Dear friends and neighbors,
We are about halfway finished with the legislative session, and I’m excited to share an update with you. Last Wednesday marked the final day for House bills to pass of the floor of the House chamber, with the exception of bills that are necessary to implement the budget.
The final bill – also called the five o’ clock bill – was House Bill 1296, guaranteeing students the right to a safe learning environment regardless of gender identity, immigration status, skin color, or anything. If you’re a kid in Washington, you have the right to a quality education and to feel safe in your school.
This bill was really important to me because as an educator, I want all of my students to thrive and feel comfortable showing up as their authentic selves so they can put their energy into learning, not worrying about being bullied or afraid to confide in an adult about potentially unsafe or life-threatening situations.
As a parent, I also want to know that when my kid isn’t with me, they are being taken care of. Parents put a lot of trust in educators and school staff to keep our young learners safe for 8 hours a day, or more. Rights of parents to be involved in their child’s education can co-exist with the rights of students to learn in an inclusive and save environment.
I introduced this bill to clarify a lot of the confusion I was hearing from parents, students, and educators in my district after Initiative 2081 passed last year. While HB 1296 still has a long journey before it reaches the governor’s desk, I am hopeful.
Cutoff wins
Two of my bills passed the House this session! HB 1296 and HB 1669 are both being given public hearings in their respective Senate committees this week, along with a number of other bills I signed on to support. Here’s a few to keep an eye on:
In the Senate Housing Committee
At the beginning of the legislative session just before she became Senator Alvarado, then-Rep. Alvarado introduced her bill to stabilize the rental market for tenants (HB 1217) in Washington state. We passed it out of the House with a 53-42 vote and it is scheduled for public hearing in the Senate on March 19 at 1:30PM. If you tune into the committee hearing on www.TVW.org, you’ll also be able to catch the public hearing for HB 1696, Rep. Taylor’s bill to expand the Covenant Homeownership Program to give more families impacted by years of racially discriminatory practices like redlining the chance to start building generational wealth through homeownership.
In the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee
On Tuesday the committee will hear Rep. Salahuddin’s bill to authorize employees in Washington state to use paid sick leave time for judicial or administrative immigration proceedings (HB 1875). Often those proceedings happen during work hours, and while vacation leave accrual rates vary by company, all businesses are required by state law to grant sick leave to their employees.
A first job is a rite of passage, and for many young people it can provide some spending cash or allow them to help ease the strain of family expenses. What we don’t want is for a teenager to get injured on the job, whether it’s a scratch, losing a limb, or a fatal accident. Rep. Fosse’s HB 1644 ups the penalty for businesses that knowingly put young people at risk on the job so our young workers can reap the benefit of employment without being in harms way.
Curious about other bills? Visit www.leg.wa.gov to get information on legislation introduced this or any other year, or tune in to www.tvw.org for live committee meetings and floor debate action.
49th LD Mid-session town hall
The ladies of the 49th love to hear from you! Every year we hold a mid-session town hall, and this year’s event is scheduled for Thursday, March 27. You’ll be able to call in (more details will be sent out shortly) and ask questions from 6:30-7:30 p.m. I’m looking forward to hearing about your concerns and learning more about what issues you’d like us to tackle here in Olympia. Submit your questions ahead of time here!
Women’s History Month
March is Women’s History Month and I couldn’t be prouder to celebrate the accomplishments of my fellow women legislators, the cool innovations, social and cultural contributions, and leadership of the women in our state and our country. And while we applaud the progress that has carried us here, where women are recognized for their capability and ingenuity as leaders, let’s also recognize the centuries of unseen struggle that generations of women built upon to give their daughters and granddaughters greater opportunity to succeed. But we’re not done – as mothers, as mentors, as friends, as women, we will continue fighting for equality, for reproductive rights, for education, and for a seat at every table and space in every room.
Paging the Legislature
The page program is an amazing way for high school students to learn the legislative ropes. Pages are sponsored by legislators and get to spend a week in Olympia during session learning how a bill gets turned into law, assisting member offices, and working on the chamber floor. This week I had the pleasure of hosting Henry, a constituent of the 49th LD and student in my district. There’s still time to apply for the page program for the 2025 session! Visit https://leg.wa.gov/learn-and-participate/civic-education-programs/page-program/ to learn more.
Apply for the Legislative Youth Advisory Council
Are you or is someone you know a civics-obsessed, enthusiastically involved young person between the ages of 14-18? The Legislative Youth Advisory Council is looking for you (or the young person you know!). This is a great opportunity to take a seat at the table with decision makers and civically influential community members. Applications are accepted through April 30 and you can learn more at https://walyac.org/apply.
As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. I appreciate hearing from you!
