Dear neighbors,
Last week was the House of Origin Cutoff week. That means that bills originally introduced in the House had to be voted off the House floor by cutoff by Tuesday, Feb. 15, and the same applies to Senate bills in the Senate.
This is a major deadline in the legislative process that helps us narrow the universe of bills we are considering and really concentrate on the legislation that is either particularly important or on which there is the most agreement.
I am pleased that several of my bills are still alive after cutoff:
- House Bill 1651 will support improved infant and maternal birth outcomes by helping families better control when to have another child by improving access to Immediate Postpartum Contraception for women.
- House Bill 1784 would allow a vehicle’s back license plate to be temporarily obscured by a bike rack, ski rack, trailer being towed by a vehicle, or wheelchair lift (as long as the front plate is visible).
- House Bill 1851 will make our abortion laws gender neutral, and will grant specific statutory authorization for certain providers acting within their scope of practice to perform abortions.
- House Bill 1852 will expand language accessibility to prescription medications by requiring the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission to establish requirements for translations.
- House Bill 1888 aligns qualifying standards between federal and state programs to make sure the Working Families Tax Credit operates as intended.
- House Bill 2096 makes technical changes to the Working Families Tax Credit.
I thank my colleagues in the House for supporting these bills, and I look forward to working with the Senate to pass them into law!
Bills that serve Washington
Last week, the House passed legislation to serve the people of Washington in ways that help them move forward and better their lives.
House Bill 1153 helps close equity gaps in our schools by establishing a language access program for culturally responsive family engagement within our education system. Through this, we ensure that all parents can engage in their children’s learning and development.
Additionally, House Bill 1643 preserves existing housing stock as a way to maintain and expand the portfolio of affordable housing in our communities. This new tool will help non-profit developers and public housing authorities to preserve existing housing and/or acquire land for new development by exempting such transfers from the real estate excise tax (REET), creating an incentive for property owners to sell their properties to these entities.
Update: Transportation Package – Move Ahead Washington
Move Ahead Washington is a transformational 16-year transportation package that invests in the entire state’s infrastructure and transportation sector.
House Democrats hosted more than 90 listening sessions to hear the top transportation priorities from communities across the state. This package addresses the concerns we heard and reflects our focus on meeting the needs of every community in the state.
Move Ahead Washington is a commitment to our values and a promise to put the people of Washington first. It’s a future-oriented proposal that addresses the realities people face today while investing in our communities for tomorrow and beyond.
Keep in touch!
It is an honor to represent you.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with your questions, comments, or concerns.
