JANUARY 3, 2023

2023 LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEGINS MONDAY JANUARY 9

• The 105-day 2023 Legislative Session begins on January 9.
• Legislative updates will be posted on the Partnership's website.
• Find up-to-date legislative information online.
• Watch or listen to hearings and work sessions online.

BACK IN PERSON AGAIN

Both the House and Senate will return to in-person committee meetings for the 2023 session. Fortunately for casual observers and testifiers, the remote options developed and perfected during the pandemic years will be maintained.

Click here to view/download a fact sheet that provides resources to help you engage in the legislative session (developed for the 2022 legislative session but still relevant for the 2023 session).

OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH THE PARTNERSHIP

During the 2023 Legislative Session, the Partnership will offer multiple opportunities to help you (and us!) stay informed about legislative activities that affect Puget Sound protection and recovery efforts.

1. Puget Sound Legislative Priorities: On December 15, 2022, the Puget Sound Leadership Council adopted 2023 Puget Sound Legislative Priorities to guide the recovery community's efforts during the upcoming legislative session. Key topics include land use, riparian habitat, fish passage barriers, nearshore habitat, capital project funding, and stormwater.

2. 2023 Puget Sound Budget. The Partnership will maintain a Puget Sound Budget Viewer on our website. The budget viewer contains information and proposed amounts for budget items that affect Puget Sound recovery. The viewer currently includes agency requests and additional proposals from the Governor's budget and will be updated with legislative committee proposals later in session.

3. Puget Sound Legislative Calendar. The Partnership will host a Puget Sound Legislative Calendar on our website. We will update the calendar webpage every Thursday afternoon (approximately) with information for the following week. The calendar will list upcoming committee meetings (including public hearings) involving legislation and information about issues that affect Puget Sound protection and recovery.

4. Puget Sound Legislative Update Call. Partnership staff will lead a call-in meeting on Fridays, from noon to no later than 1:00 p.m. (note time change from prior years), to review the most important legislative issues we're following and discuss partner perspectives. The first call will take place this Friday, January 6, 2023. Attendees will receive an agenda each week in advance of the call.

If you are receiving this email, you are already signed up to receive updates by email on one or more of the above topics. If you would like to verify/update your subscriptions, please click here and follow the prompts.

If you have questions or concerns about Puget Sound legislative priorities, please contact: Don Gourlie, Legislative Policy Director, 360.688.3253.

Please click here if you would like to provide feedback or suggestions about the resources the Partnership makes available to partners during the legislative session. 

Thank you for your contributions to help protect and recover Puget Sound.