Legislative Updates

The first cut-off date has come and gone, and we are rapidly approaching the 2nd one! Bills had to be out of the policy committees or origin by close of business (COB) on February 15th, and now have to be out of the fiscal committees by COB on the...

Let it snow!!! When virtual, what’s a little or a lot of snow?! Business can proceed as usual and folks signed up to testify won’t have to worry about mountain passes being closed, slipping and sliding down I-5, or getting cold feet (at least not...

Another week of virtual meetings, hearings, and floor time! Legislators, as well as others, are Zooming (or Teaming) 10, 12, who knows how many hours a day…. all with very few breaks. Most hearings and meetings typically are starting and ending...

All in all, the 2021 remote legislative session seems to be running pretty smoothly! Individual meetings, hearings, testimony, and even floor action all are happening, with minimal glitches. Everyone seems to be settling into the M.O. of the 2021...

As the days go by the pros and cons of a remote session are becoming more apparent.  On the pro side, people from around the state can testify more easily on bills, getting from meeting to meeting is quite easy (!), and really there aren’t...

There are many new ways of doing things in this time of COVID, including a virtual legislative session, and, all in all, it seems like we are adjusting!  As is generally the case, last week flew by. All meetings, hearings, floor action, you name it...

Week 9 They are done! The legislature adjourned Sine Die Thursday night after passing the transportation, capital, and operating budgets!  We reported previously that the legislature approved $100m to address the Coronavirus and yesterday they...

The week started out on Monday with a briefing from the Secretary of the Department of Health on the Corona virus to the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Although the use of hand sanitizer has greatly increased and hand shaking decreased, work in...

Week seven The budgets are out! Both the House and Senate released and heard their budgets on Monday, Feb. 24, and they have passed out of their respective fiscal committees. The Senate passed their budget off the floor on Feb. 27. The House is...

Week six Wednesday, Feb. 19th was a big day in Olympia! The revenue forecast came out, and it was the cut-off day for bills to be out of their original house.   The revenue forecast was quite positive, with an increase (from what had been...