A word on last week’s town hall meeting in Shelton
Legislature working to fund coronavirus response efforts
Democratic majority rejects House Republican tax cut proposals
As always, I welcome you to contact me any time with your comments, questions or concerns. My email address is Drew.MacEwen@leg.wa.gov, and my phone number is (360) 786-7902.
A word on last week’s town hall meeting in Shelton
Before I get to policy updates, I first wanted to extend my thanks to everyone who attended the town hall meeting Rep. Griffey and I held at Oakland Bay Junior High School in Shelton last week. Being able to hear directly from 35th District residents, whether at sit-down meetings here at the Capitol or during meetings and town halls in district, helps me do my job more effectively. I strongly believe government is better when citizens get involved and make their voices heard, so thank you again to everyone who came out!
Legislature working to fund coronavirus response efforts
My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of those who have lost their lives due to the coronavirus. Yesterday, the House passed a bill (HB 2965) to allocate $100 million from the state’s Rainy Day Fund for response efforts. This is a serious virus, and we must do everything we can to stop its spread.
I believe this is an appropriate use of Rainy Day Fund dollars, as does every member of the House, which is why the bill passed 96-0. We are united in working to keep Washington residents safe and healthy. I talked about that this morning during my weekly session interview on IFiberOneNewsRadio.
I also touched on my education reform bill, HB 2040, which seeks to provide financial relief to non-high school districts in the 35th and around the state. You can learn more about the bill here. It was approved 98-0 in the House and 49-0 in the Senate, and now heads to the governor’s desk.
Democratic majority rejects House Republican tax cut proposals
Last month, the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council released the latest revenue forecast for the state. While many of us expected revenues to increase, we didn’t expect a massive surge of $1.1 billion in new revenue that would result in a $2.4 billion budget surplus. Upon learning about this new surplus, House Republicans immediately began thinking of ways to provide tax relief for Washington families. All 40 of us signed on to a bill (HB 2946) sponsored by Rep. Drew Stokesbary to provide $1 billion in tax relief. For their part, House Democrats began drafting a budget focused on spending almost all of our $2.4 billion surplus.
When the majority party brought their budget to the House floor for a vote this past Friday, we offered two alternative budgets that would have implemented the governor’s supplemental budget proposal in exchange for tax relief. One budget, proposed by Rep. Stokesbary, focused on delivering voter-approved $30 car tabs and sales tax relief on grocery items and personal necessities. The other budget, proposed by Rep. Jim Walsh, focused on providing meaningful property tax relief. House Democrats rejected both, opting to instead approve their own budget. Watch:
When the majority’s budget is signed into law by the governor later this session, the Legislature will have increased spending nearly 75% since 2013. That’s irresponsible, unsustainable, and extremely short-sighted.
As I said in my floor speech, a recession is coming. It may not hit this year or next year, but we know good economic times don’t last forever. Instead of spending almost all of our $2.4 billion surplus, we should’ve provided some tax relief for Washington families and saved the rest.
Contacting me
Please continue contacting me with your comments, questions and concerns. My email address is Drew.MacEwen@leg.wa.gov, and my phone number is (360) 786-7902.
Tomorrow evening from 6:30-8 p.m., Rep. Dan Griffey and I will be holding a town hall meeting at Oakland Bay Junior High School in Shelton (3301 N. Shelton Springs Rd). During the meeting, which will be held in the commons area, we’ll provide a short update on the session and then take your questions.
One of the topics we’ll be discussing is our state’s $2.4 billion budget surplus. While the majority party is looking to spend every dime of this surplus, Rep. Griffey and I have joined with our House Republican colleagues in sponsoring a bill that would provide $1 billion in tax relief for you and your family. House Bill 2946 would:
Implement $30 car tabs and redirect 1/3 of vehicle sales tax to transportation accounts ($726M)
Exempt all food sold at grocery stores from sales tax ($149M)
Exempt diapers, feminine hygiene products and breast pumps from sales tax ($68M)
House Bill 1677 would exempt a business’s first $1 million in gross sales from the state’s B&O tax to give them the flexibility—and time—to grow.
