Once again, we had a record turnout for advocacy day. Last year we had 97 people register, and this year we had 115 register and anywhere from 50-115 online at any given time during the day. We are very grateful for the tremendous turnout, and hope that we can surpass it next year – on Monday, January 23, 2023 – hopefully in Olympia! If you want to get it on your calendar right away, you can register here!
We heard from Congresswoman Kim Schrier, State Chief Health Officer Tao Kwan Gett, Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins, and Representatives Monica Jurado Stonier and Lisa Callan. We hope to make video recordings of our speakers and our breakout sessions available soon.
We also presented Senator David Frockt with the inaugural “David Frockt Child Advocate Award” to celebrate his achievements as he wraps up what will be his last session in the Senate. Senator Frockt has served the 46th legislative district for more than a decade and has been among our strongest partners in the Washington State Legislature for each of those years. A true champion for children and an incredibly effective legislator, we have always been able to count on Sen. Frockt to ask the right questions, to approach hard challenges with a spirit of learning and cooperation, and to put kids first.
All told, nearly 60 bills that Senator Frockt either prime-sponsored or carried in the Senate have become law during his tenure thus far, improving housing, education, health care, and the environment. His leadership has been instrumental in the success of many WCAAP-supported bills during his 8-year tenure in the Senate Committee on Health and Long Term Care. Sen. Frockt will retire from the Senate when his current term ends in December 2022 rather than seek re-election to a fourth term, and WCAAP – and child advocates throughout Washington – will miss his leadership. The award reads:
Honoring twelve years of stalwart advocacy and significant improvements for child and adolescent health and well-being.
Your legacy fosters the healthy growth of all Washington children and adolescents.
Senator David Frockt Child Advocacy Award
Thank you to everyone who participated and to our fantastic breakout session leaders: Thatcher Felt, Nancy Danoff, Alee Perkins, Divya Natarajan, Anthony Bui, Sade Rodriguez, and Ellie Graham.
Session update – if you missed the last Weekly Advocacy Update, you can read it here!