Working to Make Washington Affordable for Working Families
Standing Up To Trump
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Our forefathers created America because they did not want to be ruled by a king. Because of Trump’s actions, American has never been closer to having a king. After the overturning of Roe v. Wade, I joined other legislators to develop a strategy to protect a woman’s right to choose in Washington State. I also fought to protect local medical providers from vigilante prosecutions from states like Texas. My bill, Senate Bill 5400, prevented the loss of license based on convictions in other states like Texas for providing care if their actions were legal in the state of Washington. I am very proud to say the Washington State Legislature has passed over 140 laws to help “Trump proof” our state!
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Jesse believes everyone deserves to live in their community without fear or intimidation. While law enforcement must be able to do their jobs, ICE is operating in ways that violate constitutional protections and sow fear in our communities.
As a lawyer who spent most of his career defending constitutional rights, Jesse is deeply troubled by the impact of these practices. He has co-sponsored legislation to increase accountability and protect civil liberties, including bills that would prohibit ICE agents from wearing face coverings, require judicial warrants before entering sensitive locations such as schools, hospitals, and places of worship, and ensure employers notify workers when federal immigration audits are scheduled.
Reproductive Rights
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Jesse is 100% pro-choice and believes decisions about reproductive health care should be made by women and their doctors—not politicians. He supports access to reproductive health care for people across the economic spectrum, including access to birth control and breastfeeding supplies.
Jesse also believes medical providers who offer reproductive care must be protected under the law. After the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade, he worked with fellow legislators to develop a strategy to safeguard the right to choose in Washington and protect local doctors and nurses from out-of-state legal threats.
He sponsored Senate Bill 5400, which ensures that Washington medical providers cannot lose their licenses because of convictions in other states for providing care that is legal and consistent with Washington law and medical standards.
Jesse also strongly supports enshrining the right to reproductive care in Washington’s state constitution to ensure these protections remain secure for future generations.
Gun Safety
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Gun violence remains far too common and continues to cause preventable tragedies in our communities. Jesse believes we must take common-sense steps to keep our communities safe.
He was the lead sponsor of Washington Senate Bill 6294, which requires individuals to successfully complete firearms safety training before obtaining a concealed pistol license, as well as Senate Bill 5231, a bipartisan bill that keeps guns out of the hands of domestic abusers.
Jesse also supported efforts to limit high-capacity magazines and strengthen background checks. In addition, he backs limits on open carry at school board meetings, protests, and similar public gatherings, as well as strong “red flag” laws that allow courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals who pose a danger to themselves or others.
Education
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Investing in education at every level is one of the most important commitments we can make to the next generation. Research consistently shows that early learning helps level the playing field, which is why Jesse supported Washington Senate Bill 5237 in 2021. The legislation provided hundreds of millions of dollars to expand access to preschool and childcare for low-income families. That investment is funded by Washington’s capital gains tax, which applies only to the top 0.25% of earners in the state.
Jesse also believes we must continue strengthening our public schools. That includes reducing class sizes, expanding tutoring and student support programs, and increasing access to free breakfast and lunch so every student can focus on learning.
Education is also key to workforce readiness. As career paths continue to evolve, Jesse believes students should have strong opportunities to pursue vocational and technical training alongside traditional four-year degree programs, ensuring every student can find a pathway that works for them.
Lowering Costs
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Washingtonians are facing soaring housing and rent prices, rising grocery bills, cuts to healthcare, and the ongoing impact of Donald Trump’s tariffs. Jesse believes that reducing costs for working people during these challenging times must be a top priority. He has sponsored legislation to make it easier for seniors to access property tax relief and worked extensively to expand housing supply and lower housing costs. He has also supported a “Millionaires Tax” to ensure Washington’s wealthiest contribute more toward funding essential services– that legislation also cuts taxes on small businesses and expands the Working Families Tax Credit.
