Building a stronger, more just & transparent democracy
Building a stronger, more just & transparent democracy
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Healthcare workers say the state should have the power to review hospital consolidations to make sure levels of care are not reduced when a hospital is purchased. Sen. Emily Randall, D-Bremerton, said she saw her own community hospital suffer after being acquired by a larger company. That’s why she introduced The Keep Our Care Act. “In my own community, Harrison Hospital was acquired by CHI,” Randall said. “And I first started learning about it not from the lens of reproductive healthcare, but from nurses and hospita...
Parents shouldn’t have to worry that the pots and pans they cook in could be poisoning their kids, say scientists and legislators, and a bill proposed in the state Legislature would make sure that is true. HB 1551 limits the production, circulation, and sale of pots and pans with more than five parts per million (ppm) of lead in any of its parts. “The family meal should be a place to gather and spend time together. It shouldn’t be the source of cognitive and physical harm,” said Rep. Gerry Pollet, D-Seattle. “I have long...
By Aspen Anderson Washington State Journal As the prevalence of fentanyl rises, so too does the frequency of critical incidents related to parental substance abuse among foster children, often resulting in fatalities or near-fatalities. This alarming trend spurred foster mothers from across the state to gather and protest on the steps of the capitol. They say a recently adopted state law makes it harder to remove children from homes for the evidence of substance abuse alone, a...
To protect young people from the dangers of high-strength cannabis, two bills have been proposed in this year’s Washington State Legislature. SB 6220, recently passed in the Senate, establishes the minimum purchase age for high-THC cannabis at 25 and older. The bill defines high THC as greater than 35% THC and mandates the Liquor and Cannabis Board to define concentration levels following extensive market research. THC is the intoxicating ingredient in marijuana. “When we legalized marijuana, we thought we were leg...
When she treated an out-of-state patient from Idaho with pulmonary hypertension. Dr. Jennifer Chin of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) knew her pregnant patient was at risk if she carried the pregnancy to term. She believes her patient could have died without the care she received in Washington. But increasingly, Chin said, she sees doctors becoming hesitant to give abortion care because of the threat it poses to their safety. To protect doctors,...
Diaper changing stations traditionally were placed only in women's bathrooms, and Alexandra Johnson, a mother of two from Snoqualmie, thinks that should change. “What are the implications for our children when they see that mom is the only one providing care?” Johnson asked. Johnson made her comments in testimony as the state Legislature considers HB 2052, which would require changing stations in all new or renovated public bathrooms, regardless of gender. “This legislation does two things: It creates more access to safe...
Tribal members in Washington State are four times more likely to overdose and die on opioids than the state average, and advocates are pushing for state programs to address the crisis. "A dark undercurrent, threatening the fabric of society, requires us to stand united and say, you're not alone." said Rep. Debra Lekanoff, D-40th District. "Tribal wellness centers are at the forefront of Washington healing for over a decade, offering a beacon of hope." Lekanoff, the sole...
SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash., August 29, 2023-The Snohomish County Health Department is urging all county residents to know and follow preventive measures for rabies after a bat in the Snohomish area tested positive Monday, August 28. Multiple domestic pets were exposed, but there are no known human exposures. The owner reported that the pets are vaccinated against rabies. Public health staff are following up to verify vaccination status and provide guidance on any other measures...
WENATCHEE - Animal control officers with the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society recovered a bat that tested positive for rabies earlier this month. The Chelan-Douglas Health District was informed of a "pet-only exposure" to the rabid bat on Aug. 8, according to a health district news release. Animal control officers seized the bat from a home in Chelan County and then euthanized the animal. The bat was submitted to the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for testing,...
Washougal resident Randy Lavasseur believes that the physical and mental health of children are changing due to modern-day conveniences and the instant gratification that they bring - and not for the better. "They are meant to be outside doing difficult things, things that take time to show results - not contaminating their minds with devices, poisoning their mental health by watching television all day or lounging on the beach and eating until they can't (eat anymore), killin...
New rules protecting outdoor workers including farm and construction workers from hot weather hazards have taken effect as of Monday, July 17. The rules were put in place to better protect workers as hotter and drier temperatures begin to set in. Having first set heat protection rules for outdoor workers in 2008, Washington continues to be one of a few states with heat protection rules in place. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries recently made changes in order to provide further protections and expand on...
