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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The 2024 legislative session is almost half over, and the first four weeks were very busy. Lawmakers have introduced, discussed, and debated hundreds of bills. We have voted on several bills already, but starting Tuesday, Feb. 6, we will be on the House floor for long hours voting on hundreds more, including some of my legislation.
Bills I’m Working on This Session
Here’s the latest on the bills I’ve been working on this session. All but one of these have been voted out of committee and one has already been voted out of the House.
House Bill 2018 would improve students’ educational success by restricting cellphone use in public schools. Some school districts have started banning cellphones during the school day and are seeing promising results. Mobile device use in our public schools has become a chronic issue and our kids are suffering because of it. Click here to read more and here to watch me explain in more detail.
House Bill 2038 would require the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to create a voluntary online survey for parents or guardians to fill out when transferring or withdrawing a student from a public school. Unless we know why they are leaving, we aren’t going to know how to improve. Click here to read more and here to watch me explain in more detail.
House Bill 1970 would require the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) to establish a caregiver communication specialist position within the DCYF to improve communication between the DCYF and people caring for children receiving child welfare services. By improving communication between the DCYF and caregivers, ultimately, it’s going to help these kids. Click here to learn more.
House Bill 1880, which the House passed, would eliminate the five-year rolling timeline for architecture applicants to successfully pass each section of their examination for registration. This would remove an unnecessary barrier for someone trying to pursue an architectural career in Washington and level the playing field for everyone. Click here to learn more.
House Bill 2017 would address aging school facilities by creating a capital grant program for the planning, modernization, and new construction projects in school districts with enrollments of 1,001 or more. We have buildings that are 50 years old or older in our district that don’t have the modern learning tools students need. This bill is an attempt to bring more equity to our school buildings. Click here to read more and here to watch me explain in more detail.
Update on Statewide Initiatives
You may have heard about the six initiatives certified by the Secretary of State and introduced in the Legislature. House Republicans made a separate motion on the floor for each initiative to receive a prompt public hearing in committee. The majority party unanimously voted “no” each time. Here’s a brief description of each initiative.
- I-2113 would restore vehicular pursuit tools to law enforcement.
- I-2117 would repeal the state’s cap-and-trade program.
- I-2081would establish a parents’ bill of rights.
- I-2109 would repeal the capital gains excise tax imposed on sales and exchanges of long-term capital assets by individuals with capital gains over $250,000.
- I-2111 would codify Washington state’s longstanding tradition of prohibiting state and local personal income taxes.
- I-2124 enables working individuals to choose not to participate in the Washington Cares Fund, a long-term care payroll tax program.
All these issues are part of the House Republican’s priorities, as we work to fix Washington with real solutions. Click on the image below to learn more about the many crises we are facing.
What’s Next?
Here’s what could happen moving forward:
- The Legislature may adopt the initiatives as proposed and they would become law without a vote of the people.
- The Legislature may reject or refuse to act on the proposed initiatives, and they must be placed on the ballot at the next general election.
- The Legislature may propose a different measure dealing with the same subject for any of the initiatives and both measures must be placed on the next general election ballot.
Other Top Issues
You can learn about some of the other pressing issues we are working on, including public safety, affordability, and education by watching my video update below.
Save the Date for Our Town Hall Meetings
Me and my fellow 18th District lawmakers, Rep. Greg Cheney and Sen. Ann Rivers, will be holding two town hall meetings on Saturday, Feb. 17 (Unfortunately, due to an unexpected memorial service scheduled for that afternoon, I will not be able to attend the second meeting).
Locations and times are:
- 10:00 a.m. Battle Ground City Hall, 109 SW 1st Street
- 12:30 p.m. WSU Vancouver: Dengerink Building, Room 110 (VDEN 110) Lecture Hall, WSU Vancouver, 14204 NE Salmon Creek Ave.
In addition to reviewing this legislative session, we plan to answer your questions and address your concerns. We hope to see you there.
Intern Recognition
Lastly, I’d like to recognize my intern for this session, Alex Wienckowski. Alex is a senior at University of Washington – Bothell, with a 3.96 GPA. She is a snowboard instructor, a business owner, and a mom. Throughout her life she has overcome the odds, including returning to school after earning her GED and becoming a mother. Alex has been enthusiastic about the opportunity to learn, engage, and serve in the Legislature, and has been a welcome addition this session.
Please Stay in Touch
Thank you so much for your support and input this session. Please continue reaching out to share your questions and concerns. I’m honored to represent you in the 18th Legislative District. Thank you.
In your service,
Stephanie McClintock
