Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #WALeg
Most recents (24)
š Victory! The Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act has been signed by @GovInslee and is now law!
Thank you to everyone who helped to make this possible! š§µ
#waleg #cosmetics #PFAS, #phthalates #toxicchemicals #thread
toxicfreefuture.org/press-room/strā¦
Thank you to everyone who helped to make this possible! š§µ
#waleg #cosmetics #PFAS, #phthalates #toxicchemicals #thread
toxicfreefuture.org/press-room/strā¦
This law is the strongest in the country, banning #PFAS, #phthalates, #formaldehyde & #lead in cosmetics & personal care products that we use on our bodies & get sent down the drain. It's the only law in the nation that bans lead & tackles all chemicals that release formaldehyde.
.@SharlettMena, thank you for your leadership in sponsoring the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act! #waleg
š§µ8 of our priority bills made it across the finish line, with 7 already signed into law and 1 awaiting the governor's signature. The progress made this #WALeg session only builds on our work to create a safer, healthier and more equitable WA. š
Scroll down to learn more ā¬ļø
Scroll down to learn more ā¬ļø
We protected transgender youth who are not supported at home and are seeking gender-affirming care by providing them safe accommodations (#SB5599).
We ensured school districts provide instruction on sex trafficking prevention and identification at least once between grades 7 and 12, beginning no later than the 2024-25 school year (#SB5355).
Currently discussing Sen. Mullet's amendment 298, which would significantly narrow the definition of consumer health data. @Dhingrama did a great job of discussing how this amendment would leave a lot of data unprotected. Padden supports, demands roll call.
@Dhingrama Short also opposes. Amendment 298 fails, 22-26
Up next Mullet moves 299, which incorporate 298 + strips per se clause with private right of action. Fails on a voice vote.
Up next Mullet moves 299, which incorporate 298 + strips per se clause with private right of action. Fails on a voice vote.
My Health My Data heads to the Senate floor!
Washington privacy legislation update, April 4 #waleg
TL:DR: the vote on ESHB 1155 may be as early as tomorrow. And the stakes are high!
privacy.thenexus.today/my-health-my-dā¦
Washington privacy legislation update, April 4 #waleg
TL:DR: the vote on ESHB 1155 may be as early as tomorrow. And the stakes are high!
privacy.thenexus.today/my-health-my-dā¦
A quick summary:
- Republicans are likely to continue to vote against My Health My Data's protections for our health data and pregnant people
- Corporate Democrats are pressing to weaken the bill
- Privacy advocates continue to push to strengthen it. #waleg
- Republicans are likely to continue to vote against My Health My Data's protections for our health data and pregnant people
- Corporate Democrats are pressing to weaken the bill
- Privacy advocates continue to push to strengthen it. #waleg
The full post has details on the background of how we got here, a look at potential floor amendments, and a preview of what's next if the Senate does indeed pass an amended version of ESHB 1155.
privacy.thenexus.today/my-health-my-dā¦
privacy.thenexus.today/my-health-my-dā¦
So in the effort to #KeepMasksInWA, I reached out to my #waleg reps to petition @WADeptHealth to retract the decision to rescind the face covering order. My message was forwarded to DOH staff & the response back to me was, as expected, pat & milquetoast &, frankly, misleading: š§µ
āThe decision to rescind the secretary's face covering was made based on where we are as a state with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic from a broad perspective and where our COVID-19 (as well as RSV and Influenza) cases and hospitalizations are trending down.ā
Meanwhile, we know and have known for years that Covid cases, hospitalizations, & deaths are vastly underreported, especially now that states (including WA) & local govts have dismantled reporting infrastructure.
Just going to say that if @WASenDemocrats & @WAHouseDems let public ed suffer & decline thanks to a lack of action by #waleg - and as a direct result of actions BY #waleg via #McCleary - they won't be a majority for much longer. Look at AZ, TX, UT, ID as examples. #waedu
#waleg CAUSED the problem in public ed. YOU need to fix it. I'm sure as hell not going to be out knocking on doors & calling potential voters & sign waving like I've done before for anyone in @WAHouseDems or @WaSenate otherwise. Besides, I'll be too busy with my supersized class.
Let's look at a some of the issues #waleg caused with its #McCleary "fix". Start with the staff salary mix. Here's how that impacts Ellensburg.
dailyrecordnews.com/news/mccleary-ā¦
dailyrecordnews.com/news/mccleary-ā¦
Despicable how a RW "think" tank person is advocating against vaccinations while ignoring the effects of long COVID.
