Dear neighbors,
This is a quick update about issues I’m working on for you—and what’s happening in your state Legislature.
If you have questions about a specific bill, please feel free to get in touch!
Legislation that affects the 24th District
Early learning (House Bill 1805)
Early learning and child care is incredibly important here in the 24th District and the best way to ensure kids succeed in school and life.
My bill creates an optional .01 addition to a county sales tax to fund additional services to children and their families. That includes child care along with maternity support services, school-based services, workforce capacity building, shelter, and rent assistance.
Timber sales (House Bill 1641)
When a local or state government agency buys working forests from a private seller, the seller is often surprised that they have to pay a higher graduated Real Estate Excise Tax.
That means taxpayers have to pay more for the land, even though they’ll continue to be a working forest. My legislation fixes that problem.
Quicker permits (House Bill 1208)
This bill makes permanent the pilot program for salmon recovery projects.
We can speed up permits and construction projects with this legislation, and the benefits aren’t just for salmon recovery. These projects also help with issues like flooding.
The bill passed Agriculture & Natural Resources and is now in Appropriations.
What’s happening now, and what’s next?
It’s almost the cutoff date for bills to pass policy committees. After that, fiscal committees—like the one I chair, Capital Budget—have an additional week before our deadline to pass bills.
Then we’re on the House floor every day until the deadline to pass House bills, which is called House of origin cutoff. We hear Senate bills in our House committees and vice versa.
Things happen fast. Washington state has a part-time Legislature, only meeting 105 straight days, including weekends, during odd-numbered years like this. We meet for 60 straight days during even-numbered years.
So we have to work together, and do it quickly, to get things done.
Get in touch
I appreciate each of you who’ve written, emailed, or called to share your comments about the issues we’re tackling this session.
It’s an honor to serve as your representative and I’m always open to ideas and stories from the good people of the 24th District. I hope to hear from you soon!
