Rep. Drew MacEwen, R-Union, sits down with TVW to discuss the 35th Legislative District, his political heroes and mentors, and his legislative priorities.
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A lot of you have been asking how you can best stay informed as the 2019 session progresses. First, I would encourage you to follow our caucus Twitter and Facebook pages, as well as subscribe to the Capitol Buzz—a weekday summary of online news stories from across the state. I would also recommend bookmarking the News and Media page on the House Republican website, where you’ll find our press releases, radio interviews and video updates. And as always, please feel free to email me anytime with your questions.
Topics in this update include:
- Policy committee cutoff and an update on my bills
- Sponsoring Shelton HS student Josiah Sushak as a House page
- The Legislature takes a snow day
- Links to my weekly meetings
- Contacting me
Policy committee cutoff and an update on my bills
This past Friday was policy committee cutoff, the first major deadline of the 2019 session. All policy bills that did not advance out of their respective policy committees are now considered “dead” unless deemed necessary to implement the budget. Bills I’ve sponsored this session that are still alive include House Bills 1088, 1419, 1430, 1557 and 1676. I covered these bills in my last email update.
Below are some of other bills I’ve sponsored this session that are still alive:
House Bill 1089 would delink state tests from high school graduation requirements, which is an effort I’ve been focused on for years. These tests were never designed to determine graduation eligibility, and I continue to believe they’re more of a hindrance than a help to our students. If we simply trust the curriculum and our great teachers, I believe students will be adequately prepared for the important next steps of life. HB 1089 was recently approved by the House Education Committee, and is currently in the House Rules Committee.
House Bill 1304 would establish the Vocational Alternative Learning Experience Pilot Program, which up to 10 school districts could participate in. This would open the door for more career and technical education opportunities for students. This bill was also approved by the House Education Committee, and now awaits further action in the House Appropriations Committee.
House Bill 1559 would create a three-day sales tax holiday for the purchase of back-to-school clothing and supplies. Not only would this help parents financially, but it would also help ensure students are properly equipped for the upcoming school year. HB 1559 received a public hearing in the House Finance Committee yesterday, and I hope to see it continue making its way through the legislative process.
The next major session deadline is fiscal committee cutoff on March 1, when bills that do have an impact on the budget are required to be passed out of their respective fiscal committees.
Sponsoring Shelton HS student Josiah Sushak as a House page
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to sponsor 16-year-old Josiah Sushak as a page here in the state House. Josiah attends Shelton High School, and is an active participant in the school’s Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) program. After high school, he hopes to attend the University of Washington and receive a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarship. From there, his goal is to become a Navy nuclear propulsion officer.
During his week at the Capitol, Josiah attended page school every day, delivered messages and documents to legislators and staff, and fulfilled other tasks critical to the efficient operation of the Legislature.
I could not have been more impressed by Josiah’s professionalism and the way he carried out his duties throughout the week. It’s a testament to how well the NJROTC prepares students for success in school and in life. I’m grateful to Josiah for his service to the House, and wish him the best going forward.
If you know of someone who would make a great page, please send me an email. Applicants must have a legislative sponsor, be between the ages of 14 and 16, and obtain written permission from their parents and school. Pages earn $35 per day while serving in the program. For more information, click here.
The Legislature takes a snow day
It’s very rare for anything to slow down the momentum of session once it’s under way, but Snowmaggedon a couple of weeks ago did just that. Committee meetings were cancelled, as was floor action, but thanks to the incredible work of city and county road crews, most of us were back to work the next day.
For a photo gallery of what the Capitol Campus looked like during the snowstorm, click here.
Weekly meetings
In the interest of full transparency, I will be providing you with a list of my weekly meetings during the 2019 session. I posted weeks 1-3 in my last email update. Below are links to weeks 4-6:
Contacting me
Please continue contacting me with your comments, questions and concerns. Your feedback helps me to better serve you. My email address is drew.macewen@leg.wa.gov, and my phone number is (360) 786-7902.
NOTE: News release copied from Rep. Kristine Reeves’ website. It can be found here.
For the first time, members of the House of Representatives formed a Veterans & Military Families Caucus. The bipartisan group plans to give veterans, military service members, and their families a unified voice to advocate for the unique issues they face. All members have served in the military, are from a military family or represent a large military population.