People living with long COVID explain how the disease changed their lives | PBS NewsHour #waleg pbs.org/newshour/show/ā¦
People living with long COVID explain how the disease changed their lives | PBS NewsHour #waleg pbs.org/newshour/show/ā¦
Evidence grows that vaccines lower the risk of getting long COVID #waleg
"...being fully vaccinated seems to substantially cut the risk of later developing the persistent symptoms that characterize long COVID."
npr.org/sections/healtā¦
"...being fully vaccinated seems to substantially cut the risk of later developing the persistent symptoms that characterize long COVID."
npr.org/sections/healtā¦
Do Repeat COVID Infections Increase the Risk of Severe Disease or Long COVID?
Many repeat infections are mild, but some studies suggest people who have been infected with COVID more than once are at a greater risk of severe disease or long COVID #waleg
scientificamerican.com/article/do-repā¦
Many repeat infections are mild, but some studies suggest people who have been infected with COVID more than once are at a greater risk of severe disease or long COVID #waleg
scientificamerican.com/article/do-repā¦
Coming up at 8:00 am: the Senate ENET committee hearing on SB 5356, regulating use of Automated Decision Systems (ADS) by government agencies. #waleg
Signins for the hearing: 793 Pro, 19 Con
Here's the live video stream.
tvw.org/video/senate-eā¦
Signins for the hearing: 793 Pro, 19 Con
Here's the live video stream.
tvw.org/video/senate-eā¦
"What are Automated Decision Systems and why you should care?", a webinar Washington state Chief Privacy Officer Katy Ruckle and I did last year, has background.
The 2021 Washington state ADS Workgroup report goes into a lot more detail. government agency leads, researchers (including me!), and representatives from advocacy organizations came up with consensus recommendations for a path forward.
watech.wa.gov/sites/default/ā¦
watech.wa.gov/sites/default/ā¦
Today's Nexus of Privacy News Mega-Roundup: data brokers selling American's mental health data, state and federal #privacy legislation, news from across the pond ...
Here's a short thread of highlights. See the full newsletter for much more!
privacy.thenexus.today/privacy-news-fā¦
Here's a short thread of highlights. See the full newsletter for much more!
privacy.thenexus.today/privacy-news-fā¦
Our top story: @itsjhk of @DukeCyberPolicy reports on data brokers buying and selling mental health data. @jshermcyber has a good summary here.
And @drewharwell has a good story in the @washingtonpost on the Duke report on data brokers buying and selling mental health data.
washingtonpost.com/technology/202ā¦
washingtonpost.com/technology/202ā¦
The 46th Legislative District's Gerry Pollet spent a Sunday morning building up anti-housing strawmen and backing a predictable Seattle Times screed piece.
It's a nice day, Gerry. Just go outside.
Rep. Pollet's many years of abuse of power in the House Local Government Committee fighting against housing reforms seems to have cost him his chairmanship of the committee and more.
Staring at 10:30 am: the House Civil Rights & Judiciary hearing, incliuding #MyHealthMyData and the #ShieldLaw.
Live video stream: tvw.org/video/house-ciā¦
"A much more favorable environment", my #waleg privacy overview, has more about both these bills
privacy.thenexus.today/wa-privacy-morā¦
Live video stream: tvw.org/video/house-ciā¦
"A much more favorable environment", my #waleg privacy overview, has more about both these bills
privacy.thenexus.today/wa-privacy-morā¦
#MyHealthMyData (HB 1155), from @SlatterVandana and @Dhingrama, provides strong protections to consumer health data. It
- requires opt-in consent before companies collect, use, or share data
- prohibits sales of health data
- restricts geofencing around health facilities
- requires opt-in consent before companies collect, use, or share data
- prohibits sales of health data
- restricts geofencing around health facilities
There's a good overview of #MyHealthMyData from @JessicaHrdcstle in @TheRegister
theregister.com/2023/01/18/wasā¦
theregister.com/2023/01/18/wasā¦
The Senate Transportation committee's hearing on SB 5105 #DigitalDriversLicences starts at 4:00. I'll be live-tweeting. #waleg
Here's the video: tvw.org/video/senate-tā¦
And here's the "bill report", with a quick summary: lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2023-ā¦
Here's the video: tvw.org/video/senate-tā¦
And here's the "bill report", with a quick summary: lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2023-ā¦
Signins on #DigitalDriversLicenses are overwhelmingly CON -- including @ResistenciaNW @ACLU_WA and @IndivisEastside. @wapeopleprivacy is signed up to testify OTHER, as am I.