House Bill 1420 would lower the manufacturing B&O tax rate for all manufacturers by 40 percent to incentivize them to stay here in Washington, hire more people, and expand their operations.
House Bill 1090 would offer stability and predictability for homeowners ages 65 years and older by capping the property tax rate on the first $250,000 of their homes’ value.
House Bill 1559 would create a three-day sales tax holiday for purchasing back-to-school clothing and supplies.
A variety of other tax relief proposals have been introduced as well. The bottom line is House Republicans want to put more money in your pocket, while the majority party wants to continue their tax-and-spend agenda. Instead of constantly asking you for more, I believe we should deliver the $30 car tabs voters approved and provide significant tax relief for you and your family. That’s what I’ll be advocating for during these last 16 days of session.
It is an honor to serve you. And I hope to see you at the town hall tomorrow!
Unfortunately, the majority has spent the first four weeks of this year’s 60-day legislative session passing bills that would hit Washington families and businesses hard.
Last week, they brought a bill to the floor (House Bill 1110) that would impose a low-carbon fuel standard mandate on fuel suppliers. The mandate would significantly increase suppliers’ costs, but it’s you and I who would ultimately pay the bill. After all, when the government imposes mandates on businesses that increase their costs and make it harder for them to survive, those costs are always passed down to the consumer. If HB 1110 becomes law, gas prices would increase, as would grocery prices. Material and transportation costs would also rise, resulting in a slowdown in a variety of industries. In exchange for all of this, we might potentially reduce the carbon in our atmosphere by a fraction of a percent every year. That’s a trade-off that simply doesn’t make sense.
This week, the majority brought a bill to the floor to “fix” the B&O tax increase they passed on 85,000 businesses last session. Since the new tax didn’t bring in quite as much revenue as expected, they’re looking to expand it to 4,400 more businesses. When ESSB 6492 came to the floor Thursday, I delivered the following remarks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOl1YK9Yt7I
Working to provide greater access to career and technical education
For the second time in as many years, the House has approved a bill I’ve sponsored to provide students greater access to career and technical education (CTE). Under House Bill 1304, the Vocational Alternative Learning Experience Pilot Program would be established. I believe the program would showcase the value of providing state funding for the expansion of CTE instruction in alternative learning experience schools. Currently, the law prohibits these schools from receiving enhanced funding for CTE courses.
I sponsored this bill because students who choose to pursue a non-traditional educational path deserve the state’s full backing. I’m encouraged by the 95-1 vote the bill received in the House, and am working hard to make sure it advances out of the Senate and gets to the governor’s desk this year.
Sponsoring 15-year-old student Imara Bhanji as a House page
This week, I had the opportunity to sponsor 15-year-old student Imara Bhanji as a page here in the state House. Imara attends Washington Virtual Academy, and her interests include golf (one of my interests as well), programming, art, and piano. During her week at the Capitol, she attended page school every day and carried out a number of critical duties that helped keep things running efficiently. Thank you, Imara!
Contacting me
Please continue contacting me with your comments, questions and concerns. My email address is drew.macewen@leg.wa.gov, and my phone number is (360) 786-7902.
Thank you for subscribing to my legislative email updates. Topics in this update include:
House Republican priorities for this session
Survey question: Should the Legislature legalize sports betting in Washington state?
Weekly interview on iFIBEROne News Radio
Continuing to keep a record of my legislative meetings
Contacting me
As another session gets under way, I want to encourage you to get involved in the legislative process. I know that can be a daunting task if you don’t know where to start, which is why I’ve provided you with a number of links I hope will be helpful as this year’s 60-day session progresses.
Follow House Republicans on Twitter and Facebook, and please share our posts.
Bookmark and visit The Ledger every day. The Ledger is our new legislative news aggregator that features the biggest stories from around the state, as well as all House Republican communications.
