Helping veterans, expanding Running Start and reining in drug costs

Last week, the Legislature finished the house-of-origin cutoff. This means that House bills needed to pass the House – and Senate bills needed to pass the Senate – in order to stay alive for consideration during this legislative session. There are only a few budget-related exceptions that don’t fall on this timeline.

Fortunately, nearly all of the bills I sponsored this session were passed by the House and are now in the Senate. This includes the three bills I sponsored to expand veterans’ benefits and a bill to explore summer school options for Running Start students.

As I discussed in my last column, our region has one of the highest concentrations of veterans in the state and supporting them is one of my top priorities. I’m pleased to report that House Bills 2542, 2543 and 2544 were all passed unanimously by the House. Each of these important bills to expand access to veterans’ benefits will receive a committee hearing in the Senate.

I’m also working to make dual-credit programs more accessible to students and families. Running Start, CTE Dual Credit and College in the High School are some of the most cost-efficient programs we have for reducing the cost of college and student debt while getting students into family-wage jobs sooner.

That is why I sponsored House Bill 2864, which creates a Running Start summer school pilot program. Students involved with school activities and other commitments sometimes find it difficult to enroll in Running Start. Summer school is a great option for high school juniors and seniors to access this game-changing program. The bill passed with strong bipartisan support. If the bill is approved by the Senate, the pilot project would begin in the summer of 2021.

The State Legislature is also working on reining in the escalating cost of prescription drugs. No one should have to decide between healthcare, food and medicine. Rising healthcare costs are forcing many Washingtonians to make these impossible decisions. This is an issue that affects many in our community, from seniors to parents to students. Simply put, it is time to act.

That is why the House passed House Bill 2710, which increases the transparency of prescription drug pricing and requires drug companies to justify price increases. Our families and seniors should be protected from frivolous price increases. It is time we hold these corporations accountable, and I’m proud to have voted for this important legislation.

We have a lot of work still to do in the 2020 legislative session, but I am encouraged by all we have accomplished already. I look forward to hearing Senate bills in committee and working to improving the lives of our neighbors in the 10th District.

Rep. Dave Paul represents the 10th State Legislative District in Olympia and lives in Oak Harbor.