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La orden ejecutiva une a las agencias y escuelas para ayudar a los niños separados de sus padres o cuidadores

OLYMPIA. El día de hoy, el gobernador Bob Ferguson creó un equipo de respuesta rápida cuyo objetivo es reducir los daños causados por las políticas de control migratorio del presidente Donald Trump, las cuales desestabilizarían a las familias y dañarían a los niños que sean separados de sus padres deportados o detenidos.

En un evento presentado por OneAmerica en El Centro de la Raza, Ferguson firmó una orden ejecutiva para crear de inmediato un Equipo de Respuesta Rápida ante la Separación de Familias en el Departamento de Niños, Jóvenes y Familias (Department of Children, Youth, and Families, DCYF) para explorar y recomendar políticas y acciones para mitigar, en la medida de lo posible, los daños de la separación de las familias y los efectos duraderos en los niños de padres o cuidadores primarios deportados o detenidos.

El equipo de respuesta rápida incluirá a profesionales del DCYF, la Patrulla Estatal de Washington, la Oficina de Asuntos de Inmigrantes y Refugiados, la oficina del fiscal general y representantes de la oficina del gobernador.  Los miembros del equipo consultarán a expertos regionales y locales en migración y bienestar infantil para desarrollar políticas cuyo objetivo es apoyar a los niños que sufran la separación de sus familias mediante la deportación o detención de sus padres o cuidadores.

“Mi administración hará todo lo que pueda para mitigar los daños causados por este programa de detenciones y deportaciones masivas, incluyendo que los niños arrebatados de sus padres tengan a alguien que los cuide y acceso ininterrumpido a su educación," indicó Ferguson.

arrebatados de sus padres tengan a alguien que los cuide y acceso ininterrumpido a su educación”.

Ferguson ordenó al equipo de respuesta rápida que tenga su primera reunión antes del 14 de febrero y con tanta frecuencia como sea necesario para desarrollar estrategias efectivas para abordar los daños de la separación de las familias. El equipo:

• Revisará las políticas y los procedimientos de la agencia para identificar los cambios que pueden ayudar a responder a la separación de las familias de migrantes, incluidas las situaciones en que un gran número de niños en la misma área geográfica podrían ser separados de sus padres y cuidadores al mismo tiempo.

• Identificará las políticas y los procedimientos que podrían ayudar a dar apoyo a los niños de padres deportados o detenidos, y disminuir en la medida de lo posible los daños duraderos que resulten de dicha separación en consulta con expertos en inmigración y bienestar infantil.

• Se reunirá con la Oficina del Superintendente de Instrucción Pública (Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, OSPI) y los distritos escolares locales para desarrollar estrategias para mitigar las alteraciones en la educación y el desarrollo de los niños cuyos padres hayan sido deportados o detenidos.

• Creará líneas de comunicación proactivas con el DCYF, la OSPI y los distritos escolares locales para permitir acciones rápidas y reactivas si se descubre que, por ejemplo, se llevan a los padres de un niño para detenerlos o deportarlos mientras este se encuentra en la escuela, o si otras circunstancias justificasen la intervención y cooperación rápidas de la agencia para apoyar a un niño.

• Trabajará con universidades, instituciones de educación superior, colegios comunitarios y Running Start para garantizar y apoyar caminos sólidos a una educación superior para los niños que sufran el trauma de la deportación o detención de sus padres o cuidadores primarios.

El Equipo de respuesta rápida ante la separación de familias mantendrá una comunicación regular con la oficina del gobernador para compartir sus hallazgos y recomendaciones a medida que el trabajo progrese.

OLYMPIA – Gov. Bob Ferguson today appointed Brian Rybarik to the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. The UTC protects Washingtonians by ensuring investor-owned utility and transportation services are safe, reliable and affordable.

“Washingtonians are impacted every day by the availability and safety of electricity, telecommunications, natural gas, water and transportation,” Ferguson said. “Brian’s decades of regulatory experience will help the Commission to protect these vital services and center people’s needs as Washington advances forward on a clean energy transition.”

Rybarik brings over two decades of regulatory experience and leadership in utility law and policy in utility ratemaking, energy development and regional energy markets. He most recently led a team at Microsoft to protect and advance the rights of workers in the company’s supply chains.

He strengthened Microsoft’s sustainability commitments as the chief of staff for the company’s environmental sustainability team. He also collaborated with utilities and policy makers to deliver sustainable and cost-effective energy while a member of the company’s cloud energy team.