“I have spent my career championing issues that impact veterans, military service members and their families. I look forward to continuing this work with a bipartisan commitment to meet the needs of those who have served and sacrificed for their country,” stated Rep. Kristine Reeves (D-Federal Way). “All of us share a lived experience that connects us to our national security in some way. It’s one issue that transcends party lines and focuses on putting people first. This is personal to all of us.”
Reeves, whose twin brother serves in the United States Air Force, currently serves as the Executive Director of Economic Development for the military and defense sector within the Washington State Department of Commerce. Formerly she served as U.S. Senator Patty Murray’s Statewide Veterans Constituency Coordinator.
“Serving in the U.S. Navy was the greatest honor of my life. I am thrilled to be joining my fellow veterans on this committee to work on behalf of all active duty, reserve, and retired military personnel across Washington state,” said Rep. Drew MacEwen (R-Union).
After graduating from the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion Program, MacEwen served in the Navy’s submarine force for six years. He first developed his strong bond with western Washington after being stationed at Naval Base Kitsap. He went on to complete five strategic deterrent patrols on two different Ohio-class submarines, the USS Nevada and the USS Florida.
Reeves and MacEwen currently serve as the co-chairs of the Joint Select Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, which convenes in the interim to review and address issues pertinent to veterans, military service members and their families. Both will serve as co-chairs of this new caucus. Rep. Mari Leavitt and Rep. Chris Gildon, both newly elected to the state legislature, have been elected to serve as vice-chairs of this caucus.
Photo caption: Veterans and military families caucus, February 14th, 2019. Members from Left to Right: Rep. Gina Mosbrucker; Rep. Mike Volz; Rep. Kristine Reeves; Rep. Matt Shea; Rep. Brad Klippert; Rep. Larry Hoff; Rep. Christine Kilduff; Rep. Chris Gildon; Rep. Jenny Graham; Rep. Robert J. Sutherland; Rep. Cindy Ryu; Rep. Mari Leavitt; Rep. Matt Boehnke; Rep. Vandana Slatter; Rep. Melanie Morgan; Rep. Jeremie Dufault; Rep. Drew MacEwen; Rep. Tina Orwall; Rep. Vicki Kraft; Rep. John Lovick
Rep. Drew MacEwen joins iFiberOne NewsRadio to discuss this week’s policy cutoff deadline, as well as legislation relating to daylight savings time, the measles outbreak, the creation of a 51st state, and the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board.
Sponsored by 35th District Rep. Drew MacEwen, 16-year-old Josiah Sushak traveled to Olympia earlier this month to serve as a page in the Washington State House of Representatives.
Sushak is an active participant in Shelton High School’s Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) program. After high school, he hopes to attend the University of Washington and receive a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarship. From there, his goal is to become a Navy nuclear propulsion officer. MacEwen himself is a graduate of the Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion Program. He went on to serve in the submarine force, completing five strategic deterrent patrols on two different Ohio-class submarines.
During his week at the Capitol, Josiah attended page school every day, delivered messages and documents to legislators and staff, and fulfilled other tasks critical to the efficient operation of the Legislature.
“I could not have been more impressed by Josiah’s professionalism and the way he carried out his duties throughout the week,” said MacEwen, R-Union. “It’s a testament to how well the NJROTC prepares students for success in school and in life. I’m grateful for his service to the House, and wish him well as he pursues his dream of becoming a nuclear propulsion officer in the Navy. I can’t think of a better job for a young person.”
To become a page, applicants must have a legislative sponsor, be between the ages of 14 and 16, and obtain written permission from their parents and school. Pages earn $35 per day while serving in the program. For more information about the House Page Program, click here.
Before I get to some of the bills I’ve introduced this session, I first wanted to recognize the incredible small business owners who stormed the Capitol last Monday to defend their livelihoods.
In case you missed it, hair stylists and cosmetologists came by the hundreds to protest two Democrat-sponsored bills, House Bill 1515 and Senate Bill 5326. Each of these bills could potentially eliminate the ability for them to remain self-employed by making it harder for them to be classified as independent contractors.