Watch TVW’s “Legislative Review,” which airs nightly and gives viewers a 15-minute overview of what happened that day at the Capitol.
Please also feel free to email me any time with comments, questions or concerns.
House Republican priorities for this session
During the long interim, the 40 of us in the House Republican Caucus got together on several occasions to discuss what we wanted our agenda to look like this year. After much deliberation, we decided our focus should be on safety, affordability and accountability, with our slogan being: “It’s Your Home. Expect More.”
Our argument is simple: You should expect more from those who control the agenda and the purse strings here in Olympia. Under one-party control, many parts of our state have become less safe and less affordable, and there’s been a complete lack of accountability for the long list of failures we’ve seen in recent years.
As House Republicans, we’re focused on developing solutions to provide a better way forward for Washington state. We want people to feel safe in their communities. We want to eliminate unnecessary financial burdens that make it harder to get ahead. And finally, we want all Washingtonians to feel confident their government is working for them.
Please visit the priorities page on our caucus website to learn more about our agenda and the solutions we’re proposing.
One issue that that falls under both the ‘affordable’ and ‘accountable’ parts of our agenda is $30 car tabs, which were approved by 53 percent of voters in November. While some politicians and activists are working overtime to ensure you never see a reduction in your car tab fees, House Republicans are doing the opposite. Earlier this week, we rolled out a comprehensive transportation package to implement $30 car tabs, establish a new transportation funding source without raising taxes, and cut WSDOT bureaucracy instead of projects.
One of my bills, House Bill 2323, is part of the package. It would phase in a shift of the state sales tax on motor vehicles (in increments of 10 percent for the next 10 years) to pay for cash-based preservation and maintenance projects. If we were to implement this reform over time, our operating budget could absorb the change and we would address the preservation and maintenance needs of our transportation system for years to come. This approach would generate an estimated $117.5 million in revenue for transportation in 2021 alone.
To learn more about our transportation solutions, click here. I also had the opportunity to touch on them earlier this week during our House and Senate Republican press conference. Watch:
Survey question: Should the Legislature legalize sports betting in Washington state?
A couple of bills have been introduced this session that would legalize sports betting in Washington state, and I want your thoughts. First, I want to know whether you support or oppose legalizing sports betting. Second, for those of you who DO support legalization, I want to know which of the two approaches you prefer.
Please click here to take my survey, and thank you in advance for your responses!
Weekly interview on iFIBEROne News Radio
Every Wednesday at 7:40 a.m., I will be live on iFIBEROne News Radio to talk with Jeff Slakey and give a brief legislative update to listeners. I want to thank Jeff for the opportunity to be on his program every week. To listen to these interviews, I invite you tune in live or visit my SoundCloud page.
Continuing to keep a record of my legislative meetings
In the interest of full transparency, I will be providing PDFs of my weekly meetings during the 2020 session, just as I did last session. Click here for a list of meetings I held or attended during the first week of session.
Contacting me
The most important part of my job is listening to you. Please contact me any time to share your comments, questions and concerns about the legislative session or anything else that’s on your mind.
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! I’m sending this email update out tonight because starting tomorrow, all legislators will be under election-year restrictions. That means I won’t be able to send you any more email updates until the start of the 2020 session on Jan. 13. However, I will still be able to respond to your phone calls and emails, so please continue contacting me with your comments, questions and concerns. My phone number is (360) 786-7902, and my email address is Drew.MacEwen@leg.wa.gov.
Legislative priorities survey responses
Thank you to the more than 500 of you who responded to the legislative priorities survey I sent out last week! I was blown away by the response. I truly appreciate you taking the time to answer each question and provide your feedback on the issues you care most about. Here are the results from the survey:
Q1. What do you believe is the top priority the Legislature needs to address during the 2020 session? (Responses are a weighted average)
Q2. What is the most significant financial challenge your family faces on a monthly basis? (Responses are a weighted average)
Q3. In general, I’m happy with the way things are going in Washington state.
