As your state representative, I try to work in a bipartisan way to bring needed resources to the residents of Whatcom County. Legislation I sponsored in 2024 brought some important successes for our region, work that I intend to build upon in 2025.
House Bill 1992 increased the number of judges on the Whatcom County Superior Court from four to five. This will improve public safety by providing our county with additional resources to tackle a backlog in court cases, and this bill also gives Whatcom County the tools to prepare for the Washington State Department of Ecology’s water rights adjudication process in the Nooksack watershed so that the process can be as efficient and transparent as possible.
House Bill 2020 created a public infrastructure assistance program within the state’s emergency management division. I sponsored this bill as part of the response to devastating flooding that Whatcom County experienced in 2021. This new program will make our state more resilient to natural disasters by helping local communities rebuild after severe weather events.
House Bill 1985 provided a 3 percent cost-of-living increase, up to $110 per month, to our dedicated, retired public servants who are on the state’s public employees’ retirement system (PERS1) and teachers’ retirement system (TRS1). All of us deserve to age with dignity, especially our retired public servants and educators who have given so much to our state.
I am proud that all three of these bills received bipartisan support and were signed into law by the governor.
It is my honor to represent the 42nd Legislative District in Olympia, and advocating for Whatcom County residents is a privilege and responsibility that I don’t take lightly. Please reach out to my office anytime if you have questions, comments or concerns in the new year. I look forward to hearing from you.
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