Cosmetic products containing nine toxic chemicals already removed from some retail shelves would be banned under a House-passed bill currently in the Senate. Substitute House Bill 1047, by Rep. Sharlett Mena, D-Tacoma, passed the House with a 55-41 vote and would restrict the manufacture, sale and distribution of cosmetic products containing certain chemicals as an intentionally added ingredient, beginning Jan. 1, 2025. “The chemicals we’re talking about, nine chemicals and classes of toxic chemicals, are things that we kno...
Thirty thousand doses of the pregnancy-ending drug mifepristone was purchased by the state under an order by Gov. Jay Inslee. The abortion-related drug is legal in the state of Washington to end pregnancy up to 10 weeks. The drug was approved for use by the Federal Food and Drug Administration 20 years ago and studies show the drug is safe to use. But, a judge in Texas is presiding over a case that challenges the FDA’s approval, and that could impact the ability of women in the state of Washington to have access to the d...
People with mental health issues and those who might consider suicide sometimes voluntarily give up their right to possess guns by filing a voluntary waiver of their firearm rights with the clerk of the court of any county within the state. Under a bill now being debated in the Legislature, filing such a waiver would be allowed electronically and revoking the waiver would trigger notification of a friend or relative. Substitute Senate Bill 5006, by Sen. Jamie Pederson, D-Seattle, also would create a class 4 civil infraction o...
Use of consumer reproductive health data would be much more restricted under House Bill 1155, the proposed “My Health, My Data Act.” The proposed law requires the consumer’s consent before sharing or collecting personal health data. This prohibits organizations from selling consumer health data not otherwise protected by law. After an extended floor debate over 23 proposed amendments, the bill received a vote of 57-39 in the state House of Representatives and moved to the Senate. In 2022, Attorney General Bob Ferguson announc...
More people working in public sector jobs would be required to report suspected abuse of senior adults under a bill now being debated in the state Legislature. “Typically, the first idea that we have that abuse or neglect is occurring comes through mandatory reporters,” said Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro Woolley, the bill’s sponsor. “It also lets everybody know who they can share information with under what circumstances.” Typically, mandated reporters are members of law enforcement, social workers and professional school pe...
More than 400,000 health care professionals would be required to provide information on race, ethnicity, gender, and spoken languages under a bill that passed the House and now is under consideration by the Senate. “This is something that we need to do to align our racial and ethnic makeup, and also just understanding better how we can get the workforce that reflects our state,” said Rep. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane. “This is needed to help us have a more robust and diverse workforce.” Currently, demographic informa...
Food banks are finding it necessary to provide diapers, toiletries, feminine hygiene products and other non-food items but currently are limited on how much they can spend on those essentials. Substitute House Bill 1499, by Rep. Clyde Shavers, D-Oak Harbor, allows food banks to expand the percentage of food assistance funding they can spend on non-food items from 10% to 25%. “During the pandemic, they faced this financial struggle, this hurdle, where they couldn’t purchase these products or use state funds to purchase pro...
A social workers' guide to identify child malnutrition cases has passed the state House of Representatives and is now under consideration by the Senate. The guide would be required to be easily accessible to social workers, describe how to identify child malnutrition, include questions to ask if child malnutrition is suspected, include next steps staff must take. Child Protective and Welfare Services are offered to families to protect children from abuse and neglect. The Department of Children, Youth, and Families is...
Terminally ill patients seeking help to end their lives with the aid of a physician shouldn’t have to wait so long to get approval from the state. That’s the position of Sen. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, who said he intends to eliminate barriers to care without removing safeguards in the Washington Death with Dignity Act. His Senate-passed proposal is Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5179. "One in four people do not live long enough to survive the 15-day waiting period (currently in the law). We talked to people who asked for...
Free lunches for all public-school students is apparently off the table in the state Legislature, but House members are now considering phasing-in paid lunches for kindergarten through fourth grade. “While I am disappointed we are unable to move legislation that will cover all kids with universal meals, I am pleased that we are continuing to move legislation forward that will help us take another step toward the goal,” said bill sponsor Rep. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane. House Bill 1238 originally provided universal free lun...
Reproductive health care services including abortion and gender affirming treatment would be protected in Washington State under a bill recently by the House with a 59-38. The legislation, House Bill 1469, was sponsored by Rep. Drew Hansen, D-Bainbridge Island. Hansen said it establishes the state’s right to protect the insurance coverage of protected healthcare services, regardless of a person’s location when receiving those services. Other states are free to make their own public policy choices on what is legal or ill...
