The 2017 legislative session is under way, and things are off to a fast start with bills being introduced, committee meetings taking place, and budget discussions being held. I’m excited to be back in Olympia representing you and bringing your priorities to the forefront.

In mid-December, I was appointed assistant ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, which considers the two-year operating budget and other fiscal matters. In addition to serving as assistant ranking member of the committee, I will also be serving as deputy budget writer for our caucus. Every decision we make as budget writers has an impact on our families and communities, which means we have to get it right. I take this responsibility seriously and look forward to working on a sustainable budget that serves all Washingtonians.

As you are probably aware, one of the priorities for the Legislature this year will be solving the final piece of the McCleary puzzle. While we have made historic investments in K-12 education the last four years, we are not quite there yet in terms of coming up with an adequate and equitable solution to McCleary. One important part of getting there will be coming up with a way to end the reliance of districts on local levies to fund basic education. We can no longer kick the can down the road and wait for the next session to solve this problem. It’s imperative we implement a long-term solution this session, and I’m confident we will.

It was an honor to join Rep. Griffey and Sen. Sheldon in speaking with students from Shelton High School earlier this week.

Bills I’ve introduced this session

Below is a brief summary of some of the bills I’ve introduced this session. I welcome your feedback on these bills and look forward to discussing them with you.

House Bill 1021 would create a standalone budget for K-12 education, fully funding basic education with existing revenues without relying on new taxes.

House Bill 1022 would establish the Safety and Access for Immigrant Victims Act, making it possible for undocumented crime victims to contact local law enforcement and seek help without fear of deportation.

House Bill 1023 would prohibit the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) from requiring that a transfer student who is a child of an active duty military family meet continuous enrollment prerequisites before being eligible for varsity-level extracurricular activities.

House Bill 1044 would require the Washington State Department of Commerce, when using money from the housing trust fund and other legislative appropriations to finance loans or grant projects to provide housing for persons and families with special housing needs and certain incomes, to use at least 25 percent of the money used in any given funding cycle for homeownership projects.

House Bill 1046 would ensure requirements for graduating from high school are decoupled from statewide high school assessments.

House Bill 1157 would establish the Lane Sharing for Safety Act, allowing motorcycle riders to overtake and pass in the same lane occupied by the vehicle being passed. It would also allow riders to drive their motorcycles between lanes of traffic as long as they’re not traveling in excess of 35 mph.

Legislation introduced to abolish the death penalty

Earlier this week, Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson held a press conference to announce proposed legislation that would abolish the death penalty in Washington state. In 2014, the governor imposed a moratorium on capital punishment and recently granted a reprieve to an inmate on death row who was scheduled to be executed. Whether you strongly favor or vehemently oppose the death penalty, or fall somewhere in the middle, I want to hear from you. I’ve created a survey with one simple question: “Do you agree with the current push by Gov. Inslee, Attorney General Ferguson and others to abolish capital punishment in Washington state?” There is also a comment box below the survey question for you to share your thoughts with me.

Answer the survey question here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PQMM5BV

Honoring Miss and Mr. Mason Area Pageant participants

During floor ceremonies Monday, the state House recognized the Miss and Mr. Mason Area Pageant with a resolution sponsored by myself and Rep. Griffey thanking participants for their community service in Mason County. The Pageant has served Mason County for the last four years, with participants raising money for charity, collecting coats for a domestic violence shelter and food items for a local food bank, making Capes of Courage for foster children, and much more. I could not be more impressed by these young role models who are making such a positive difference in our local communities. Their dedication to serving others is nothing short of inspiring. Thank you to every member of the Miss and Mr. Mason Area Pageant for everything you do!

Weekly radio interviews on KMAS

Every Wednesday morning during session, I have the opportunity to join KMAS’ Jeff Slakey live on the air to discuss legislative issues. Last week, Jeff and I spoke about expectations for this session. This week, we discussed several legislative issues, including education funding and an explanation of what the “levy cliff” is. We also discussed the committees I’m serving on – Appropriations, Capital Budget, and Health Care & Wellness, which I was appointed to earlier this week. Both segments are below.

Contacting me

It is an honor to serve you in the state House of Representatives. Please feel free to contact me any time with your questions, comments or concerns. My contact information is below.

The holidays are upon us, which is a sign that a new legislative session is right around the corner. Since the 2016 session adjourned, I have been working in our district, meeting with constituents, and visiting schools, businesses and community groups. As a result of those meetings, I’d like to update you on a few bills I am working on for 2017.

