Search Results for: town hall
Please join us for our 17th District virtual town hall on Wednesday
I hope this short letter finds you well. Thank you again for allowing me to serve you in Olympia. I wanted to remind you that I will join my 17th District seatmates this week, Rep. Kevin Waters, R-Stevenson, and Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, for a virtual town-hall meeting to discuss the recently concluded 2023 legislative session. This one-hour event will be held over Zoom on Wednesday, May 3, from 6 to 7 p.m. This will be a great opportunity to learn more ...
An update from Rep. Leonard Christian | Legislature adjourns; unfinished work on drug possession law
Dear Friends and Neighbors, The 2023 legislative session adjourned sine die on Sunday, April 23rd, as scheduled. I am happy to be back in the district and look forward to meeting with constituents to discuss all that happened during those 105-days. Washington’s drug possession law – a Blake fix On Sunday, the majority party brought up a measure to address the state’s drug possession laws, Senate Bill 5536, for a vote. The bill failed to pass by a vote of 43-55, falling seven ...
E-News: 2023 session ends on schedule, but a big problem remains
No one would have seen this in 2021 and 2022, because pandemic restrictions kept the public from being heard when legislators were in session. I'm glad that's over! The people of Washington have the right to come to their Capitol and assemble peacefully, the way we saw last week from supporters and opponents of SB 5599 -- one of the session's most divisive bills. Dear Neighbor, Greetings from…here in the 16th District! This year’s regular legislative session wrapped up on schedule this ...
SRC On Air: Sen. Jeff Wilson on Town Hall on KEDO Radio in Longview
Sen. Jeff Wilson talks to KEDO Radio’s Mike Wallin about his bills on tow truck safety, wind turbine blades, museum guns, charging station vandalism, and catalytic converter theft. They also discuss the ban on some rifles and hard drug possession. ...
SRC On Air: Sen. John Braun on Town Hall on KEDO Radio in Longview
Sen. John Braun talks to KEDO Radio’s Mike Wallin about hard drug possession, police pursuits, proposed tax increases, housing, education funding, and the long-term care payroll tax. ...
Legislative town halls coming next week in Walla Walla, West Richland
OLYMPIA... The three lawmakers serving Washington’s 16th Legislative District have scheduled town hall meetings May 2 and 3 to discuss the outcome of the Legislature’s just-concluded annual session. Both of the meetings hosted by Sen. Perry Dozier, R-Waitsburg, and Reps. Skyler Rude and Mark Klicker, both R-Walla Walla, will begin at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday’s town hall will be in the performing arts center at Walla Walla Community College’s campus in Walla Walla, at 500 Tausick Way. The Wednesday town hall is at ...
2023 Legislature ends with some progress
No agreement on drug issue could force special session Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Drew MacEwen’s subscribers April 27, 2023. To subscribe to Sen. MacEwen’s e-newsletter, click here. See my video update on the 2023 legislative session! Click here to watch. Dear friends and neighbors, Our 2023 legislative session ended on schedule April 23, with promising developments and a few causes for concern. We saw bipartisan cooperation on the budget and other issues, but we witnessed major debates on public safety, ...
Session recap from Rep. Paul Harris: Public safety, final state budgets, and successful bills
The 2023 legislative session ended as scheduled, on Sunday, April 23. Like every session, this one had pros and cons. Unfortunately, there were also a lot of missed opportunities to pass legislation that would have made a real difference. As your state legislator, I understand I represent everyone from the entire political spectrum. That’s why I do everything I can to work with representatives on both sides of the aisle to create and pass good policy that helps Washington. Obviously, we ...
Lawmakers from the 17th District to host virtual town hall on Wednesday, May 3
State lawmakers serving eastern Clark County and Skamania County, Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, and Reps. Paul Harris, R-Vancouver, and Kevin Waters, R-Stevenson will hold a virtual town hall meeting Wednesday, May 3, from 6 to 7 p.m. The one-hour meeting held over the Zoom platform will give constituents an opportunity to learn more about the 2023 legislative session, which ended April 23. In addition to reviewing some of the bills that passed in the Senate and House of Representatives, and providing an ...
Belfair Bypass stays on track, public works projects for 35th District win approval in Legislature’s final hours
Lawmakers adjourn 2023 session after passing transportation, capital and operating budgets OLYMPIA – Final budgets approved by Washington lawmakers before adjourning their 2023 legislative session keep the Belfair Bypass on track, ensure adequate funding for rural domestic violence shelters like Shelton’s Turning Pointe, promote early learning programs in the Shelton School District and finance $36 million in public works projects across the 35th Legislative District. Washington lawmakers ended their 2023 legislative session Sunday night after passing transportation, capital and operating budgets. The ...
