What it’s like as a freshman state lawmaker in Olympia

Whether it’s navigating the halls of the Washington state Capitol or getting used to the fast pace, coming aboard as a legislator can be an adventure.

By: Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero - January 23, 2025 4:00 am

WASHINGTON STATE STANDARD

Before this year’s Washington state legislative session began, Sen. Deborah Krishnadasan was giving her husband a tour of her new workplace: the state Capitol building in Olympia.

After multiple failed attempts tapping her badge to access the Senate chambers, Krishnadasan, who was appointed to fill a vacant seat in December, realized she was accidentally trying to get into the governor’s office.

“We had to go up a floor,” jokes Krishnadasan, D-Gig Harbor, who replaced Democratic U.S. Rep. Emily Randall in the state Senate after Randall was elected to Congress last year. […]