Tag Archives: Washington Legislature
High-tech leaders: Address I-5 Bridge now
Add Clark County’s high-tech business leaders to the chorus of local voices who aren’t pleased with the transportation revenue package under consideration in the Washington Legislature this year. The Clark County High Technology and Community Council, a group representing numerous employers and thousands of employees in the region, sent a letter to state lawmakers late […]
Why Rep. Christopher Hurst missed votes in 2014
When WashingtonVotes.org released its annual tally of lawmakers’ missed votes during the 2014 legislative session, it showed a relatively good attendance record in Olympia this year. The list, reported on by The Columbian and others, also showed that Rep. Christopher Hurst, D-Enumclaw, missed 98 votes out of 515 House roll calls. But the report didn’t […]
Public records training bill on its way to Inslee
At least one policy group called it a touchdown without an extra point. In last week’s flurry of legislative activity, Washington lawmakers approved a bill that would require public and elected officials to undergo training on the state’s Open Public Meetings Act and the Public Records Act. A touchdown for open government, according to the […]
Lynda Wilson stepping down as Clark County GOP chair
Lynda Wilson has decided to step down as chairwoman of the Clark County Republican Party, saying she needs time to focus on her campaign to unseat state Rep. Monica Stonier, D-Vancouver. When Wilson announced her candidacy for the 17th District House seat last month, she said she planned to keep her GOP party leadership role […]
Clark County Democrats ask Inslee to stand with them on CRC
Gov. Jay Inslee should veto any state transportation package that doesn’t include $450 million for the Columbia River Crossing project, Clark County Democrats said in a resolution the local party passed Monday night. The idea was brought forward by Democratic precinct committee officer Ed Barnes, who previously served as a commissioner on the Washington State […]
Pike criticizes Gov. Inslee’s suggestion to raise state minimum wage
When Gov. Jay Inslee said last month that it’s time to talk about raising the state’s minimum wage of $9.32 an hour, state Rep. Liz Pike, R-Camas, was listening. She recently took to Facebook, saying the Democratic governor was out of touch. “With each passing day, the Governor of Washington seems more out of […]
New government transparency effort sparked in Olympia
Since Washington state’s Public Records Act was passed in the 1970s, state lawmakers have adopted more than 300 exemptions to those public disclosure rules. Legislator’s official emails and calendars are often off-limits to the public, and although public records from many state agencies are available online, they aren’t always displayed in a user-friendly way. […]
College students seek tax breaks on text books, tuition relief for veterans, immigrants
For many, December is a time for holiday cheer. For interest groups in Washington state, it’s also a time for strategy. The Columbian reported earlier this week on what Southwest Washington business groups want to see happen in the 2014 legislative session convening next month. They invited state lawmakers to a breakfast on Wednesday, quizzed […]
Interfaith group hosting gun-control themed marathon next month in Olympia
The Faith Action Network, the same group that marched from Vancouver to Olympia last year in support of same-sex marriage, will host a “Running for Our Lives” marathon in Olympia Jan. 30 to support universal background checks on gun sales. The marathon will take runners on a tour of religious meeting spaces in Olympia, […]
State House members reimbursed more than $27,000 for last month’s special session
Lawmakers in the state House got a combined $17,903 in meal and lodging reimbursements and about $9,900 in vehicle mileage reimbursements for attending the Nov. 7-9 special session in Olympia. Lawmakers were called into the session to approve a tax break and other incentives for the aerospace industry. November’s was the third special legislative session […]