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March 03, 2023

Torres bill on missing and murdered Indigenous people passes Senate

Today the state Senate passed Sen. Nikki Torres’ measure implementing the recommendations of the Washington state Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People task force. The bill is part of the Legislature’s efforts to identify the root causes of the shockingly large number of Native Americans who have turned up...
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February 15, 2023

Torres legislation continues to advance as session deadlines approach

Several bills from first-year lawmaker moving forward, with solid bipartisan support from key committees State Sen. Nikki Torres has taken on quite an uphill battle in tackling several key problems facing Washingtonians through a large and varied collection of bills she has introduced this session. First off, she is in...
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February 09, 2023

Senate panel hears Republican bill to accelerate broadband in rural areas

On Wednesday, the state Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee held a public hearing on a proposal from Sen. Nikki Torres that would invest $200 million to expand broadband capacity in underserved rural areas of Washington and allow the private sector to help. “During the pandemic, it was an eye-opener...
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February 02, 2023

VIDEO: The OBGYN desert in rural communities w/ Dr. Raul Garcia

Washington State Sen. Nikki Torres (R-Pasco) talks with Dr. Raul Garcia about the lack of OBGYN providers for rural communities and what the Legislature can do to address this crisis.
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January 30, 2023

Senate adopts Torres Resolution on Human Trafficking Prevention and Awareness

The Senate unanimously adopts Senate Resolution 8612, raising awareness of human trafficking. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Nikki Torres, recognizes the importance of education regarding and awareness of the issue of human trafficking and the state and federal resources available to support victims.
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January 26, 2023

Senate panel advances Torres bill combating organized retail theft

The state Senate Law and Justice Committee today voted to advance Sen. Nikki Torres’ legislation to further define the crime of organized retail to theft, a step the central Washington lawmaker says is crucial to protecting retailers, consumers and black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) communities, which are disproportionally...
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January 26, 2023

Senate unanimously approves Torres’ first bill, to expand farm internship program

The state Senate yesterday unanimously approved Sen. Nikki Torres’ legislation to help support the next generation of Washington farmers by expanding the state’s farm internship program. Torres’ legislation is the first Republican bill passed by the Senate this session, and reflects the freshman senator’s concern for agriculture, which is a...
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January 19, 2023

Seattle Times Editorial: Expand WA’s farm internship program statewide

Washington’s farm internship program has worked well. Lawmakers should graduate it from a temporary limited pilot to a permanent statewide program. The state’s economic reputation might be airplanes and Big Tech, but Washington’s roots are in agriculture. Apples, hops, wine, dairy and hundreds of other agricultural products are a cornerstone...
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January 19, 2023

Torres introduces bill to further Washington’s efforts regarding missing and murdered Indigenous people

State Sen. Nikki Torres introduced a bill today to continue the Legislature’s efforts to identify the root causes of the shockingly large number of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Washington. She said Senate Bill 5477 is aimed at enacting practical, long-term solutions that address systematic failures in investigating these...
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