Friends and neighbors,
This November, we celebrate the rich cultures and contributions of Native Americans to our country. From their deep connection to the land to their commitment to community, Native Americans have taught us much about how-to live-in harmony with nature and one another. With only sevenshort weeks left until the 2024 legislative session begins, I remain committed ensuring that Washington can be preserved for the next generation, and that all communities can be uplifted and take part-in the economic prosperity of our state. I encourage you to learn more about the treaty rights of our tribal neighbors, learn about the land that was ceded in Washington, and interact with this map to learn more about tribal languages and tribal history.
Out In the Community
Three weeks ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to return to my alma mater, the University of Washington, to engage with the NextGen Civic Leader Corps. This is a group of UW undergrad students who engage in a variety of public service activities. It was a pleasure to speak with these Huskies about my legislation establishing and expanding the working families tax credit, the budget proviso to cover healthcare for migrant and undocumented community members, HB 2567 concerning open courts which passed in 2020, and most importantly the need for civic health.
What To Know For 2024 Legislative Session
This interim, our community has shown incredible civic engagement, sharing their thoughts on the issues that matter most. It is an honor to meet with, represent, and advocate for you in the state legislature.
In 2024, the legislature will hold a 60-day session to address community and state issues and pass supplemental budgets. This contrasts with odd-numbered years, when the legislature meets for a longer session to consider biennial state budgets and other major legislation.
For community partners, this means less time to consider bills and less new funding for local projects. However, there is sometimes an opportunity to seek funding for projects that didn’t make the budget last year, address additional spending needs, and act on emerging issues.
If you know any community organizations interested in seeking funding for a local project, please direct them to my office to flag their interest. The sooner I know about your request, the sooner I can start advocating for it in the supplemental budget!
Become A Legislative Page!
I am excited to share that applications are now open for the Legislative Page Program! This is a unique opportunity for teens 14 to 16 years old to participate in the legislative process up close, in Olympia, for one week during the legislative session. Legislative Pages take part in the legislative process and observe the legislature and other branches of our government. They also participate in mock committee hearings and receive daily civics education while serving as a Page. Please note there is a scholarship available to those who need some help to offset the expense of traveling and staying in Olympia for the week. Please kindly share this information to interested individuals or encourage a student to apply. It’s a wonderful and invaluable learning experience for those who are involved.
Stay In Touch
From now until the start of the legislative session, I will be primarily focused on developing and finalizing legislation, while still meeting with constituents in my district. My primary goal is to represent your needs, and to do that best, I will be broadening my reach to include more policy-focused meetings.
Based on your feedback from the summer and fall, I will continue to champion legislation that addresses affordable and accessible health care, long-term care, affordable housing, progressive taxation, pathways to economic prosperity for underserved communities, and invests in K-12 and higher education.
I encourage you to stay involved, stay informed, and continue advocating for the issues that matter to you. Please consider sharing your own legislative priorities with me in this survey, and don’t hesitate to email or call me with ideas and suggestions.
You can review the work of the 2023 legislative session in my mailer and follow me on Facebook for the most up to date information.
Thank you,
Rep. My-Linh Thai