Dear friends and neighbors,

As you may recall, my last newsletter was entirely focused on the Move Ahead Washington transportation package, now it’s time to get moving on passing it and getting it to the governor’s desk and, for that, we need your help.

Move Ahead Washington is our $16 billion, 16-year transportation package that will transform how we move people and goods around our state for years to come.

We all want prosperous communities with abundant jobs and thriving local businesses. We also need more green space and more walkable areas, along with convenient, healthy options to visit our neighbors, go to school, and get to work. Most importantly, we need to neutralize the threat of climate change and re-prioritize infrastructure in chronically underfunded communities.

Move Ahead Washington is a giant step toward these goals, and we need your help to make that possible.

Please get the word out among family and friends across the state and tell them you support House Bills 2119 and 2118, these are the measures that determine funding and investments for this package. Encourage them to contact their legislators to share their experiences on our local roads, transit, trails, and sidewalks and express how important these investments are.

With your help in passing Move Ahead Washington, we can shape not just a modern transportation system, but a future that upholds our commitment to our planet and the people of Washington today, tomorrow, and beyond.

Taking action to stop catalytic converter thefts

Catalytic converter thefts had been on the rise for years. Then, the pandemic hit, and thefts started skyrocketing. Nationwide, the National Insurance Crime Bureau reported nearly two thousand thefts in 2018, over three thousand in 2019, and a whopping 14,433 in 2020, leading to over $33.7 million in insurance payouts to customers. Additionally, data from State Farm showed Washington state holding the dubious title of fourth worst state in the nation for catalytic converter thefts in the first half of 2021.

Rising prices for precious metals and the devastating economic effects of the two-year global pandemic have created a perfect storm of crisis:  limited resources and supply chain disruptions that make catalytic converters enticing targets for thieves. That’s why I’m supporting HB 1815 this year. This legislation presents a real opportunity to stem the sharp rise in catalytic converter thefts by requiring a scrap metal business engaging in a transaction involving a catalytic converter removed from a vehicle to record documentation indicating that it came from a vehicle registered in the seller’s name. This will immediately help law enforcement crack down on organized crime and enforce laws related to theft of private metal property. The legislation also facilitates a stakeholder process to get cops, prosecutors, judges, and business leaders together to share experiences and strategies to further drive down thefts. I was proud to vote the bill out of the House recently, and I hope it will receive swift consideration in the state Senate. While another bill related to catalytic converter thefts was also introduced earlier this session, HB 1815 is the only bill still under consideration following recent legislative deadlines.

Affordable housing through ADUs

We are not building enough housing to keep up with demand, driving up rent and housing prices. But there is a tool to help us build quickly, cheaply and preserve the character of neighborhoods – accessory dwelling units or ADUs.

Also known as backyard cottages or mother-in-law units, this type of housing makes use of existing space by building on top of a garage, in a basement, or in a backyard. But in many cities, local regulation makes ADUs prohibitively expensive or difficult to build.

That’s why I supported HB 1660 to remove certain barriers to construction and require comprehensive plans under the Growth Management Act allow for ADUS within an urban growth area.

Photo credit: City of Olympia

In 2017, California passed legislation to encourage more ADU development. Since then, the state has seen ADU permitting requests increase from about 1,000 units a year to over 12,000 units a year. While HB 1660 makes more gradual adjustments than the California legislation, it will allow for substantially more ADUs to be built in Washington.

The bottom-line is that ADUs are a great option for someone looking for an affordable apartment, to make extra income off an unused space on their property, or to provide a home for their aging parents. HB 1660 is in an important step in confronting our housing crisis and making ADUS an option for everyone.

Thank you for reading my newsletter.  If you need more information on any of the issues discussed here, or on any other legislative matter, please don’t hesitate to contact my office.

                                   Sincerely,