Health care is a human right, and we have a responsibility in Washington to protect our residents from attacks on their coverage at the federal level. Washingtonians need and deserve accessible, affordable, high-quality health care. I fully support creating a universal health care system for Washingtonians, as well as expanding access to comprehensive mental health and reproductive health services.

Healthcare Coverage

With attacks on the Affordable Care Act at the federal level that aim to strip away coverage for essential services and cause instability in our markets, our state must ensure coverage for every county and for all preventive health services. Our work will not be done until there is accessible and affordable health care for all.    

Noel supported:

  • HB 1026 – Creating the WA Health Security Trust, providing universal health care to all state residents (CO-SPONSOR)
  • HB 2408 – Improving individual health markets & ending “bare” counties (PASSED)
  • HB 1523 – Covers Preventive Services covered under ACA (PASSED)

What’s next?

In the next session, we must use the cultural and legislative momentum that we built in 2018 to continue to push for the creation of the Washington Health Security Trust to provide universal health care to all Washingtonians.

Behavioral Health

For too long, our state has lagged behind other states with our mental health system. We must expand access to mental health services, fund substance use disorder treatment programs, and make sure insurance plans cover mental health treatment.

In 2018 Noel supported:

  • HB 1047– Medication disposal system (CO-SPONSOR, PASSED)
  • HB 1388 – Merges behavioral health into health care authority, treats mental illness like any other condition (CO-SPONSOR, PASSED)
  • HB 1655 – Treating PTSD as a presumed disease for first responders (CO-SPONSOR)

What’s next?

Noel will work to make sure that behavioral health care is covered in any legislation that involves expanding our systems of coverage. Access to substance use disorder treatment and behavioral health services is not only a basic human right but expanding treatment options and accessibility to these services will also play a key role in improving public safety and addressing the housing crisis in many parts of our state.

Reproductive Health

The Stand With Women Rally February 15, 2016.

Reproductive rights are under attack like never before from the federal government. We must fight to protect all individuals’ right to decide if, when, and with whom to have children and support comprehensive reproductive services that include abortion.

Noel supported:

  • HB 1234 – Requiring private health plans offer 12-month prescriptions of contraceptives (CO-SPONSOR, PASSED)
  • HB 2409 – Reproductive Parity Act (CO-SPONSOR, PASSED as SB 6219)

What’s next?

Thanks to our strong pro-choice history, which includes passage of Referendum 20 and I-120, WA is far ahead of other states in terms of reproductive health care accessibility, however, we can always strive to do better. Next year Noel hopes to pass the Reproductive Health Access for All Act, a bill that I co-sponsored last session but that sadly, did not make it to a vote.

Public Health

Washington prospers when our communities are healthy. The best public health policies rely on evidence-based research and address inequities across our communities.

Noel supported:

  • HB 1054 – Raising sale of tobacco age from 18 to 21 (CO-SPONSOR)
  • HB 2165 – Nicotine, e-cigarette, and vapor products tax CO-SPONSOR)

What’s next?

Noel will push for the passage of the Tobacco 21 legislation, as well as the taxes on vaping products to discourage young people in particular from taking up the use of tobacco infused products.