app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Home/getOtā¦
app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Home/getOtā¦
@ACLU's."Identity Crisis: What Digital Driverās Licenses Could Mean for Privacy, Equity, and Freedom" has more on the risks of #DigitalDriversLicenses.
aclu.org/report/identitā¦
aclu.org/report/identitā¦
A much more favorable environment, but a lot of complexity: Washington state privacy legislation 2023
UPDATED with info about #PeoplesPrivacyAct and #ShieldLaw as well as #MyHealthMyData
privacy.thenexus.today/wa-privacy-morā¦ #waleg
UPDATED with info about #PeoplesPrivacyAct and #ShieldLaw as well as #MyHealthMyData
privacy.thenexus.today/wa-privacy-morā¦ #waleg
The 2023 session is already in high gear, and once again there's some significant privacy legislation.
If you're just tuning in, "What's Past is Prologue" and "Significant successes for Washington privacy advocates" have the backstory. privacy.thenexus.today/wa-privacy-morā¦
If you're just tuning in, "What's Past is Prologue" and "Significant successes for Washington privacy advocates" have the backstory. privacy.thenexus.today/wa-privacy-morā¦
The Supreme Court's Dobbs decision overturning Roe has changed the game on privacy legislation. @SlatterVandana and @Dhingrama's #MyHealthMyData Act (HB1155/SB5351), developed with @AGOWA, responds by providing strong protections for consumer health data.
theregister.com/2023/01/18/wasā¦
theregister.com/2023/01/18/wasā¦
The wealth taxes and high net worth individual taxes rolling out today.š§µ#statetax
1. California: a two-tier wealth tax on the worldwide wealth (tangible and intangible, financial and non-financial) of high net worth individuals (1% > $50 million, 1.5% > $1 billion). #caleg #capolitics #wealthtax
2. Connecticut: a surtax of up to 20% on capital gains income for the highest earners, plus a higher CIT and a digital advertising tax. #ctpolitics #ctleg #wealthtax
š§µ1/ āLegislative privilegeā may sound dull, but itās the latest ploy by the WA state Lege to write itself out of state transparency laws.
We rang the bell, and weāre grateful to the press for picking up the ball and running with it.
Hereās a rundown of the coverage so far:
We rang the bell, and weāre grateful to the press for picking up the ball and running with it.
Hereās a rundown of the coverage so far:
2/
Open government group says WA legislators are using āprivilegeā to withhold public records
By @Shauna_Sowersby via @TriCityHerald
tri-cityherald.com/news/state/wasā¦ #waleg
Open government group says WA legislators are using āprivilegeā to withhold public records
By @Shauna_Sowersby via @TriCityHerald
tri-cityherald.com/news/state/wasā¦ #waleg
3/
@SeaTimesOpinion editorial: WA lawmakers are keeping secrets from the people again
seattletimes.com/opinion/editorā¦ #waleg
@SeaTimesOpinion editorial: WA lawmakers are keeping secrets from the people again
seattletimes.com/opinion/editorā¦ #waleg
BIG: Rep. Gerry Pollet will not be on any House policy committees that directly deal with land use, zoning, and housing. nwprogressive.org/weblog/wp-contā¦
Rep. Pollet previous controlled the House Local Government Committee. He wielded his power to block and water down progressive housing and zoning reform wherever possible.
Rep. Polletās opposition to progressive housing and zoning reform earned him a place in our #Waleg ānaughtyā list two years running. theurbanist.org/2022/03/31/herā¦
theurbanist.org/2021/05/12/herā¦
theurbanist.org/2021/05/12/herā¦
BREAKING: After overwhelmingly denying accommodations to staff with approved religious exemptions to the vaccine mandate - WSDOT now changes its policy to ALLOW the fortunate few they did accommodate back into office/field work.
2/ Reality is finally overtaking politics. But at what cost? The consequences of WSDOT's 2022 firings are evident in WSDOT's inability to work on #waleg transportation projects, and reduced staff capacity and service on our roads when we need it the most. washingtonpolicy.org/publications/dā¦
3/ What about the ferries seamen and oilers, and road/bridge maintenance employees and technicians who were denied accommodation because their exemption was religious? If they reapply, do they go through the exemption process again? Can they get back-pay?
washingtonpolicy.org/publications/dā¦
washingtonpolicy.org/publications/dā¦
š§µ
Iām trying to understand a situation, accurately and more comprehensively, after listening to what Welch Comer presented to the #PullmanCityCouncil, last night about the @City_of_Pullmanās Main Street Redesign aka Project Downtown Pullman.
