Olympia Update

By Sen. Mark Schoesler

Many hundreds of bills are introduced during a legislative session. Nearly 500 bills were introduced in the Senate alone during the first 10 days of this 2022 session. Most of them are good, sensible measures that are worthy of becoming law. But every year we also see proposals that are just plain bad. That’s why I started a “Worst Bills List” this session. Here’s where it stands so far:

House Bill 1692 would lessen penalties for drive-by murderers. It’s shocking to think that if this bill becomes law, the person who was convicted for shooting and killing a 19-year-old in Tacoma 24 years ago could be released from prison for his horrific crime, which involved using a semiautomatic weapon in a drive-by shooting.

Two other bad bills deal with elections. Senate Bill 5540 seeks to move our state’s candidate-filing week to late February and the state’s primary to the third Tuesday in May. If this bill becomes law, filing week will take place right in the middle of a legislative session. A political place like the Legislature would become even more political. I could see Washington following Oregon’s lead and permitting campaign fundraising during sessions. Doing so would invite corruption. The other election bill, SB 5820, would make the superintendent of public instruction a position appointed by the governor. SPI is the only one of the independently elected statewide executive-branch offices specified as non-partisan, and for good reason. When you consider how important K-12 education is in our state and how many tax dollars are devoted to our public schools, it would be a terrible idea to turn the SPI into an appointed, partisan position instead of one filled directly by voters.

SB 5735 could force K-12 students to learn remotely one day each week without teacher interaction. If my kids were still in school, I would be shocked about a bill taking away one-fifth of their instructional time just as teachers and students are trying to recover what was lost academically and psychologically during a year of remote learning and isolation caused by COVID-19.

SB 5904 would require fashion-retail sellers and manufacturers to disclose environmental and social due-diligence policies. Just another bill that would expand meddlesome government.

SB 5908 would create the “clean car authority” as a new state agency. Do we really need another state agency, particularly one that focuses on cars? No!

If I had an “Unneeded Bills List,” my first selection is SB 5615, designating pickleball as the official state sport. I know pickleball is growing in popularity. But when you consider other sports could qualify for “official state sport” status, it makes no sense to create an official state sport at all. One more point: It’s disappointing Democrats are making the pickleball bill a higher priority than any bill addressing the governor’s emergency powers.

I’m asking 9th District residents to help me find other bad bills that could go on this list. If you spot a worthy candidate, please contact my office and let me know. We might even mention you and the bill you find in one of my future e-newsletters! Email me at [email protected] or call my Senate office at 360-786-7620.

-Sen. Schoesler, R-Ritzville, has served the 9th District since 1993.