Q4. Do you believe the Legislature spends your tax dollars wisely on services that Washingtonians need, or do you believe that the Legislature wastes your tax dollars on unnecessary and frivolous things?
Q5. Would you support an increase in the gas tax as a way to pay for improving the state’s roads, highways and bridges?
Q6. Do you support replacing the gas tax with a pay-per-mile system?
Q7. Do you support a state income tax?
Q8. Would you support legislation to prevent local governments from implementing an income tax?
Thank you again for your responses. And please know your top priorities for the Legislature are my top priorities as well. I care deeply about ensuring we pass fiscally responsible budgets that leave us in a good position to weather tough economic times. I am passionate about protecting you and your family from a majority party that can never seem to tax you enough. And I am committed to doing everything I can to keep the costs of daily living as low as possible, no matter what stage of life you’re in.
I touched on these points and more in a video update I recorded last week at the Capitol. Take a look:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B31GjmT4VcU
House Page Program
One of the best things about serving in the Legislature is having the opportunity to sponsor young people to serve in the House Page Program. Students who participate in the weeklong program attend page school every day, assist lawmakers on the House floor, and fulfill many other tasks critical to the efficient operation of the Legislature. It’s a great experience they’ll never forget.
If you know of any students who would be interested serving as a page during the 2020 session, please send me an email. Applicants must have a legislative sponsor and also obtain written permission from their parents and school.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any comments, questions or concerns. I also welcome you to contact my legislative assistant, Rob Barnes, if you’d like to schedule a time to sit down with me and discuss your legislative priorities before the start of the 2020 session.
In preparation for the 2020 session, lawmakers will be heading back to Olympia next week for Committee Assembly days. During these two days, committees will be meeting to receive briefings on some of the most pressing issues facing our state, and then discussing potential solutions.
Our caucus will also be meeting to continue a discussion we started at a retreat last month about what our top priorities will be during the 60-day session. At the top of the list is continuing to fight for you and your family against a majority that’s raised your taxes, increased spending at an unsustainable rate, and irresponsibly expanded the size and scope of government. Because of their policies, Washington state has become less affordable and less competitive with our neighbors. That’s unacceptable, and we will continue making that clear in our communications.
As session draws closer, I want to hear from you. What are your top priorities for the Legislature in 2020? What issues do you care most about? What policies do you support or oppose? I invite you to take my 10-question survey here. I’ll be sharing the results in my next email update later this month.
Thank you in advance for your responses. It is an honor to serve you in the Legislature.
Although it was always likely the Democrat majority would increase spending and raise taxes this year, we didn’t know what tax increases would be coming to the floor until the final weekend of session. And that’s because they used title-only bills to disguise their intentions.
They used a parliamentary gimmick called a “title-only bill” to bypass the state constitution and cut the public out of the process. Here’s how it works. At least a couple of weeks before the end of the session, lawmakers file a bunch of title-only bills on different topics. This year there were about two dozen. Each one has a generic title and one sentence body like, “The legislature intends to enact legislation concerning tax revenue.” Then, if lawmakers decide to rush something through at the end of the session, they can cut that sentence and replace it whatever they want.
These title-only bills were used as vehicles to pass $2 billion in tax increases on Washington families in the dead of night. And it wasn’t just The Seattle Times editorial board that took notice. Take a look at the following editorials that have been written since session adjourned on April 28:
When Democrat budget writers sat down to work on the final operating budget this year (Republicans were not invited to the table), they had record revenues and a $2.8 billion surplus to work with. By the time they finished, they had hiked spending 18%, increased taxes by $2 billion, and left only $100 million in reserves.
Their $52.4 billion operating budget relies on the following tax increases:
A business and occupation (B&O) tax surcharge on services that will impact 90,000 employers and raise costs for consumers.
A new, graduated real estate excise tax (REET) that will restrict housing supply, increase rents and harm our economy.
A higher tax on oil that will increase the price of gas.
A B&O tax increase on large banks that will result in costs being passed on to customers.
