Washington State Senate Democrats: Debbie Regala

Sen. Debbie Regala’s statement on the close of the 2012 session

Senate Democrats — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:13:07 GMT

Dear Friends,

Twenty years ago, the idea of serving in the Washington State Legislature was not in my wildest dreams or scariest nightmares. Yet I was elected to the House of Representatives in November of 1994 and have had the honor of representing the people of the 27^th District for the past 18 years.

It has been - to quote the title of a book I have recently enjoyed reading - ‘A Journey Long and Strange.’ This last session has certainly been memorable.

But I have had many memorable experiences over the years: walking across the Elwha Dam before it was torn down, descending almost 2000 feet below the surface of the earth in a mine at Metaline Falls, viewing a forest looking down on the trees from a construction crane, visiting death row in Walla Walla, and wearing a ‘sex offender’ ankle bracelet for a weekend.

I have met many people who have enriched my life with their personal stories: Billy, Robert, Diana, Kimberly, and Gerald, to mention a few.

And, of course, I’ve also learned something from each legislator I’ve worked with along the way. As well as Governor Gregoire and Lt. Governor Owen. Sometimes we have had strong disagreements, but I know we all are trying to do what we believe is best for the future of our state. So I thank you all for raising your hand in willingness to take on this job.

I also wish to thank all the advocates and lobbyists who have provided input, worked with me, and helped me develop and pass legislation over the years. I’m proud of my wide variety of successful legislation including Forest and Fish, Streamlined Sales Tax, Prison Reform, Local Government Finances, Sex Offender Policy and a reset of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families.

We all know that none of us could do this job without the indefatigable knowledgeable staff of the Legislature – both partisan and non-partisan. They all have my admiration and thanks. Especially, my Aide Lisa Fisch who has kept my office functioning, dealt with challenging constituent issues, and ensured my Interns and session aides were part of the office team.

I’ve often said I want to write a book about all my adventures in this long strange journey– but whether I do or not – know that I have stored a large cache of memories in my head and my heart.

Sincerely,

Debbie Regala

READ – Sen. Regala’s op-ed in the The Olympian

Senate Democrats — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:00:00 GMT

Sen. Debbie Regala recently teamed with Rep. Ruth Kagi to author an editorial on the impacts the proposed cuts to the social safety net would have on the children of Washington. You can read the entire article below:

Tough economic situation is not the time to cut safety nets

By Sen. Debbie Regala and Rep. Ruth Kagi

April 2, 2012

Programs that provide assistance to Washington’s poorest children and families should not be cut as a means to balance our state’s budget. In tough economic times, state assistance is often all that keeps a family out of homelessness.

One of the disputes in the current budget negotiations is how to approach the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program, commonly known as our state’s welfare-to-work program. The 56,000 families receiving these benefits all live in deep poverty, below one third of the federal poverty level. This means an annual income of less than $5,800 for a family of three.

All of these families have children, yet the benefit amount they receive is a far short of what is needed to support a family. For example, a single parent with two children receives a maximum of $478 per month. This modest amount is needed to cover a wide array of necessaries, including rent, utilities, clothing, toiletries and transportation.

But these benefits are not a free ride. Each parent is required to participate in job search, education or other activities that are designed to lead to employment. Almost half of those receiving benefits do so for less than a year and then never return to the rolls.

In the face of state budget cutbacks, reductions to this safety net program were made in the last year. The cash grant amount was reduced by 15 percent. 5,400 families - over 17,000 clients, including over 11,000 children - lost their assistance altogether because they hit the 60-month accumulated lifetime limit. More than 5,000 families were cut from the child care subsidy program and thousands more lost benefits due to restricted access. Each month, an average of 269 households in Washington are terminated from the program.

Further cuts, proposed in the Senate Republican budget, include shortening the accumulated lifetime limit to 48 months, and an additional grant cut which would bring the total reduction to 17 percent over the last year.

These cuts are not sustainable. Rather than saving money, they will increase costs in other areas of the state and pass more costs on to local communities.