4th District lawmakers highlight $12.7 million in local projects in approved 2023-25 capital budget
The Legislature this weekend approved Senate Bill 5200, the 2023-25 state capital budget. The $8.98 billion bill makes significant investments statewide on housing, behavioral health, K-12 schools, and infrastructure. State Reps. Suzanne Schmidt and Leonard Christian highlighted $12.7 million for projects in the 4th District, including: $5.8 million for Spokane County Avista Stadium;$1.849 million for Spokane Valley Summer Theatre;$1.176 million for the Performing Arts Center in Spokane Valley;$1.03 million for the HUB sports fields in Liberty Lake;$750,000 for Spokane Scale House Market;$543,000 for Avista ...
Joint, End of Session Virtual Town Hall
Friends, The 2023 legislative session is coming to a close. I'll be sending out an in-depth update on where we've landed with the budget and my perspective on pressing policy issues, but I wanted to invite you to get some information at our upcoming virtual town hall. I'll be holding a joint community meeting with my House counterparts, Rep. Paul and Shavers on Tuesday, May 2 at 6PM. Mount Vernon Mayor, Jill Boudreau, has graciously agreed to moderate the town hall. Please click here ...
An update from Rep. Leonard Christian | 2.5 days remaining in 2023 legislative session
Dear Friends and Neighbors, With only about 60 hours remaining in the 2023 legislative session, the House and Senate are negotiating their differences on key bills and finalizing the details of the three state budgets: operating, capital, and transportation. We’ll have more information to provide about the budgets after end of business on Sunday. Parental rights at the forefront The bill to deny parents the right to know where their children are in certain circumstances has generated national attention. Senate Bill 5599 would exempt youth ...
Southwest Washington lawmakers oppose new tolling bill for I-5 bridge replacement project
The Washington State House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 5765 on Tuesday, which would open the door for tolling on the Interstate 5 bridge replacement project between Vancouver and Portland. The bill would allow for tolls to be set by mutual agreement between the two state Transportation Commissions, and a toll account would be created for toll revenues. 18th District Reps. Greg Cheney, R-Battle Ground and Stephanie McClintock, R-Vancouver, 17th District Reps. Paul Harris, R-Vancouver and Kevin Waters, R-Stevenson, and 20th District ...
Senate Freedom Caucus ready for last stand in attack on Second Amendment rights
Senators remember Alamo, face overwhelming odds, prepare to defend U.S. Constitution As the Washington Senate readies for debate on Democrat-sponsored bills imposing severe new restrictions on gun ownership statewide, members of the Senate Freedom Caucus vow a last-ditch defense of Second Amendment rights. Members of the Freedom Caucus, a group of senators concerned with the preservation of constitutional rights, say they know the odds are daunting, but they won’t let it dampen their fighting spirit. They are drawing a bead on House ...
Senate Freedom Caucus ready for last stand in attack on Second Amendment rights
Senators remember Alamo, face overwhelming odds, prepare to defend U.S. Constitution OLYMPIA – As the Washington Senate readies for debate on Democrat-sponsored bills imposing severe new restrictions on gun ownership statewide, members of the Senate Freedom Caucus vow a last-ditch defense of Second Amendment rights. “Right now in the Washington State Senate, it feels a little like the quiet just before the Battle of the Alamo,” said Sen. Jeff Wilson, R-Longview. “We’re standing at the parapet and looking at the forces ranged ...
So far, so good for Pipeline Trail, other local projects
House and Senate capital budget proposals would fund Pipeline Trail, Remembrance Gallery, New Beginnings Homes, other public works Note: The following e-newsletter was sent to Sen. Chris Gildon’s subscribers April 4, 2023. To subscribe to Sen. Gildon’s e-newsletters, click here. Pierce County's Pipeline Trail is among the projects launched by capital budget proposals in the House and Senate. Eventually this paved trail will link South Hill to Tacoma, part of a trail network extending to Mt. Rainier National Park. Dear friends and ...
E-News: Yes to one budget, no to another -- and the latest on public safety
April 2, 2023 On the floor of the Senate chamber this week with Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick. This is his first session as a senator, coming over from the House; we're neighbors, as the 8th Legislative District is primarily the Kennewick and Richland portions of Benton County adjacent to our 16th District. Dear Neighbor, Greetings from Olympia! Since my previous report the Senate has voted on two budgets, and another important deadline has come and gone. Also, we’re now just three weeks away ...
An update from Rep. Leonard Christian: Funding for North-South freeway; Capital budget; parental rights
Dear Friends and Neighbors, We just wrapped up budget week here at the Capitol. That’s when all three House budget proposals – operating, capital, and transportation – are rolled out. Each proposal has a public hearing and is then voted out of committee. The best news for the Spokane Valley area is that House Bill 1125, the House transportation budget, contains an additional $176 million for the North-South freeway without the governor's scheduled delay. This happened thanks to the tireless advocacy of ...
State must step in to preserve local pharmacies
Note: The following op-ed appeared in the Cheney Free Press and other Eastern Washington weeklies during the week beginning March 20, 2023. By Sen. Shelly Short In small communities across Eastern Washington, the local pharmacy is a business you rely on. Often it is the only outlet for miles around where you can get your prescriptions filled and find a well-stocked selection of over-the-counter medications. Imagine what you would do if it closed. This is the troubling prospect facing many independent pharmacy owners ...