 Prior to the start of the session, Seahawks faithful gathered at the Capitol for the raising of the 12th Man Flag. Go Hawks!
Dear Friends,
Thank you for reading my
e-newsletter! I'll be sending out new editions weekly as the 2017 legislative
session progresses. Please feel free to forward this to any of your friends who
might want to receive it as well. The more participation we can generate; the
better representation you will have in state government.
As many of you know, it was a
busy interim between legislative sessions. Washington state's Director of Commerce, local
technological companies, and our good friend, Dr. Rich Cummins, President of
Columbia Basin College, joined me on a trade mission to the United Arab
Emirates. There we were able to promote the Tri-Cities as a center for
innovation and education, ripe for investment and job-creation. (You can watch NBC coverage of the trip
by clicking here.)
I was also pleased with the
tremendous turnout at this year’s Washington State Farm Hall. (Click
here to read the full Washington AG Network
story. Click
here to read a report on the Farm Hall on
KVEW-TV.)
On Monday, we returned to
Olympia for the start of what is sure to be a challenging session. But with
every challenge comes opportunity – including the opportunity to serve.
My colleagues recently selected
me to serve as Deputy Senate Leader and as a Vice Chair of Ways and
Means – the Senate’s primary fiscal
committee. (You can read more about my committee
assignments by clicking here.)
By taking a leadership role on the budget-writing committee, I intend to make
sure that the views and budget-related needs of the Tri-Cities are not
forgotten in Olympia.
You can read more below about
my new leadership roles and my efforts to address the needs of our agricultural
community. If you have any comments, questions or concerns regarding these or
any issues related to state government, please don't hesitate to get in touch
with me. I hope to hear from you soon!
Sincerely,
 Sharon Brown
State Senator
8th District
Meet our 2017 District 8 Senate Team
(Mannequin
Challenge Edition)
 Click to watch this week's video update!
Chosen
as deputy leader of Senate Majority Coalition Caucus
I am very honored to have been chosen by my colleagues to
serve as the Deputy Leader of the Senate. In that role, I will assist Senate Majority
Leader Mark Schoesler of Ritzville in setting legislative goals, policies and
priorities. I will also act as the MCC leader in Mark’s absence.
This is yet another
great opportunity to make sure that we in the Tri-Cities have a seat at the
table. As a member of Senate leadership, I get to be a voice for our region and
our concerns.
DNR’s sudden
cancellation of farmers’ contracts must be addressed
Today, I filed a bill to help farmers
around our state who are concerned about non-default termination of state land
leases for agricultural or grazing purposes.
When the Washington State
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) informed a group of Benton County wheat
farmers in the Horse Heaven Hills that their leases were being terminated early,
with little to no warning, it sparked a debate about the deep impact sudden decisions
by the agency can have on the lives of our farmers. It was one of the top
concerns at our Farm Hall in December.
The almost careless response of
DNR was stunning. Sen. Judy Warnick and I, working with Benton County
Commissioner Shon Small, were happy to step in to help these family farmers. (You can read more about this effort here.)
Together we were able to
negotiate a buyout of the leases, but moving forward, we must take steps to
make sure that farmers are not investing in expensive leases, only to have them
ripped away at the last minute.
Under my bill, the state would
be required to give written notice at least 180 days prior to termination of a
non-default lease. DNR would also be required to provide the farmer with
documentation showing that the state has a plan for using the land for a “higher
and better use, land exchange or sale.”
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As always, I value
hearing directly from you. I am here to be your voice, and your feedback on
bills before the Senate is very important to me. If you would like to contact me please
write, phone, e-mail, or stop by if you’re in the Olympia area.
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