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Tell Your Legislators to Support Affordable Housing
In the last decade, the Puget Sound region has grown substantially faster than predicted. This is great news for our region, and we are proud to be an area people want to come to—but we want them to stay here too.  At the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, we...
Nurse Staffing + Assault Weapons: Thousands Sign In
Public hearings on high-profile pieces of legislation on guns, middle housing, recycling, and nurse staffing attracted thousands of supporters and opponents in week two of the legislative session. Nurse Staffing On Jan. 17, the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee...
Businesses Weigh In: Tackling Problems on Interstate 5
Interstate 5 is the backbone of our economy and the most significant freight corridor on the West Coast, linking regional, national, and international trade markets. However, I-5 isn’t working for businesses or employees traveling to work, families, and play....
Week 6 Legislative Update: Past Policy Committee Cutoff, Fiscal Committee Cutoff is Today, February 22
The sixth week of the 2021 Legislative Session is now complete, and the Legislature continues to move through the virtual legislative process. Monday, February 15 was the policy...
Legislators take action on relief and recovery
This week marked the passage of several important bills to provide COVID-19 relief and assistance to businesses. On Monday, February 8, Governor Inslee signed ESSB 5061, which...
Week 4 Legislative Update: One Week Before Policy Cutoff
The fourth week of the 2021 Legislative Session is now complete. Just one week remains until the first cutoff of February 15, when all bills that are not necessary to implement the...
Policy Snapshot: Seattle mandates pay increase for some grocery workers
POLICY SUMMARY On January 25, the Seattle City Council voted 8-0 to pass emergency legislation mandating that grocers employing more than 500 people worldwide, and with stores greater...
Week 3 Legislative Update: Unemployment Relief Passes
The legislature has now completed three weeks of the scheduled fifteen-week 2021 session. This week was filled with virtual committee hearings, executive sessions, and floor action....
Week 2 Legislative Update: Parties release major COVID relief packages
The second week of the 105-day 2021 Legislative Session is now complete. This week was full of virtual committee hearings and executive sessions. Many bills directly related to...
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Where we go next is up to us
As of April 15, all adults 16 and older in Washington state are eligible for the vaccine. This is a complex moment punctuated by the dual realities of earned optimism (an...
Nomination Process For New Chamber Board Members Now Open
Trustees advise, govern, promote and oversee policy and the overall direction of the Chamber in support of the mission to help members thrive in an equitable and inclusive regional...
King County Vaccine Update: 1M+ doses, but cases are on the rise
New cases are rising significantly since the latest increase began in late February (up nearly 80%). From a geographic perspective, while we are seeing these increases across the...
2021 Pacific Northwest Study Mission Recap
Earlier this year, we hosted a Pacific Northwest Study Mission which included a five-week series of virtual events where we heard from experts up and down the I-5 corridor from...
Honoring Arab American Heritage Month in 2021
April is Arab American Heritage Month, which honours Arab American culture and pays tribute to the contributions of Arab Americans. Today, there are roughly 3.7 million Arab Americans...
The latest news on reopening phases and vaccine distribution
As we enter new eligibility and reopening phases here in Washington, there continue to be critical dynamics at play as we balance vaccination with recovery. We continue to partner...
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