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Governor Signs Rep. Simmons’ Groundbreaking Mental Health Parity Legislation | May 12, 2025
Today, Governor Bob Ferguson signed Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1432 into law, marking a significant milestone in Washington’s efforts to ensure equitable access to mental health and substance use…
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House recognizes Bremerton High School basketball team with Resolution | April 21, 2025
OLYMPIA – Today, the Washington State House of Representatives recognized the Bremerton High School Varsity Boy’s Basketball team with a House Resolution. The team won the 2025 2A State Championship,…
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Simmons bill ensuring coverage for life-saving mental health care on its way to Governor’s desk | April 14, 2025
OLYMPIA – In a major step forward for mental health care in Washington, the State Senate near-unanimously passed House Bill 1432 today, sending the bill to the Governor’s desk. …
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House passes Simmons bill to ensure coverage for life-saving mental health care | March 13, 2025
OLYMPIA – Tuesday, the Washington State House of Representatives passed House Bill 1432 which establishes a definition of “medical necessity” that includes mental health services and substance abuse disorder services. …
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House passes Simmons bill to improve Advanced Practice Registered Nurse and Physician Assistant pay | March 4, 2025
OLYMPIA – A bill to increase pay for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) and Physician Assistants (PAs) has passed the State House of Representatives. Sponsored by Rep. Tarra Simmons, D-Bremerton,…
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‘Free The Vote Act’ to protect incarcerated individuals’ right to vote clears committee | February 22, 2025
OLYMPIA – Currently, people in Washington state prisons have their right to vote taken away as part of their punishment. While people’s voting rights are automatically restored upon release, a…
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Simmons Bill to Open Pathways for Community-Based Health Care in Jails to Hear Public Testimony in the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee | February 12, 2025
OLYMPIA – Most Washington residents are able to shop around for health insurance that fits their family’s circumstances and wallets. This is not the case incarcerated individuals, and the communities…
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Rep. Simmons Elected Deputy Speaker Pro Tempore | December 13, 2024
Olympia – Wednesday, Rep. Tarra Simmons, D-Bremerton, was elected by members of the House Democratic Caucus in the Washington State Legislature to serve as Deputy Speaker Pro Tempore. The Deputy…
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Join us for an in-person Town Hall meeting for the 23rd Legislative District on April 13th | April 9, 2024
Join us for an in-person Town Hall meeting for the 23rd Legislative District on April 13th, hosted by Rep. Tarra Simmons, Sen. Drew Hansen, and Rep. Greg Nance. This is…
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Simmons sends bill to enhance financial support for the Washington Physician Health Program to governor’s desk | March 6, 2024
OLYMPIA—Rep. Tarra Simmons, D-Bremerton, House Bill 1972, has sent a piece of legislation to strengthen financial support for the Washington Physician Health Program (WPHP) to the governor’s desk. “COVID-19 was…
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Simmons bill to extend support services for drug court graduates on the way to governor’s desk | February 29, 2024
OLYMPIA—A bill to extend support services for drug court graduates is now on the way to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk for his signature before becoming law. House Bill 1983, introduced…
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Simmons champions Keep Our Care Act in the House | February 26, 2024
OLYMPIA – The House Appropriations Committee passed the Keep Our Care Act on Monday. Designed to keep hospitals from consolidating if the deal diminishes patients’ access to services, the passage…
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Simmons’ bill providing judicial discretion for sentence modification passes House | February 14, 2024
OLYMPIA – A bill to provide judicial discretion to modify sentences in the interests of justice passed the Washington House of Representatives with a vote of 51-46. Sponsored by Rep….