Environment and Climate Change
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The impacts of climate change are already being felt across the Pacific Northwest—from more frequent heat waves and droughts to worsening wildfire seasons and changing ocean conditions. Jesse knows that confronting climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time.
He was proud to sponsor the Washington Climate Commitment Act, landmark legislation that created a statewide carbon cap-and-invest program to reduce emissions while investing in clean energy and climate resilience. Jesse has also supported policies to accelerate Washington’s transition to clean energy and expand investments in wind and solar power and secured $500 million for stormwater treatment that will keep our water cleaner and protect salmon habitats.
He believes Washington must continue leading on climate solutions—protecting our environment, strengthening our economy, and building a more sustainable future.
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Similar to the climate change issue, the way we plan our growth also affects, generally negatively, the viability of salmon habitat. Jesse drafted and introduced a bill that adds language to the Growth Management Act such that local governments must plan their development in a way that doesn’t harm salmon. This bill will also be under consideration in the 2023 session.
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Jesse is proud to have voted for a bill to move us to 100 percent clean electricity that will increase non polluting energy sources such as wind, solar and perhaps tidal power and other innovations. Developing a clean energy infrastructure will also create jobs.
We should also look for opportunities to reduce food waste because food production accounts for nine percent of greenhouse gases emitted in the U.S., due to diesel fuel used for tractors, fertilizer production, etc. Less food wasted means less carbon emitted per person.
Transportation accounts for 27 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. Efficient public transit can reduce emissions. We must also make it easier for people to drive and recharge electric vehicles. We should encourage gas stations to have battery exchanges or rapid charging stations so that drivers can travel long distances without undue delay. As the technology becomes more mainstream, the cost of electric vehicles will go down significantly.
We need laws that incentivize non-polluting energy sources such as wind, solar and tidal power. Developing a clean energy infrastructure will also create jobs.
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Our urban area reaches to the foothills of the Cascades in the east and the Puget Sound in the west. We need to leave the mountains to nature so we can enjoy the very things many of us love about the Pacific Northwest – hiking, skiing, hunting, birdwatching, and fishing. We need to adequately fund fish hatcheries and make sure we maintain our trail system, so that we can continue to enjoy our world-class outdoor activities.
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The Puget Sound is in danger because of pollution and overdevelopment. Our stormwater infrastructure is outdated and unable to effectively filter toxins when it rains. The good news is that Jesse helped to secure $500 million in the 2022 transportation package to do just that. He is also exploring ways to eliminate 6ppd, a tire preservative that kills fish when it leeches off tires and is carried into streams by untreated stormwater.
Criminal Justice
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Jesse believes the justice system should help people get back on track, not make their challenges worse. Too often, existing policies have done more harm than good, particularly for vulnerable and low-income communities.
He has passed legislation to eliminate the practice of sending runaway youth to juvenile detention centers and instead allow them to be placed in therapeutic facilities, helping connect them with support services instead of incarceration. Jesse also worked to shift the practice of suspending licenses for failing to pay traffic fines to suspending licenses for repeated moving violations, keeping unsafe drivers off the road without punishing low-income people for being unable to pay fines. In addition, he has supported investments in drug treatment and recovery programs that address the root causes of crime and help improve public safety.
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Long-term research has shown that early investments in children’s wellbeing saves an incredible amount of money by preventing future jail costs and increasing productivity and wages. This is one of the most humane, nurturing, and cost effective investments governments can make.
Transportation
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As more people move to our region, addressing transportation challenges and traffic congestion has become increasingly important. Jesse was proud to help pass a $16 billion transportation package —one of the greenest and most transit-focused investments in Washington’s history.
He also believes we must continue building the infrastructure that makes public transit more accessible and effective. That includes improving connections to the region’s expanding light rail system, such as faster and more reliable bus service that helps people easily get to and from stations.
