All Washington’s children should have coverage

Your June 26 editorial stated there are good fiscal arguments for providing health coverage for all children in Washington. And it correctly states that low-income adults also need help securing health care. more>>>

Nursing home tax finally put to bed

OLYMPIA – It’s taken years of work, but residents of Washington nursing homes can finally say goodbye to a tax that was costing them as much as $1,800 a year. more>>>

Kauffman works to improve lives of working families

OLYMPIA – One-third of American families have no net worth or are in debt. A quarter of families are asset poor, meaning they lack the resources to live at the federal poverty level for more than three months if they lost their incomes. more>>>

Governor signs bill to correct judicial activism and restore rights to disabled

OLYMPIA – Gov. Gregoire today signed Senate Bill 5340 to restore the rights of the disabled after they were taken away last year in a ruling by the Washington Supreme Court. more>>>

Kline: Who should define a “disability”?

OLYMPIA – The Legislature has approved a measure to restore the rights of the disabled after they were taken away last year in a ruling by the Washington Supreme Court. Senate Bill 5340, sponsored by Sen. Adam Kline, D-Seattle, would restore the broader, pre-ruling definition and codify it in law. more>>>

Current laws must address strangulation

The statistics are chilling: Washington law enforcement agencies responded to 53,770 domestic violence-related calls in 2005. Put another way, six individuals each hour reported an assault by a domestic partner in our state. What an appalling picture, especially with the knowledge that so many cases are never reported. more>>>

Sirita’s Law approved by Senate

OLYMPIA – Two years after the beating death of 4-year-old Sirita Sotelo horrified the Lake Stevens community in which she lived, the state Legislature has approved a measure to increase the Department of Social and Health Services’ (DSHS) accountability in child welfare cases and provide for better training of social workers. more>>>

Increase in personal needs allowance improves seniors’ quality of life

OLYMPIA – For those receiving state-financed care, a few extra dollars can make a world of difference in their quality of life. That’s why the Senate today unanimously approved a measure to increase the personal needs allowance (PNA) for seniors and persons with disabilities who receive publicly financed care in facilities operated or contracted by the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). more>>>

It’s the law: Marr bill extends health coverage to 38,000 uninsured children

OLYMPIA — When he chaired the board of directors of Empire Health Services prior to being elected to the state Senate, Sen. Chris Marr, D-Spokane, saw firsthand the far-reaching consequences of children without health coverage. more>>>

Public guardianship office would advocate for persons with limited mental capacity

OLYMPIA – When a person is unable to make legal, financial or health decisions, a court can appoint a guardian to help in managing his or her affairs. more>>>

Franklin’s bill would extend health coverage to foster youth older than age 18

OLYMPIA – Delilah Bruskas was 5 years old when she was placed in foster care. To this day, she doesn’t know why she was separated from her mother and siblings. When she “aged out” of foster care at age 18, she struggled emotionally. Because the state left her without health care coverage, there was little she could do to address her mental health needs. more>>>

Breastfeeding mothers would gain employer support through Franklin bill

OLYMPIA – From brain to bowel, breastfeeding is best for baby. And it isn’t just good for babies, it’s good for mothers too. So if the best food for infants is human breast milk, why aren’t more employers “infant friendly,” providing a private area, other than a restroom or break room, for expressing milk or for rinsing breast-pump equipment? more>>>

Senate restores rights of disabled

OLYMPIA – What exactly is a “disability”? And who should decide: legislators or judicial activists?

“The everyday lives of the disabled are already filled with difficulties and barriers,” said Sen. Adam Kline, D-Seattle. “For the State Supreme Court to take it upon itself to impose another obstacle is simply unconscionable.” more>>>

Marr’s bill a signature away from extending health care to uninsured children

OLYMPIA — The only thing standing between 38,000 uninsured children and health coverage is Gov. Chris Gregoire’s signature. more>>>

Kauffman bill to protect tribal children sails through Senate

OLYMPIA – Native American children in Washington would be protected from convicted criminals who apply for jobs in tribal schools under a bill passed by Sen. Claudia Kauffman, D- Kent. The Senate today passed Senate Bill 5382. more>>>

DD population needs help getting help

Today, people with developmental disabilities are living in local communities, holding jobs and participating in full social lives. Although this is a wonderful change from the past, when they were hidden away in institutions, failures in their support systems can have tragic consequences. Many people with developmental disabilities also rely on 24-hour caregivers in community and institutional settings. When something goes wrong in those environments, it is often because of a failure in the system. more>>>

Eide bill fights domestic abuse

OLYMPIA – It’s a sad truth that in communities across Washington, domestic violence rips apart relationships, causes injuries and takes lives. In the past several months, 50 cases have been reported in Federal Way. But Sen. Tracey J. Eide, who represents the 30th Legislative District, would add another tool that prosecutors could use against domestic abusers. more>>>

If you think children’s health care is expensive, consider the alternative

There are those who will tell you that Washington cannot afford to extend health care insurance to every child in the state. I’m here to tell you we cannot afford not to make sure all our kids are covered. This isn’t my opinion; it’s my experience. more>>>

Hargrove supports mental health providers’ safety bill

OLYMPIA – For some public safety professionals such as police officers and firefighters, special training to deal with dangerous situations is part of the job, and they work in teams to ensure better safety. more>>>

Bill would help disabled victims in repaying the state

OLYMPIA – After falling victim to a tragedy, many people receive money from the state to cover their medical costs and lost wages. Sen. Phil Rockefeller, D-Kitsap County, is proposing a bill to ensure that disabled victims no longer are placed in a bind when asked to pay back the money at a later date. more>>>

It's hard to learn on an empty stomach

In a Leave-It-to-Beaver world, families would have breakfast together every morning before going their separate ways (“School meal is poor substitute for home-cooked involvement,” Jan. 10). more>>>

Putting the best interests of our children first

OLYMPIA – To put the best interests of our children first, Sen. Phil Rockefeller, D-Kitsap County, has proposed a bill that would honor the wishes of unadopted minor children who want to reunite with their parents. more>>>

Marr calls for state veterans cemetery for Spokane region

OLYMPIA – For years, military veterans have been asking for a veterans cemetery in Eastern Washington. If Sen. Chris Marr, D-Spokane, has his way, that request is about to be answered. more>>>

Jacobsen to introduce bills to protect against unscrupulous guardians

OLYMPIA – Finding that laws to protect elderly or vulnerable citizens are far too lax, Sen. Ken Jacobsen, D-Seattle, is introducing a series of proposed laws that would add important protections against predatory, incompetent or unnecessary guardians. more>>>