I hope you are well and getting ready to enjoy the holidays with your friends and family. As we approach another legislative session, we continue to deal with many pressing issues throughout our state, including public safety, increasing crime, and supporting our law enforcement officers. We also continue to feel the effects of the ongoing drug crisis, particularly fentanyl, as well as homelessness, lack of affordable housing and mental illness.
During the upcoming session, which is scheduled to start on Jan. 8 and run for 60 consecutive days, I will be focusing on these important issues, as well as several healthcare-related issues, including raising the Medicaid reimbursement.
Public Safety and Law Enforcement
Public safety continues to be a major issue in our district and in every corner of Washington. The police reform bills passed on 2021 are still making it difficult for law enforcement officers to protect our neighborhoods and communities. Although, there was some improvement last session there is still work to be done, including truly addressing mental illness, homelessness, and substance abuse. These are major contributors to the level of public safety we have, and we need to find ways to help people who are suffering.
House Republicans have offered several ideas and solutions, but most of our policies and amendments during the past several sessions have been rejected. I have great respect for our law enforcement community, and we need to let them do their jobs so they can protect our communities. I hear from concerned neighbors regularly about the growing number of violent offenses and property crimes. We need to change the narrative of this issue with new policies that work.
Homelessness Crisis Continues
Homelessness also affects the entire state of Washington. It seems to be a growing problem with few answers. This is a complex issue, with many different aspects and I do feel compassion for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. The current state government continues to talk about this crisis but not much has been done to resolve it. That’s why it’s time to try something different.
There are things that can be done, including opening city-run camps, offering mental health services and substance use treatment to those in need, and providing job training and employment assistance. But we cannot expect things to get better by continuing to do the same things that haven’t worked.
I will continue to examine this issue closely and push for real change and reform to help improve the homelessness crisis in the 17th District and throughout the entire state.
Improving Education and Helping Paraeducators
I’m also focused on helping improve the education system in Washington, including hiring and keeping more paraeducators. We need to provide the best learning opportunities for ALL students, including those with special needs. Republicans pushed for more money for special education last session but were mostly rebuffed by the majority.
We must do more for our students to ensure they are getting a quality education. Despite increasing funding for schools for the past several years, and Washington being rated number one in the nation for best state for teachers, Washington students’ performance continues to decline. It’s time to do something different to address the ongoing learning loss and substandard test scores that are so common throughout the state. This will be another major focus of mine during the 2024 session.
Interstate 5 Bridge Project
The I-5 bridge project will also continue to be a big issue this session and, in the years, to come. It’s a slow process. I recently joined Rep. Susan McLain from the Oregon Legislature on Inside Olympia with Austin Jenkins on TVW to discuss the latest updates on the bridge replacement project. You can watch this interview by clicking here.
House Page Program
The Washington State House of Representatives Page Program is now open for applications. To become a page, applicants must have a legislative sponsor, be between the ages of 14 and 16, and obtain written permission from their parents and school.
Pages earn $65 per day while working in the program. During their week serving as pages, they attend Legislative Page School every day to learn about the three branches of state government, the lawmaking process, and the importance of civil discourse. They also get to carry out numerous important duties that help the Legislature operate efficiently.
If you have a student in mind who would benefit from this program, please share this opportunity with them. It’s always a treat to work with the young people of the 17th District in Olympia.
Keeping Up with Your State Government in Olympia
As we kick off the 2024 session, I want you to be able to keep up with everything going on in the Legislature. Here are some links that will help:
My legislative website | You can find my contact information, bio, news releases, email updates, videos, opinion pieces, bills, and other information about me here.
The Capitol Buzz | Stay on top of the news with this daily roundup of online news stories. Click on the link to subscribe.
The Current | This is an online legislative publication from the Washington House Republicans. Click on the link to subscribe.
TVW | Watch all the committee and “floor” action live or recorded on the state’s own version of C-SPAN, TVW.
The Ledger| A legislative news aggregator.
Legislature’s website | Find bill reports, committee agendas, and information about upcoming activities in the Legislature here.
State agencies | A list of all the state agencies, boards, and commissions is located here.
Tracking a bill?|Click the link to find information on specific bills. In addition, when you visit my website, you can easily view the legislation I’m sponsoring or co-sponsoring by clicking “Sponsored Bills.”
Please Stay in Touch!
Your feedback is extremely important as we enter the upcoming session and work on the many issues impacting our communities and state. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me. Just reference the contact info below to speak with me or schedule an appointment. I’m always here to listen.
It’s an honor to serve you.