The backlash was so intense, the sponsor of Senate Bill 5326 ended up withdrawing her bill at the end of the week. However, House Bill 1515 is still alive, as are many other bills that would hurt small business owners in a wide range of industries. Unfortunately, this may be the most anti-business Legislature I’ve ever seen. When politicians who’ve never run a business start proposing legislation that affects small business owners, that’s often a recipe for disaster.
Focusing on common-sense tax reform
Last week, I introduced the fifth bill of a tax reform package designed to help you save more of your money, keep our state competitive, and spur economic growth. Although the five bills may not advance this year due to the political makeup of the House, I still believe it’s important to put these ideas on the table for consideration. Below is a brief overview of each bill.
House Bill 1677 would exempt a business’s first $1 million in gross sales from the state’s business and occupation (B&O) tax. This would give businesses the flexibility—and time—to grow. The other B&O tax reform bill I’ve introduced this year is House Bill 1420, which would lower the manufacturing B&O tax rate for all manufacturers by 40 percent.
Small businesses and manufacturers are the lifeblood of our economy, so we should be doing everything in our power to incentivize them to stay here in Washington state, hire more people, and expand their operations. Both of these bills would help achieve that goal.
Another bill I’ve introduced is House Bill 1090, which would offer stability and predictability for Washington homeowners ages 65 years and older by capping the property tax rate on the first $250,000 of their homes’ value. As I said in my last update, I want to make sure more of our seniors can stay in their homes and have peace of mind about their finances as they enjoy retirement.
As a parent, I know how quickly costs can add up when you’re helping prepare your child for the upcoming school year. House Bill 1559 would create a three-day sales tax holiday for the purchase of back-to-school clothing and supplies. Passing this bill would not only help parents financially, but it would also show that we’re serious about helping set our students up for success.
Finally, House Bill 1122 would require a portion of the sales tax from the sale of a motor vehicle to be deposited into the state’s motor vehicle fund for transportation improvements, as opposed to being put into the general fund. We know many of Washington’s roads and bridges need significant repairs. This bill would simply increase our available resources to properly maintain infrastructure and keep you safe on the road.
Other bills I’ve introduced this session
Most great ideas come from constituents, and that is certainly the case with House Bill 1088. Under this bill, individuals who receive a second citation for littering after having already been cited would be required to complete 40 hours of litter removal on either public or private lands. The requirement would also apply for each subsequent offense. There is far too much litter on our highways and in private forest lands. This bill would hopefully act as a deterrent to those who have little regard for our environment and simply expect others to clean up after them.
House Bills 1430, 1557 and 1676 are all designed to transform the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board into a more business-friendly agency that’s focused on excellent customer service. The tweaks in each of these bills would be a good first step in that effort.
Finally, House Bill 1419 would allow the comprehensive, all-hazard emergency plan for the state to include the necessary planning and preparation for a nuclear attack. Currently, the state’s Military Department is prohibited from including such materials in its plans. We live in a dangerous world where terrorists and hostile regimes can acquire nuclear weapons. I certainly hope the day never comes when one of these weapons is used against us, but we must be as prepared as possible if it does.
Weekly interviews on iFIBEROne News Radio
As I mentioned in my last update, I’ll be doing weekly radio interviews on iFIBEROne News Radio throughout session. You can listen to those interviews on my SoundCloud page, which you can navigate to by clicking on the image below.
Weekly meetings
In the interest of full transparency, I will be providing you with a list of my weekly meetings during the 2019 session.
Contacting me
Please continue contacting me with your comments, questions and concerns. Your feedback helps me to better serve you. My email address is drew.macewen@leg.wa.gov, and my phone number is (360) 786-7902.
Rep. Drew MacEwen joins iFiberOne NewsRadio to discuss the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, anti-business legislation being proposed by Democrats, the budget, and more.
Rep. Drew MacEwen joins iFiberOne NewsRadio to discuss his tax reform legislation, gun bills currently before the Legislature, and the controversial booth bill that would hurt Washington’s hairstylists.
Rep. Drew MacEwen, R-Union, has introduced a package of five bills that would help taxpayers save more of their hard-earned money, keep Washington competitive, and spur economic growth.