Part 1:
Iām trying to understand a situation, accurately and more comprehensively, after listening to what Welch Comer presented to the #PullmanCityCouncil, last night about the @City_of_Pullmanās Main Street Redesign aka Project Downtown Pullman.
Part 1:
A #waleg thread
Early this morning, the @seattletimes published a piece by Jason Mercier of the right wing Washington Policy Center. That's not unusual. What is noteworthy is that they gave it top billing... it got put above the digital fold, as you can see from this screenshot:
Early this morning, the @seattletimes published a piece by Jason Mercier of the right wing Washington Policy Center. That's not unusual. What is noteworthy is that they gave it top billing... it got put above the digital fold, as you can see from this screenshot:
@seattletimes Typically, stories written by the Times' journalists (or its columnists, like Danny Westneat) get these spots. Not "op-eds." But @seatimesopinion really, really wanted eyeballs for Mercier's piece, so the Times did Mercier a favor and made his submission as prominent as possible.
@seattletimes @SeaTimesOpinion Presently, as of this thread, the piece still has the top spot under Opinion, above a Horsey cartoon and an editorial from the Times' own staff, as you can see from this second screenshot:
After negotiating in secret, the WA Redistricting Commission:
-Didn't release dozens of text messages in response to a public records request;
-Said it couldn't do so partly because 1 commissioner deleted those texts, a likely breach of state law.
crosscut.com/politics/2022/ā¦
#waleg
-Didn't release dozens of text messages in response to a public records request;
-Said it couldn't do so partly because 1 commissioner deleted those texts, a likely breach of state law.
crosscut.com/politics/2022/ā¦
#waleg
The Redistricting Commission meets every 10 yrs, so I've heard people saying maybe they just didn't know better.
Perhaps, but there's also evidence that people working for the commission raised concerns about how exec director Lisa McLean was handling records requests. #waleg
Perhaps, but there's also evidence that people working for the commission raised concerns about how exec director Lisa McLean was handling records requests. #waleg
In notes from early Jan., Aminta Spencer, the commission's fmr executive assistant, notes concerns that Lisa McLean, the commission's exec director, "doesn't know what she is doing" when handling records requests. McLean is the commission's assigned public records officer. #waleg
State #waleg leaders from both parties in a good mood so far, as they announce final transportation budget bills. Livestream at tvw.org/video/conferenā¦
Significant that Rep. Sharon Wylie, D-Vancouver, is zooming alongside the other transpo leaders #waleg. Washington state's share of a mega I-5 bridge replacement into Oregon would be funded by the 2022 package.
Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima now critiques how Dems crafted the $17b package without conferring with GOP, "that shortchanges the citizens statewide." He especially blasts fee increases for vehicle owners.
The WA Senate is now poised to pass a bill that would give Uber/Lyft drivers a pay raise and some benefits outside of Seattle but prevent them from being classified as employees. Some unions see this bill as a major blow to the movement. Background: #waleg thestranger.com/slog/2022/03/0ā¦
In not classifying the ridehail drivers as "employees," the bill would give Uber/Lyft a huge win, plus a great deal on car insurance. Other unions say the bill sets a dangerous precedent for a two-tiered benefit system that threatens workers' rights here and across the country.
And it passed, 40 to 8. Only a few Republicans opposed.
The WA Senate just passed HB 2037, a significant rollback from last yearās police accountability legislation. The version they passed allows cops to use force when someone walks away from a cop during a Terry stop #waleg
Background:
thestranger.com/slog/2022/02/0ā¦
Background:
thestranger.com/slog/2022/02/0ā¦
If the governor signs the bill, which he very likely will, then officers with little more than a hunch that you may have committed a low-level crime can use force to stop you from leaving a scene.
As I mentioned in the piece linked above, in committee, families of victims of police brutality and criminal justice advocates told stories of how this sort of policy opens the door for physical force to become deadly force.
The Teamsters are torn on a Washington state bill that would boost pay and offer some protections to Uber and Lyft drivers outside Seattle but stop short of classifying them as employees. #waleg thestranger.com/slog/2022/03/0ā¦
Teamsters 117 + Drivers Union + House Dems want to take the deal and keep pushing for change at the federal/state level.
Teamsters Joint Council 28, the Mass AFL-CIO (which is currently fighting a Prop 22 clone from Uber/Lyft), and other orgs say the deal sets a bad precedent.
Teamsters Joint Council 28, the Mass AFL-CIO (which is currently fighting a Prop 22 clone from Uber/Lyft), and other orgs say the deal sets a bad precedent.
No official word yet from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, though a new administration takes over on March 20, so they're kind of in transition.
