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Dear neighbors,

I first want to thank you for your confidence in my continued service as your 48th District Senator. It is truly an honor. We’re back in the legislature for a short session from January to mid-March and it’s already been a powerful one. As many of you know, Washington State alternates between “long sessions” (120 days) and “short sessions” (60 days) every other year. This is called a “Biennium” type of legislature and it’s written into our state’s constitution. This means we have a relatively short timeframe to get our work done. But just because this is a short session does not mean we cannot make BIG change.

I’m working on a wide variety of bills this session to increase consumer protection and housing supply, along with healthcare and legal reforms designed to strengthen individual rights and protections — I hope you will follow along and engage as we continue to put #WorkingFamiliesFirst in the Legislature.

Washington State Consumer Protection Package

This week I introduced what I am calling the Washington State Consumer Protection Package—our response to community calls for changes that empower the Office of the Insurance Commissioner with the tools it needs to both look out for the consumer and keep insurance providers operating at peak efficiency.

Six bills make up this package. Three were heard in committee on Thursday:


* SB 5797 [ [link removed] ], raising the fine level for insurers selling homeowners/car insurance and life/disability policies to be on par with other types of insurances sold in the state.
* SB 5798 [ [link removed] ], extending the insurance nonrenewal notice requirements to 60 days for homeowners/car insurance.
* SB 5842 [ [link removed] ], restricting the use of social security numbers to be given out only in cases where it is absolutely necessary to determine identity for child support purposes.

The fourth, SB 6081 [ [link removed] ], requires all consumer contracts like insurance, leases, financing agreements, etc., to be in plain language so consumers know what they are signing.  The fifth is scheduled to be heard next week, SB 5608 [ [link removed] ], creating an exemption to our public records act for insurance company data to strengthen oversight of the industry.  The sixth is in the Rules Committee, waiting to come to the floor; SB 5213 [ [link removed] ], reduces some of our healthcare drug pricing complexity by prohibiting certain practices used by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).

It has been more than 50 years since some of these policies were updated or, as in the case of PBMs, since the type of business was created. A lot has changed in that time and our laws need to keep up. These are simple edits that pave the way for big protections.

Tackling Overdose in our Schools

Lake Washington High School students brought a bill idea to me to increase the availability of potentially life-saving NARCAN opioid overdose treatment in all schools. Current statute mandates only school districts with over 2000 enrolled students equip their high schools with a single set of doses. This new legislation, SB 5804 [ [link removed] ], would broaden the requirement to include all districts within the state regardless of size.

High-schoolers are experiencing a climb in overdose rates compared to adults — a nearly threefold increase since 2019. Under this bill, every school is required to have two NARCAN doses on site. A two-dose dispenser costs around $50. I am absolutely honored and simultaneously blown away to have been joined this week by some of our powerful change-making youth who testified during today’s bill hearing. These Lake Washington High School students (pictured below) came all the way down to Olympia and testified to the critical need for this legislation.

I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been impacted, directly or indirectly, by the opioid epidemic in our state. It is our duty as legislators to protect the safety, health, and well-being of our students. Especially those who struggle with difficult life circumstances. This bill helps us ensure all Washington schools have NARCAN ready if they need it. This, obviously, is something we all wish we will never have to use. But this is an opportunity for us to stay prepared and to save lives. 

You can watch the students’ full testimony following mine on my Instagram by clicking here [ [link removed] ], or by clicking the screenshot from my Instagram below. 

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And, if you have a sec, check out what the press is saying about it. Here’s a couple of good stories that we’ve received so far.

chronicle [ [link removed]? ]

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anacortesmedia [ [link removed] ]

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NBC [ [link removed] ]

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My new Instagram/Facebook video series!

As my way of getting even more involved with our community on social media, I’m kicking off a new Facebook video series where every week, I give a quick 90 second (or less) rundown of the legislative session. Kind of a “session at a glance” if you will. If you’re on Facebook, please check out my first video of the series below! 

fbreels [ [link removed] ]

MLK Day

MLK Day (one of my favorite days of the session) is coming up quickly! Every year the Senate passes a floor resolution honoring Dr. King’s memory and his barrier breaking work that lives on in all of our sacred institutions. Be on the lookout next week as we’ll be on the floor passing our annual MLK resolution. 

mlkday

Signing off!

We’re hearing from more diverse voices than ever before. While we recognize and work to address the digital divide across the state, removing the physical barrier of needing to be present in Olympia to gain access to the legislative process has allowed a more open and robust dialogue.  

If you’d like to participate in this mostly remote session, here are some helpful links:  


* Universal remote testimony: The Legislature has expanded remote testimony capabilities so people can sign up to testify on any bill from anywhere up to an hour prior to a committee meeting.  
* To testify remotely in the Senate:  [ [link removed] ][link removed] [ [link removed] ].  
* To testify remotely in the House:  [ [link removed] ][link removed]  [ [link removed] ] 
* Submit written testimony: People can also submit written testimony on any bill scheduled for a public hearing. People have long been able to submit written comment on a bill, but prior to this year, those comments were sent directly to the constituent’s own legislators. The new written testimony system allows committee members and staff to read it more easily and maintains it as part of the permanent public record.  
* Written testimony can be submitted at the same links used to sign-in for public testimony above.  
* Set up a Zoom with your legislator: Due to Covid-19 protocols, legislators won’t be meeting in person with constituents, but people are encouraged to schedule Zoom meetings with their senators and representatives.  
* To find your legislator’s contact information and schedule a meeting: [link removed] [ [link removed] ]  
* It’s all on TVW: As always, every committee meeting, floor session, press conference and special event will be broadcast at TVW.org [ [link removed] ]  

As always, you can find more information on what I’m working on at sdc.wa.gov/Kuderer. And you can reach me with your questions, comments, and concerns at [email protected]. I will be meeting with constituents and stakeholders in person and via Zoom this session, so please reach out if you’d like to meet.   

Be safe!

-Patty




 

body { font-size: 1em; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; color: #333333; } ________________________________________________________________________

*Sen. Patty Kuderer*
"State Senator, 48""th Legislative District"

*Email
*[email protected]

*Website*
senatedemocrats.wa.gov/kuderer [ [link removed] ]

*Find me on Facebook*
facebook.com/SenPattyKuderer [ [link removed] ]

*Phone*
360.786.7694
1.800.562.6000 (Toll free)
1.800.833.6388 (TTY)

*Olympia Office*

223 John A. Cherberg Building, PO Box 40448, Olympia, WA 98504

"**My Olympia office will remain closed until further notice due to the pandemic.**
You can reach me by email or phone via the contact information above."

*Committees*
Housing & Local Government [ [link removed] ] (Chair)
State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections [ [link removed] ] (Vice Chair)
Law & Justice [ [link removed] ]
Rules [ [link removed] ]

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