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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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Rep. Simmons’ bill to restore voting rights advances in state House | January 22, 2021
OLYMPIA – The House Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations on Thursday took a significant step toward automatically restoring the right to vote to formerly incarcerated citizens no longer…
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