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Dear Friend:
Another week of the legislative session is in the books. This week saw a lot of House floor action Monday through Wednesday, and then back to committee work Thursday and Friday. Our latest "dead and alive" bill list is here.
With house of origin cutoff behind us, attention turns to Senate bills and committee work. In the upcoming weeks, we will also be debating important issues such as: the operating, capital and transportation budgets; transportation reforms; energy policy; and the economy.
As for the economy, our state's unemployment rate rose for the fifth month in a row and continues to be above the national average. We
can do better and need a pro-growth strategy for our state. Instead, we are seeing proposals such as cap and trade and a capital gains (income) tax that would make our state less competitive.
Town hall weekend
This is town hall weekend for the Legislature. Some of our members will be hosting events on Saturday. You can find the complete list here. Most of our members in large, rural districts opt for telephone town halls because it is more convenient for constituents.
By the numbers
A rough count shows 327 bills have passed out of the House this legislative session. The Senate has passed 352 bills.
105 days
We look forward to the House Democrats rolling out their operating budget proposal by March 23. There is no reason we can't finish our work in 105 days.
In your service,
Rep. Dan Kristiansen
House Republican Leader
39th District
 Rep. Tom Dent: From, for the Columbia Basin
Rep. Tom Dent has strong roots in the Columbia Basin, having been a lifelong resident there. A husband, father, grandfather, professional pilot, ranch owner, and water-rights advocate, he brings myriad life experiences to Olympia. Learn more about Rep. Dent in this video.
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 Freshmen in focus
Reps. Lynda Wilson and Mark Harmsworth sat down with Austin Jenkins of TVW's Inside Olympia to discuss what motivated them to run for office and their experiences as new state lawmakers. You can watch the interview here.
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Five good House Republican bills
Of the 327 bills that passed off the House floor this legislative session, 108 are prime sponsored by House Republicans. While not every piece of legislation is newsworthy, this fact remains: every measure would affect someone in some way.
Below are five good House Republicans bills that either passed the House, or are still alive in the legislative process. We will feature more bills in the upcoming weeks.
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