Rybarik previously held various legal and leadership roles at the MidAmerican Energy Company, Midcontinent Independent System Operator and Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. Brian began his legal career in private practice. He earned a bachelor’s degree and a law degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Rybarik’s appointment is effective March 3, 2025.

Grants for below-ground infrastructure, reimbursements for waived development fees will support 24 projects resulting in 1,800 new affordable units

OLYMPIA, WA – Today Gov. Bob Ferguson and the Washington State Department of Commerce announced $14.6 million in grants to support shovel-ready housing projects that will create more than 1,800 affordable units in 10 counties. These awards represent the latest round of the state’s Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program, referred to as CHIP. The competitive program pays for below-ground infrastructure — such as water and sewer pipes — and reimburses waived development fees typically associated with new housing construction.

The grants will support projects ranging from affordable housing for seniors to permanent supportive housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness.

Ferguson named housing affordability among his top priorities. Ferguson committed to putting Washington on the path to building 1.1 million housing units in Washington over the next 20 years.

In his inaugural address, Ferguson said, “Washingtonians need more housing — lots more housing. We must make it easier, faster and less expensive to build housing of all kinds.”

CHIP helps do exactly that, reducing the costs of development for projects that offer affordable options for people who need them most. Many of the two dozen awarded projects announced today will provide housing support for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

“These grants remove barriers for projects that will help us meet our ambitious goals for building much needed housing in Washington,” Ferguson said. “The Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program has already resulted in thousands of new units of housing, making our state more affordable for more people.”

Commerce Director Joe Nguyễn knows first-hand the life-changing impact of a stable, affordable home. He grew up in public housing in King County.

"The Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program does more than put pipes in the ground,” Nguyễn said. “These grants build the foundation for opportunity, security and hope for thousands of Washingtonians, reflecting our commitment to ensuring that everyone, regardless of income, has access to a home they can afford.”

The demand for new housing is staggering: Washington is projected to need to add more than 1 million homes by 2044 to keep up with anticipated population growth. Of those, half will need to be affordable to those earning less than 50% of area median income. Commerce recently reported that more than half of Washingtonians are rent-burdened — meaning they spend at least 30% of their monthly income on rent.

Past projects that benefited from CHIP grants include tiny homes for homeless veterans, senior housing, and modestly designed single-family homes that will remain affordable in perpetuity through a community land trust.

The grants vary from $200,000 to $2.3 million, consistent with the scale of each development. The counties who will benefit from the awards announced today include King, Pierce, Spokane, Clark, Whatcom, Cowlitz, Kittitas, Jefferson, Island and Asotin.

See the list of awarded projects

Gov. Ferguson’s actions to address the housing crisis

Affordable housing and meeting Washington’s demand for new housing is among Ferguson’s top priorities. Shortly after his inaugural address, Ferguson signed Executive Order 25-02, directing state agencies to review all regulations that impact housing, permitting and construction and identify any provision that can be streamlined, deferred or eliminated. The goal is to remove barriers to build more affordable housing units faster.

Additionally, Lt. Governor Denny Heck presented Ferguson with a 42-page report containing 20 recommendations to address the housing crisis. These included many that reflect ongoing legislative efforts to expand transit-oriented development, protect vulnerable renters and small landlords, and give local governments tools and incentives to improve housing supply and affordability.

Adopting these recommendations is one of Ferguson’s top priorities.

Quotes from local officials around the state

“These infrastructure investments directly create real, tangible results for Washingtonians, especially those who are struggling with housing affordability,” said state Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-27. “This is what people expect and deserve from state government, and we need to make sure we support the same sort of impactful projects in our 2025 capital budget.” 

Already, grantees are talking about what these funds mean in their communities:

• Greg Brotherton, chair of the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners: “This award helps Jefferson County move the needle on affordable housing in a real and tangible way that has remained a struggle in our rural county – developing the infrastructure that will facilitate the density that is needed to turn the tide on the housing crisis. We will not be able to work our way out of this housing crisis with single-family homes. Especially in rural areas such as Jefferson County, we need the density that urban infrastructure affords. This grant allows us to grow.”
• John Moon, executive director of Habitat for Humanity in Whatcom County: “The award enables Habitat for Humanity to serve more of the poorest Whatcom County residents than originally contemplated, specifically those earning 30-50% area median income. It's in the best interests of our community that costs associated with providing and improving public infrastructure be supported more broadly by awards such as this, thereby lessening the financial burden for low wage earners.”
• Allison Snow with Horizon Housing Alliance, developers of Clarkston Family Haven:
  “This CHIP funding significantly enhances Clarkston’s ability to provide affordable housing by supporting essential utility infrastructure necessary for the completion of Clarkston Family Haven. These improvements not only ensure that this project can move forward, but also set the stage for future development in the area, fostering continued growth and expansion of affordable housing options in the community.”

