On Thursday, June 27, two of our legislative priorities moved one step closer to fruition.
The Washington state legislature, which was just days from laying off thousands of state employees, came to a budget deal this morning that will allow us to continue providing uninterrupted care and services and will avert layoffs. Details of the 483-page budget include passage of some of our major priorities:
- Medicaid expansion to give 250,000 more Washingtonians access to healthcare and mental health services
- Funds SEIU Healthcare 1199NW contracts including an additional step and a 3% pay increase starting July 1
- Raises new revenue
- Funds increased security at state hospitals
- Prevented bad proposals that would hurt employee healthcare or our pensions
Meanwhile, in Washington, DC, Senators voted 68-32 to pass a common-sense immigration reform bill. This landmark legislation will for the first time in decades fix our broken immigration system and create a road map to citizenship for 11 million immigrants living in the shadows. Next we face a difficult battle to pass good immigration reform legislation in the House of Representatives. Talk to your delegate or organizer about how you can get involved in our immigration reform campaign.