Rep. Sam Low passes first bill out of the House
CONTACT: Hanna Scott, Public Information Officer | 360-968-3938
Rep. Sam Low passes first bill out of the House
Just three weeks into his first legislative session, Rep. Sam Low, R-Lake Stevens, has passed his first bill off the House floor. The 39th Legislative District representative received unanimous support from his fellow House members for HB 1031 which makes it easier to honor everyday people who put their lives on the line to save another with the Washington State Medal of Valor.
The Washington State Medal of Valor was created in 2000 after being passed in the 2019 legislative session. It recognizes civilians who save or try to save another's life at the risk of serious injury or death to themselves. In 2015, the Legislature updated the law to make groups eligible in order to award the Medal of Valor to the communities of Oso, Arlington, Darrington, and the Sauk-Suiattle Tribe for their heroic rescue efforts during the 2014 Oso Landslide, that claimed the lives of 43 people.
Rep. Low's bill would further update the law by removing barriers that only allow it to be presented during a joint session of the Legislature and that limit the governor's ability to designate a presenter to only when disabled or ill.
“People across the state do wonderful, great, and fantastic things. But in rare instances there are people that go above and beyond at risk to their own lives to rescue the life of another. These people deserve to be recognized,” said Low.
The Washington State Medal of Valor has only been awarded 12 times since its creation – the most recent in 2015.
“Removing the barriers to when the award can be presented and who can present the award will give more flexibility to the process and help to make sure people are recognized for their heroic efforts,” said Low.
Previous Washington State Medal of Valor winners here
Watch Rep. Low's floor speech on HB 1031