These additional awards bring total CHIP investments to nearly $98 million since 2021, contributing to more than 9,500 affordable housing units. Commerce recently highlighted some of the innovative projects bolstered by the CHIP in its brief history.

These awards effectively expend the available funding allocated for the CHIP in the last biennium. Future funding is contingent on appropriation in the 2025-27 State Capital Budget, now under consideration by the Legislature.

For more information on the Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program, visit the Commerce website.

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About Commerce
Commerce works with local governments, businesses, community-based organizations and tribes to strengthen communities. The department’s diverse portfolio of more than 100 programs and effective public and private partnerships promote sustainable community and economic development to help all Washingtonians thrive. For more information, visit http://www.commerce.wa.gov. For information on locating or expanding a business in Washington, visit choosewashingtonstate.com

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OLYMPIA – Gov. Bob Ferguson created a workgroup today aimed at evaluating the impacts of data centers on Washington’s economy, tax revenue, energy use and the environment.

“We must ensure Washington remains a leader in technology and sustainability — these experts will help us do that,” Ferguson said. “This group will help us balance industry growth, tax revenue needs, energy constraints and sustainability.”

Data centers are computing infrastructure that support Washington’s digital economy. They provide essential services that drive innovation and economic growth.

Data centers also consume significant amounts of electricity, which can put strain on the local power grid and can require increased energy generation, storage and transmission.

Ferguson signed Executive Order 25-05 directing the Washington State Department of Revenue to establish and lead a data center workgroup. The group will recommend policies and actions for addressing energy use and impacts on the economy and job market.

The group will include representatives from the Department of Commerce, the Utilities and Transportation Commission, the Department of Ecology, electric utilities, environmental advocacy groups, labor organizations and industry stakeholders.

Ferguson ordered the data center workgroup to submit its findings and any policy recommendations by Dec. 1, 2025.

OLYMPIA – Gov. Bob Ferguson and the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries are returning lost earnings to more than 2,000 Washington workers at O’Reilly Auto Parts after an investigation revealed the retailer was unlawfully eliminating unused sick pay.

Washington’s paid sick leave law requires employers to allow workers to carry over up to 40 hours of unused paid sick leave from one year to the next. Labor & Industries discovered O’Reilly improperly eliminated unused sick leave for 2,327 employees at nearly 160 locations statewide when the company switched to a new payroll vendor at the end of 2022.

“My administration will always center Washingtonians in every action we take and fight for fair treatment for workers,” Ferguson said. “We will return this money to the hard-working employees who earned it. Labor & Industries will hold companies accountable to the people.”

Typically, Labor & Industries allows workers to choose whether to have their leave reinstated or receive a payout for the value of the leave. Because most of the workers in this case no longer work at O’Reilly, the state ordered the retailer to pay all the workers the value of the lost leave — a total of $163,458.

“Washington workers should always get the money they’ve earned, and paid sick leave is part of a worker’s total compensation,” said Labor & Industries Director Joel Sacks. “Thanks to our investigators, more than 2,000 workers have money coming to them.”

Labor & Industries’ Proactive Investigations and Enforcement Unit started investigating O’Reilly at a Puyallup distribution center in September 2023. Investigators soon discovered the issue affected locations statewide.

Workers who feel they may be owed money in the O’Reilly paid sick leave case should contact Labor & Industries by sending an email or calling toll free 1-866-219-7321.

Prior investigations into O’Reilly’s conduct

This is not the first time the state has penalized O’Reilly for its workplace practices. In 2023, then-Attorney General Ferguson filed a lawsuit against the company for systemic discrimination and retaliation against pregnant employees.

In 2014, Ferguson’s office investigated O’Reilly for not providing health care benefits to same-sex spouses that the company was providing to other married couples. The action resulted in O’Reilly changing its health care policy nationwide to provide benefits to same-sex couples.