Dear friends and neighbors,

As we conclude week four of this of this 15-week legislative session, I’ve been meeting with constituents, stakeholders, and colleagues and, of course, debating and voting on bills, all from my desk at home. Sure, there have been some glitches but, overall, this really is working better than anybody expected, so I am confident we will get done on time.

Watch my latest video update on the early action bill and the unemployment insurance tax relief bill.  For more information on these two measures, please keep reading below.

COVID-19 update

A lot has happened since my last newsletter. I have good news and not so good news on the COVID-19 front:

The not so good news is that a new variant of the virus, which spreads more easily, has reached our state. The Department of Health (DOH) has information on how to protect ourselves.

The good news is that DOH has opened four mass vaccination sites across Washington. They are in Kennewick, Spokane, Wenatchee, and Ridgefield, right here in Clark County. They operate by appointment only to people who are currently eligible for the vaccine under Phase 1A or Phase 1B-Tier 1.

However, trying to get an appointment right now is very difficult because vaccine demand has so far outstripped supply. DOH has assured us that more shipments are on the way, so we hope to see the tide turning with deliveries from the federal government ramping up soon. To help in this effort, this past Monday, the House passed an early action emergency pandemic relief bill that includes $618 million to facilitate Washington’s vaccine distribution plan and prepare for future federal action to get vaccines to our state. DOH will be able to use these funds for vaccine distribution, contact tracing, and testing. So yes, things are moving, the bill was voted out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee yesterday and will be taken up for a vote on the Senate Floor within days.

What else is in the early action bill?

House Bill 1368 is the first step toward community and economic recovery. It distributes a whopping $2.2 billion in federal funding to ease the financial hardship of many Washingtonians from all walks of life.

In addition to the $618 million for vaccines and testing that you read about in the previous section, the early action bill includes:

• $365 million in rental assistance.
• $240 million in small business grants similar to the grants that went out last year.
• $52 million for food, cash assistance, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
• $714 million for schools to address learning loss, keep teachers on the payroll, and to help schools get ready for students to return to the classroom.
• $146 million to support all Washingtonians, including $70 million for long-term care and developmental disabilities programs and $6 million for health care for those who are underinsured and uninsured. The plan also includes $65 million for immigrant relief assistance and $5 million for grants to provide emergency financial aid for undocumented college students.

Does this bill fix everything? No, but it does address the most pressing issues quickly. As stated earlier, this is the first step toward recovery. We are only on the 25^th day of this 105-day session.

Unemployment Insurance Tax Relief

Because of the thousands of COVID-19 layoffs last year, now many employers are facing unprecedented hikes in their Unemployment Insurance premium tax bills due in April.  And many workers, who are still out of a job, are struggling to make ends meet with their UI checks. That’s why one week ago today, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 5061, which has the backing of both, businesses and labor advocates. The measure cuts UI tax bills for employers and increases benefits for the state’s hardest-hit, lowest-wage workers. For all the details, please read this press release.

Transportation Package

A couple of weeks ago, we rolled out our transportation package proposal, which includes maintenance and preservation, as well as investing in frontline communities and the restoration of fish passages.

Last summer, members of the House Transportation Committee hosted around 90 statewide remote sessions where we heard from constituents and stakeholders. They told us they want transparency and a clear connection to transportation investments.

In this video below I provide a short overview, as well as an update on the bridge.

For more details on the transportation proposal, watch the press conference here, or read the press release here.

You made our virtual town hall a success!

Last week, your 49^th legislative district delegation held a virtual town hall where we answered questions from constituents on a variety of topics. If you missed the live event, you can watch it now. We struggled with a technical issue at the beginning, so you can skip over the first 4 minutes:

Thank you for taking the time to read this report. This is certainly one of the best ways to keep you updated. But you can also visit my website and my official Facebook page where you will find lots of information, including all my videos and past newsletters.

If you need more information on any of the issues discussed here, or on any other legislative matter, please contact my office.

Sincerely,

.