Homelessness among school-age children has increased 19 percent since last year’s safety net reductions went into effect, a number that will continue to rise if further cuts are enacted. Children who are homeless and hungry cannot be successful in school, and school resources are further strained as they struggle to serve these children.

In addition to hunger and homelessness, there is another threat faced by children in poverty. Families with lower economic resources are at a significantly higher risk of entering the child welfare system. Already, 3.5 percent of children whose families lost benefits have been placed in relative care or with a guardian. Lowering the grant now will only make this worse.

Families losing their TANF benefits due to time limits are among the most vulnerable in our state. They have significantly less education and are twice as likely to have been victims of domestic violence as those who leave the rolls due to sustainable employment.

Fortunately, our state has a choice. We do not have to make additional cuts to programs serving our poorest, most vulnerable children. In fact, three of the budgets proposed thus far balance the budget without additional cuts to these safety net programs and make a modest attempt to mitigate last year’s grant reduction.

A truly sustainable budget is one that supports family stability. The safety net cuts proposed in the Republican budget fall well short of that goal. They are not the solution to a balanced budget.

Sen. Debbie Regala (D – Tacoma) is vice-chair of the Senate Human Services and Corrections committee. Rep. Ruth Kagi (D – Lake Forest Park) chairs the House Early Learning and Human Services committee.

Governor signs pair of Regala bills into law

Senate Democrats — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 17:23:00 GMT

OLYMPIA - Vulnerable adults seeking protection from abuse and neglect and juvenile offenders seeking to pay restitution and complete their sentence will find their paths eased by a pair of bills sponsored by Sen. Debbie Regala and signed into law today by Gov. Chris Gregoire.

“These laws will help people at different ends of the generational scale,” said Regala, vice-chair of the Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee. “These bills are about helping men and women escape the horror of abuse at the hands of those who are supposed to protect them and helping young offenders move beyond their checkered past and get on with their lives.”

Senate Bill 6240 will modify some provisions in deferral rulings issued in cases involving juvenile offenders. Under the new guidelines, when the deferral period has been completed, the court may dismiss the conviction even if restitution is still owed if the court finds the offender made a good faith effort to pay the restitution. In this instance, the judge must enter a civil judgment for any amount of restitution remaining unpaid.

“When a young person has admitted they did wrong, has fulfilled their sentence and paid their debt, the best way to allow them to make a positive contribution is to let them move on,” said Regala. “If they have done all that the court asks them to do, I don’t think they should be required to continue to pay for that mistake with criminal court appearances.”

Thursday also saw the signing of Senate Bill 6403, which will remove financial barriers for vulnerable adults who seek court protection orders in cases of abandonment, abuse, neglect or financial exploitation.

“If a person is being harmed or abused by the people who are supposed to care for them, how can we ask them to pay fees when they ask the court to step in and protect them,” asked Regala.

The new law will apply to people over the age of 60 who suffer from functional, mental or physical disabilities and receive care at nursing homes or adult care facilities, or from home health, hospice or individual providers.

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For more information: Ian Cope, Senate Democratic Communications, 360 786 7535

For interviews: Sen. Debbie Regala, 360 786 7652

Sen. Regala’s statement on Republican budget proposal

Senate Democrats — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 22:12:00 GMT

OLYMPIA - On Thursday, Sen. Debbie Regala released the following statement on the budget amendment released by the coalition of 22 Republicans and three Democrats:

"While I am encouraged to see the Republicans moving in the right direction on education funding, it is horrifying that they chose to do so at the expense of the most vulnerable people in our state.

“In adopting short-sighted reductions, the Republicans increase the potential of harm to the working poor and their families.

“By eliminating $155 million from Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and lowering the time available for support by 12 months, this backroom budget drives families towards hunger and homelessness and risks the futures of tens of thousands of children. Ask any educator and they will tell you that a child who is worried where their next meal will come from or where they will sleep that night is more destined to fail at school.

