Today is the final day of the 2016 regular legislative session. However, with agreement on a supplemental budget still in the works, it seems likely that we still have a…
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Fairness, funding and families | March 3, 2016
We’re heading into the home stretch of the 2016 legislative session with each chamber considering bills passed by the other. The heavy lifting around the three budgets (operating, capital and…
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Senate budget hurts, House budget invests in Washington’s local government priorities | February 29, 2016
OLYMPIA – The state House and Senate budgets offer vastly different approaches to the problems facing Washington’s cities, counties and other local governments. Rep. Tana Senn (D-Mercer Island), who chairs…
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Rep. Senn’s floor statement on Holocaust | February 26, 2016
The following remarks were made on February 25, 2016 in support of an amendment to the House Supplemental Operating Budget. Amendment 826 provides $250,000 to Western Washington University for the endowment…
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Teachers, traffic, town hall, and more | February 18, 2016
We are halfway through this year’s legislative session. Bills that have been passed by the House or the Senate now are sent to the other body for consideration. Other bills…
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Safer buildings, safer communities through a cooperative approach | February 16, 2016
OLYMPIA – The organization charged with creating codes to ensure safety of the buildings within which Washingtonians live, work and play would continue operating, under a bill approved by the…
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Bellevue College, others may soon be able to provide full four-year degrees | February 15, 2016
OLYMPIA – Washington students may soon have more higher-education options. The state House today passed HB 2769, sponsored by Rep. Tana Senn (D-Mercer Island), to create a pilot program for…
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Vulnerable kids to get needed stability under measure passed by the House | February 12, 2016
OLYMPIA – Providing stability for Washington’s most vulnerable children is the intent of a bill passed today by the state House. HB 2716, sponsored by Rep. Tana Senn (D-Mercer Island),…
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Rep. Senn named Legislator of the Week by Fuse Washington | February 8, 2016
Rep. Tana Senn earns “Legislator of the Week” Award for work on equal pay Fuse Washington named Rep. Tana Senn (D-Mercer Island) as the “Legislator of the Week” for her…
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Women, K-12 education and community colleges | February 5, 2016
A great week for women I am thrilled to announce that this week the House passed my equal pay legislation, HB 1646. This bill, known as the Equal Pay Opportunity…
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Rep Senn’s floor statement on passage of HR 1646 – Equal Pay | February 5, 2016
Approved by the Washington House of Representatives on February 3, 2016 America is a nation founded on the ideal that all of us are created equal. That should hold…
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State House approves equal pay legislation | February 3, 2016
OLYMPIA – Washington State took a major step toward pay equity today with the passage of the Equal Pay Opportunity Act. HB 1646, sponsored by Rep. Tana Senn (D-Mercer Island),…
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Shortages, savings, and sentencing | February 1, 2016
Greetings from Olympia! I’m honored to represent you in the state House of Representatives as we continue to work on addressing Washington’s pressing needs. Teacher Shortage at a Crisis Point…
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Equal pay for equal work – just not in Washington State | January 28, 2016
OLYMPIA – Friday, January 29 marks the 7th anniversary of President Obama signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law, reaffirming the rights of individuals who have suffered from…
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Taking aim at the hidden cost of gun violence | January 12, 2016
The echo of gunfire from violent crime may reverberate through society for years, leaving hidden costs to be borne by communities already grieving for their families, friends, and neighbors. Two…
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A quick note before the holidays | November 24, 2015
A Time for Compassion Our 41st legislative district, encompassing one of the most diverse zip codes in the US, benefits from the cultural and religious diversity, entrepreneurial spirit, differing viewpoints…
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Group of House Democrats sends letter to Inslee supporting acceptance of refugees | November 23, 2015
OLYMPIA – Today a group of 18 House Democrats sent a letter to Governor Inslee commending his leadership in the potential resettlement of thousands of families and orphans from war-torn…
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Mental Health Care for our Kids | October 30, 2015
As a member of a House leadership task force on mental health, I have been discussing needed improvements and system changes for our mental health system on top of the…
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Looking at the state of education in Washington | October 14, 2015
Education: This Year and Next Issues around education have been making steady headlines in our papers and in our communities, from teacher strikes and the McCleary court case, to charter…
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Statement from Rep. Tana Senn on being named an Overall City Champion by Association of Washington Cities | September 16, 2015
In recognition for her “consistent focus on advocating for the interests of cities” by the Association of Washington Cities, State Representative Tana Senn (D-Mercer Island) released the following statement: “I…
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Washington in Danger of Being Left Behind on Equal Pay | August 27, 2015
California joins Oregon in passing Equal Pay legislation as Washington Senate flails OLYMPIA – Despite existing state laws, Washington lags behind much of the country in equal pay for women….
