In the News

HB 2449 School based best practice interventions to promote attendance and reduce truancy (passed)

New truancy law aims to keep kids out of court juvenile detention -Bellingham Herald

All Washington school districts to create truancy boards to keep kids out of court -Seattle Times

HB 2793 Providing for Suicide Awareness and Prevention Education for Safer Homes (passed)

Suicide awareness and prevention create safer homes -Seattle Times Op-Ed

My husband died by suicide. Here’s what happened during my awkward call with the NRA. -Washington Post

UW, gun-rights groups come together in new law to prevent suicide -UW News

National Award Given to Representative Orwall for her Leadership in Preventing Suicide in the State of Washington -PR Newswire

Former islander worked to pass new Washington law that brings suicide prevention activists, gun rights groups together -Vashon Beachcomber

UW’s Forefront backs effort to engage gun dealers and pharmacies on suicide prevention -UW News

Announcement: Forefront supporters will ‘Care, Connect, Build’ for suicide prevention November 18 -International Examiner

HB 2530 Protecting victims of sexual abuse/sexual assault tracking system (passed)

Legislation targets rape kit backlog -Bellevue Reporter

‘We’re sorry we let you down.’ New Washington law aims to eliminate rape kit backlog -NW News Network

New state report recommends legislative fixes around sexual assault kits -Kent Reporter

Murderer now charged with rape after a backlogged rape kit tested -Kiro7

Law makes Washington first state to track rape kits -King 5 News

Faced With Staggering Backlogs Of Rape Kits, States Change Testing, Investigations -Huffington Post

Thousands of untested rape kits in Washington — and a possible solution -Crosscut

Clark Co. lawmaker, a rape victim, wants to end test kit backlog -KGW8

Lawmaker: Law must change for rape victims -King 5 News

King Co. lawmaker pushes for money to test rape kits -King 5 Newswire

Gov. Inslee signs bill to encourage testing of rape kits -TNT

Lawmaker wants state to follow Seattle’s lead on rape-kit testing -The News Tribune

 

HB 2313 Concerning age of individuals at which sale or distribution of tobacco or vapor products can be made (did not pass)

Does Raising Smoking Age To 21 Make A Difference? -KUOW

Time to treat tobacco like alcohol? -Crosscut

ELWAY POLL: TWO-THIRDS OF WASHINGTONIANS SUPPORT RAISING TOBACCO SALE AGE TO 21 – Washington State Office of the Attorney General

Expansion of Adoption Records (passed)

Rep. Orwall Talks Expanded Birth Record Access For Washington Adoptees

Adoption law going into effect Tuesday – Adoptees in state will have access to birth certificates -The Columbian

 

Student Loan Debt (working on bill for 2017 session)

Three Bills To Reduce Student Loan Debt Unveiled In Olympia -The Seattle Medium

 

Other Articles:

Child sex trafficking survivors deserve to be protected, not criminalized – Crosscut Op-Ed

Washington lawmakers do right by survivors of sexual assault with bill to preserve evidence kits – Seattle Times Op-Ed

Washington AG’s new website shines in massive rape kit backlog effort – MYNorthwest

Justice for rape survivors is unfinished business. Here’s what Washington state should do in 2020 – The News Tribune

‘Understanding the Mental Health & Drug Crisis’ community meeting will be Thurs., Jan. 9 – The B-Town Blog

Kent wants to be a ‘hub home’ for foster care -Kent Reporter

Washington’s new DNA law named for two murdered Tacoma girls -King 5 News

Mental Health Summit exposes greatest need and solutions to statewide crisis care -Komo News

Sex-trafficked children are victims and deserve help — not detention -Seattle Times Op-Ed

Youth suicides are up in WA. Can the state help? -Crosscut

More districts using truancy boards to help keep kids in school — but not Tacoma, Seattle -The News Tribune

Forefront holds 3rd annual suicide prevention and awareness fundraiser -UW Daily

Women Make Their Mark on the Political Landscape -Yakima Herald

Improving the odds for young people leaving foster care -Crosscut

Victims of revenge porn could seek civil liability under Orwall & Padden bills -Highline Times

Kohl-Welles’ latest anti-trafficking bill signed into law -Westside Seattle

Tough legislative fight could be ahead for suicide prevention bill -Crosscut

Death penalty repeal backed as cheaper, smarter -Crosscut

Finding suicide prevention on campus -UW Daily

Washington Legislature: Legislators hear suicide prevention bill -Oregon Live

House passes two bills to fight prostitution; fines would increase for johns, pimps -Tukwila Reporter

Foreclosure fairness program making a difference | State Rep. Tina Orwall -Covington and Maple Valley Reporter

Gavel In Rep. Orwall’s Hands As She’s Elected Assistant Speaker Pro Tempore -The Waterland Blog

Callaghan: Bipartisanship alive and well in Washington Legislature -The Columbian

Rep. Tina Orwall Introduces Bill To Combat Commercial Sex Trade- -The Waterland Blog

Orwall the candidate of choice for state house -Kent Reporter

Rep. Tina Orwall Sponsors Innocence Project Bill to Compensate Exonerated -Seattle Weekly

Inmates -Seattle Weekly

Bill would pay exonerated inmates $50,000 per year -Komo News

Rep. Tina Orwall receives 2011 Housing Hero Award -Kent Reporter

Price of their lives -Real Change

A ‘base on the brink,’ as is the community -Los Angeles Times

Bill Could Set Scale for Wrongful Conviction Compensation -Publicola

Rep. Tina Orwall’s Foreclosure Fairness Act signed into law -The State Column

Legislative Summit on Foreclosure Solutions, Press Conference -Washington Low Income Housing Alliance