WALEN NAMED NAMIC STATE LEGISLATOR OF THE YEAR

The following information was released by the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC):

Washington state Rep. Amy Walen was named State Legislator of the Year by the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies at its 131th Annual Convention.

A Democrat representing the state's 48th district, Walen was recognized for her work to bring transparency to third party litigation funding that has raised costs for Washingtonians and consumers across the country.

"Rep. Walen continues to the hard work of studying the problems affecting Americans, understanding the real issues driving costs higher, and crafting meaningful solutions," said Erin Collins, senior vice president of state and policy affairs for NAMIC. "While other politicians look to point the finger, she's been rolling up her sleeves and doing the work to ensure that what comes out of Olympia will help her constituents and all Washington consumers."

Walen was the prime sponsor of HB 2255, legislation that would have required disclosure of third-party funding in lawsuits and set other guardrails around investing in litigation. More broadly, she provided a steady hand and strong leadership as chair of the Consumer Protection and Business Committee. Whalen made sure to listen to, and work with, stakeholders from all sides of the issues to fully understand how legislation would impact consumers and the insurance landscape in the state.

"I am thankful to NAMIC and its member companies for recognizing the hard work that it takes to advance the availability and affordability of insurance products while maintaining proper consumer protections, said Walen. I look forward to continuing our momentum on these same principles in 2027 for the betterment of all Washingtonians."

Each year, NAMIC awards the State Legislator of the Year recognition to one or more deserving state lawmakers for their support of free-market principles and strong advocacy to improve the insurance market in their states.