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 Last
week Gov. Jay Inslee signed his first bills of the 2018 session: a new capital
budget that restarts construction for hundreds of projects across the state,
and a water bill related to new well drilling in rural areas.
"It
is good news for Washingtonians that the Legislature passed the long-overdue construction
budget,” Inslee said at the bill signing last Friday. "This allows us to
restart hundreds of stalled projects at schools and mental health facilities
and build more affordable housing ̶ as well as put thousands of
Washingtonians to work."
The
Legislature was unable to agree on a water
bill during the 2017 session and continued negotiations over
the interim, reaching a compromise last week. The two-year construction budget
should have also passed last session but it got caught up in the unrelated
water rights dispute.
"While
far from perfect, this bill helps protect water resources while providing water
for families in rural Washington,” Inslee said. “It includes significant
funding for habitat protection and restoration and other improvements that will
be guided by local stakeholders and tribes according to the needs of each
basin. Despite this positive step, pressures on stream flows and salmon will continue
to mount in the face of climate change and growing demand for water."
LISTEN: Northwest News Network - Inslee Signs Washington State Capital Budget, Hirst Fix
READ: The Chronicle - State Legislature Passes Bill to Settle Water-Use Dispute
 Business,
labor and agricultural leaders came to Olympia last week to voice their support
for Gov. Jay
Inslee’s proposal to make our air cleaner and reinvest in growing our clean
economy by putting a price on carbon pollution. The proposal is gaining support
from business leaders who say this is the year the Legislature should act.
READ: Associated Press - Some
businesses backing Washington carbon tax measure
WATCH: Highlights
from Senate hearing
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