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Capital and Transportation Budgets Update from Rep. Senn | July 31, 2015
Last week I updated you on the operating budget, which made strong investments in education and our social safety net (If you missed last week’s e-newsletter, read it here.). The…
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Rep. Senn honored by King County Coalition for People with Developmental Disabilities | July 28, 2015
Inspiration Playground, Social Emotional Learning major highlights of her work this year OLYMPIA – As one of the lead members on developmental disabilities on the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee,…
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Budget Update: Education and Social Safety Net from Rep. Senn | July 17, 2015
Well, we made it! With the passage of the 2015-2017 operating budget and a new 16-year transportation package, the House and Senate have finally adjourned for the year. By closing…
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Statement from Rep. Tana Senn on Passage of Transportation Package | July 1, 2015
“Late last night, the Washington State House of Representatives voted on an important transportation revenue package that reflects years of negotiation. A transportation package stalled in the senate two years…
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Policy Highlights in Education | June 8, 2015
While the news lately has been all about budget negotiations which are still ongoing, I want to share good news about some education policies that may have flown below the…
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Rep. Senn presents award to faculty of Marysville-Pilchuck High School | May 28, 2015
I recently had the opportunity to present the first annual Champion for Children Award to the faculty and staff of Marysville Pilchuck High School for their actions during last year’s…
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Where we are on mental health and marijuana | May 15, 2015
Hello friends, It’s an unfortunate reality that special session is needed in order to finish the budget process. While I was hopeful and optimistic we could finish on time, Senate…
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Tolling, Transportation & Local Projects: An Update From Rep. Senn | April 21, 2015
A Video Update: Tolling Problems And How We’re Fixing Them Recently a constituent emailed my office with a specific problem with how the Department of Transportation deals with fines…
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Thoughts on the budget from Rep. Senn | April 16, 2015
Hello from Olympia! Budget negotiations have begun! As House and Senate budget leaders gather to hammer out the differences between their two proposals, there are some ‘must dos,’ including education,…
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Statement from Rep. Tana Senn on Equal Pay Day | April 13, 2015
OLYMPIA – Representative Tana Senn, D-Mercer Island, today released the following statement: “April 14 is Equal Pay Day. It marks another year since the Equal Pay Act passed and yet…
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Legislative update: The House and Senate budgets | April 8, 2015
A couple of weeks ago, the House released our budget that puts us on the path to fully funding education and fixing many of the holes left from the Great…
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Legislative Update from Rep. Tana Senn: Equal Pay and Education Funding | March 18, 2015
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…
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Read Rep. Tana Senn’s Op-Ed in the Seattle Times on the Gender Wage Gap | March 16, 2015
IT was 1943. Our country was at war, women were filling job openings left by departing soldiers, rotary dial telephones were the norm and a computer’s weight was measured in…
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Hear Rep. Tana Senn on KUOW discussing Equal Pay | March 12, 2015
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Equal Pay Opportunity Act Passes State House | March 11, 2015
OLYMPIA – Despite the state’s 1943 Equal Pay law, the gap between men and women’s pay remains. In fact, women in Washington state made just 79 cents to the man’s…
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Computer Science Education and Paid Sick and Safe Leave | March 9, 2015
Greetings! It’s been quite an exciting time down here in Olympia these past few weeks! I’ve gotten to vote on several important issues including oil train safety, limiting toxic flame…
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Join Rep. Tana Senn and the 41st District Legislators for a Town Hall Meeting | March 6, 2015
Who: State Reps. Tana Senn and Judy Clibborn, and Sen. Steve Litzow What: Town hall meeting When: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Saturday, March 14, 2015 Where: Somerset Elementary School,…
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Rep. Tana Senn’s comments from the floor on Paid Sick Leave | March 4, 2015
Below are the comments from Rep. Tana Senn’s floor speech during the debate on Paid Sick Leave, which passed in the House yesterday. “Mr. Speaker, I’m one of those people…
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Legislative Update from Rep. Tana Senn | February 19, 2015
Social emotional learning needed for our children Education and mental health stand out as two of the most important issues facing the legislature this session. In an effort to address…
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Reps. Judy Clibborn and Tana Senn on memorial for former Rep. Ida Ballasiotes | February 19, 2015
OLYMPIA—During a somber joint session in the Capitol building yesterday, members from the House and Senate met to honor former Washington elected officials who have passed away in the last…
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Hello from Olympia! A legislative update from Rep. Tana Senn | February 13, 2015
Hello from Olympia! We are well into the 2015 legislative session here in Olympia and I wanted to let you know about some of the work we are doing….
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LEGISLATIVE NEWS: Bipartisan bill meshes education and mental health | February 11, 2015
OLYMPIA–Incorporating social and emotional learning into academic preparation is the focus of new legislation proposed by two Mercer Island lawmakers. The bills, sponsored by Sen. Steve Litzow and Rep. Tana…
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Rep. Senn’s introduces bi-partisan bill to address social-emotional learning standards | February 9, 2015
State Rep. Tana Senn recognizes the importance of good mental health skills in order to achieve academic success. That’s why she introduced HB 1760, which has bipartisan support in both…
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