2022 MID-SESSION UPDATE
The 2022 legislative session is progressing fast, we’re already past the halfway point! Here’s an update on some of our top priority bills:
House Bill 1878, to get more free school meals to hungry students, passed out of the House Appropriations committee unanimously!
House Bill 1684, getting a healthy balance of fluoride into local communities’ drinking water, passed out of the House Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 5793, which improves the health of our democracy by ensuring that people with lived experience have the means to participate in state boards, commissions, councils, committees and similar groups, passed out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
House Bill 1890, charting a path forward to increase access to behavioral health care for young children, youth and young adults ages 25 and younger, passed out of the House Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 5535 and House Bill 2050 both address the cycle of debt and impoverishment that parents face when their children are involved in the criminal legal system. They passed out of the Senate Ways and Means and House Appropriations Committees, respectively.
Next steps for these bills: the rules committee, then the chamber floor for a vote by the full body. Each must be passed off the House or Senate floor by Tuesday, February 15th.
Keep your eyes on your inboxes as we’ll be letting you know how you can continue to support these bills as they move forward.
Meanwhile, a bill authorizing dental therapists will not take the next step in the process, despite having strong supporters in the House. Dental therapists are an evidence-based solution to the oral health care crisis among kids and families in communities of color. We’re currently working with our partners within the Washington Dental Access Campaign to continue educating lawmakers on this issue.
Thank you to everyone who has spoken up for kids over the past month! For more information about how to get involved, visit our Action Center or contact us.