WAWG
By Diana Carlen
WAWG lobbyist
Today marks the 23rd day of the 2018 Legislative Session. There are three days remaining until the first legislative deadline, Feb. 2, 2018, when all policy bills must make it out of their policy committee.
The agriculture industry was out in force last week at the hearing on proposed legislation to require four days notice before applying pesticides (SB 6529). The hearing was in the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee. While several farmers traveled to Olympia to testify against the bill, the chair limited testimony to six speakers supporting the legislation and six speakers opposing the legislation due to a busy agenda. Nicole Berg testified on behalf of WAWG and did an outstanding job outlining WAWG’s concerns with the bill.
Those unable to testify still were on the record as opposed. Many farmers also emailed committee members to raise their objections to the legislation, and we encourage WAWG members to keep emailing legislators on this issue.
The legislation is scheduled for a vote in committee tomorrow. We have been told by the chair of the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee that the bill is being redrafted by the prime sponsor to be an interim work group to study the issue.