Washington state legislature is in full swing. Now is the time to let your voice be heard

The legislative session started on January 10th 2022 and is slated to convene for 60 days, so this is a short session.

The session is now in full swing! Bills are moving rapidly from the Senate or House to Committee and getting votes and testimony from you, and the committee members are voting for a pass or do not pass based on what they hear and recommendations from their caucus.

This is the time to check in on the bills that interest you, so they can move forward out of committee and into the Rules Committee to be vetted and checked for errors.

Some will be amended, cut, or moved along to their prospective committee to go to the floor to be voted on and become law. Right now the disability community is watching the bills that will greatly affect them and their ability to participate in the legislature. There is movement and high expectation for the passing of SB 1802, which would increase access and representation in policy-making processes for individuals with disabilities. This is also referred to as “The Nothing About Us Without Us Bill!”

The expectation is also for SB 5793 to pass. It concerns stipends for low-income or underrepresented community members of state boards, commissions, councils, committees, and other similar groups. The time to say YES is now! You can go to the legislative website and note for the record your position, submit written testimony or sign in to testify remotely, so your voice is heard. Our legislators are waiting for you to participate to help them make their decisions on the bills that will move forward! Happy legislative session everyone!