Incentives for all vaccinated, regardless of when, include lottery drawings, higher education financial assistance, game systems and smart speakers, and event and flight tickets
Gov. Jay Inslee today announced a suite of new incentives to help encourage unvaccinated Washingtonians to get the COVID shot.
The Washington State Lottery will be conducting a “Shot of a Lifetime” giveaway series during the month of June, working with state agencies, technology companies, sports teams and higher education institutions across the state to offer a myriad of different prizes to vaccinated individuals.
This includes people who have been vaccinated in Washington, regardless of when. The incentives are not just for new vaccinations.
The incentives announced today include:
- Lottery cash drawings, with prizes totaling $2 million
- Higher education tuition…
The governor signed 12 bills in Pierce County Tuesday
Gov. Jay Inslee signed a dozen bills today that will improve accountability for law enforcement in Washington state, and will create the nation’s strongest police accountability system. The governor, joined by community members and families of those impacted, signed the bills at the Eastside Community Center in Tacoma.
The governor signed legislation that will create an Office of Independent Investigations that reports to the governor, prohibit certain uses of force and will require more thorough oversight requirements for hiring and for reporting misconduct.
“The crises of the past year have unmasked long-standing inequities in our society. The consciousness of our…
Inslee signed five bills at three stops in King County Monday
Gov. Jay Inslee signed a historic climate change legislative package today during a three-stop tour through King County.
The governor signed the Climate Commitment Act, environmental justice legislation, a clean fuels standard and bills related to reducing Washington’s single-use plastic waste and hydrofluorocarbon pollution.
“Today is a historic day in the state of Washington. Thanks to the work and dedication of so many, Washington will now not only be the most beautiful state, the most innovative state,” Inslee said Monday. “Now, Washington will also have the best climate policies in the United States — and it’s about time.”
Inslee was…
The governor also discussed the plan for K-12 to return in the fall and additional opportunities for fully vaccinated individuals
Gov. Jay Inslee today announced that the state is moving toward a statewide June 30 reopening date and that all counties in Washington will move to Phase 3 of the Healthy WA: Roadmap to Recovery reopening plan effective May 18 until June 30.
The announcement comes after the governor paused phase movement for two weeks to review an emerging flattening trend in statewide COVID-19 data. As of today, the plateau observed in COVID-19 activity has become a decline.
“What we know now gives us the confidence to close this chapter in this pandemic and begin another,” Inslee said at a…
The governor took action on a number of bills Tuesday alongside elected officials, labor representatives and other stakeholders
Gov. Jay Inslee today signed a package of bills that will increase worker safety protections, expand support for frontline workers during a public health emergency and grant overtime protections for farmworkers.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a new focus on the challenges faced by frontline workers,” Inslee said in Yakima Tuesday. “They have kept our state moving through one of our most challenging times, working through personal hardship and challenges. The bills I am signing today represent an acknowledgement of the lessons we’ve learned and offer hope for a stronger path forward.”
Increased worker safety protections
Workers are some of the first to notice…
Last week, the governor signed a proclamation recognizing May 7 as National Child Care Provider Appreciation Day
Gov. Jay Inslee today signed SB 5237, the Fair Start for Kids Act. The legislation will make child care more accessible and affordable for families across Washington state.
The governor signed the bill at a Child Care Provider Awareness Day celebration with legislators and early learning advocates. Last week, the governor signed a proclamation acknowledging May 7 as the official day of recognition for child care providers.
“I’m proud to recognize the incredible work that our child care providers have done over the last year and before the pandemic,” Inslee said Friday. “But we need to do more than just…
The governor signed the Working Families Tax Credit and capital gains excise tax in Tukwila on Tuesday
Gov. Jay Inslee today signed an economic justice legislative package, including the Working Families Tax Credit and the capital gains excise tax, that starts the process of making Washington’s upside-down tax system fairer and more equitable.
“This is a day where Washington state starts to make progress on making our upside-down tax system fairer and more equitable,” Inslee said Tuesday. “Today, we are taking steps to address this out-of-date system where working families pay a much higher percentage of their income than those who make a lot more.”
The governor signed the package at the Tukwila Community Center surrounded by…
Every county will remain in its current phase
Gov. Jay Inslee today announced a two-week pause on movement in the Healthy Washington: Roadmap to Recovery reopening plan. Under the pause, every county will remain in its current phase. At the end of two weeks, each county will be re-evaluated.
The decision was made in consultation with the Department of Health, and reflects current data suggesting Washington’s fourth wave has hit a plateau.
“We are at the intersection of progress and failure, and we cannot veer from the path of progress,” Inslee said Tuesday. “Our economy is beginning to show early signs of growth thanks to some of our…
Unclaimed property website now available
Earlier this month, the state Department of Revenue (DOR) launched a new unclaimed property website. The site, which went live on April 12, makes it easier for Washingtonians to find and claim lost funds.
To help deliver a better experience for its customers, DOR contracted with an outside vendor to develop and implement a complete overhaul of the system. This means a new streamlined website to make claiming more efficient and an integrated internal system to allow for easier filing by property holders and faster processing by DOR staff. The result is a website that makes it easier for:
- The…
The Legislature also passed a capital gains tax and police use of deadly force legislation
A historic, largely virtual, 105-day legislative session ended Sunday night with lawmakers taking action on the state’s operating budget and making final decisions on important legislation, including the Climate Commitment Act, the low carbon fuel standard, police accountability and the capital gains tax on extraordinary profits.
Inslee’s focus of the 2021 session was “relief, recovery and resilience,” and the Legislature passed a life-saving $2.2 billion COVID-19 relief bill, a Working Families Tax Credit and climate legislation that will both improve public health and increase economic opportunity while fighting the climate crisis.
The governor had 11 pieces of request legislation this…
WA Governor’s Office
News and updates from Gov. Jay Inslee and his administration.
