WSHA testified this week in support of House Bill 2730 in Olympia, which expands access to the Prescription Monitoring Program, making it easier for providers to prevent opioid abuse. The Washington State Legislature has also heard several hearings on how to improve Western State Hospital. Western State Hospital plays a critical role in the state’s mental health system, and WSHA firmly believes we need Western State Hospital to function well and play its part in the system.
Also, WSHA is pleased that the King County Superior Court overturned Tim Eyman’s I-1366, which would decrease sales tax by 1 percent in April unless the legislature made a constitutional amendment requiring a supermajority to raise taxes. This would have taken $1.4 billion from the state budget in its first year, and it posed a large risk to mental health and Medicaid funding. We expect Eyman to appeal the decision.
Click here to read more in the latest Inside Olympia. (Tim Pfarr)
