A Note from Vandana
My freshman year in the Washington State Legislature:
It has been my great honor to serve as your state house representative, and to meet so many engaged constituents from the diverse, vibrant and innovative 48th District. I believe that good government is about removing obstacles and providing opportunities for people to succeed. The Legislature is truly the people’s branch, and I will work hard for you – for our children, our families, and our neighbors in urban and rural areas – to ensure that our shared values as Washingtonians are upheld.
Here are some highlights of the session and some observations on things that I learned as a freshman legislator. For further details, current votes & legislative updates, please visit my page at the Washington House Democrats website: http://housedemocrats.wa.gov/legislators/vandana-slatter/
As many of you know, I was appointed in January to the 48th District State House position 1, representing all or parts of Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Clyde Hill, Medina and the Points communities, after the previous representative, Patty Kuderer, was appointed to the State Senate. Because of a snowstorm in December that delayed the completion of the appointment process, I was sworn into office just before the opening of the 65th legislature on January 9 and got to straight to work!
The first two weeks involved learning about how things work in Olympia, setting up my office and calendar and seeking committee assignments that best suit my background. Committees are where legislation is born and vetted before it is advanced to the house floor. I was pleased and excited to be appointed to three committees: Education; Technology & Economic Development; and Healthcare & Wellness.
This year the Washington State House of Representatives considered over 2000 bills! I was a secondary sponsor of about 100 of these and primary sponsor of four bills. Two of my four bills were passed with bipartisan support and signed by Governor Jay Inslee. Resolutions, project support I advocated for, and bills for which I have been a primary or secondary sponsor, amended, or worked on in committee are listed on my Accomplishments page.
Overall, I stand proud of my contributions as a representative of our district during these busy months of the legislative session and there is still more to accomplish. With your help, I look forward to continuing to advocate for health, education and opportunity for our Washington families.
Thank you for all you do,
Vandana