A Record of Accomplishment
Meet Jesse
Elected to the Washington State Senate in 2018, Senator Jesse Salomon has demonstrated leadership, energy and compassion as he represents Washington's 32nd Legislative District.
Through his advocacy and legislative work, Jesse has become known as a champion of families, the environment, youth and children, and campaign finance reform.
Jesse worked for 15 years as a public defense attorney. His experience representing thousands of clients, conducting the defense in numerous jury trials, working in local jails and, at the start of his legal career, serving as a prosecutor, has given him a unique set of experiences that informs his work in the legislature on crime and law.
June 3, 2021
It isn’t easy to get a Washington State Senate bill passed, but that’s just what Dean Olson of Edmonds did. Senate Bill 5027 — requiring closed-captions on televisions in all places of public accommodation in Washington state –was unanimously adopted...READ MORE
April 26, 2021
The City of Mountlake Terrace said it has been notified that the State Legislature’s final capital budget includes over $3.2 million in funding for Mountlake Terrace projects...READ MORE
April 2, 2021
Lawmakers in Washington state are moving ahead with a bill that aims to end the suspension of driver’s licenses for failure to pay traffic tickets — despite opposition from some of the activists who pushed for the change in the first place...READ MORE
In his term in the senate, Jesse prime-sponsored and passed legislation that closes the education gender opportunity gap, fights hate and bias-based crimes, prevents foreign interference in our elections, bans fracking for natural gas, preserves union jobs, and protects salmon habitat.
During the 2020 legislative session, Jesse helped pass a bipartisan Coronavirus response bill that authorized significantly more money for public health efforts, testing and health care related to the outbreak. Responding to constituents, he also passed legislation protecting employees in the pandemic who wanted to wear personal protective equipment by making it illegal to fire or take adverse action against them if an employer does not want to allow PPE.
Transportation
Traffic is a huge challenge to our region and housing is becoming less affordable. We need to expand light rail now and create affordable housing options. In 2022, Jesse is proud to have helped pass a $16 billion transportation package that is the greenest, most transit friendly package in Washington State history.
Cars and buses too often get stuck in gridlock. Most major cities have light rail, subway, or other transportation systems that run on their own dedicated route and have traffic signal priority. We need to complete our light rail system as soon as possible and add bus rapid transit service to high commuter locations not served by light rail.
Education
High wage jobs in computer technology, biotechnology, and other related fields are coming into this area in droves. Unfortunately, our education system is not equipped in educating our children so they are qualified for these jobs. I am proud to have been the lead sponsor of a bill called “Girls who Code,” that passed as HB 1577. This law helps support girls in gaining a strong tech-based education and helps them enter tech and math heavy industries when they grow up.
I will fight for funding and evidence-based investments in education so that our kids can qualify for great jobs that are coming to our region and continue to live near their families.
Criminal Justice and Equitable Policing
We must work to make the criminal justice system more sensitive to issues of disproportionate racial impact while still ensuring it maintains its crime fighting function. Police will continue to serve valued crime-fighting role in our society, but abusive policing practices must end.
Jesse introduced and passed SB5226, which eliminates suspensions of driver's licenses for failure to pay traffic fines and instead suspends a license for 60 days as a result of three moving violations in a year. Suspensions should be based on bad driving not poverty. Taking away a license can lead to an inability to get to work, take kids to childcare and trap people into a cycle of poverty. The old policy had a severely disproportionate racial impact.
