A mix of outrage and optimism from Olympia

Each legislative session, many bills are introduced by my fellow lawmakers. This year is no exception. As of February 6, more than 1,300 bills had been offered, not counting bills held over from 2019. But only a small number of these have a chance to become law.

When a bill is introduced its immediately referred to a committee. February 7 was the cutoff date for Senate policy bills to be passed by the committees to which they’d been sent. Senate bills dealing with the three state budgets (operating, capital and transportation) had until February 11 to be approved by the appropriate Senate fiscal committee. Bills that didn’t move forward are considered “dead.”

As Senate Republican leader, I’m disappointed that many bad bills from members of the Democratic majority are still alive this session. One that especially concerns me is Senate Bill 6228, which was passed by the State Government, Tribal Relations and Elections Committee. It would automatically restore voting rights for felons as soon as their confinement in a state Department of Corrections facility has ended.

The bill’s supporters argue that denying felons the right to vote discriminates against people of color who have been convicted of crimes, but they fail to mention that the victims of crimes are also predominately people of color. The rights of felons should not be valued more than the rights of victims, regardless of their skin.

Prison time, community custody and restitution are all reasonable penalties for our courts to include in a sentence. Punishment for a crime in Washington does not automatically end at the prison gate, so we should not restore voting rights for convicted felons until they have completed their sentences, including their period under DOC supervision and paying restitution to victims.

After I mentioned to a reporter that this bill is actually a step toward letting inmates vote, not just felons who are out of custody, the bill’s sponsor didn’t deny it – and implied there’s nothing wrong with that possibility. Isn’t it outrageous to think a large group of inmates, who have no ties to Walla Walla or any other town with a nearby prison, could influence how much people pay in taxes or who is elected to serve you, even before they have paid their own debt to society?

Gun bills: many bad, some good. Every session there seems to be plenty of bills that relate to guns. This year is no different. Most of these proposals try to restrict guns in some way or make life a little harder on law-abiding gun owners. One bad bill in particular is Senate Bill 6294, which would require concealed pistol license applicants to complete a recognized firearms safety training program within the last five years. To me, this is a ridiculous bill that just burdens law-abiding people who want to protect themselves. One good bill is Senate Bill 6406, sponsored by Clark County Sen. Lynda Wilson. Her proposal would mean longer prison sentences for stealing a firearm from a residence, store or vehicle.

Solutions to help salmon, orca that don’t involve dam breaching. While activists west of the Cascades continue claiming the removal of the Snake River dams would help Northwest orca and salmon populations rebound, I’m optimistic about a smarter proposal from some of my fellow Senate Republicans. Sen. Ann Rivers from the 18th District in Clark County has a bill (SB 6509) that would support creation of a new private-public salmon hatchery in Bellingham, which would follow a self-sustaining approach proven in Alaska. It could help boost the number of salmon in Washington waters and increase the food supply for resident orcas in Puget Sound.

Meanwhile, Sen. Doug Ericksen from Whatcom County’s 42nd District proposed a bill that sends a blunt message to those from the Seattle area who are targeting the Snake River dams. His SB 6380 would launch a study of breaching the Ballard Locks and remove the Seattle City Light dams on the Skagit River that provide most of Seattle’s power. This proposal illustrates how it would be no less foolish to remove the Snake dams than to take away the dams on the Skagit.

Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, represents the 9th Legislative District. He is Senate Republican leader.