“Cutting State Food Assistance and State Family assistance eliminates a vital service to refugees and immigrants seeking the American dream who are not yet eligible for citizenship. These are families seeking refuge for a better life in the United States, not a slammed door.

“By reducing the Work First Program by $10 million, we undercut a service dedicated to helping people reach self-sufficiency and we feed into the flow of intergenerational poverty.

“The coalition of lawmakers who created this backroom budget claim today’s amendment came from listening to the people. I invite them to turn on TVW and listen to the teachers, listen to the experts, listen to the families who testified before the Senate Ways & Means Committee on the impacts the cuts to our social services will have on their lives.

“These are not people who have made poor choices; these are people who are struggling with the harsh realities of life. With a new budget balanced on their backs, these families will have few options left to them, increasing desperation and opening the door to crime. We must have more foresight and recognize that this second backroom budget continues a path to a humanitarian crisis and future skyrocketing costs.”

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For more information: Ian Cope, Senate Democratic Caucus, 360-786-7535

For interviews: Sen. Debbie Regala, 360-786-7652

An Update from Olympia - Week 9

Senate Democrats — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 19:12:14 GMT

Dear Neighbors,

The actions on Friday by Senate Republicans and Sens. Kastama, Sheldon and Tom are the most outrageous I have experienced in my 18 years as a legislator. They utilized an extraordinary parliamentary procedure to pass a budget which was developed in secret; never shared with Senate Democrats; never revealed to the public; and given no opportunity for a hearing and feedback.

In fact, when Senate Democrats requested that time be given to go to caucus and review the proposal, this alliance of 25 voted to deny the request and prevent any review of what was in the budget before lawmakers were forced to vote on it.

This was an outrageous action because a Senate Ways and Means hearing was scheduled for Saturday morning. The committee was scheduled to take action on a budget proposed by Senate Democrats that included numerous provisions Democrats and Republicans had worked together to develop.

The process would have been to publically offer any desired amendment – including the proposal by the alliance of 25. Any amended budget would have been apparent to the public and moved forward for action by the full Senate this week. Instead, this alliance insisted on springing a secret budget proposal on the full Senate, denying their colleagues and the public adequate time to review and comment on the budget proposal, and pass it after midnight when few were aware of their actions.

The Senate floor leader was forced to make the unusual request that the bill be read in full. Official readers read for about one hour before the request was withdrawn, giving time for limited review before the vote.

As I quickly reviewed the proposals in that budget, my outrage increased. This budget is balanced at the expense of some of the neediest children and adults in our state.

The largest reductions come from a $202 million shift in the use of Federal Block Grant funding for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families. The average TANF family is a single mother with two children with an income less than 35 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.

In order to receive this temporary assistance, the parent is required to work and/ or participate in educational or training activities designed to prepare the parent for employment. The assistance comes in the form of a monthly grant to help pay for housing, food, and other needs. An analysis of these families shows most are able to get on their feet and leave assistance within 18 months to 2 years. However, many cycle off and back on as they gain employment, then lose a job and need assistance again while again searching for work.

Last year in a bipartisan agreement, the Legislature set a limit of 50 total months of assistance over a lifetime. This affected over 6,000 families and 12,000 children across our state. The monthly grant for those still eligible for assistance was also reduced to $478 per month for a family of three. After implementation of those policies, Pierce County began noting an increase in requests for housing assistance with the largest increase being single mothers with children. These were difficult decisions for me but necessary because the Federal Block Grant to the state is limited and does not increase even if the caseload increases.

The budget passed by the alliance of 25 shifts $202 million from that block grant to other purposes. It further reduces the monthly assistance grant to these families and reduces the lifetime accumulation of assistance to 48 months pushing an estimated 4000 more families (8,000 children) into the risk of homelessness. This is outrageous because this shift and resulting reductions did not need to be taken. These block grant funds are intended to assist these families and their children. We all know that children who are hungry, ill, or experiencing homelessness do not come to school focused on learning; they are concerned and worried about more basic needs.

