Olympia Update

OLYMPIA–By the time you read this, the 2022 legislative session in Olympia will be in its final week. The 60 days allotted by Washington’s constitution end this Thursday (March 10).

There is still plenty for my fellow lawmakers and me to do before we can finally adjourn and head for home. During this final week, the Senate and House will focus their time on working out differences on the state supplemental operating, capital and transportation budgets each has adopted. As one of the negotiators on the capital budget–which provides funding for public-construction projects that include university buildings, facilities at state parks, and community projects–I’ve spent many hours with other Senate and House leaders these past two weeks, working toward a final agreement.

This last week of the session also focuses on seeing if agreement can be reached on bills that were passed by one chamber but then changed by the other. When that happens, there are three options: 1) the first chamber approves (or “concurs with”) changes by the second chamber, which means the bill is passed by the Legislature; 2) the first chamber refuses to OK the changes (“not concurring”) and the second chamber agrees to pass the bill as approved by the first, thus that bill is approved by the Legislature; or 3) the two chambers fail to reach any final agreement and that bill is not passed by the Legislature this year.

A frustrating anniversary

Last week marked the start of the third year of Gov. Jay Inslee’s COVID-19 state of emergency. It’s a frustrating reminder that Washington was not meant to be controlled by one person for so long.

No governor in the U.S. has exercised emergency powers as long as Inslee since the COVID pandemic began more than two years ago, and people throughout Washington have had enough. Some of his mandates, especially requiring state employees under his control to be vaccinated against COVID or lose their job, have harmed people’s trust in our state government. People are tired of one-man rule in Washington.

The two-year anniversary of Inslee’s Feb. 29, 2020, emergency declaration is a strong reminder that the Legislature needs to pass meaningful reform of the state’s emergency-powers law. The only changes supported by majority Democrats this session would have little practical effect–which may be why they derailed their own bill (SB 5909) at the last minute.

My Republican colleagues and I think that all emergency proclamations made by a Washington governor should have a time limit, and be extended only if the Legislature agrees. It’s time to restore the balance of power in Washington so that the legislative branch can have a say in all emergency orders–including the proclamations that really control people’s lives.

9th District virtual town hall goes well

On the night of Feb. 22, I joined my House seatmates, Reps. Joe Schmick and Mary Dye, in hosting a 9th District town hall meeting via Zoom. About 120 people throughout the district “attended” our virtual meeting. Thanks to all who took part. During our 90-minute meeting, Joe, Mary and I provided updates on several issues, including the supplemental operating budget, transportation-related taxes and fees, COVID mandates and agriculture. We also devoted time to answering questions from constituents.

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