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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I’m thrilled to be back home after this legislative session. It’s an honor to represent you in Olympia, but there’s nothing like being immersed in daily life in our community. We truly live in a wonderful part of Washington state.
Many of you have received my 2024 end-of-session update, where Sen. Matt Boehnke, Rep. April Connors, and I shared key accomplishments from this year’s legislative session. Our update covers a range of topics, including the recently approved citizen initiatives, budget updates, and local infrastructure projects that received funding this year.
- If you missed my end-of-session update or want to reference it later, you can find it here.
As I mentioned in a previous update, this was a busy session, with 845 House bills and 770 Senate bills introduced. By the end of session, the Legislature approved 201 House bills (52 Republican-sponsored) and 181 Senate bills.
I’m particularly proud of my two bills recently signed into law by the governor:
House Bill 1955 streamlines utility reporting requirements by eliminating redundant utility mandates. This bill rescinds a greenhouse gas content disclosure provision outlined in the Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA), easing regulatory burdens without compromising public benefits.
House Bill 1870 assists communities, especially smaller and rural areas, by providing resources to access federal grants. It offers a resource guide, technical support, assistance in crafting competitive grant applications, and criteria for prioritizing applications.
- To see a complete list of approved bills for the 2024 session, click here. Next, select the year and bill approved in the House or Senate.
Another major accomplishment this session was securing $25 million in the state’s supplemental capital budget for Small Modular Reactor (SMR) development. This funding represents a big milestone for our district that will greatly impact our state’s clean energy landscape.
Many of you have asked about the recent initiatives to the Legislature and expressed concerns about the rise in crime, taxes, and state spending. To provide you with more information:
- For details on the six initiatives sent to the Legislature by voters this year, and the three that passed, click here.
- For crime statistics in our state and how they’ve changed over the past decade, click here.
- For information on the nearly $80 billion in tax and fee increases imposed in the last decade by the majority party in Olympia, click here.
Election-year restrictions begin Monday, May 6. As a result, this will be my last email update until after the fall general election results have been certified. However, you can still contact my office for assistance with state issues, government bureaucracy, or state agencies.
I’m here to help and serve you! Although I cannot send updates until later this fall, I’m still your representative. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me by email, phone, or mail with questions or concerns about state government-related matters.
Additionally, if your civic group or community organization is looking for a guest speaker, I’d be happy to provide an in-person update on the 2024 legislative session, as my schedule permits.
Thank you for allowing me to serve you in Olympia!
Sincerely,
Stephanie Barnard
