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Greetings from
Olympia!
I am happy to report that the 2016 legislative session has
finished. After a 20-day special session negotiators from the House and Senate
were able to reach a compromise on a budget that is a true “supplemental” budget – meaning the adjustments it makes to the budget we
adopted in 2015 are only in response to emergencies and other needs that can’t
wait for a new budget to be written and approved next year. I spent
considerable time at the negotiating table to ensure that people in our state
came out ahead in this budget. It was critical to stand by our principles of
responsible budgeting to get the job done. This budget is sustainable so that
we can adequately address the challenges that are ahead.
The 2016 supplemental budget restrains state spending and
meets the state’s 4-year balanced-budget requirements. This is in contrast to
the proposal from House Democrats that sought to raid the state’s emergency
reserves to pay for new state programs, cut nearly $500 million from K-3
class-size reductions and raise taxes.
When we voted on the budget, I made it clear to my
colleagues that I am concerned about the reductions to the Public Works Assistance
Account, a valuable resource to small communities so that they can finance
their infrastructure needs. I am committed to finding a sustainable solution to
fund these projects.
You can read details about the budget here.
Overcoming the
Governor’s veto
In a misguided attempt to pressure budget negotiators into
reaching an agreement before the end of our regular 60-day session, Governor
Inslee vetoed 27 Senate bills – including one that I sponsored, Senate
Bill 6148. Fortunately, the Legislature worked together to override
these vetoes at the end of the 20-day special session. Senate Bill 6148
clarifies the types of vehicles that may be towed from a self-service storage
facility when occupants fail to pay for their storage spaces. The new law
maintains all the legal-notice requirements to protect property but gives
needed flexibility to these business owners.
A successful end of session
 Senate Bill 6513 signing
In a formal ceremony on March 31,
the governor signed three of my other bills that passed this year; they touched
on a variety of policy issues, from water access to pest control and
first-responder benefits.
The first bill, Senate Bill 6605,
concerns the permitting of solid-waste facilities in eastern
Washington. The new law requires the state Department of Agriculture to
review permits for new facilities to ensure that invasive species, pests
and disease are not introduced from quarantined areas west of the
Cascades.
Senate Bill 6263 would allow members of the of the Law Enforcement
Officers and Fire Fighters (LEOFF 2) pension plan to receive full
retirement benefits for injuries that are currently considered non-duty
related, such as responding to federally declared emergencies.
Senate Bill 6513
addresses a state-wide issue relating to water access. The new law directs the state
Department of Ecology to act on certain water-rights applications in
the state’s water resource inventory areas for the Wenatchee and
Elwha-Dungeness River basins.
This legislative session was eventful
and busy. I worked hard to get all of these pieces of legislation to the
governor’s desk which can be a challenge in a short legislative session.
Click here
to read more.
Higher education innovation
The Senate Majority Coalition Caucus continues to make
higher education a priority. When we began leading in the Senate, our Senate
majority implemented the first tuition freeze in nearly 30 years. In the
subsequent biennial budget we fought for and won the first tuition reduction in
state history.
That tuition cut will go into full effect in this coming school
year because, in the supplemental budget that was adopted March 29, the Senate made
sure our higher education institutions had their budgets “backfilled” with
revenue. This preserves the tuition cut for a second year – something that
House Democrats did not want to do.
Our efforts at making college more
affordable and accessible makes Washington a leader among the states. We
continue to see exciting and innovative things happen at our state-run colleges
and universities like a recent partnership at Central Washington University.
Recently, the Microsoft Corporation, the Real Madrid Foundation and Central Washington University
announced a new initiative, “Game On!” that combines sports and
computer sciences.
Click here
to read more about this innovative program.
It is an honor to serve as your state Senator. Please don't hesitate to contact me with questions regarding state government.
Sincerely,
 Judy Warnick,
13th District Senator
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Contact Me
Olympia Office:
103 Irv Newhouse Bldg.
P.O. Box 40410
Olympia, WA 98504
Olympia Phone:
360.786.7624
E-mail:
Judith.Warnick@leg.wa.gov
Website:
Click here to visit my website.
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