Legislative District 32

Public safety is a balancing of giving adequate authority and funding for public safety while demanding police accountability so that more of us can live in a civil society. It is also about recruiting public safety officers to more closely reflect the community. Beyond law enforcement, it is also about supporting efforts such as Rep. Lauren Davis’ in 2021 to change the Lynnwood Public Safety building to include the Recovery Center with 31 behavioral heath crisis beds in lieu of 36 incarceration beds. It includes connecting individuals in mental health and other crisis such as homelessness with timely and appropriate resources.

Tangible ways to measure progress would be when there are no longer disproportionate arrest and conviction rates for people of color and we’re spending more on services and less on jail beds.

I am continuing to work on increasing housing supply as well as permanently affordable housing. I’ve supported each of the Part I questions during my 12-year tenure in the House of Representatives. I will support tools necessary to have just and equitable access to education, jobs, and services such as broadband and affordable devices.

We have come a long way since 2016 when I introduced HB 2908 establishing the joint legislative task force on community policing standards for a safer Washington. I will continue to support the Members of Color efforts on police reform and accountability measures.