VIDEO | “A bomb dropped on our safety net”: Rep. Joshua Penner opposes House Bill 2688 in House Appropriations Committee
In a passionate testimony before the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Joshua Penner, R-Orting, urges a “no” vote on House Bill 2688, a bill concerning the Infants and Toddlers Program (Early Support for Infants and Toddlers – ESIT).
Penner argues that the proposed “decoupling” of funding rates is not a mere technical adjustment, but a devastating 17% cut to early intervention services that will impact Washington’s most vulnerable residents: medically fragile infants and their families.
Penner emphasizes that this bill is far more than a technicality, highlighting that it strips $16 million from providers responsible for teaching infants the most basic life skills, such as how to swallow and move. This funding gap poses a direct threat to local institutions across Washington, potentially costing King County’s Kindering and Boyer Children’s Clinic a combined $5.5 million, while stripping $1.5 million from the Birth to Three Center in Pierce County and $1 million from Spokane’s Child and Family Development Clinic.
To illustrate the stakes, Penner shares the moving story of baby Mazie, born at just 1lb 1oz, whose survival and development were made possible through these very services. He argues that the bill is fiscally shortsighted, noting that 39% of children who receive these services never require special education later in life; by “saving pennies today,” the state is effectively committing to spending millions on K-12 interventions tomorrow. Ultimately, he critiques the lack of inclusion in the legislative process, reminding the committee of the disability community’s principle—”nothing about us without us”—and noting that this bill was drafted without the input of the families it will most deeply affect.
