E-News: It’s deadline time… which bills have survived?
Feb. 17, 2023 Hello Friends and Neighbors, Today brought the first deadline or “cutoff” of the 2023 legislative session. We’ll hit six more deadlines during the 65 days remaining in the session, with the final one being the day we adjourn. That should be April 23. The cutoffs force policy...
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E-News: We don’t need forced voting or an ‘extremism’ commission
Feb. 11, 2023 Hello Friends and Neighbors, You may not have heard the term “silver tsunami.” It refers to the growing number of people in our state and nation who are reaching the age where they need specialized care at home – so many people that the caregiving industry could...
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IN THE NEWS: How a WA bill could help caregiver shortage ahead of ‘silver tsunami’ (The Seattle Times)
How a WA bill could help caregiver shortage ahead of ‘silver tsunami’ Feb. 4, 2023 at 6:00 am By Paige Cornwell Seattle Times staff reporter To become certified, prospective home care workers in Washington must be tested on what they’ve learned in their 75 required hours of training. But many...
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E-Newsletter: Fix flaws in police-pursuit law now, not next year
After Clark County Sheriff’s Sgt. Jeremy Brown was murdered while on duty in July 2021, there was reason to connect his killing with what were then the new state restrictions on police pursuits. The people arrested for Sgt. Brown’s killing reportedly were suspects in a burglary the day before, but...
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E-Newsletter: Income-tax supporters want justices to make rush decision
Jan. 27, 2023 Hello Friends and Neighbors, Week three of our legislative session saw the first real votes by the full Senate. By “real” I mean policy legislation, not the housekeeping sort of measures that set the rules and the deadlines for committee and floor action on bills. I’m a...
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E-Newsletter: Another tax… when there’s a $6 BILLION budget surplus?
[[VIEW_THIS]] Jan. 20, 2023 Hello Friends and Neighbors, Week two of the legislative session ended today. Our work so far is happening almost exclusively at the committee level, and mostly in the form of public hearings on bills. That’s where we hear public testimony, which is typically for or against...
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STATEMENT: Republican budget leader pans Democrats’ ‘wealth tax’ proposal
OLYMPIA… The budget leader for the state’s Senate Republicans isn’t buying the idea that Washington needs to slap another tax on residents who are financially successful. Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, offered these remarks about the so-called “wealth tax” proposed today by Democrats in the Senate and House of Representatives: “On...
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E-Newsletter: Session begins, with critical issues to solve
Jan. 13, 2023 Hello Friends and Neighbors, A couple of weeks ago I sent a postcard to households in the “new” 17th Legislative District, to introduce myself and explain how the boundaries of all 49 of Washington’s legislative districts had been changed through a voter-approved process meant to protect equal...
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Bipartisan bill to reform antiquated emergency-powers law is likely dead already, days into new session
OLYMPIA… It appears Democrats in the state Senate have already decided to keep protecting the ability of Washington’s governor to unilaterally take control of residents’ lives for an indefinite period. Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, said she was informed yesterday – day two of Washington’s 2023 legislative session – that bipartisan...
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STATEMENT: Governor’s budget proposal is a disappointment for Washington families, says Republican budget leader
VANCOUVER… The budget leader for Washington’s Senate Republicans said the 2023-25 operating budget proposal made public today by Gov. Jay Inslee fails to put priority on issues that affect Washington families most. Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, offered this assessment of the $70.4 billion proposal, which will be submitted to the...
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