Major progress at halfway point of legislative session

We are more than halfway done with the 2021 legislative session and there is a lot of good news for families and businesses here in the 10th District.

Here is a quick look at major bills that have passed the House and will make a meaningful difference if they get signed into law.

Broadband and technology access

The covid pandemic has shown the weaknesses in our state’s broadband infrastructure, especially in rural areas like our communities. Fast and reliable internet is no longer a luxury. It is a necessity, just like electricity and running water.

House Bill 1336 is a major reform that will let port districts, public utility districts and other government agencies help provide cost-effective broadband service where the private sector has failed to do so.

This new law will go a long way toward bringing more broadband to every corner of Washington state – particularly the rural areas that are struggling with access.

Access to broadband, however, is only the first leg of the stool: devices to access broadband are the next imperative. House Bill 1365 helps fix that problem by providing our students in public schools the devices they need to do schoolwork at home and in the classroom.

Supporting healthy communities

Washington state is a leader in helping families with long-term care. House Bill 1323 fine-tunes our first-in-the-nation program offering long-term care benefits to everyone.

We also passed House Bill 1504 to reform our state’s workforce education law to improve the training of behavioral health professionals. A year of isolation and social distancing has highlighted the importance of mental and behavioral healthcare. Let’s invest in training more professionals to help increase access to mental health services in rural communities like ours.

Supporting children, working parents and military families

The first votes I took this session were votes to give families, schools and small business relief from the covid pandemic.

House Bill 1368 spends $2.2 billion in federal funding on public health and vaccines, public schools, childcare relief, food banks and other aid.

Childcare is another problem made worse by the pandemic. I am proud to have voted for The Fair Start for Kids (House Bill 1213) to expand access to childcare and early learning – and let our working moms and dads get back to work.

Protecting our quality of life

Climate change is increasingly affecting our state, with droughts, wildfires and rising sea levels.

House Bill 1287 will help build the zero-emission network that our state needs to transition to electric cars and other zero-emission vehicles.

Another landmark bill, House Bill 1260, tackles the hidden problem of greenhouse emissions from buildings. Buildings account for 36 percent of global energy use and 39 percent of carbon dioxide emissions.

It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your representative. Please call or email if you have ideas, comments, or want to find out about the status of legislation.

Rep. Dave Paul has worked in higher education for more than 20 years. He and his wife live in Oak Harbor with their four children.