Budget & Funding Priorities
Protect Core Public Health Funding & Programs (Operating Budget): Protect funding for public health, preserving the ability for local communities to allocate resources to target priority needs. Protect core public health programs such as Maternity Support Services and family planning; restore other critical public health programs, such as tobacco prevention and the Quit Line.
Protect Important Safety Net Services (Operating Budget): Protect health programs and services that affect the state’s most vulnerable people and help reduce health disparities such as Medicaid Pharmacy, Medicaid Interpreter Services, Adult Dental, Apple Health, Breast and Cervical Health Program, as well as mental health and chemical dependency services.
Expand State Funding for Active Transportation (Transportation Budget): Expand state funding for transit and active transportation within the transportation budget and potential state transportation revenue package; including Complete Streets and Safe Routes to School grant programs.
Policy Priorities
Priority:
Continue Health Reform Implementation:
- Medicaid Expansion: Support federal Medicaid expansion that ensures access to care, better health outcomes, and state’s commitment to funding the program. Develop a transition plan the State Basic Health Plan and Disability Lifeline – Medical.
- Other Reforms: Support other reform proposals that will increase greater public access to, and navigation of, health care. This may include adopting the federal Basic Health Option.
- The Exchange: Support continued development of a consumer friendly Health Insurance Exchange that results in greater access to affordable health insurance coverage.
Protect Washington’s Clean Indoor Air Law: Keep Washington’s Clean Indoor Air Law strong, simple and straightforward.
Procurement of State Purchased Food: Require that food purchased using state dollars meet healthy nutritional standards.
Neighborhood Safe Streets Bill: Make safer streets and neighborhoods by allowing cities and towns the authority to set speed limits to 20 miles per hour on non-arterial streets.
Health in State Transportation Planning Goals: Include health among the state transportation planning goals.
Support:
CPR in Schools: Support making CPR training available in Washington state high schools and strongly encourage students to become CPR certified.
Child Care Standards: Support the adoption of national gold-standard child care regulations for nutrition, physical activity and screen time in all childcare settings licensed by the state Department of Early Learning.
Monitor:
Children’s Safe Products Act: Support the Children’s Safe Products Act to protect kids from exposure to harmful chemicals.
Product Stewardship: Support bills that create effective product stewardship systems for recycling or disposal of toxic products, such as rechargeable batteries and paint.