Lillian Ortiz-Self

Criminal Justice / Public Safety

As a mother I know that safe communities mean secure families. We need to make sure we are passing common sense laws and that we are investing in training for our local police and public safety personnel. We also need to address systemic racism, because Black Lives Matter and we have lost valuable lives needlessly. Public safety starts by ensuring that every community has what they need to live safely. Communities need access to resources that meet the needs of their families. Increasing mental health services is a top priority for me as I have heard way too many heartbreaking stories of loved ones that can’t access services and have little supports. We need to change this. Learn more

Economy

As a past small business owner, I know that it’s time to make critical investments in our workforce, local infrastructure and transportation system. I believe that government can be a partner in building our economy. Learn more

However the work does not end there. As the federal government continues to cut access to vital services, our state needs leadership that is ready and willing to invest in Washington. I have worked to strengthen state-level protections and investments so that families do not lose access to the support they rely on, ensuring that working Washingtonians will always have the resources they can count on, even in the face of federal cuts. Learn more

Education

We need to make sure we are expanding access for worker retraining by utilizing our institutions of higher learning and providing a wide range of career options for our future workforce. I will prioritize making tuition more affordable and work to increase the number of enrollment slots in community colleges, tech schools, and four year colleges so our local kids can get the degrees they need as they move into the workforce. We must also recognize that our workforce is diverse, so we must provide more opportunity for apprenticeships in various fields. Learn more

In the last five years as a legislator I have worked hard to fully fund our education system. We have built a great foundation and yet, there is still more to be done. We need to increase support staff in our schools to be able to identify the social, emotional needs of our children. The need for smaller class sizes continues to be an issue. I am very committed to continue to look at school safety. No parent should be worried about sending their child to school. We need to take a comprehensive approach to solving this problem, instead of just wanting to put a band-aid on this crisis. Learn more

Immigration

As a mental health care provider, educator, and chair of the Washington State Latino Caucus I am devastated by the attacks on our immigrant communities and deeply understand the traumatic effects these events can have on families. Seeing homes torn apart, livelihoods ruined, and opportunity lost is heartbreaking. Which is why states must serve as the first line of defense against these attacks. Learn more

I have always stood as a proud champion of immigrants in the legislature introducing legislation increasing oversight on our private detention centers and to require notice of federal requests of employment documentation. This work enshrines the respect we have for our immigrant community into protections from the ICE enforcements, ensuring that all Washingtonians are safeguarded from federal overreach. Learn more

Taxes / Budget

We need to make sure the resources our families need are available and efficient. We can’t balance budgets on the backs of our most vulnerable and it is important that we find a way of funding our priorities while ensuring seniors, veterans and struggling families get the support they need in this tough economy. Thousands of families have been greatly impacted by the changes to the Affordable Health Care Act. I will continue to fight for all residents of the state of Washington to have access to health care. Health care should be a right not a privilege. Learn more