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 Gov. Jay Inslee signed legislation to remove obstacles to housing construction and another bill to help overcome the historic inequities caused by racist real estate covenants on Monday, May 8.
On Monday, Gov. Jay Inslee signed a slate of housing-related bills clearing obstacles to housing construction and righting a historic wrong related to housing discrimination.
As the state’s population has swelled, its housing stock has not, and prices have soared. To keep pace with expected growth, the state needs to build another million housing units by 2040. Inslee began the 2023 session with a call to “go big” on housing, and lawmakers responded by delivering smart policy and historic investments.
One new law, frequently referred to as the “middle housing bill,” essentially up-zones single-family lots in some cities to accommodate up to four units. Another law allows for more accessory dwelling units. New laws also consolidate permitting and streamline the design review process. Together, they will accelerate housing construction and improve inventory over time.
Inslee also signed a bill to establish a covenant homeownership account to assist homebuyers still harmed by the lingering legacy of racist real estate covenants. More than 40,000 covenants in effect as recently as 1960 excluded generations of people of color from owning property in communities across the state. An effect is a stark deficit in homeownership by people of color compared to their white neighbors with similar incomes.
The governor also signed bills to prevent landlords from raiding damage deposits over routine maintenance, and to afford tenants more say in eviction proceedings. Next week, the governor will sign a final budget including more than $1 billion over the next biennium to address homelessness and affordable housing.
 Proposed EPA pollution standards would reduce emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants.
The Biden administration proposed new rules Thursday that would dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions by power plants. The new standards would spare the equivalent of the annual emissions of half the cars in the U.S.
Nationwide, many coal- and gas-fired power plants affect air quality and contribute to global warming. The proposed rules would force plants to capture smokestack emissions or even retire some plants unable to reform. Power plants currently contribute roughly one-quarter of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions.
“The new ruling is the floor, not the ceiling - we need to accelerate timelines, apply the rules to more gas plants, and states must move faster towards clean energy,” tweeted Gov. Jay Inslee.
Washington state is committed to transition to carbon-neutral electricity supply by 2030 and eliminate fossil fuels from electricity generation by 2045. Even today, the state’s grid is among the nation’s least carbon-intensive.
 Students at the new Capitol Child Care Center in Olympia enjoy outdoor play and a research-based curriculum inside a state-of-the-art facility.
The new Capitol Child Care Center is up and running, and so are the kids inside. Gov. Jay Inslee and First Spouse Trudi Inslee visited the center on Wednesday to celebrate its opening.
The facility is the first net-zero building on the Capitol campus. It runs on rooftop solar power, was built using sustainable materials like cross-laminated timber, and is warmed by efficient heat pumps.
The center accommodates infants and kids as old as seven, and teaches from a research-based curriculum. The center has safe outdoor play areas, rest hours, onsite food preparation, and other state-of-the-art amenities.
State workers enjoy priority enrollment at the center, another premiere benefit of state service. But for Washingtonians in general, lawmakers and state agencies are working to address a statewide child care shortage.
The governor signed the Fair Start for Kids Act in 2021, a historic investment in child care and early learning. This year, the state budget will give providers a pay boost and help more families afford care. The state Department of Commerce began a Child Care Partnership Grant pilot in 2020 and has since added 1,353 new child care spots across 28 counties.
In communities across the state, more joyous openings like Tuesday’s are coming soon.
Federal COVID-19 emergency ends, state employee vaccine requirement rescinded
The federal public health emergency for COVID-19 ended Thursday, and the State of Washington has rescinded its vaccination requirement for employees and contractors. The state’s Office of Financial Management will notify labor partners to negotiate changes to collective bargaining agreements and appropriate civil service rule amendments.
“Throughout this public health crisis, our state employee family demonstrated inspiring resilience and dedication, and I thank our employees for their exemplary service under unprecedented circumstances,” said Gov. Jay Inslee. “The measures we took helped us to achieve one of the lowest death rates in the nation.”
While the federal emergency has ended, COVID-19 can still be dangerous. Vaccines and prescription drug treatments remain free, and Washingtonians may request up to four free COVID-19 test kits from the federal government.
Special session for “Blake fix” begins next week
A special session of the Washington State Legislature begins next Tuesday, May 16. Gov. Jay Inslee called the Legislature back to Olympia to settle upon appropriate sanctions for drug possession. The so-called “Blake fix” was the only remaining must-do item legislators didn’t finish during the regular legislative session that ended April 23. While the special session focuses on criminal sanctions for drug possession, the Legislature already allocated more than $600 million in new funding for behavioral health services and treatment facilities.
Seven fallen officers honored on Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial
The names of seven more fallen officers were inscribed upon the Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial on the Capitol campus recently. Those honored include Officer Donald Sahota (Clark County Sheriff’s Department), Deputy Dominique Calata (Pierce County Sheriff’s Department), Officer Daniel Rocha (Everett Police Department), Officer Jordan Jackson (Bellevue Police Department), Deputy George Yeaman (King County Sheriff’s Department), Deputy John Mines (King County Sheriff’s Department), and Deputy Horace Steward (Stevens County Sheriff’s Department).
Washington state celebrates Public Service Recognition Week
This week was Public Service Recognition Week, an opportunity to salute the service of public sector workers. President Joe Biden issued a proclamation to honor the occasion, and state workers fired up grills for celebratory cookouts in Olympia and Spokane. Dozens of employees were honored with awards for surpassing expectations of exemplary public service and leadership.
“You are our most valuable resource in creating a government that serves everyone - I thank you for your tireless efforts in making Washington the best state in the nation,” tweeted Gov. Jay Inslee.
Washington suffers deadly flu season
More than 250 Washingtonians died from the flu between October and April, at least ten times more than the prior year. Nationwide, 57,000 Americans died from the flu during that period. The state Department of Health suggested that COVID-19 precautions had reduced flu deaths in recent years and stressed the importance of vaccination.
“The flu vaccine is your best protection against this serious disease. Even if you get the flu, if you’ve been vaccinated, typically your illness is milder and you aren’t as likely to need to go to the hospital,” said Washington Health Secretary Dr. Umair Shah.
New Commerce program pairs housing and health to address chronic homelessness
A new program announced by the state Department of Commerce has invested in 27 projects pairing healthcare and housing to reduce chronic homelessness. More than 70% of people who are chronically homeless also suffer from chronic health conditions, and the Apple Health and Homes program will help these vulnerable Washingtonians address both issues.
“Apple Health and Homes is a trail-blazing initiative to pair housing and healthcare for some of our highest need and most vulnerable neighbors,” said Commerce Director Mike Fong
Inslee talks clean tech with Danish ambassador
Gov. Jay Inslee participated in Thursday’s Nordic Innovation Summit in Seattle to discuss clean technology with American and Nordic experts, including Denmark’s ambassador to the United States Christina Markus Lassen. Washington state and Nordic nations have strong partnerships, recently reinforced by Finnish President Sauli Niinistö’s visit to Olympia and the governor’s productive trade mission. Nordic companies operating in Washington like Corvus Energy, and Washington firms operating abroad like Microsoft, have achieved extraordinary breakthroughs in sustainability of late.
 The Community House on Broadway was among the projects supported by the new Apple Health and Homes program pairing housing and health services. The governor visited Longview and toured the facility in February and met James, who had been homeless and credits housing as the catalyst in the improvement of his life.
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