Health Care
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Jesse believes everybody in Washington State deserves affordable, high-quality healthcare, regardless of their income or where they live. While the State of Washington has made real progress, decisions in Washington, D.C. have pushed families backward. Trump’s cuts to Medicaid, new red tape, and the refusal of Congressional Republicans to extend federal health insurance subsidies have put thousands of Washingtonians at risk of losing coverage. Premiums have gone up, and too many people are forced to choose between medical care and paying for groceries or rent. This is unacceptable.
To protect care and bring down costs in Washington, these are Jesse’s three priorities:
Protect Washington families with progressive, sustainable revenue. Shielding our state from federal attacks on healthcare requires stable funding that does not fall on working families. Jesse proudly supports the ‘Millionaire’s Tax” because he believes the very wealthiest should pay their fair share so every family can get the medical care they need.
Hold for-profit healthcare systems accountable.
We must do more to rein in high hospital and prescription drug costs. That means stronger rules publicizing costs, more oversight of corporate healthcare consolidation, and policies that put patients first.Stand up for science-based public health.
Jesse supports Washington’s partnership with California, Hawaii, and Oregon to coordinate vaccine and public-health guidance to ensure families receive reliable, science-driven health information. At a time when Trump and his lackeys are politicizing public health agencies, Washington must remain a leader in evidence-based care.
Jesse is committed to making sure every person in Washington can access affordable, dependable healthcare.
Affordable Housing
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Washington’s affordability crisis has made it increasingly difficult for many people to live and work in our communities, especially when it comes to buying a home. Jesse has worked extensively to expand the supply of housing, including rental units, condominiums, cottage housing, and smaller “starter” homes that have long been missing from the market.
He is proud to have written and passed Washington Senate Bills 5818 and 5412, which cut red tape and made it easier to build new housing. Jesse also supported landmark legislation to limit excessive rent increases, helping renters stay in their homes and providing greater stability for families across Washington.
Homelessness
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The current state of tents and RV's randomly distributed is not a solution. We need to support people in crisis through mental health and housing investments while simultaneously enforcing community standards. We must focus on moving people into stable housing and mental health care rather than keeping people in long-term homelessness encampments.
As we managed our way through the COVID-19 crisis, Jesse understood that we must support people who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. His office became a hub for service and help for constituents whose unemployment benefits had been held up by red tape.
Concerned that the economic impacts of COVID would lead to a dramatic increase in evictions once the eviction moratorium was removed, he advocated early on for finding federal COVID relief dollars to help unwind back rent issues for renters who were laid off. He helped steer almost $1 billion in rental subsidies to prevent Covid-based homelessness.
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We spend hundreds of millions of tax dollars and charitable contributions to fight homelessness in the region. We need to better coordinate programs to prevent inefficiencies and duplication of services.
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Jesse supports rapid rehousing subsidies to prevent people from becoming homeless due to rising rent. To help people chronically addicted to alcohol and experiencing homelessness, Jesse also supports increasing "wet house" living facilities. Supervised by case managers, this type of housing allows residents to drink alcohol in their apartments rather than on the street, which decreases cost to taxpayers by reducing frequent emergency room visits during chronic homelessness.
Public Safety
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Jesse believes our communities should be both safe and supportive. Throughout his career, he has worked to advance balanced approaches to public safety—supporting innovative local policing strategies while strengthening accountability and training.
He has backed programs like the Shoreline Risk Assessment, Deterrence, and Referral (RADAR) Program, which increases the likelihood of de-escalation in police interactions with mentally ill community members. Jesse has also supported investments in regional training academies so police cadets with families can complete their training closer to home.
At the same time, he has championed stronger police accountability. Jesse supported legislation giving the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission the authority to decertify officers who abuse the public’s trust, helping ensure higher standards and greater accountability in law enforcement.
After the 2021 Washington state v. Blake decision that essentially decriminalized drugs in Washington and had catastrophic effects, Jesse championed a balanced solution that the Seattle Times called the best approach and “the best chance for steering people to needed treatment”.