The next biggest reduction in the budget passed by the alliance of 25 affects Disability Lifeline and approximately 15,500 single adults who have disabilities considered not severe enough or too temporary to qualify for long-term Federal Social Security assistance. Again, in a bipartisan agreement last session, the Legislature eliminated any monthly cash award but did maintain access to medical assistance for these individuals. With the elimination of the funding for medical access eligible recipients will lose state support for their physician visits, any needed medications, lab work and X-rays, and any needed hospital care or mental health treatment.

There is no need to eliminate the assistance provided – there is no need to balance the budget at the expense of the neediest families, children and people with disabilities.

The Senate Democrats budget contained a different approach – a shift of the K-12 apportionment payment date from June 30, 2013 to July I, 2013. While this does shift a $340,000 obligation to the next biennium, it does no harm to anyone. The school districts still receive their apportionment, teachers and others still receive their pay checks, and there will be no negative effects on students. During the hearing on this budget, representatives from the education community testified that the apportionment shift was appropriate given the choices before the Legislature. They observed that children who are hungry, ill or homeless do not come to school ready to learn. Every day they see firsthand how the shredding of the state safety net undermines academic achievement for so many low-income students.

The proposals in the alliance of 25 budget are not the priorities of the people of Washington – we are better humanitarians than this!

Sincerely,

Sen. Debbie Regala

27th Legislative District

Sen. Regala comments on Ninth Order of Business

Senate Democrats — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 03:36:00 GMT

When I came to the Legislature in 1995, I was unfamiliar with many of the processes by which bills became the laws of our state. I had my ideas of course, but little familiarity with the body that I had joined. In spite of that, I was excited to be a part of the process and eager to make a positive contribution.

At one of my first committee hearings, I received a shock that I have not forgotten. The committee chairman, from the opposite party, asked for my vote on a lengthy water policy bill that I had just been handed. No explanation of what it did and no opportunity to read/review it. My ignorance of the facts, intent and effects of that bill did not matter. I was being asked to vote for a bill I had no knowledge of. You can imagine the shock and sadness that I felt and my disillusion with the process I had become a part of. Since that time, I have striven to be knowledgeable of every piece of legislation I cast a vote for, whether in support or opposition.

This is my final year in the State Legislature and I had hoped it would end with my never having to feel that way again. You can imagine my sadness and disappointment at the actions of Senate Republicans and three members of my own party, which plunged the entire Senate into a state of partisan chaos. Once again, I was being asked to vote on a bill on which I had no knowledge. This time, it is not a narrowly focused policy bill moving through committee, but a 233 page budget amendment that will cut services critical to the lives and livelihoods of thousands of our states residents. The shame and anger I feel at today’s display of the partisan acts that has gripped our country is overwhelming.

In closing, I can only promise, as I did before, to not cast a vote for a document that I do not understand or have knowledge of. It is our responsibility as lawmakers for the State of Washington to pass legislation that is in the best interests of our state. In my remaining days as a Senator, however many they may be, I pledge to continue to fight for our state and to ensure that any bill which passes off the Senate floor is done so with the process and procedure that I have always believed in.

Senate approves Kimmie’s Law for endangered missing persons

Senate Democrats — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:26:00 GMT

OLYMPIA - Reports of endangered, missing persons will be submitted to law enforcement more quickly under a bill approved Friday by the Washington State Senate.

Under Senate Bill 6162, a missing person’s report would be submitted once an endangered person has been missing for six hours, rather than 12 hours. A person is considered endangered based on age or a health, mental or physical disability.

“We’ve had the Endangered, Missing Persons Advisory Program for a few years but we’re trying to make it work better,” said Sen. Debbie Regala, the bill’s sponsor. “Enlisting the public’s support as quickly as possible in looking for a person is so important when that person, because of their age, physical or mental capacity, is in real danger.”

