Dear friends and neighbors,
The Washington State Legislature’s opening day was Jan. 9, and I am absolutely honored to be here and ready to work hard as your representative! Generally, the opening day of Legislative Session includes new members being sworn into their roles. I, however, was first sworn in a few weeks early—on Dec. 21, 2022, by Justice Mary I. Yu of the Washington Supreme Court.
I am humbled to join 57 other members of the House Democratic Caucus for the 2023 Legislative Session. Homelessness and housing, reproductive freedom, public safety and gun violence, and more are some of the key issues legislators will be focused on tackling during this year’s 105-day session. The Washington State Legislature is scheduled to adjourn on April 23, and before legislators return to their home districts, the 2023-25 state budget must also be written and approved.
At the end of my first week, I had the opportunity to sit down and reflect on what’s happened so far, and what I aim to achieve this session. Click here or on the image above to watch the video.
My Committees & Bills So Far
I have been selected to be a Vice Chair of the House Transportation Committee and will I work diligently to ensure that Whatcom County receives the benefits of last year’s transformative Move Ahead Washington transportation package. This includes funding for road maintenance and preservation projects, increased access to transit and removal of fish passage barriers. I am also serving on the Education and Postsecondary Education and Workforce committees.
At the end of my first week, I also sponsored House Bill 1302. It was first read on the House Floor on Friday, Jan. 13, and referred to the Transportation Committee for further consideration. This bill permits auto dealers to file a report of sale with the Department of Licensing on behalf of an owner who trades in or sells ownership of a vehicle to the dealer. If this bill becomes law it will benefit auto dealers and consumers alike. Under current law, people trading in or selling their vehicle cannot work with auto dealers to file a report of sale on their behalf and there are many instances where the report of sale is not filed at all, leading to instances where folks receive bills for fines attributed to vehicles they no longer own. This bill would make it easier for vehicle report of sales to be filed so there are less of these unfortunate instances.
Earlier this week, I also introduced House Bill 1431, which is a sales tax exemption bill for seniors who live in assisted living communities. Specifically, this bill clarifies that meals provided as an amenity of a senior living community are not subject to sales tax. While the primary purpose of senior living communities is to offer healthcare services, amenities such as meals, activity programming, transportation and housekeeping are an important component to the services offered.
Why is this so important for our state? Older Washingtonians—including those living in senior living communities—often live on fixed incomes. Nearly 50 percent of people over the age of 65 rely just on social security payments alone to get by! With the rising cost of living, this bill will provide some relief for seniors by ensuring that meals provided by senior living communities are exempt from sales tax.
The Legislative Page Program is Back!
With the Legislature back to an in-person session in Olympia, the legislative page program is back and accepting applications! The page program gives young Washington residents the chance to learn and participate in the legislative process by attending page school, assisting offices, delivering messages, and working on the House and Senate floors.
This unique opportunity is open to all Washington residents who are at least 14 years old but have not reached their 17th birthday. We’re making a one-time exception this session to allow 17- and 18-year-olds to participate during two specific weeks since the program was discontinued during remote legislative sessions in the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information, including how to apply, please visit the page program’s website by clicking here.
Participating in This Year’s Session + Staying Informed
This year’s session is considered hybrid, as the Legislature is keeping many of the remote features established in the earlier days of the pandemic. This includes opportunities for Whatcom County residents to testify on bills via Zoom during committee hearings without having to travel to Olympia. You can learn more about how to participate in the legislative process online, and the infographic below provides specific information as well.
This biweekly newsletter will give you a sense of the issues I am working on, and the progress being made in Olympia this session. I welcome your ideas and encourage you to reach out by emailing or calling me about issues important to you and your loved ones. I also encourage you to follow my legislative Facebook page for regular updates.
I would also like to give a shout out to my seatmate in the 42nd Legislative District, Representative Alicia Rule. Last week, Rep. Rule, along with Republican Eric Robertson from the 31st LD, introduced House Bill 1363. This bill will improve laws around vehicle pursuits. A one-size-fits-all pursuit policy simply does not work for every community in our state and this bill will allow police agencies to set their own pursuit polices. I support Rep. Rule on this bill as a co-sponsor and am excited to see her leadership on this topic. From time to time, it is possible that you will be hearing from both of us in a joint newsletter. With three Democrats in the 42nd LD —Rep. Rule, Senator Sharon Shewmake and myself—we also recently sat down to write and send a letter to President Biden outlining our request to allow Canadians to use land borders to enter the United States regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status. You can read the full letter here. I am thrilled to be working alongside Rep. Rule and Sen. Shewmake, and I look forward to collaborating together on behalf of our Whatcom County community.
Best,
