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February 5, 2021
Dear friends and neighbors,
Monday night the House took early and decisive action on community and economic recovery legislation that allocates $2.2 billion in federal funding to ease the financial hardship of struggling renters, small restaurants and other neighborhood businesses, school districts, uninsured and underinsured individuals, and communities of color who have been disproportionately hurt during the pandemic. After passage in the House, HB 1367 and 1368 were approved in the Senate Ways & Means Committee Thursday afternoon and I expect approval by the full Senate by the middle of next week.
The bills provide for funding in critical areas, starting with $240 million in small business grants, building on similar grants provided over the summer and fall of 2020. School districts will receive $668 million to provide financial support they need to address learning loss.
Assistance for direct rental and utility payments to aid renters and landlords is funded with $325 million, and $5 million is allocated for rental and foreclosure assistance. Food assistance programs will receive $4.7 million in funding with an additional $26.3 million in block grants for hunger relief organizations.
To facilitate the state’s vaccine distribution plan and prepare for the increased vaccine shipments announced by the Biden administration, we allocated $618 million for a dedicated fund for Department of Health to use for vaccine distribution, contact tracing, and testing – with an emphasis on vaccinating individuals needed for school re-openings and ensuring that outreach is accessible, culturally and linguistically appropriate, and includes community-driven partnerships and strategies.
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Our district, tragically, was one of the first places in the U.S. to experience rapid spreading of the coronavirus. It started at the Life Care Center just two blocks from my home. We lost far too many of our friends, neighbors, and loved ones in those early days of the pandemic. Since then, however, due in part to quick and decisive state action, Washington has seen lower infection rates than most other states.
I think we’re all grateful for that, but it has come at a price. Jobs have been lost, small businesses have had jaw-dropping losses, and schools have shut their doors to avoid spreading the virus among an entire generation of our children. This week’s action to pump out $2.2 billion in economic and medical relief is a big step, but it’s only a step. Still to come later in the session will be our supplemental budget and a new two-year operating budget, along with several policy bills designed to ease some of the pain that has been spread throughout the state.
Additional allocations in the proposal include:
- $50 million for childcare grants and incentives, prioritizing providers in childcare deserts and supporting racial equity across the state
- $65 million for the Immigrant Relief Fund for those people left out of federal stimulus payments
- $9 million for TANF and $12 million in Disaster Cash Assistance
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I’ll do my best to keep you posted on the progress of this important legislation. In the meantime, I’m always interested in your comments, questions, and suggestions about how state government can change our lives for the better here in the 45th district, and all over Washington State.
Be well,
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