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SAVE THE DATE: Town Hall Announced

We will be holding our 22nd Legislative District town hall meeting in just a few weeks! Thursday, February 22, 6:30-8pm* SPSCC Lacey Event Center 4220 6th Ave SE Lacey, WA 98503 *Doors open at 6pm for a social half hour - this will give everyone plenty of time to say a friendly hello to their neighbors, grab a snack, and get situated in their seats. Childcare will be provided.

Capital Budget Signed by Governor Inslee

Olympia - The long-delayed, $4 billion dollar state construction budget passed last week by the Senate includes $118 million for projects in the 22nd Legislative District. Legislators from the 22nd—Sen. Sam Hunt, Rep. Beth Doglio, and Rep. Laurie Dolan—said the budget invests in scores of community projects such as the Lacey and Tumwater Boys and Girls Clubs and the Tumwater Old Brew House as well as upgrades for The Evergreen State College and South Puget Sound Community College and so much more. Statewide, the budget invests $1 billion in K-12 school construction, the largest in state history. Additionally, it invests $95 million in storm water improvements, $46 million for the Clean Energy Fund, and $80 million for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program. Here is a partial list of the projects funded in our community (click here for a complete list): $41 million Thurston County for the National Guard Readiness Center $507,000 to assist with Tumwater Old Brewhouse Tower rehabilitation $2.5 million for Capitol Lake long term management planning $800,000 for the Providence St. Peter Dental Residency program startup $118,000 for Capitol Theater roof replacement $3.6 million for Woodard Bay improvements $1 million for LBA Woods acquisition $170,000 for Kaiser Woods acquisition $500,000 for the SPSCC Craft Brewing and Distilling Center $52,000 for the Capital Campus Eastern Washington Butte design project $689,000 for the Washington Center sound system renovation $165,000 for West Woods acquisition *Brewhouse photo by Janine Gates, Little Hollywood Photography

Why we voted "no" on the Hirst fix.

Last week's passage of the capital budget was an important step for our state’s infrastructure and construction needs. Unfortunately, Republicans tied passage of this budget to a policy addressing the Hirst decision. The Supreme Court ruled that counties are required to ensure sufficient water is available before drilling a permit-exempt well. Such wells threaten agriculture and other’s water rights.

Both of us voted no on SB 6091. There are some very good aspects of the bill. It makes clear the intention to invest $300 million over the next fifteen years for stream restoration and enhancement. For some watersheds, conservation measures were put in place and planning is required. Those plans must ensure that potential impacts from domestic wells are offset and consumptive impacts of new wells must be replaced with water.

Unfortunately, the solution offered did not protect the senior water rights of our state’s tribes. Among other things, this solution did not address our concerns about tribal water rights or go far enough to protect our scarce water resources by requiring metering water use in rural areas which is why neither of us could vote for it.

Beth's Corner

I was truly honored to be a speaker at the 2018 Women's March this past Saturday. Women and allies marched for love and tolerance instead of hatred and division. We marched for healthcare for all and an end to sexual harassment. We marched for the Voting Rights Act and equal pay. And we marched together - because together is the only way we can make progress on moving us toward a just nation that works to lift us all. It’s a fast-paced session. I am hard at work on addressing climate change, domestic violence, protections for part-time and temporary workers who are often at the bottom of the economic ladder, expanding Intercity Transit service, the supplemental capital budget, and ensuring access to diaper changing stations in restaurants for families.

Laurie's Corner

HB 1896 Expanding civics education in public schools is moving ahead! With the support and development from different stakeholder groups, the bill passed out of the House Committee on Education and is waiting for action in the Appropriations Committee.

Beginning in 2020-21 school year, each school district will offer a stand-alone, required course in civics for all high school students. An informed student can become an informed voter!

HB 2297 Extending the period for voter registration is moving ahead as well. Same Day Registration will allow people to register to vote up until 8pm on Election Day. Election Day registration has been one of the most effective reforms shown to increase voting rates, and reduce inequalities in turnout.

As the world’s leading democracy, we must own the responsibility to care for and cultivate an election system that allows all those who are willing and eligible to cast a ballot to do so without navigating a needless maze of registration deadlines.

HB 1851 Protecting taxpayers by providing for accountability and transparency in government contracting: After hours of work on this important bill, language is ready for executive action in the House State Government Committee next week.

If passed, more thoughtful management decisions will be made on whether to complete work in house or hire a contractor. Outsourcing should never be a default decision when the expertise of our own state employees is available.

Thank you!

We appreciate all of the emails, letters, postcards, calls, and visits we've received this session. Your input is valued and appreciated. Please, keep it up! We can't do this important work without you!

Rep. Beth Doglio                    Rep. Laurie Dolan