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June 20, 2025
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As some of you know, the 9th District is a rarity among legislative districts in our state. It has the unique distinction of having not one but two four-year universities within its borders – Washington State University in Pullman and Eastern Washington University in Cheney.
In fact, when I began my legislative career as a state representative in 1993, both WSU and Eastern were in the 9th District. That was the case until 2012, when our state’s once-a-decade redistricting moved Cheney (and EWU) to the nearby 6th District.
When the latest round of redistricting took place a few years ago, I was pleased to see Cheney - and Eastern – return to the 9th.
Anyway, during my three decades plus as a legislator, I’ve made it a point to build and maintain good working relationships with the presidents of Washington State and Eastern.
 Senator Schoesler with WSU President Cantwell.
When Dr. Elizabeth Cantwell was hired in February to become WSU’s next president, I was far away in Olympia for this year’s legislative session, so I was not able to meet her during the early months of her presidency.
But that has changed. On Tuesday, President Cantwell met me at Mi Jalisco restaurant in Ritzville for a lunch meeting. We had a good visit, as she shared with me her vision and goals for WSU and answered my questions. I wish President Cantwell all the best. Go Cougs!
 University of Washington faculty members listen as Senator Schoesler talks about his farm and agriculture in general during their visit this week.
UW faculty pay annual visit to Schoesler farm
As I’ve done for the past few years, I had the pleasure this Wednesday of hosting several members of the University of Washington faculty at my Ritzville farm. This year, a busload of new UW faculty stopped by the farm during their eastern Washington field tour this week.
The faculty group’s stop lasted about 90 minutes. I talked about my farming operation and our state’s agriculture industry in general, then answered their questions and showed them around.
I look forward to the annual UW tour because it gives me a chance to explain how farming works and why it’s important to our state, and it allows the professors and assistant profs (many of whom have never visited a farm) to see a real farm and ask questions.
And despite being a longtime, loyal Coug fan, I only delivered some mild trash talk about the UW, even though the faculty members were in WSU country.
Recreational fishing- and hunting-license costs to increase July 1
As I mentioned during the recently ended legislative session, one of the bills passed by Democrats this year that sticks it to everyday Washingtonians is raising the fees for hunting and fishing licenses by 38%.
Earlier this week, I received a news release from the state Department of Fishing and Wildlife that points out hunting and fishing license fees will increase on July 1, less than two weeks away.
I want people to know about the upcoming license-fee hikes in case they would rather save some money by purchasing a fishing and/or hunting license before July 1.
From the WDFW news release:
Visit the WDFW website for updated license fee tables for fishing, big game hunting, and small game hunting licenses.
If you would like to buy hunting and fishing licenses, you can always do so by visiting myWDFW.org, calling 360-902-2464, or going to a license dealer near you. Go to wdfw.wa.gov/licenses/dealers to find your nearest license dealer.
Trump reverses Biden policy on Snake River dams – will state finally back off?
Some good news came out of the other Washington last week when it was reported that President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum that rescinds policies created by former President Biden that aimed to breach the four lower Snake River dams in our state.
A story earlier this week by KVI, a Seattle-based conservative talk radio station, pointed out Trump’s action preserves over 3,000 megawatts of hydroelectric power and ends Washington’s electric-vehicle mandate that was supposed to go into effect in several years.
Now that the president has put a stop to the Biden plan to eventually take down the four Snake River dams, maybe congressional and legislative Democrats in our state, as well as dam-haters in the environmental community, will give up their dream of tearing down the lower Snake dams – at least for a few years.
But I doubt this issue will ever go away for good. That’s why elected officials on our side of the Cascades who work in Olympia and D.C. need to stay vigilant in protecting the lower Snake dams and their numerous benefits for clean, low-cost energy, as well as irrigation, transportation, flood control and irrigation.
No E-Commentary next week
I’m taking next week off, so there will be no E-Commentary. It will resume the first week of July.
Let me know if you need help or have an idea
If you wish to discuss an issue or concern with me, or if you need help with a problem involving state government, please reach out to me by email at mark.schoesler@leg.wa.gov or give my legislative office a call at 360-786-7620. I'd like to hear from you!
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I welcome your comments about anything in this newsletter and questions about what I’m doing on your behalf in the state Senate. Please call, email or write using the contact information at the end of this report.
Click here to visit my legislative webpage!
Legislative Email: Mark.Schoesler@leg.wa.gov
Legislative Phone: (360) 786-7620
Toll-Free: 1 (800) 562-6000
Olympia Address:
417 Legislative Building
P.O. Box 40409
Olympia WA 98504-0409
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