Rep. Mike Steele’s legislative update | The 2020 session gets underway!

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Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The 2020 session is underway. It's an honor to be back in Olympia serving our communities. For the next 60-days, our primary task will be approving the state's supplemental operating, transportation and capital budgets. These are tweaks to the biennial budget approved last year. Along with that work, several policy bills will also be discussed and decided. 

Education bills to watch

As the ranking member on the House Education Committee, I plan to continue carefully scrutinizing bills affecting scholastic opportunities and attainment for students across our state. Within the next few days, I'll be introducing a bill I authored that seeks to expand the state's Running Start program to include both vocational and skilled trades.

I'll also be reviewing a bill that would allow schools to offer the College in High School program to students as young as the ninth grade. House Bill 2233 would require school districts to begin providing information about the program to students as early as the eighth grade. Stay tuned! I'll be sharing more information on these bills, and others, in my next update.

My 2020 legislative goals

After traveling and meeting with several of you during the months leading up to the legislative session, it's clear your concerns fit into three categories: jobs, housing affordability and reducing tax burdens on working individuals and families. I agree.

More must be done to encourage the creation of family-wage jobs and discourage complex, unnecessary regulations that stifle economic development. Ever-increasing building regulations and soaring home prices have put the dream of homeownership out of reach for too many. That must stop. That means finding ways to promote building projects and the rights of property owners.

In addition, I will continue to stand against any new proposals to increase taxes. That means saying “no” to any form of an income tax, carbon tax, road usage (“miles-traveled tax”) and others being discussed in Olympia.

Survey

I want to hear from you! Your input helps me do my work in Olympia. Please take a short survey authored by my seatmate, Rep. Keith Goehner, and myself. Tell us what you think the Legislature's top priorities should be during the 2020 session.

Stay informed and updated!

During the legislative session, I'll be sending frequent updates on bills being debated in Olympia. In addition, I've listed several helpful links below that can keep you informed and updated on the activities of your state Legislature:

• My legislative website | Here you will find my contact information, bio, news releases, email updates, videos, opinion pieces, bills, and other information.
• The Washington State Ledger | News aggregator | View breaking news, policy updates and opinions from the House Republican Caucus.
• The Current | An online legislative publication from the Washington House Republicans. Click on the link to subscribe.
• TVW | The state's own version of C-SPAN, TVW broadcasts floor and committee action live online.
• Legislature's website | You can find bill reports, committee agendas, and information about upcoming activities in the Legislature here.
• Capitol Campus activities and events | Find a calendar of legislative events here.

Want to testify on a bill?

We want to hear from you! For information on how to testify in Committee, click here. If it's your first-time testifying, I'm happy to help you through the process. Contact my office if you have any questions.

Thank you!

If you would like to schedule a time to chat with me or, better yet, come to the state Capitol for an in-person visit—give me a call. I'm always glad to hear from you!

Sincerely,

Mike Steele

State Representative Mike Steele
12th Legislative District
RepresentativeMikeSteele.com
122F Legislative Building | P.O. Box 40600 | Olympia, WA 98504-0600
mike.steele@leg.wa.gov
360-786-7832 | Toll-free: (800) 562-6000