Latest from Lekanoff: Bill signings, Native American mascots, orca protections

Happy Fantastic Friday! 

||| FROM REP. DEBRA LEKANOFF’S OFFICE |||

Bill Signings this Week

The next bill signing ceremony was at Shoreline Community College where the governor signed multiple climate priority bills, including:

• House Bill 1050, which regulates hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), powerful greenhouse gases that are mainly used for cooling and refrigeration. They are one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions and can be as much as 10,000 times more damaging to the climate than carbon dioxide. HB 1050 also directs the Department of Ecology to set up a refrigerant management program to safely manage and dispose of HFCs moving forward.
• House Bill 1091, which directs the Department of Ecology to establish a Clean Fuels Program that would limit greenhouse gas emissions per unit of transportation fuel energy to 20 percent below 2017 levels by 2038. This new law will not only make our state cleaner and reduce emissions, it will also spur economic activity and growth and allow us to join Oregon, California and British Columbia in regulating our state’s single largest source of emissions. The program creates opportunities for Washington producers of clean transportation fuels from biodiesel, to renewable natural gas, to the clean electricity produced by the state’s utilities; and,
• Senate Bill 5126, the Climate Commitment Act, which establishes a market based, economy wide cap and trade program, and will help Washington meet our statutory goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. The bill incorporates parts of the Washington STRONG Act, strengthens our commitment to equity and environmental justice, and protects our rural and vulnerable communities. The funds generated from this program will allow us to invest in critical projects for transportation, infrastructure, climate resiliency, and protection of natural resources.  

Another significant bill that was signed into law this week was Senate Bill 5263, which was one of 12 bills signed together as a police accountability package on Tuesday. The governor, joined by community members and families of those impacted, signed the bills at the Eastside Community Center in Tacoma. Senate Bill 5263, sponsored by Sen. Frockt and worked on in the People’s House by my good friend, Rep. My-Linh Thai, gives families that have had a loved one killed by police a better chance to have their day in court.

The photo below of an impacted family member being gifted the governor’s pen for SB 5263 from Rep. Thai says and means so much. This bill will make an immediate difference in the lives of Native and other BIPOC families who suffer violence at the hands of the police.

Learn more about all the police accountability bills signed into law on Tuesday.

Implementation of My Bill to Prohibit Inappropriate Native American Mascots

At the end of last month, the governor signed into law House Bill 1356, my bill to no longer allow the derogatory use of Native Americans as mascots in public schools. Already this new law is making an impact and being implemented. Last week, the Spokane Public Schools Board of Directors voted unanimously to change the mascots and symbols at North Central High School and Garry Middle School!

“Cultural matching is important in the student experience. Changing mascots, symbols, and names of schools is the first step of positive representation of who modern day Native Americans are. Our own culture and heritage are important parts of who we are; and how we define ourselves must be centered and done by us.

I’m proud of the work that the Spokane Public Schools board and district is doing to address racial equity. We are expanding consultation to include all regional Tribes and Tribal Organizations whose 1,800 Native children attend Spokane Public Schools. For the first time, this May, the school board convened a two-day strategic planning session to develop a shared vision with Tribes and Tribal Organizations with the goal of improving experiences and outcomes for all Native American students in our district.” – Jenny Slagle, School Board Director, Spokane Public Schools, the first American Indian woman to serve on the board. 

Testifying in Other States

It was also very gratifying to testify this week in front of the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Education to discuss their proposed legislation to prohibit the use of Native American mascots by public schools in the Commonwealth. It’s exciting to see Washington lead this national movement!

Engagement Sessions on Protection Priorities for Southern Resident Killer Whale Foraging Areas Along the Westside of San Juan Island

This week, the San Juan County Environmental Office and Marine Resource Committee hosted engagement sessions and information sharing on the Southern Resident Killer Whale and ongoing protection efforts. A significant piece of my legislative priorities is to help protect our forage fish and orca populations, which have cultural, environmental, and economic significance for our state and tribal nations. It has been a privilege to help provide funding for Marine Resource Committees in our region and along Washington’s coastline. Learn more about the project and watch the previous information sessions. 

Remote Testimony During the 2021 Session

The 2021 Legislative Session may have been all-remote, but we saw more engagement than ever before! With the new options of testifying remotely or submitting written testimony, more than 98,000 people participated in committee hearings this session, having their voices heard on the issues that mattered to them! Thanks so much for continuing to stay engaged with your government, even in these difficult times!

We Can Do This, Together! Everyone age 12 and older is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at no cost, regardless of immigration or health insurance status. Find a vaccine location near you:  Search http://vaccines.gov  Text your ZIP code to 438829  Call 1-800-232-0233 Get vaccinated as soon as you can to help keep yourself and your community safe. Together, we can do this!

FEMA is Providing Funeral Assistance for Those Who Have Lost Loved Ones to COVID-19

FEMA is providing financial assistance for funeral expenses from COVID-19 deaths, provided the expenses were incurred after January 20, 2020, and have not been reimbursed by other financial sources. Assistance is limited to a maximum of $9,000 per funeral and a maximum of $35,500 per application per state. At this time, there is no deadline to apply for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance.

How do I apply for this assistance? Initial applications are only taken over the phone with each case handled individually. 

• Call the FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Line at 844-684-6333 (TTY: 800-462-7585) to apply.
• Hours of Operation are 6 a.m.– 6 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday. 
• Multilingual services are available. If you use a relay service, such as your videophone, Innocaption or CapTel, be ready to provide your specific number assigned to that service. Phone calls from FEMA may come from an unidentified number.  

For the latest information and FAQs, visit: www.fema.gov/funeral-assistance.

Thank you all for taking to the time to read this week’s Fantastic Friday, and for taking an interest in our progress at the House of Representatives.

Please feel free to reach out to me using the information below, with any questions, inquiries, or concerns you may have.

I am here for you!