Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The 2023 legislative session has begun, and we are back in Olympia after operating mostly remotely for two years. Ahead of us is four months of work that is critical to addressing homelessness, expanding behavioral health access, strengthening economic wellbeing, and preventing gun violence. This newsletter introduces the work ahead and what it means for our district and state. Please consider clicking here or on the image below to view my video on staying engaged this session. I hope you will find it useful!
How to Get Involved in the Lawmaking Process
As we tackle these and numerous other issues, I encourage you to stay engaged and participate! I’m excited to let you know that while the legislature will be meeting in person, we will retain the option for remote testimony at committee hearings. This is an important way that we can make the process of creating and amending laws more accessible to everyone. Below are some fantastic ways of following the legislative session:
- Learn—The whole legislative process, from start to finish, is explained at leg.wa.gov/legislature/Pages/Overview.aspx
- Watch—Go to TVW.org for broadcasts of debates, votes, committee meetings, and other events in the House and Senate. There’s also an extensive archive of past events if you couldn’t watch it live.
- Research—To look up legislation by lawmaker or topic, visit app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/
- Testify—The 2021 Legislative Session proved that remote testimony is a great way for everyone to have a chance to share their voice. The remote committee testimony system will continue to be in use for all testimony for all bills.
Consumer Protection & Business Committee
For this upcoming legislative session, I am honored to share that my colleagues elected me as Chair of the House Consumer Protection & Business Committee. Since I joined the legislature in 2019, I have been committed to increasing consumer safety by creating an economic landscape that works for all Washingtonians. Issues such as payday lending, monopolies, and licensing and workforce barriers will be crucial in creating sustainable economic growth. Looking ahead, I am excited to lead a bipartisan effort to provide equitable access to credit, streamline professional licensing, and punish scam callers.
2023 Legislative Priorities
I encourage you to look at the legislation I will be supporting here. As session progresses, affordable housing will be one of the most important issues before us. The cost of housing has been increasing faster than people can keep up. People are being driven out of communities where their families grew up and into homelessness. This year brings crucial legislation to address supply, affordability, and stabilization of housing.
Another large issue on the docket is ending the epidemic of gun violence. Four critical gun safety bills will be making their way through the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee to require a permit to purchase a firearm, comprehensive background check, mandatory safety training, and a 10-day waiting period. Additionally, legislation has been proposed to end state preemption and allow local communities to create commonsense gun safety measures.
Lastly, my colleagues and I will be working to address the behavioral health impacts of the last two years. This will include a focus on expanding behavioral health response and investing in behavioral healthcare facilities. It is more important than ever that we pursue an integrated system for how behavioral health and substance abuse are treated. I am hopeful this will create an efficient and productive system.
Legislative Page Program
With the Legislature returning to in-person meetings 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 legislative offices, delivering messages, and working on the House and Senate floors.
This unique opportunity is open to Washington residents who are at least 14 years old but have not reached their 17th birthday. This year only, the House is allowing 17- and 18-year-olds to participate during two specific weeks since the program was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Please note that we have a scholarship program available to students interested in the page program. The goal of the scholarship is to encourage all students – regardless of income level – to participate in the page program by helping to offset the expense of travel to and staying in Olympia during their week of service. By reducing the financial burden for families, the legislature hopes to make participation of this great educational opportunity economically feasible for students across Washington. For more information, please visit the page program’s website by clicking here.
Let Me Know What Is Important To You
If you come down to Olympia, please schedule a time for us to meet so you can share your concerns with me. I am also happy to meet remotely if you are not quite comfortable in a public setting or simply don’t have time to make it to Olympia. My priority is hearing from you however you are most comfortable, whether remotely or in person.
If you have comments, questions, or ideas, please contact my office. I hope to hear from you soon!
In service,
State Representative Amy Walen
48th Legislative District