Sen. Cyrus Habib, D-Bellevue, released a statement following Gov. Jay Inslee’s State of the State address:

“I am impressed by Gov. Inslee’s clear vision for our state. We have an urgent need to address key issues in education, mental health, and public safety.

“I share the governor’s sense of urgency around our state’s severe teacher shortage. With his plan to increase the starting wage for new teachers, we will be able to better attract and retain the great teachers on whom our students rely. We have made significant investments in education – from expanding access for our littlest learners to assisting our students pursing higher education- however, we have a long way to go before our work is finished.

“As the prime sponsor of paid sick and safe leave legislation, I’m heartened to hear that this is also a priority of the governor’s. Having the ability to take time off of work when you or a loved one is sick should not be a luxury. I am proud to support this policy and look forward to making paid sick and safe leave the norm, not the exception.

“With only 60 days in this year’s legislative session, I appreciated Gov. Inslee’s thoughtful proposals and his call to the legislature to get to work on the challenges and opportunities of the session.”