A change to the nonresident sales tax exemption, which will result in fewer Oregonians shopping at Washington businesses in our border communities.
Keep in mind this $2 billion doesn’t include the Democrats’ levy lift bill, which will increase property taxes for families across the state by modifying the amount local levies can collect for K-12 enrichment programs.
With the adoption of the 2019-21 operating budget, the Legislature will have increased spending a whopping 70% since 2013. I encourage you to share the chart below with your family, friends and neighbors.
The positives of session
Thankfully, Republicans were able to stop a number of harmful policies this session:
House Bill 2156 would create a new capital gains income tax.
House Bill 1110 would create a new low carbon fuel standard program, which would significantly increase the price of gas and goods.
House Bill 1491 would restrict scheduling options for employees and employers, hurting various industries around the state.
House Bill 1515 would force many individual contractors to work as employees as opposed to being their own boss.
Senate Bill 5395 would require every school to provide comprehensive sex education.
And while much of session was contentious, another positive is both sides were able to come together to tackle some important priorities for our communities and the state:
Senate Bill 5380 will establish new rules regarding opioid prescribing and the dispensing of opioid overdose reversal medication. It will also require physicians to discuss alternatives to opioids with patients before prescribing them.
Senate Bill 5091 will increase the excess cost multiplier for special education students, which will result in more funding.
Senate Bill 5511 will expand broadband to enable economic development, public safety and health care across our state.
Senate Bill 5649 will eliminate the statute of limitations for most sex crimes committed against minors, and extend the statute of limitations for most other sex offenses. The bill mirrors the one offered by my seatmate, Rep. Dan Griffey, who has done incredible work on this issue.
The 2019-21 capital budget provides record funding for mental and behavioral health infrastructure around the state.
Speaking of the capital budget, I worked closely with Sen. Tim Sheldon and Rep. Griffey to secure $81.4 million in local project funding for our district. Some of the investments include:
$26.8 million for the ongoing development and implementation of the integrated Chehalis Basin Strategy;
$22.4 million for corrections facilities repair and improvements;
$6.8 million for the Skokomish River restoration;
$4 million to relocate the Schafer campground outside of the floodplain of the East Fork of the Satsop River and build a new welcome center;
$3.5 million for the Shelton YMCA;
$2 million for the Belfair sewer extension;
$600,000 for the Holly Ridge Center in Bremerton;
$350,000 for the Skabob House Cultural Center at Skokomish Indian Reservation;
$265,000 to help replace the irrigation system at Mason Co. Recreation Area;
$253,000 to help with salmon recovery in Big Beef Creek Estuary.
Three of my bills signed into law
Since the adjournment of session, three of my bills have been signed into law by the governor.
House Bill 1430 will extend the expiration date of the Licensing and Enforcement Systems Modernization Project Account to September 2023. Revenue for the account, which was created in 2015, comes from a fee applied to certain liquor licenses and the licenses of marijuana producers, processors, and retailers. It is dedicated for expenses associated with the replacement and modernization of the LCB’s computer system. That work is already underway, but was not going to be completed by the time the account was scheduled to expire in June. Extending the expiration date of the account will allow time for the LCB to complete its work.
House Bill 1557 will update the licensing process for businesses applying for an annual liquor license. Currently, business owners pay up front and then go through a review process to get final approval for the license. However, if the review takes longer than expected, they may find themselves paying for a liquor license they aren’t able to use. To mitigate this, HB 1557 will require the expiration date of a liquor license to be set 12 months from the date of approval.
The bill also addresses a provision in current law that requires an applicant to have control of the premises to be qualified for a liquor license. When HB 1557 goes into effect, a business owner will be allowed to apply for a liquor license for a physical location without first signing a lease or buying the property.
In sum, the bill will help mitigate some of the upfront cash flow concerns associated with opening a new business and obtaining a liquor license. We want to make sure the system is fair for our small business owners, and the provisions in this bill will help in that effort.
