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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Our communities continue to respond and cope in the aftermath of the Oso mudslide. The collective strength and courage of the people involved is pushing back on the devastation and sadness. This photo gallery begins to tell these stories.
The best of our communities is on display in our greatest time of need. There are so many individuals and groups to acknowledge and thank, but it begins with the first responders, local citizens and those who continue to work tirelessly on recovery efforts. So many people have played roles – small and large. It is truly inspiring.
Since March 22, I have done all I can to help with relief and recovery efforts. This has included participating in briefings with the governor and other officials, attending community meetings, assisting with the coordination of charitable endeavors, listening and responding to those who are working on the recovery, and helping with logistics for various things. I have also spent time at the slide site with local citizens and search-and-rescue teams.
How you can help
There are many important charitable and fundraising causes for the Oso mudslide. The Everett Herald lists many of them here. Below are a few causes that I would like to highlight:
- American Red Cross – Snohomish County
- United Way of Snohomish County
- Coastal Community Bank is accepting donations for slide victims at all branches: Darrington, Camano Island, Everett, Monroe, Stanwood, Sultan, Silver Lake, Smokey Point, Snohomish and Whidbey Island. You can find more information here.
- Glad Tidings Assembly of God and Pastor Les Hagan have set up an account specifically for Darrington residents’ relief. All of the funds donated will be used to assist residents affected by this tragedy. The church address is: P.O. Box 429, Darrington, WA 98241. The church phone number is (360) 436-1911. His e-mail is: les.hagen@frontier.com.
Staying updated
This Snohomish County website is a good resource for updates on recovery and relief efforts. Snohomish County also has a Facebook page to coordinate various relief efforts. For those of you who use Twitter, some of the related hashtags are #530slide, #helposo and #OsoStrong. You also welcome to contact my office any time if you have questions or information to pass along.
Determining the facts
There have been news stories on logging, actions of government and the response with respect to the Oso mudslide. I understand the media has a job to do and there are important questions that need to be answered. It is critical we sort out all of the facts to determine what, if anything, could have been done to prevent and respond to this tragic event. I expect there will also be public policy proposals that emerge. I look forward to being a part of this process and hope you will be a part of it, too. But for right now, I remain focused on the recovery efforts and helping those in need.
Final outcomes of gun-related legislation
Below are final outcomes of gun-related legislation from the 2014 legislative session. For a summary of other bills and issues from this year, please click here.
- Initiative 591 (Protect Our Gun Rights Act) and Initiative 594 (Background Check for Gun Sales and Transfers) did not move forward in the 2014 legislative session. These measures will be decided in the November 2014 general election.
- House Bill 1371 would have adopted the Washington State Firearms Freedom Act of 2013 and established penalties. Died in the House Judiciary Committee.
- House Bill 1588 would have required universal background checks for firearm transfers. Passed out of the House Judiciary Committee on February 19, 2013; was never acted on in 2014.
- House Bill 1840 provides that a person can be ordered to not possess a firearm if a court has issued a protective order that includes a finding that the person represents a credible threat to another person and that explicitly restrains the person from using or threatening to use physical force against another person. Passed the Legislature and signed into law.
- House Bill 2020 would have expanded economic development and created jobs by increasing the availability of ammunition, firearm parts and accessories in our state. Died in the House Judiciary Committee.
- House Bill 2164 requires that most juveniles who have been adjudicated of unlawful possession of a firearm must participate in certain evidence-based or research-based programs. Passed the Legislature and signed into law.
- Senate Bill 5956 legalizes the possession, transportation, acquisition, or transfer of a short-barreled rifle that is legally registered and possessed, transported, acquired, or transferred in compliance with federal law. Passed the Legislature and signed into law.
Telephone town hall | Thursday, May 15
I will be hosting a telephone town hall meeting with Rep. Elizabeth Scott on Thursday, May 15, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. To join this community conversation, please dial 1-800-759-5313. Once in the call, you can ask us questions and share your thoughts. We look forward to hearing from you.
Your state representative year-round
Due to election-year restrictions, this is the last e-mail update I can send you until December 1. I appreciate you reading these updates and being involved in the legislative process. While the legislative session is over, I am your state representative year-round. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can ever be of assistance.
In your service,
Dan Kristiansen
