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 Gov. Jay Inslee delivered his ?State of the State? address on Jan. 10, 2023. The Tacoma Refugee Choir performed the National Anthem prior to the address. Millicent and McKenna Douglass were special guests of the governor, who shared their story about avoiding homelessness and finding affordable housing in Seattle.
The 2023 session is the first in-person session since 2020, and convenes one of the diverse legislatures in state history. The present Legislature includes a ?younger and more diverse? class of legislators and?record number of women.
Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins opened the 105-day session on Monday by laying out the need to tackle housing and workforce issues and expressed confidence about the ability of legislators to work together and find common ground.
Gov. Jay Inslee then delivered his 2023 State of the State speech Tuesday at a joint session of the House and Senate. During his speech, Inslee called for bold action on housing and behavioral health, and discussed additional priorities for the session including climate change, salmon recovery, special education, public safety and reproductive freedom.
Inslee has proposed a $4 billion referendum to significantly increase the speed and scale of supportive and affordable housing construction over the next six years. Inslee emphasized that the state faces a housing crisis, with a shortage of about 81,000 housing units. The deficit is growing by the thousands every and is a fundamental cause of increasing homelessness.
?Well-paid workers flock here for jobs, forcing lower-paid workers to compete for housing. When there?s not enough housing for all, rents and prices skyrocket beyond what many can afford,? said Inslee. ?And we need a fix that provides a level of speed and scale beyond anything we?ve done.?
?If there was ever a time to go big, it?s now,? said Inslee.
Read the full story on Gov. Jay Inslee?s Medium.
 Gov. Jay Inslee met with the Olympia Police Department to hear about their success deploying the first alternative crisis response unit in the state. Relationship-building, says OPD, is the key to helping people accept help to overcome behavioral health and substance abuse issues.
Gov. Jay Inslee visited the Olympia Police Department Friday to learn about their innovative response to mental health and substance use crises.? The department formed a designated Crisis Response Unit (CRU) to connect people in crisis to counseling, medical care, and other resources. Olympia was the first city in the state to institute an alternative crisis response unit.
?The impact has been profound both for our officers and for the people being served by this program," said OPD Lt. Amy King. "We've definitely seen some transformative stories."
The governor later visited South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC). SPSCC operates a Corporate & Continuing Education program to help organizations train their workers. The state Department of Enterprise Services has worked with SPSCC to offer continued education to state workers through the program for more than 20 years, helping employees expand their abilities and advance their careers.
"It's a competitive labor market right now, and what many employers realize is that it's fruitful to train and grow your current employees rather than hire from outside," said SPSCC Dean Noel Rubadue.
The Seattle Seahawks have made the playoffs, hushing preseason doubters and performing beyond all expectations with a young team and new starting quarterback. Hall of Fame left tackle, Walter Jones, helped Gov. Jay Inslee, Lt. Gov. Denny Heck, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti raise the 12 Flag at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia to reflect Washington state?s winning spirit. Legislators and fans joined, dressed in blue and ready to get loud.
 Seahawks legend and Hall of Famer Walter Jones joined Gov. Jay Inslee, Lt. Gov. Denny Heck, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti, legislators and fans to raise the 12 Flag at the capitol.
 Justice Mary Yu, surrounded by friends and family, was sworn in this week to resume her seat on the state Supreme Court after winning re-election in November.
Justices Mary Yu, Helen Whitener, and Barbara Madsen were each re-elected in the most recent election and this week were sworn in to resume their seats on the bench of the Washington State Supreme Court.
Chief Justice Gonz?lez? also delivered his "State of the Judiciary" address to lawmakers this week, reflecting on the lessons of three years of pandemic operations. In his address, Gonz?lez reinforced the court's steady commitment to erase disparities.
?We have identified and confronted many of the barriers to a fair and open system, and we need to continue that work, and to do it, we need the Legislature?s continued partnership,? said?Gonz?lez.
After legislators were sworn in and opening speeches ended, legislators immediately started their full schedule of work sessions and hearings. This year, legislators are convening their committee meetings in person at the Capitol but continue to allow remote testimony opportunities.
This week, legislators held a hearing about the governor?s proposed housing referendum. A package of bills aiming to improve rent rates and tenant protections was introduced, including a bill heard this week by Sen. Karen Keiser to create a statewide registry rental.
Legislators also heard a bill sponsored by Sen. Manka Dhingra to create new crisis relief centers that could potentially improve access to mental health and substance use care. Rep. Sharlett Mena?s bill to ban toxic chemicals in cosmetics was also among the bills heard,? and a bill requested by a group of elementary school students from Parkland to establish the Suciasaurus rex as the state?s official dinosaur is off to a strong start.
The 105-day session is scheduled to end April 23. Reminder: You can watch every hearing and every minute of floor action on TVW.org. Information about bills, committee schedules and how to contact your legislators is available at leg.wa.gov.
Most Washingtonians view housing as top issue
Housing and homelessness topped a list of issues in a survey of Washingtonians by the Department of Commerce and the Puget Sound Regional Council. Thirty-nine percent of those surveyed listed housing and rent costs as the primary challenge facing the state. ?Commerce has found that a million more homes will be needed by 2044 to address a growing housing deficit.
WA Healthplanfinder open enrollment closes Jan. 15
Through Jan. 15, Washingtonians may shop for health insurance coverage including new free-or low-cost Cascade Care plans for qualifying individuals. Washington state was the first state in the nation to offer a public option health plan, which is now available in 34 of 39 counties in the state and it will be the most affordable available health plan in 25 counties.
Office of Independent Investigations launches new website
The newly-formed Office of Independent Investigations (OII) has launched its public website, oii.wa.gov. OII was created at Gov. Jay Inslee?s request in 2020 to conduct thorough, transparent, and unbiased investigations of uses of deadly force by law enforcement. OII is not yet operational.
WA claims top rank in long-term care workforce
PHI, an eldercare and disability services advocacy group, rated Washington state as the very best state for direct care workers thanks to supportive policies for workers such as home health aides and nursing assistants. The state?s high median wages, paid leave policies, training provisions, and other criteria contributed to the top rating.
Biden Administration offers federal assistance to storm-damaged communities
President Joe Biden signed an emergency declaration to offer federal assistance to Washington state communities affected by severe winter storms in November. Damage from winds, floods, and mudslides occurred in Clallam, Island, Jefferson, Lewis, Okanogan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, and Wahkiakum counties.
Friday is Korean American Day
Gov. Jay Inslee signed a proclamation this week to honor Friday, Jan. 13 as Korean American Day. The date is the 120th anniversary of the first Koreans immigrating to America aboard the S.S. Gaelic in 1903. Earlier this week, Inslee welcomed South Korea?s Consul General Eun-ji Seo for a meeting to discuss opportunities for economic and cultural exchange between her nation and Washington state.
Ink dries on the governor's proclamation of Friday, Jan. 13, 2023 as Korean American Day.
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