By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Gov. Ferguson wrapped up bill action and signed the Operating Supplemental Budget, Transportation Supplemental Budget and the Capital Supplemental Budget into law the first week of April. All budgets were signed with partial vetoes. The Operating Supplemental Budget (SB 5998) included the following notable vetoes: Clean Energy Permitting/Planning: This section appropriates money for grants to ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist The Legislature adjourned on the 60th day of the 2026 Legislative Session on March 12 at around 8:30 p.m. In the final week of the session, the Legislature adopted the supplemental 2025-2027 operating, capital, and transportation budgets. The Legislature also spent the final week passing bills. In total, the Legislature passed 267 bills during the ... Read More »
The Washington Association of Wheat Growers led a letter earlier this week to the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Transportation and Operating committees regarding proposed funding on a study on “breach-readiness” on the lower Snake River dams. Dear Chairs and Ranking Members: On behalf of the thousands of farming families, irrigators, and agricultural businesses that form ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist With less than a week remaining in the 60-day session as of March 7, the 2026 legislative session enters the home stretch. The Legislature reached two major milestones this past week. The first was March 2, the last day to pass opposite chamber bills from House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Washington State legislators have completed their seventh week of work in Olympia as of Feb. 28. There are less than two weeks remaining in the legislative session. The Legislature passed a major cutoff Feb. 25, the last day to pass policy bills from the opposite chamber out of policy committees. The next major cutoff is ... Read More »
From PNW Ag Network When it comes to addressing the concerns of Washington’s farmers and ranchers, Olympia has not always moved quickly, or sometimes at all. But, during a recent trip to the state capital, Michelle Hennings, Executive Director of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers said she had the opportunity to speak before several committees and groups about the challenges facing farm country. Read the rest ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen Lobbyist, Washington Association of Wheat Growers The Legislature has completed its fifth week of the session. On Feb. 9, legislators reached the second major deadline of session which was the fiscal cutoff date. Bills with a fiscal impact had to pass out of the respective budget and transportation committees by that deadline unless they are “Necessary to ... Read More »
From the Capital Press Washington lawmakers are advancing bills that could make farming more expensive, while legislation to cut labor costs and taxes languishes. The state ranks 14th in the U.S. in gross farm income, but 46th in net cash income, according to the USDA. Only farms in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Alaska are less profitable. Read the ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist The 2026 Legislative Session reached its first important deadline on Feb. 4, as policy committee cutoff occurred. Any bills that have not made it out of a policy committee are considered dead and no longer eligible to move forward this year. Legislation not subject to the deadline includes bills that have been passed to fiscal ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Saturday, Jan. 31, marked the 20th day of session, with 40 days left to go. The third week brought another hectic week with the first legislative deadline fast approaching. The first legislative deadline is Feb. 4, which is the policy cut-off deadline. All bills must be passed out of their respective policy committees by this ... Read More »
WAWG