State budget deal and US Senate passes immigration reform

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.