By Diana Carlen, Lobbyist, Washington Association of Wheat Growers We have completed the fourth week of session. Jan. 31 marked the first important cutoff date of the 2024 Legislative Session. Cutoff dates play a crucial role in the legislative process as any bills that have not made it out of a policy committee are considered “dead” and no longer eligible ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen Lobbyist, Washington Association of Wheat Growers Sunday, Jan. 28, marked the 21st day of the legislative session. We have now completed three weeks of session and are more than a third of the way done. The number of new bills being introduced daily is dropping in volume as the first legislative deadline is fast approaching, and new ... Read More »
by Diana Carlen Lobbyist, Washington Association of Wheat Growers During the second week of the legislative session, the House of Representatives and Senate were busy holding public hearings, passing bills out of committee, and some floor action. New bills continue to be introduced. Over 1,100 new bills have been filed in both chambers combined this session. Less than two weeks remain ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen Lobbyist, Washington Association of Wheat Growers Washington state legislators are gearing up for the upcoming legislative session, which will begin on Jan. 8, 2024, but prior to that, they will be hosting their annual Assembly Days in Olympia. This is an opportunity for legislative committees to hold work sessions and for legislators to outline priorities for the ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist The Legislature adjourned Sine Die as scheduled on the 105th day of the 2023 Legislative Session on Sunday, April 23. In the final week of the session, the Legislature focused on two items: bill concurrence and finishing negotiations on the state’s biennial budgets: operating, capital and transportation. Additionally, the governor has begun signing bills into ... Read More »
From the Capital Press Washington will follow California’s lead and ban new diesel trucks beginning in 2036, a governor’s spokesman said Tuesday. The governor’s office was going over the rule passed April 28 by the California Air Resources Board and does not have a timeline for adopting it, spokesman Mike Faulk said in an email. “We’re still reviewing California’s actions, ... Read More »
From the Capital Press An Eastern Washington senator Wednesday cast a series of “no” votes on popular bipartisan tax breaks to protest cap-and-trade surcharges on fuel used to grow and transport farm goods. Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, said he normally supports tax cuts, but complained that cap-and-trade’s tax on emissions from fossil fuels wasn’t supposed to apply to agriculture and ... Read More »
From the Capital Press Democrats are keeping alive proposals to raise property taxes and taxes on most real estate sales as House and Senate budget writers negotiate an operating budget before the session ends Sunday. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist April 16 marked the 98th day of the legislative session. Just seven days remain in the 2023 Legislative Session. April 12 was the deadline to pass bills from the opposite chamber, except for budgets and bills necessary to implement the budget. Over the next week, the Legislature will continue to focus on reconciling differences between ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist We have completed the 13th week of the legislative session. Last Tuesday was the fiscal committee cutoff, the last day for bills to have been approved by their respective fiscal committee in the opposite chamber unless “necessary to implement the budget.” Only 14 days remain in the 2023 Legislative Session. There will be little committee ... Read More »
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