By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist We have completed the fourth week of the 2023 Legislative Session. So far, legislators have introduced nearly 1,500 bills for the body to consider. There are only two weeks remaining until the first legislative deadline known as a “cutoff date”. By Feb. 17, bills must be voted out of their respective policy committees to remain ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Sunday marked the 21st day of the 2023 Legislative Session and completion of the third week of the session. Committees are still holding hearings on new bills as well as scheduling bills for executive action, which is the action of voting bills out of policy and fiscal committees. Bills are continuously being revised as they ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist We have completed the second week of the 105-day session. Committees have been busy holding public hearings and passing bills out of committee. In addition, legislators are dropping dozens of bills daily. As of Jan. 20, over 1,000 bills have been introduced. The first legislative deadline is Feb. 17, 2023, when all bills must be ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist The Washington state legislative session began on Monday, Jan. 9. It is the first in-person session since the pandemic hit, and everyone is excited to be back in person. Committees are allowing both in-person and remote testimony. The 2023 session is scheduled to last 105 days and end on April 23. The primary job of ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist While there are a couple of legislative races still too close to call, it is clear that Democrats will expand their majorities slightly. In the Senate, Democrats have picked up one seat (29-20) as Rep. Sharon Shewmake (D-Bellingham) has defeated Sen. Simon Sefzik (R-Ferndale) who was appointed last January to replace Sen. Doug Ericksen after ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist With unprecedented revenues for a supplemental year, the 2022 supplemental operating budget appropriated over $63 billion. Of particular interest to the agricultural industry, the final budget maintained significant spending on salmon recovery, including multiple workgroups and studies for the industry. Salmon recovery stakeholder process The 2022 supplemental operating budget provided $300,000 for the governor’s office ... Read More »
The state 2022 Legislative Session wrapped up March 10, with legislators working up until nearly the last minute to pass a supplemental budget that adds $5 billion to the $59 billion budget lawmakers passed last year. Washington Association of Wheat Growers’ lobbyist, Diana Carlen, assembled a list of agriculture-related spending items included in the final budget. Farmworker Study and Performance ... Read More »
A group of Washington state agricultural organizations sent a letter to Gov. Jay Inslee and state House and Senate leaders offering suggestions on actions that would significantly increase riparian enhancement and protections for salmon. “Our farmers have implemented conservation on their lands for decades and generations with help and in partnership with local conservation districts, local watershed and salmon enhancement ... Read More »
From the Capital Press A House bill to require publicly funded projects to benefit salmon did not have enough support Monday to pass the Senate Ways and Means Committee, blocking the legislation, which was opposed by farm groups. House Bill 1117 was scheduled for a vote by the Senate committee, but was skipped over. Committee Chairwoman Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist With less than two weeks to go until session adjourns on March 10, we are on the home stretch of this year’s 60-day session. Feb. 28 marked another cutoff deadline where all bills needed to be voted out of the opposite chamber’s fiscal committee to remain under consideration. House Releases Proposed Supplemental Capital Budget Last ... Read More »
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