In addition to timeliness, Regala says Senate Bill 6162 will provide the option of using social media to spread the word that someone is missing and endangered.

“When we have an endangered missing person, immediacy and timeliness is really important to ensure that we find that person and get them back to where they belong,” said Regala.

The bill has been nicknamed Kimmie’s Law after the 2010 murder of 16 year old Kimmie Daily, a girl with developmental disabilities who was murdered after being lured from her South Hill home.

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For more information: Ian Cope, Senate Democratic Caucus, 360-786-7535

For interviews: Sen. Debbie Regala, 360-786-7652

VIDEO - Sen. Regala uses personal experiences to push for Marriage Equality

Senate Democrats — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:38:03 GMT

This evening I proudly stand in support of SB 6239.

We have heard many people say that by passing this legislation today we are ‘redefining marriage’.

The reality is that marriage has evolved through many forms over the centuries. We all know that one common form of marriage in the past included the betrothal of a young woman – often in her early teens – or even pre-teen - to a much older man - even when the girl strongly objected. I think today we all would find that once common definition of marriage objectionable.

Over the years, marriages between people of different social statuses, different religious persuasions, different ethnicities, and different races have been unacceptable or even illegal. Many of you have heard me talk about the discrimination and the predictions of terrible consequences that my husband and I faced when we married almost 44 years ago – one year after a ban on interracial marriage in our country was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. I’m glad the definition of a legal marriage was changed to include mine. A marriage I cherish so much.

We hear that the purpose of marriage is procreation, and that this legislation undermines that purpose.

Yet, I am unaware of any belief that would not support marriages between couples well past the age of procreation, between couples who for some reason are unable to bring children into the world and even for couples who do not want to bring children into the world.

Some of these couples will adopt children providing them a safe secure nurturing home. Many same sex couples do the exact same thing. And many couples whether heterosexual or same sex utilize the wonders of modern medical technology to bring their own biological children into the world.

Why should one group of parents - heterosexual couples, have a special right to marriage that is denied to same sex parents?

Both are providing society with the same benefit – a loving safe home for children.

Today, I believe that most people view marriage with a much broader definition than those of the past.

Marriage is about a mutual pledge – not a coerced pledge – of a life-long commitment –well past the child bearing or child rearing age - to love and support each other through better or worse, in sickness and in health, in richness or poverty, until death.

That is a big benefit to the couple and it is a benefit to the general welfare of society. Research shows that married couples are happier, healthier and live longer than unmarried people.

A few years ago, my granddaughter who was 8 or 9 a the time- told me of her wish that I would be able to be there on her ‘marriage day’ – that’s what she called it. She expressed her vision of finding someone to spend her life with, just as her parents had - and as her ‘papa’ and I had. Again, her vision was about finding a soul mate to make a lifelong commitment to. I think we can all agree that is a wonderful vision.

It’s my belief that a person’s sexual orientation is determined when they are born.

We all know many young people in our communities are acknowledging their sexual orientation early in life and almost everyone here has spoken out against the bullying and discrimination these young people often experience.

In my opinion, denying them the opportunity to fulfill the vision my granddaughter spoke about, and that so many of these young people share, is also discrimination. How does denying them the right to this dream benefit society and the public interest?

I ask you to join me in supporting marriage equality.

An Update From Olympia – Week Four

Senate Democrats — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:02:40 GMT

Dear Neighbors,

As we move into the month of February, my fellow 27th District legislators and I are looking forward to meeting you and other neighbors at our Town Hall Meeting. The meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 18 at the Lyceum Theater on the Evergreen State University Tacoma campus. If you have comments concerning our district, our county or our state, I encourage you to come to this meeting and let your opinions be heard. After all, the best way to impact your state government is to be a part of it.