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Simmons bill to extend support services for drug court graduates post-graduation passes House | February 9, 2024
OLYMPIA – A bill to extend support services for drug court graduates passed the Washington House of Representatives Thursday Afternoon with a vote of 97-00. Sponsored by Rep. Tarra Simmons…
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Simmons bill to enhance financial support for the Washington Physician Health Program passes on to the Senate | February 6, 2024
OLYMPIA – A bill to strengthen the Washington Physician Health Program passed the Washington House of Representatives Tuesday afternoon with a vote of 97-0. Sponsored by Rep Tara Simmons (D-Bremerton),…
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Two Simmons bills hear public testimony in the House Health Care & Wellness Committee | January 22, 2024
OLYMPIA—Two of Rep. Tarra Simmons’ (D-Bremerton) bills to improve access to health care were heard in the House Health Care & Wellness Committee last Friday, Jan. 19. The first of…
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Simmons’ Judicial Discretion Act (HB 2001) to Hear Public Testimony in the House Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry Committee | January 22, 2024
OLYMPIA—Turning her troubled past into success to help others has been something Rep. Tarra Simmons (D-Bremerton) has been known for ever since she became a state representative in 2021. As…
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Years long journey leads to the elimination of mandatory LFOs | May 16, 2023
OLYMPIA—Yesterday, in the state reception room, Governor Jay Inslee signed House Bill 1169, a bill to eliminate mandatory Legal Financial Obligations (LFOs), with State Supreme Court Justices looking…
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Simmons bill to improve patient access to care passes Senate unanimously | April 13, 2023
OLYMPIA—A bill to improve patient access to care passed the Senate unanimously yesterday. Sponsored by Rep. Tarra Simmons, D-Bremerton, House Bill 1357 modernizes the prior authorization process. Before a healthcare…
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House Passes Bill to Address Addiction Crisis and Update Possession Statute | April 12, 2023
OLYMPIA – The Washington State House of Representatives passed an amended version of Senate Bill 5536 on Tuesday evening, updating Washington’s statute for possession of controlled substances and creating a…
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House Committee Amends Senate Bill to Create Comprehensive System for Drug Treatment and Possession | March 28, 2023
The House Community Safety, Justice & Reentry Committee passed an amended version of SB 5536, a bill ensuring access to pre-trial diversion, funding treatment and recovery services, and creating a…
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House passes Simmons bill to reform Legal Financial Obligations | March 3, 2023
OLYMPIA – A bill to reform Washington’s Legal Financial Obligation (LFOs) system passed the Washington House of Representatives Tuesday evening with a vote of 56-41. Sponsored by Rep. Tarra Simmons…
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LEGISLATIVE NEWS: Washington Legislators form First Latino Democratic Caucus / Legisladores de Washington forman el Primer Caucus Demócrata Latino | February 17, 2023
Vea más abajo para la versión en español OLYMPIA—Eight House and three Senate Democrats in the Washington State Legislature announced the creation of the first ever Latino caucus. “I am…
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Bill to pay incarcerated workers minimum wage passes House Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry Committee | January 19, 2023
Olympia- The Real Labor, Real Wages Act, which would mandate that incarcerated workers are paid state minimum wage, cleared its first legislative hurdle today when it was voted out of…
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Simmons introduces bill to improve voting in jails | January 12, 2023
OLYMPIA – Innocent until proven guilty. That is the basis of the American criminal legal system. The majority of people incarcerated in county jails have not yet been convicted of…
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Simmons introduces the Real Labor, Real Wages Act to end ‘slavery loophole’ in Washington State | December 8, 2022
OLYMPIA – Today, Rep. Tarra Simmons (D-Bremerton) introduced the Real Labor, Real Wages Act to require that incarcerated workers in Washington prisons be paid minimum wage. Currently, people incarcerated in…
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House Passes Simmons Bill to Provide Relief from Legal Financial Obligations for Low-Income People | February 10, 2022
OLYMPIA – Legislation to allow judges to waive legal financial obligations for those unable to pay them passed the Washington House of Representatives today with a vote of 70-24. Legal…
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House gives bipartisan OK to legislation standardizing charity hospital billing practices throughout the state | February 5, 2022
Lawmakers in Olympia are considering legislation to level the playing field for hospital patients throughout the state. SIMMONS: “Two point two million Washingtonians, the constituents, the people that we are…
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Simmons Named 2021 Legislator of the Year by the National Alliance on Mental Illness-Washington | December 13, 2021
OLYMPIA – Rep. Tarra Simmons (D-East Bremerton) was named the 2021 Legislator of the Year by the Washington chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Each year NAMI…
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Simmons Named a 2021 Behavioral Health Champion by the National Alliance on Mental Illness-Washington | August 17, 2021
OLYMPIA – Rep. Tarra Simmons (D-East Bremerton) was named a 2021 Behavioral Health Champion by the Washington branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Each year NAMI Washington…
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Simmons bills improving homecare and behavioral health system signed | May 11, 2021
OLYMPIA – Gov. Jay Inslee put his signature Monday (May 10) on a pair of bills with the potential to improve the lives of Washingtonians in virtually every community in…
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Rep. Simmons’ voting-rights bill signed into law | April 8, 2021
“A giant step for civil rights” OLYMPIA – In a remote ceremony required by COVID-19 safety measures, Gov. Jay Inslee today signed House Bill 1078, a measure sponsored by Rep….
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Simmons bills gain bipartisan support in state House | March 2, 2021
OLYMPIA – State Rep. Tarra Simmons saw two of her prime-sponsored bills pass out of the House of Representatives Monday (Mar. 1) with bipartisan majority votes. Both bills will now…
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Simmons’ voting-rights bill OK’d by House | February 24, 2021
OLYMPIA — The state House passed a key civil-rights bill Wednesday in virtual Olympia, opting to automatically restore voting rights to persons who have been released from full incarceration by…
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