House Bill 1146 will extend the state’s Christmas tree grower licensure program by 10 years. The program, which was created in 2007, requires Christmas tree growers to obtain a grower license from the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA). The annual fee for a license is $40, plus an acreage assessment of $3 per acre. Fees are deposited into a dedicated Christmas tree subaccount within the WSDA, which are then allocated for a number of ongoing research and preservation efforts.
HB 1146 will ensure the Christmas tree industry in our state, which ranks fourth in production nationwide, remains compliant with the USDA and is able to continue exporting trees here in the United States and around the world. Without this bill, the roughly 250 Christmas tree growers across the state would be at a significant competitive disadvantage.
Each of these bills will become effective later this year.
Contacting me
Although session is now over, please know I’m here to serve you year-round. Don’t hesitate to contact my legislative assistant, Rob Barnes, if you’d like to schedule a time to sit down with me during interim to discuss the issues most important to you and your family. You can also email me directly any time at Drew.MacEwen@leg.wa.gov with your comments, questions or concerns.
Despite the fact we have record revenues and a $3 billion surplus, House Democrats are still looking to raise taxes by $4.2 billion over the next four years. Their $52.6 billion operating budget proposal would also increase spending by $8.5 billion from current levels. In my latest video update, I provided my candid thoughts on their proposal:
https://youtu.be/nm0gGjCykyU
Keep in mind that if the House Democrats’ operating budget proposal becomes law, state spending will have increased 70% since 2013. That’s astounding.
I’m truly concerned about what passing this tax-and-spend budget could mean for our state, especially at a time when many economists are predicting we’ll see a recession at some point in the next few years. If that happens, and we’ve spent every dime you’ve provided us, we’re going to be in a very tough spot.
When the operating budget came to the floor for a vote late last month, House Republicans stood up for the taxpayers of Washington state. Below is a mashup of highlights from several of our members’ floor speeches:
An update on my bills
As I mentioned in my last update, seven of my bills advanced out of the House and are still making their way through the legislative process.
House Bill 1089 would delink standardized tests from high school graduation requirements, beginning retroactively with the graduating class of 2015. I’m working hard to make sure this bill gains traction in the Senate, but it hasn’t moved as of yet. It’s sitting in the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee.
House Bill 1146 would extend the state’s Christmas tree grower licensure program. It was approved in the Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources and Parks Committee last week, and is now in the Senate Rules Committee.
House Bill 1304 would establish the Vocational Alternative Learning Experience Pilot Program. This bill did gain traction in the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee, and has since been sent to the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
House Bills 1430, 1557 and 1676 are designed to transform the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board into a more business-friendly agency that’s focused on excellent customer service. HBs 1430 and 1557 have advanced out of their respective Senate committees, but HB 1676 is still awaiting a vote.
House Bill 2040 would provide financial relief to non-high school districts by changing the calculation of how much they’re required to reimburse neighboring high school districts for educating their students. This bill was also approved by the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee, and is now in the Senate Rules Committee.
Some thoughts on the governor’s presidential bid
Last week, I sat down with KOMO’s Keith Eldridge for an interview on Gov. Inslee’s presidential bid and why I believe he should be here in Olympia as the Legislature considers a number of important issues. Take a look:
Shrimp season in Hood Canal starts next month
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has posted the dates for shrimping in Hood Canal, so I wanted to pass those along to you.
Hood Canal will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on May 11, 15, 29, and June 1.
Via the WDFW website, please keep the following rules in mind:
Each harvester must have a separate container for their catch, either in their possession or identified with their name.
No minimum carapace size.
Maximum of two shrimp pots per person and no more than four shrimp pots per boat.
Weekly meetings
In the interest of full transparency, I will continue providing you with a list of my weekly meetings during session. Weeks 1-6 are available in previous email updates.
