Thanks for joining our town hall, and an update on my bills!

March 24, 2025

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Before I get into the latest on what’s happening in Olympia, I want to quickly thank all of you that joined Sen. Shewmake and Rep. Rule and me at our recent town hall in Ferndale. It was fantastic to see such a large turnout and receive thoughtful questions that sparked important conversations about the issues that matter most to our community. Having these discussions together makes us stronger and better equipped to serve constituents throughout Whatcom County.

With hundreds of attendees, we heard concerns about the state budget deficit, funding for local schools, as well as how federal actions will impact us, including our relationship with Canada. You can read more in this write up from the Cascadia Daily News.

I truly appreciate everyone who took the time to engage with us. Your voices help shape the work we do in Olympia, and I look forward to continuing the conversation. If you couldn’t make it, my door is always open — learn more about how to get in touch with my office here.

Here’s the latest on my bills

We recently passed an important deadline called ‘House of Origin’ cutoff, the last day for House bills to be voted out of the House and Senate bills to be voted out of the Senate. Any bill that passed out of the House goes over to the Senate for consideration and vice versa. With less than 40 days left in the session to pass bills and pass the state’s budgets, things will move quickly down the final stretch – you can stay informed by tracking bills and by tuning in to TVW to watch the action live.

Elevating the voices of transit riders

I’m excited to share House Bill 1418 passed off the House floor with bipartisan support. This bill would create a way for transit users to have more say in decisions about public transit that I think will greatly benefit our regional public transportation systems. HB 1418 is now in the Senate and recently received a hearing in the Senate Transportation Committee. You can watch my floor speech on this bill here.

Supporting hardworking college students

My latest video talks about HB 1540, and I’m thrilled to share that this bill has also passed off the House floor. This bill will add Northwest Indian College (NWIC) to the list of schools that can utilize the state’s Students Experiencing Homelessness and Foster Youth program. This means that, if passed, this bill will help NWIC students access resources to assist with basic needs such as housing and food insecurity, helping students stay in school, achieve their academic goals and join our workforce. Learn more in my video here:

I will continue to shepherd this legislation through the process and update you as I go.

Make sure your ID is REAL ID compliant – you can’t fly without it!

Finally, a quick PSA.

On May 7, 2025, the federal REAL ID Act  goes into effect nationwide. Beginning on that date, you will need a REAL ID-compliant driver license in order to fly in the U.S. or enter a restricted federal facility. Click here to learn more and click here to see if you’re ready for this change.

REAL ID is a federal law, though Washington state has worked hard to help people get the ID they need to comply and fly. These new requirements are for flying domestically, and under this change you will still need a passport to fly overseas. Below is additional resources related to REAL ID and how you can navigate the changes ahead.

Here’s what you can use:

Before you buy a plane ticket, please make sure your passport is current—or that you have another form of acceptable identification.

For more information, visit the state Department of Licensing page about REAL ID or the federal Homeland Security FAQ.

That’s all for now. Please keep an eye out for my next legislative update.

Sincerely,

Rep. Joe Timmons