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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The 2024 legislative session has commenced, and it will be a 60-day sprint. I’m excited to be back in Olympia, representing the 25th District. Thank you for your continued trust and for allowing me the opportunity to serve you. I’m humbled and honored to be your voice in the Legislature and will do everything in my power to represent you and your best interests.
Legislative Priorities
As we kick off this session, my focus is the same as it has been since I joined the Legislature in 2021. And along with my Republican colleagues, our priorities continue to be the same as yours.
Making Our Communities Safer – Public safety is a major issue in our communities. There are many areas of concern: violent and property crimes, substance abuse, mental health, homelessness, and a lack of law enforcement. Homicide is up 96% since 2019 (WASPC) and 61% of violent crimes go unsolved (WA Criminal Justice Snapshot). It’s past time to fix what’s wrong in Washington. I have always supported our law enforcement professionals. I will continue to support legislation and policies which promote officer recruitment and retention for officers in our communities. We should not be dead last in the number of police officers per capita in the country.
Reducing your cost of living – The cost of living has skyrocketed in Washington. We have the third highest gas prices in the nation (Forbes) and the fourth highest combined sales tax rate in the country (Tax Foundation). We need to lower gas prices, prevent tax hikes, and offer real tax-relief to help struggling families and individuals. Our state government has been operating under a surplus for many years, yet the Legislature approves new taxes. I oppose any new taxes and will continue to support tax relief that will help those who need it the most.
Fixing our housing crisis – We do not have enough affordable housing options in Washington. The median price of a new home in Washington is $648,000, of which $155,520 is the cost of regulation. We made some progress last year, but there is still much work to be done. I have sponsored and co-sponsored several bills to reduce regulatory burdens and make it easier for more affordable housing to be built. I will continue to support these efforts in the Legislature.
Improving education – We need to address the learning loss from the long pandemic school closures which have harmed so many students in Washington. Spending per pupil continues to skyrocket while test scores plummet. Despite some of the highest teacher salaries and best benefits in the nation, Washington is only 28th overall in student performance. Seventy percent of students are failing math standards and 50% are failing reading standards (OSPI Report Card). I have supported legislation to hire more paraeducators, tutors, and reading coaches to help improve test scores and early elementary school literacy rates, and I will keep pushing for these types of policies.
25th District Legislative Survey Results
Speaking of your priorities, my seatmates in the 25th District and I recently asked you to share your opinions in an online survey. Here are those results.
Question 1: What are the most important issues for the Legislature in 2024? Nearly 62% of you listed “improving public safety” as your top priority for the Legislature.
Question 2: To promote electric vehicles, a 2021 law bans the sale of new gas-powered cars and light trucks in Washington state by 2035. What should the Legislature do?
Question 3: Do you trust the state to spend your tax dollars wisely and efficiently, and in a way that reflects your values, principles, and priorities?
Question 4: Of the following tax relief solutions, which one do you most support?
Question 5: How would you grade the state’s K-12 education system?
Question 6: How would you grade your child’s school?
Thank you so much for taking the time to fill out our survey. Many of you also shared individual written responses to some of the questions. My seatmates and I appreciate your personal input and stories and we are reviewing them to make sure we hear what you have to say.
My 2024 Legislation
In addition to these issues, I also want to shed some light on some other important topics. These are the bills I have filed in 2024:
House Bill 1967 would exclude anyone who is convicted of a hit-and-run resulting in death from being eligible for a first-time offender waiver. When someone chooses to act recklessly and they end up taking a life, they need to be held accountable. We need to do whatever we can to curb this behavior and make our streets and neighborhoods safer.
House Bill 2241 would disallow cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers, and surgeries for minors in Washington. This is a sensitive subject, but we need to have this discussion. There’s no question we should be kind to everyone. But maybe it is time we took a careful look at the irreversible “treatments” we allow for minors. Children are not allowed to purchase cigarettes, get a tattoo, or sign legal contracts. Should we allow “gender affirming care” which can include puberty blockers and even surgery, for minors, particularly without parental notification? Maybe we should push the pause button and take a deeper look at the long-term effects of gender affirming care.
Also, I introduced several bills last session that I am still trying to move through the process. You can easily view the legislation I’m sponsoring or co-sponsoring by clicking the “Sponsored Bills” link on my website.
Share Your Input and Stay Informed
If you’re looking to learn more about how you can get involved in the legislative process, click here. A fantastic way to start is by subscribing to “The Week Ahead,” a list of bills identified by House Republican Caucus staff for their potential impact. Follow this link to access the latest issue, and on the far right-hand side, you can sign up to receive it every Friday throughout the session.
Thank You for Your Support!
I’m honored to represent you in the 25th District. I know we have much work to do to move our great state forward. Thank you for entrusting me with this responsibility and allowing me to serve you. I truly value your input, so please reach out to me. My door is always open.
In service,
Sincerely,
Cyndy Jacobsen
