ACCOMPLISHMENTS
RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Imagination Library
After 22 years of experience as an educator, Monica knows the importance of books for the littlest readers in Washington. She sponsored and passed a bill in partnership with Dolly Parton to bring Imagination Library to Washington. Now every 0-5 year old in our state can have books arrive to their door!
More on the Imaginaion Library:
Financial Education
We know that students need greater access to financial education in schools. Monica Stonier is the Chair of the Financial Education Public-Private Partnership and partnered with Sen. Mullet to expand Financial Education training to public schools. Every school board will adopt a goal to expand financial education next year, and the state will award grants to provide that training free of cost to the teachers.
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Affordable Childcare
Affordable childcare continues to be an incredibly difficult problem to overcome for our working parents and our businesses. Monica secured funding to create a shared services model here in SWWA. This service would allow childcare providers to focus on their families and children because they will have the technical assistance they need to navigate the business and regulation environment. Southwest Washington leads on many statewide challenges, and we can do it again with this model. Our local partners, advocates, and businesses are committed to this work and Monica will be there to help with next steps if voters return her to Olympia.
Comprehensive Sexual Health Education
Even with rampant misinformation spread, Monica fought to ensure the passage of a bill that provides age-appropriate, medically accurate, and inclusive health education about safety, communication, biology, and affirmative consent in all schools. Most school districts in SWWA have been providing this information, but it shouldn't matter where a student lives, they should all have access to the crucial health information they need to understand how their bodies and relationship work, and where to get trusted information as they grow.
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Domestic Workers Protection
In 2020, Monica passed legislation that protects domestic workers, most often immigrant women of color working in isolated and unmonitored environments, from certain behaviors resulting in intimidation, unpaid wages, and abuse. Because of the unique work locations and schedules kept by workers like hotel and house cleaners, care providers, and seasonal workers are often left unprotected by the laws in Washington. Monica's HB 2511 ensures that all workers have protections under the law in Washington.
Breakfast After the Bell
In 2018, Monica crafted and negotiated HB 1508 which eventually passed with bipartisan support. This "Breakfast After the Bell" bill assured students who likely come to school hungry would have access to food even if they arrived after the bell rang. Schools were provided with guidance and access to grants to implement this new program, and learning time will be more effective because students' basic needs will have been met.
More about Breakfast After the Bell:
Child Marriage Bill - House Bill 1455
Introduced by Representative Monica Stonier, Washington State's House Bill 1455 aims to end child marriage by setting the minimum legal age for marriage at 18. Current laws allow minors to marry with parental consent or court approval, but these young individuals often lack legal recourse in abusive situations.
The bill, which passed the House unanimously, is part of a broader effort to protect children from coercive and potentially abusive marriages, as well as human trafficking. Monica emphasizes that the bill will prevent minors from being trapped in marriages without the ability to seek legal protection or divorce.
Public Schools Instructional Material
Washington State House Bill 2331, introduced by Monica aims to prevent school boards from banning books through discriminatory practices. This bill requires school policies to comply with state anti-discrimination laws, ensuring diverse and inclusive literature remains available to students. Monica emphasized the importance of students seeing themselves in the books they read. The bill, which passed the House with a 58-39 vote, now awaits Senate consideration.
Radically Inclusive Playground at Marshall Park
Vancouver's Marshall Park received a newly renovated inclusive playground after over a year of closure. The ribbon-cutting ceremony, featuring Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle and State Representative Stonier, marks the opening of this firefighter-themed, fully inclusive park. Spanning 1.5 acres, the park includes amenities like a wheelchair swing, sensory garden, and wheel play area. Dedicated to Chelsea Anderson, the daughter of a Vancouver Fire Services captain who passed away in 1996, the park integrates nature and inclusive design. The playground aims to set a future for inclusive playgrounds in Vancouver.