December 3, 2021
Dear Methow Valley residents,
As state lawmakers prepare to begin the legislative session in Olympia, I wanted to take the time to connect with you and share my appreciation for the opportunity it has been to serve as your state senator. Today is an especially difficult day to write this as the state Supreme Court issued a significant decision affecting the Okanogan County boundaries. (For more information on this ruling, click here). The Methow Valley is a beautiful place and supported by a terrific, one-of-a-kind community. Under normal circumstances, I enjoy frequent trips to the Methow to meet with community groups and also for my own family vacations. These past couple years, unfortunately, the COVID pandemic has limited my visits, but I have enjoyed keeping in touch with you remotely.
Looking ahead to next year, the legislative session is right around the corner and expected to be fast-paced. Washington state alternates between longer and shorter legislative sessions based on the state’s two-year budget cycle. The 2022 session will be a “hybrid” format with both virtual and in-person activities and is scheduled for 60 days, beginning on January 10 and concluding on March 10. With the state’s two-year budget approved last April, this year’s session will be shorter to consider budget adjustments and new legislation.
 The Cedar Creek and Cub Creek 2 fires threatened the Methow Valley and caused evacuations, cancellations, and road closures from July through September. Fortunately, courageous air and ground firefighting personnel were able to save many structures, but the natural resource, economic, and quality of life impacts were severe. My heart goes out to everyone affected.
A difficult summer of Methow wildfires
As the Methow Valley knows too well, our region has suffered from devastating wildfires. Back in 2014, I attended a Carlton Complex Fire community meeting in the dark during the weeklong power outage as you struggled for information. Our state has since made progress on wildfires, but much more work still needs to be done. Over the years, I sponsored and passed Senate bills 5546 (forest management), 5270 (timber harvesting), 6211 (federal partnership), and 5158 (utility wildfire). The Legislature also recently approved House Bill 1168 for new investments in forest health and wildfire response. The recent Cedar Creek and Cub Creek fires were terrible, with severe economic and natural resource impacts. My heart goes out to the community members impacted, which is essentially everyone considering the nature of your economy. It is clear that our local, state, and federal wildfire efforts must continue to improve, so it will continue to be a top priority.
In addition to wildfire, there are many other important issues affecting the Methow Valley community. These include water availability, climate, clean energy, affordable housing, broadband access, health care, education, transportation, and workforce issues. I have a familiarity with these topics and how they connect to you. I hope to continue to work with Methow Valley stakeholders in the months and years ahead to find bipartisan solutions that benefit our region and state.
 I had planned to send your community a personalized letter and this mailing insert, but the redistricting uncertainty had put a hold to many publications and other communications. My hope is that sending this electronically will still be helpful. To view the full page version of the handout, click here.
Supreme Court upholds redistricting maps
You may have heard that the Washington State Redistricting Commission failed to meet its deadline to adopt a final plan for legislative districts for the next 10 years. However, the state Supreme Court declared today that the Redistricting Commission “met the constitutional deadline and substantially complied with the statutory deadline,” which paves the way for the Legislature to ratify the proposed maps. Unfortunately, the Redistricting Commission’s proposed maps significantly split apart Okanogan County and portions of Douglas County from the 12th District. I had greatly looked forward to continuing our work together given the unique issues facing the Methow Valley, historical knowledge of local legislators, and the relationships we have built together. Unfortunately, that opportunity will likely not continue.
 The Washington State Redistricting Commission published a map showing possible state legislative district boundaries, which the Supreme Court largely upheld, moving Okanogan County into the 7th District. The traditional 12th District, with Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan counties included, will be changing.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you
Representing the Methow Valley for nearly 10 years has been a tremendous honor. Your community is special and appreciated. You always helped me and my family feel welcomed and it was an honor to serve as your state senator, which I will still have the privilege of doing for at least several more months. However, the August and November 2022 elections will bring different representation to the area. I look forward to working alongside those members to share my knowledge and feedback about your beautiful communities.
Thank you for everything!
Sincerely,
 Brad Hawkins
State Senator Brad Hawkins
12th Legislative District
Website: senatorbradhawkins.org
107 Newhouse Building - P.O. Box 40412 | Olympia, WA 98504-0412
(360) 786-7622 or Toll-free: (800) 562-6000
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