Your 10th District legislators sum up session

The 2022 legislative session concluded on Thursday, March 10. The short 60-day session was fast paced and intense. After the COVID restrictions loosened up, I was among the first in Olympia to show up, in-person, on the House floor to debate and vote on legislation. Speaking on the House floor for the very first time was one of the most memorable moments of my life. It’s an incredible honor to fight for the values, region and people I care so deeply about.

Good bills that passed

Here’s my pick of the top three bills that made it through the legislative process:

• HB 1643: Provides an exemption from the real estate excise tax for certain sales of real property for affordable housing.

• HB 1785: Making sure Washington State Patrol troopers are paid comparable wages to other top law enforcement agencies in the state.

• HB 1655: Requires the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to reconfigure its maintenance operations to ensure state-owned and operated safety rest areas are open for use, except for seasonal closures or cleaning, maintenance, and repair.

Bad bills that passed

• HB 1876: Requires a Public Investment Impact disclosure on each voter’s ballot for every ballot measure that has a fiscal impact on state revenue.

• SB 5974 and 5975: This is the Democrats’ 16-year, $17 billion tax and spend “Move Ahead Washington” transportation package that is separate from the biennial budget. Originally, the plan stirred up controversy because it contained a six-cent-per-gallon tax on exported fuel. That very unpopular component was later removed.

Unfortunately, they traded one bad idea for another by removing the export fuel tax and replacing it with a yearly transfer of more than $100 million from the state’s Public Works Assistance Account – which will decrease economic opportunities and increase fees and rates on services such as water and utilities, among others.

• SB 5528: Expands the taxing authority for newly created enhanced service zones within Sound Transit.

2022 missed opportunities

I started the legislative session with high hopes. Numerous solutions were offered to the problems facing our state, but many were not adopted. Listed below are few missed opportunities.

Police reform fixes

The Legislature spent quite a bit of time this session attempting to repair the damage done by policing reforms approved in 2021. Republicans and Democrats worked together to address some of the troubling aspects of these policies, with Republicans offering solutions and delivering critical votes. However, only some of the problems were addressed.

SB 5919, which would have restored some of the authority for police officers to engage in vehicular pursuits when there is reasonable suspicion, was blocked by the majority party. Failing to change this policy will continue to have major consequences on public safety across the state.

No emergency powers reform

For the second year in a row, the majority party has shown no interest in emergency powers reform. I co-sponsored House Bill 1772, which would have increased legislative involvement in gubernatorial proclamations relating to a state of emergency. Unfortunately, the bill died in committee, and the governor’s emergency powers are still in place, leaving the people without a voice during a long-lasting state of emergency.

Long-term care insurance

Instead of repealing the unpopular, unworkable long-term care insurance program and its regressive payroll tax, the majority party put it off by delaying its implementation by 18 months. An alternative bill that would have repealed and replaced it with a more affordable alternative was not considered.

No meaningful tax relief

At a time when the Legislature had a massive, $15 billion budget surplus, the majority party blocked all attempts to provide any meaningful tax relief in the 2022 supplemental operating budget. With inflation on the rise and working Washingtonians struggling to make ends meet, this is a huge, missed opportunity. Even worse, this budget spends at an unsustainable rate and does nothing to strengthen the rainy-day fund.

2022 supplemental capital budget

As a member of the Capital Budget Committee, I was able to help secure more than $3 million in funding for some outstanding local projects in the 10th Legislative District, as well as advocate for the $4 million needed for the Mount Vernon Library Commons project.

Please stay in touch!

Please remember that I work for you year-round. If you would like to meet with me, please send an email to [email protected] or call (360) 939-1211. It’s truly a privilege to represent you in the 10th District.