Dear friends and neighbors,

Like many of you, I’m deeply concerned by what we’re seeing across the country when it comes to immigration enforcement—and by the fear and uncertainty it’s creating for families right here in Southwest Washington.

We are hearing too many stories of people being detained in ways that are frightening, and destabilizing, even for those who are following the rules and doing everything they’ve been asked to do.

No one should be afraid to drive to work, take their kids to school, or show up for a court hearing because they don’t know if they’ll make it back home.

This is happening, I personally know a family who is going through this nightmare and my heart breaks for them.

The kind of fear ICE agents are inciting erodes trust, harms public safety, and runs counter to our Washingtonian values of fairness, dignity, and respect for due process.

I share some of these thoughts in my latest video update. Click here or on the image below to watch it.

ICE is a federal agency, and there are limitations to what we can do at the state level, but I assure you, we are working on policy to safeguard communities, workers, and families. I am supporting a robust package of legislation to protect Washingtonians—including immigrant and refugee communities—by strengthening transparency, accountability, and basic protections:

• HB 2165: Prevents law enforcement impersonation. (Passed the House Feb 11)
• SB 5855: Bans use of face coverings/masks by law enforcement officers.  (Passed the Senate Jan 28)
• SB 6002: Regulates license plate reader or ‘Flock’ cameras to prevent use by immigration enforcement.  (Passed the Senate Feb 4)
• HB 2464:Establishes reporting requirements and law enforcement responses for incidents at private detention facilities.  (Passed the House Feb 16)
• SB 5906: Protects schools, health care, and other sensitive places by limiting immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant and safeguarding personal information. (Passed the Senate Feb 12)

For more information on these and other bills we are working on to address this issue, please go to our PROTECTING WASHINGTONIANS WEBSITE, which gets updated frequently so you always have the most current information on their status.

If you, or someone you know needs information or help, the Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance (ORIA) at DSHS provides vital services, and the Commission on Hispanic Affairs has a Rapid Response Hub with links to numerous resources.

I-5 BRIDGE REPLACEMENT

I, along with some of my colleagues in both chambers and both sides of the aisle, penned an op-ed published in The Columbian urging continued momentum on the Interstate 5 Bridge Replacement Project — a critical infrastructure priority for Southwest Washington.

This piece highlights the century-old northbound I-5 span’s vulnerability to seismic events, its importance to daily commuters and freight movement, and the need to act now while federal and state investments are aligned. We underscore that sustained collaboration across agencies and communities is essential to delivering a safer and more reliable bridge for future generations.

PROTECTING OUR DEMOCRACY

I recently heard a line that resonated with me: Democracy can’t protect itself; that’s OUR job. So true. And it’s a job that we take seriously. This year we have a suite of bills to safeguard our democracy and ensure that every vote counts and matters, especially for historically disenfranchised communities:

HB 1710 – Washington Voting Rights Act (WVRA) preclearance review (Passed the House Feb 12) Helps prevent voting rights problems before they happen. When cities or towns with a history of voting rights or constitutional violations propose major election changes, like switching election methods, redrawing district lines, or affecting language access, those changes would be reviewed to ensure they don’t unintentionally harm protected voters. Instead of forcing communities into years of costly lawsuits after damage is done, this bill creates a safeguard up front. If the review finds that a proposed change does not weaken participation or violate voting protections, there is no problem. The bill protects fair access to the ballot while helping local governments avoid unnecessary legal battles.

HB 1750 – Washington Voting Rights Act (WVRA) standards for voter suppression claims (Passed the House Feb 12) Clarifies how the WVRA applies when election policies unfairly burden voters by setting standards to address practices that create unequal barriers for protected-class voters, and ensures these cases move quickly, with trials scheduled within a year. The bill also protects the secrecy of a voter’s ballot during legal challenges. The goal is simple: protecting fair access and participation in elections without dragging communities into endless litigation.

HB 1916 – Voter registration challenges & list management (Passed the House Feb 10) Strengthens the rules for challenging a voter’s registration to ensure the process is based on real evidence—not rumors or harassment. Anyone filing a challenge must provide specific facts, use official forms, and sign an affidavit in ink. Challenges must relate to clear eligibility issues, such as age, citizenship, or residency. The bill protects both election integrity and voters by making sure challenges are legitimate, while still allowing proper voter roll maintenance—like removing deceased voters—with appropriate verification steps.

A FAIRER TAX SYSTEM

For too long, Washington’s tax system has placed the heaviest burden on those who can least afford it. In fact, our state has the second most regressive tax system in the nation, with low-income residents paying a far greater share in taxes than the wealthiest households. It’s time to fix our upside-down tax code. That’s why I support the High Earners Income Tax, which passed the Senate Feb 16.

Let’s be very clear: this is not a broad income tax that impacts everyone. In fact, most Washingtonians won’t be affected at all. This tax is assessed only on income OVER $1 million. A taxpayer must earn MORE than $1 million to even pay this tax, and the first million is EXEMPT. We are talking about fewer than 0.5 percent of Washington households. That’s not even ONE PERCENT of our entire tax paying population! It would also not apply to the sale of a home or a family-owned small business.

This proposal would generate about $3.7 billion annually to be invested in K-12 education, health care, higher education, public safety, and other essential services. It would also provide real tax relief by expanding the Working Families Tax Credit, doubling the Small Business Tax Credit to eliminate B&O taxes for businesses earning under $250,000 (that’s about 150,000 small businesses), and removing sales tax on grooming and hygiene products.

Fixing our broken tax structure won’t happen overnight, but this is a critical step forward.

That’s all for now. It’s been a busy week with floor action every day — and a few late nights. Yesterday marked our cutoff, so today we shifted gears and began hearing Senate bills.

As always, thank you for your interest in my work in Olympia. Please call or email me anytime with your feedback and concerns.

Sincerely,