Later this evening, I’ll be hosting a telephone town hall from the House Republican radio studio here at the Capitol. Please join me if you can by calling (360) 226-5415 any time from 6-7 p.m. During the hourlong call, I’ll be taking your questions on legislative issues and asking a number of survey questions. If you’re unable to participate tonight, please know you can always call me at (360) 786-7902 or send me an email with your comments, questions or concerns. I value and appreciate your feedback, as it helps me better serve you in the Legislature.
House of Origin cutoff and the status of my bills
Last Wednesday marked House of Origin cutoff, which means all bills that did not advance out of the chamber in which they were introduced are now considered dead for the year. The only exception to this are bills deemed necessary to implement the budget, though we don’t yet know which ones will receive that designation.
As for my bills, seven survived House of Origin cutoff and are still making their way through the legislative process.
House Bill 1089 would delink standardized tests from high school graduation requirements, beginning retroactively with the graduating class of 2015. Under the bill, both the Certificate of Academic Achievement and the Certificate of Individual Achievement would be discontinued. HB 1089 was approved 84-13 in the House, and is now in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.
House Bill 1146 would extend the state’s Christmas tree grower licensure program. The program, which was created by legislation signed into law in 2007, requires businesses that grow Christmas trees to obtain a grower license from the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA). The annual fee for a license is $40, plus an acreage assessment of $3 per acre. However, the total annual license fee for a business may not exceed $5,000. Fees are deposited into a dedicated Christmas tree subaccount within WSDA, which are then allocated for a number of ongoing research and preservation efforts. Washington ranks fourth in the nation when it comes to Christmas tree production, and Mason and Thurston counties are two of the state’s top suppliers. Extending this licensure program will help ensure Christmas trees, and the businesses that sell them across our state, remain vibrant and healthy. HB 1146, which was approved 91-0 in the House, is now in the Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks Committee.
House Bill 1304 would establish the Vocational Alternative Learning Experience Pilot Program. The intent of the program would be to show the value of providing state funding for the expansion of career and technical education instruction in alternative learning experience courses. As many as 10 school districts would be chosen by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to participate in the pilot program, including two that have multidistrict online school programs. Each district would participate for four complete school years, starting in the 2019-20 school year. HB 1304, which was approved 92-4 in the House, is scheduled to receive a public hearing this afternoon in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.
House Bills 1430, 1557 and 1676 are designed to transform the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board into a more business-friendly agency that’s focused on excellent customer service. The small, but important adjustments in these bills would be a good first step in that effort. All three bills received unanimous approval in the House, and are scheduled to receive or have already received a public hearing in the Senate.
House Bill 2040 would provide financial relief to non-high school districts by changing the calculation of how much they’re required to reimburse neighboring high school districts for educating their students. Under the bill, non-high school districts would only be required to pay whichever per-pupil levy rate is lower between the two districts. Providing this financial relief would result in more funds being available for local educational needs. That would be a big win for students and families across the state, especially in our more rural areas. HB 2040 was approved 97-0, and is now in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.
Two minutes with TVW
Earlier this month, I sat down with TVW to record a short video for their “Legislator Profiles” series. In the video, I discuss our district, my political heroes and mentors, and my legislative priorities. Take a look:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riDndWx8u2w
Sponsoring local student Wyatt Curl as a House page
I recently had the opportunity to sponsor 14-year-old home-school student Wyatt Curl as a page here in the state House. Wyatt is active in Boy Scouts, and has achieved Life rank—the second-highest rank attainable. He is also on the swim team at North Thurston High School, and loves to write stories in his free time.
During his week at the Capitol, Wyatt attended page school every day to learn about the three branches of state government, the lawmaking process, and the importance of civil discourse. He also carried out a number of duties critical to the efficient operation of the Legislature.
I’m always impressed by the quality of students who apply to serve as pages, and Wyatt is no exception. He’s motivated and confident, and I have no doubt he’ll continue to be successful at whatever he chooses to pursue in life.
Contacting me
As I mentioned above, please feel free to call or email me any time. My number is (360) 786-7902, and my email address is Drew.MacEwen@leg.wa.gov.