Washington State is moving to keep out-of-pocket costs of insulin at $35 per month until Jan. 1, 2025. “For people with Type 1 diabetes, this bill is literally life or death,” said Matthew Hepner, the father of a child with diabetes in support of SSB 5729. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines, passed unanimously through the Senate and moved to the House of Representatives Feb. 28. It requires insurers to cap the patient share of the cost for insulin. In 2022, legislators passed Keiser’s previous insul...
Allisone McClanahan suffered from severe chronic pain and fibromyalgia. To ease her pain, the 26-year-old took a pain pill from a friend she thought contained oxycodone. Instead, she died of a drug overdose in 2021. After her death, the toxicology report revealed the pill did not contain any oxycodone and was poisoned with fentanyl, seven times the amount her body could withstand. Genevieve Schofield, Allisone’s mother, said she did not want anyone to experience pain like hers. She reached out to legislators, and testified a...
People who perform female genital mutilation on a minor could face criminal and civil penalties if a bill now in the state Senate becomes law. Female genital mutilation, or FGM, involves removal or injury to female genital organs for non-medical reasons. It is a cultural procedure for young girls more commonly practiced in some African countries but instances of it in the United States are on the increase as immigrants move here. “Unfortunately, I am told by members of the community that not only licensed health p...
Insurance policies that cover abortion would be required to cover the entire cost of the procedure under provisions of a bill now being debated in the state Legislature. “This bill is about removing barriers to access to abortion services, regardless of the ability to pay,” said Annette Cleveland, D-Vancouver, the bill’s main sponsor. Senate Bill 5242 would require health plans issued or renewed after Jan. 1, 2024, to provide abortion-services without cost-sharing, said staff of the committee Greg Attanasio. One excep...
Insurance policies that cover abortion would be required to cover the entire cost of the procedure under provisions of a bill now being debated in the state Legislature. “This bill is about removing barriers to access to abortion services, regardless of the ability to pay,” said Annette Cleveland, D-Vancouver, the bill’s main sponsor. Senate Bill 5242 would require health plans issued or renewed after Jan. 1, 2024, to provide abortion-services without cost-sharing, said staff of the committee Greg Attanasio. One excep...
Consumers will be able to purchase more low-THC liquid-infused products in a single purchase if a bill in the Legislature wins approval. “HB 1249 is necessary to ensure that the evolution of consumer preference, and access to an increasing variety of these products, reflects those preferences and is aligned with the law,” said Douglas Henderson, Painted Rooster Cannabis Company CEO. Rep. Chris Corry, R-Yakima, introduced the bill. He said he recently became aware of new products in the market, including a low-THC infused bev...
Usually, Shirley Chang is in complete control. The Amazon executive has steely black pupils that cut right to the soul. But when she talks about her son, who has eczema, they become bewildered and sad. So crucial is skin health to not just our physical, but our emotional wellbeing, that experts strongly caution us against neglecting it, as many people do. For Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), the issues are complicated by a convergence of cultural and genetic factors that in some areas leave them even more...
CHENEY— With inflation growing and affecting all aspects of everyday life, food insecurity is asserting itself as a prevalent issue in the Cheney community and surrounding areas. The United States Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as a “lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life.” In a study done by the University of Washington in March 2022, research showed that rural Ag communities in Washington State are at a higher risk for experiencing food insecurity than their urban count...
Viruses have a history of effecting the human brain. For example, it’s been long understood that HIV/AIDs can cause “progressive cerebral volume loss,” and measle infections can lead to encephalitis or inflammation of the brain. Given this context, the recent reports of how COVID-19 effects the brain are unsurprising, though nonetheless, concerning. “A lot of people have long-term cognitive problems, even if their virus is well under control,” says Avindra Nath, Clinical Director of the National Institute of Neurologi...
Now that it's May, with hopefully warmer weather around the corner, it's a great time to get out to local parks. Walking in the woods has shown to benefit physical and mental health. To spice things up, Blaine's Lincoln Park offers the added excitement of a challenge: Disc golf. In the game, disc golf players count strokes each time a disc is thrown. Starting from the tee pad, players take turns until they finish the hole by throwing the disc in the basket. The player with...
Spring has sprung and with its return, so have ticks. In Northern America, when temperatures begin to warm, ticks begin to stretch their legs around the outdoors. Since ticks can carry illnesses, it's always smart to be aware of their presence and get them off you and your pets if found. Spring and summer are when ticks are out the most and while the severity of a tick season varies, people should be ready to encounter them when they're outdoors in grassy, brushy and wooded...
