Jay Inslee in 2024 Governor's State of the State speeches


On Abortion: Enshrine reproductive freedom in the state constitution

We have not forgotten the Supreme Court's decision to eliminate Roe v. Wade. This is an issue of freedom--freedom of choice when facing one of the most intimate and personal decisions in life.

Most in this room are committed to protecting that right, but none of us will hold these seats forever. We must face the reality that there are forces intent on destroying the right of choice. We need to join eight other states and enshrine reproductive freedom in the constitution this session.

Source: 2024 State of the State Address to Washington legislature Jan 9, 2024

On Civil Rights: We've made equity part of everything in state government

We will continue advancing social justice. We have made equity a part of everything we do in state government with environmental justice policies like the HEAL Act and a new agency, the Office of Equity, which makes equity a part of everything we do in state government. We must sustain our progress against racism's pernicious influence on the past and present. The work for a more perfect union continues.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to Washington legislature Jan 9, 2024

On Crime: More state troopers and forensic scientists

This Legislature was bold enough to stand up to the NRA and pass some of the best gun reforms in America. It did not matter how many defeats we had to take--we finally banned assault weapons in this state. Gun reform is public safety.

Washington state also needs more police officers. My budget funds more state troopers and forensic scientists, an organized retail theft task force, and more funding for drug trafficking investigations.

Source: 2024 State of the State Address to Washington legislature Jan 9, 2024

On Jobs: We're training workers for jobs in this clean energy economy

We will not relent to our greatest challenges. We will not go backward. This is the Evergreen State and the Ever Forward State. And we're going ever forward on our evergreen agenda. Climate change is our present, but climate collapse does not have to be inevitable. This Legislature put us on a clear--and necessary--path to slash greenhouse gases 95% by 2050. We will stay the course. Any delay would be a betrayal of our children's future. We are on the razor's edge between promise and peril.

From sustainable aviation fuels and EV battery manufacturing in Moses Lake to electric buses in Ferndale, we're attracting and creating thousands of good-paying jobs in clean energy and clean technology. And as fossil fuel jobs go away, we're training those workers for jobs in this new clean energy economy. These jobs are coming on quickly. The new Pacific Northwest federal hydrogen hub will create 8,000 jobs alone for the production and distribution of green hydrogen to reduce pollution.

Source: 2024 State of the State Address to Washington legislature Jan 9, 2024

On Welfare & Poverty: Addressing homelessness with $1B toward new housing

People-focused policies are also how we're addressing homelessness. Washingtonians can see that dozens of encampments along our highways are gone and that'll continue if we make the necessary investments. And they're going to see thousands more new housing units thanks to our work as well. I want to thank this Legislature for going big on housing last session and trusting that it was a necessary decision to put $1 billion toward new housing already this biennium.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to Washington legislature Jan 9, 2024

The above quotations are from 2024 Governor's State of the State speeches.
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Page last updated: Sep 29, 2024