It's the 8th week of the Washington Legislative process! Megan and Gloria talk about the next cutoff, March 12th, and what needs to happen before then. Then they answer questions from students in the RN-BSN degree program at Western Washington University!

Resources:

• Email your legislators (and their LA)
• TVW for Floor Debate
• Senate Floor Calendar
• House Floor Calendar

It's week 7 in the Washington State Legislative process and bills are currently being heard in their House or Origin Fiscal Committees. Fiscal committee line-ups mixed with budget news, mixed with Federal updates are making us a little politically charged and we need to take a breather.

Correction: Megan makes a mistake by saying the local resolution came from Lincoln County, when it actually came from Franklin County, WA.

Resources:

1. House Democrats relsease the "No New Revenue" or "all cuts" budget (it's bad!)
2. Lobbying vs. Advocacy webinar ( 4 mintutes)
3. Legislator emails

Megan & Gloria talk about the looming cutoff and bills that are at risk of not making it through. They also talk about budget rumors, that if implemented, would be a code red emergency for public health funding. We need people to be talking to their legislators!

Resources:

1. Using the Legislative Hotline (3 min webinar)
2. Find your legislative district
3. Legislator emails (make sure you cc their L.A.)

Megan and Gloria talk about the political scoop in the 5th week of the Washington State Legislative Process. Bills we support this week:

Resources:

1. WSPHA Policy Priorities!
2. HB 1392 (Medicaid Access Program): Hearing 2/13 4pm, Sign in PRO
3. SB 5138 (Nicotine Flavor Ban): Hearing 2/14 8am, Sign in PRO
4. March 6th: Public Health Legislative Education Day

Join Megan & Gloria for the 4th week of the Washington State Legislative Process with WSPHA. We talk about the impacts of Federal actions on State Policy and on WSPHA Policy Priorities. We also talk about how to get involved by attending hill days in Olympia, including ours March 6th!

Resources:

1. Webinar: Signing in on bills (3min)
2. HB 1389: Rent Stabilization resources
3. Submit Written Testimony on SB 5352 (Free School Meals) by 2/4/25 at 4:00pm
4. Sign in PRO on HB 1583 (Medicaid Coverage of Traditional Medicine) by 2/4/25 at 12:30pm
5. Sign in PRO on SB 5557 (Emergency Treatment for Pregnancy Conditions) by 2/7/25 at 7:00am

Megan & Gloria are joined by Representative Kristine Reeves (LD 30, Federal Way) to learn all about HB 1203, which seeks to end the sale of all flavor nicotine products. We get to hear how a legislator's lived experience can impact the way they fight for certain policies.

Resources:

1. Watch the hearing on tvw (Friday 1/31 8am)
2. Sign-in PRO on HB 1203 (lobbying activity)
3. Sign-in CON on HB 1534 (lobbying activity)

Welcome to the second week of the WA State Legislative process! Megan & Gloria talk about the transition in Governor and what that may mean to solving the state budget crisis. We also review several bills that had hearings in week one and preview bills that will have hearings in week two.

Resources:

1. www.tvw.org
2. How to use TVW
3. We need Public Health stories in WA State! Email info@wspha.org.
4. How to testify at a hearing

Welcome back to the weekly Washington State Legislative Process with the Public Health is Essential Podcast! This pod is hosted by Megan Moore, Executive Director, and Gloria Rogers, Admin Coordinator, with the Washington State Public Health Assocation.

Resources:

• Advocacy vs. Lobbying
• Cutoff Calendar
• Why the cutoff calendar is important
• Watch hearings online: www.tvw.org
• Participate in hearings