Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We are hitting the home stretch of the legislative session with less than 10 days left to go. In this newsletter update, I want to share with you how we’re managing our budget and what we’re doing to help you manage yours.
Increasing affordability in Washington 
From housing to energy costs, food security, health care and child care, we are looking at any and every way we can bring Washington families some relief.
Policies from both the House and Senate are still in consideration.
- HB 1903 – would create a statewide low-income energy assistance program
- HB 2242 – would ensure patients have access to preventive health care service without out-of-pocket costs
- HB 2294 – would allow a new grocer to come in to a local community if the current grocery closes, ensuring convenient access to affordable food and medicine
- SB 5993 – would cap interest on medical debt at 1% to help ease the financial strain of the high cost of medical care
- SB 5496 – would restrict the number of single-family homes that businesses and corporations can purchase to give Washingtonians a fighting chance at homeownership
- SB 5500 – would set up a critical study of the current cost of quality child care so we have a better understanding of the market, and how to make it more affordable
Here is a list of all the bills proposed by members of the House that could help make our Washington more affordable for families. You can also see their current status.
Even though we are coming to the end of the session, please reach out to my office to let me know what you think of these proposals. Your thoughts and opinions on policy are the greatest drivers of my work here and it’s critical that I represent your voice on these important matters.
A note on the ‘Millionaire’s tax’ bill
This is a proposal that I am still gathering feedback on and working through. One aspect I was happy to see get amended in the House version of this bill was stripping out a massive corporate tax break. While the policy still has a way to go, I think this is an important first step toward making our tax code work better for working families. And if we’re going to pursue something like this, getting rid of that tax break ensures that the revenue from the policy benefits people, not corporations.
Budget update
One of the most critical and difficult bills we must pass this session is the operating budget. Of the three budgets we pass, the operating budget is the big one that pays for human services, K-12 education, public defense, and more. I’m sure you’ve already heard of the budget challenge we currently face, that’s now been exacerbated since the federal government has largely abandoned its economic partnership with the states. That means we have to pick up the bill. But our budget teams are committed to working together to ensure we’re doing the best we can to minimize harm, and ensure Washingtonians remain housed, fed, and able to access health care. I will continue to advocate for our district and work with my colleagues to put people first.
Keep an eye out for my next e-news update where I’ll be able to share how the session shook out and where these important policies ultimately landed.
Sincerely,
Rep. Tarra Simmons