What a start we have had to the 2012 Legislative Session. It was with great happiness that I learned of Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen’s decision to support the marriage equality bill. The veteran senator’s choice was preceded by days of careful thought and consideration and she is to be commended for her courageous choice. With 25 supporters, the Senate version of the bill, Senate Bill 6239, is all but guaranteed of passage. With support in the House and from Gov. Gregoire, Washington is poised to become the seventh state in the country to move past inequality and recognize the right to marriage for gay and lesbian couples. I look forward to the debate and final vote on the floor of the Senate and the historic day that the governor signs the bill into law.

Another highly talked about piece of legislation which I was proud to sponsor was a measure, Senate Bill 6283, which would have eliminated the death penalty in Washington state. On Jan. 25, Sen. Adam Kline and I sat side by side with members of the group “Safe and Just Alternatives” and argued that elimination of the death penalty made financial and practical sense for our state. Millions of dollars are being, and have been, spent prosecuting capital cases in Washington only to have the decision to pursue the death penalty reversed. The goal of public safety could be just as easily and far less expensively met by putting these offenders behind bars without the possibility of parole. Sen. Kline also noted that the threat of capital punishment doesn’t deter someone in the act of committing a capital crime. Another aspect that haunts me is the chance that an innocent man or woman may be put to death. We are not perfect. Mistakes have been made in other states and I can imagine nothing more horrific than learning after the fact that an innocent person has been put to death in our state. Sadly, it does not appear that the votes exist to get the bill out of committee, but I feel we raised the level of public dialogue on this important issue … a dialogue that I hope will lead to the eventual elimination of the death penalty in our state.

Despite work on other issues, our greatest efforts this session will focus on helping the state recover from the effects of the Great Recession. As we begin February, statistics from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics paint a conflicting picture for our state. The bureau’s monthly survey of Washington households indicates that the unemployment rate here dropped from 8.7 percent in November to 8.5 percent in December, which is good. Unemployment hasn’t been this low in nearly three years, when it was at 8.3 percent in February 2009. At the same time, however, the bureau’s statistics also show a loss of about 10,700 jobs from November to December. Analysts at the state Employment Security Department warn that the federal numbers tend to be volatile and that a single month of numbers is not a reliable indicator of what’s happening in the job market. A more reliable measure is what is happening over time, and over time they say jobs are gradually increasing and the unemployment rate is dropping. You can read the department’s full report here. It is our duty to continue that job growth and the way to do that is to invest in the infrastructure that is so critical to our state’s business climate. However, the state’s declining gas tax revenue threatens our transportation infrastructure and will cost the state $3 billion over the next 10 years and disrupt travel across Washington. Gov. Gregoire has proposed a series of measures that would generate the money to close the $3 billion gap. You can read more about those proposals here. If the state does not make up the $3 billion in lost revenue, impacts could include:

 Discontinuation of preservation to roads and other highway infrastructure;

 Discontinuation of bridge preservation, compromising safety and triggering lower weight limits on freight;

 Elimination of ferry service on five routes plus reductions in service on two routes;

 Deterioration of pavement and road quality;

 More snow, ice and slush on roads for longer duration;

 More damage and unrepaired guard rails on roads;

 Worn-out pavement markings, faded signs;

 Increased roadside debris and litter;

 Reduced accident response time and longer backups;

 Increased traffic signal conflicts and outages; and

 Increased road closures from flooding and erosion from backed-up culverts.

As Washington continues to recover from the Great Recession, now more than ever we need a transportation system industry and manufacturers can lean on. Without it, their products do not move. Without it, the imports and exports that are the basis of our state’s economy are wasted and Washington’s businesses will lag behind the pack.

The challenges facing my colleagues and I are great, but we are committed to leaving Olympia with a budget – not just a balanced budget but a budget that does not forget the most vulnerable in our state and provides for their safety and well-being.

Sincerely,

Sen. Debbie Regala

27th Legislative District

Sen. Regala discusses eliminating the death penalty in Washington

Senate Democrats — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:50:00 GMT

Joined by members of the group "Safe and Just Alternatives", Sen. Debbie Regala met with the media on Wednesday, Jan. 25th to discuss SB 6283, a bill which would eliminate the death penalty in Washington state.