I have heard time and again from people in our community they want a state government that is more efficient and accountable, as well as a K-12 funding plan that is effective and predictable. With that in mind, I am putting forward legislation to improve the way state government operates, how we fund education, test students and implement state regulations.

Funding K-12 education is our state’s paramount duty and will once again be front and center when the Legislature convenes in January. If this is our primary responsibility, then we must fund it first in our budget. I have prefiled a bill that would create a stand-alone education budget to be passed no later than March 31 in biennial budget years and Feb. 15 in supplemental budget years. This is not simply rhetoric – this is a fundamental shift in how we approach funding education that would provide districts with the funding predictability they need to make important decisions at the local level.

The McCleary decision was clear that the state must increase K-12 funding, something we have made considerable progress on since 2013. The ruling also said the Legislature should look at reforming K-12 education. To that end, I have always been a supporter of increasing local control. In an effort to further that approach, I will be working to reform our state’s insistence on end-of-course exams that often make learning one-dimensional and rigid. We must do a better job of trusting the teachers in the classroom to develop and implement lessons based on best practices and curriculum standards – not simply defining teachers’ success and student outcomes by tests. Our job is to create life-long learners, not life-long test takers.

I am also continuing my work to reform Washington’s outdated Business and Occupation (B&O) tax. Over the years, the tax code has been amended by both parties, creating a complex and regressive tax system that hampers job growth in our state. My proposal will eliminate the B&O tax for nearly 70 percent of Washington businesses – many of which are small businesses in rural communities – while remaining budget neutral. As session approaches, I will provide additional details.

Along these lines, I believe we must change the way we look at regulations in Washington. Many of these regulations have been written by state agencies as the Legislature has delegated away much of that authority over the years. Runaway regulations have hurt workers and employers alike and it is time to roll back what isn’t working. To begin that process and change the Olympia mindset, I am proposing a five-year sunset on all new regulations passed by the Legislature. After five years, the Legislature will have the opportunity to review and reinstate the regulation if it has been effective, otherwise it will simply be taken off the books. This is a commonsense reform that would change the culture of doing business in Olympia.

Bill ideas come from many places and people, but I am always most interested in your ideas for legislation. I have received numerous calls and emails with bill ideas and hope you will continue to share yours with me. This year, I am working on domestic violence legislation proposed by a constituent as one example. Your voice matters in the legislative process, and I hope to hear from you throughout the year with your ideas to improve Washington state. My contact information is listed below.

Finally, I would like to extend my personal congratulations to Kevin Shutty, who was elected Mason County Commissioner this past November. Kevin has worked with me in Olympia since I was first elected. He initially served as my legislative aid and was later promoted to Public Information Officer. Kevin’s professional dedication to serving the people of the 35th District and state of Washington was tremendous and an example to me personally. I will miss working with him daily here at the Capitol, however his talents will be greatly utilized as Mason County’s newest commissioner. I extend my heartfelt gratitude for his service and my congratulations on his election. You will be missed down here, Kevin!

I hope you are able to spend time with family and friends this holiday season. I am truly honored to serve you in the House and look forward to working with you during the 2017 legislative session.

From my family to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

It has been about one month since the Legislature adjourned for 2016. I have enjoyed being back in our district and meeting with constituents and community leaders to discuss the issues facing our state and region. There is much work to be done in Olympia, and I am as confident as ever that by working together we can accomplish great things for our state!

Since 2016 is an election year, this will be the last email update I am able to send out until late December. However, I can respond to constituents who contact my office directly. I encourage you to call, email or write to me if you have questions, comments or concerns. And, even though we have a part-time Legislature, I stand ready to assist you year-round.

If you do contact my office, you will be greeted by a new member of my legislative team, Pam Kentner. Starting in May, Pam will be taking over as my legislative assistant. Pam brings a wealth of knowledge to the position and has a long history of providing exceptional constituent services. Her ability to help people solve problems and navigate state government are two of the many reasons I am excited for her to begin. I hope you’ll join me in welcoming Pam to the 35th District!

Before I sign off, I want to let you know some of the work I have been doing since session ended. I have met with several employers in the district to discuss reforming our state’s tax code, especially our outdated B&O tax. You may recall this is a reform I have been working on since last year. I will continue to work on this throughout interim, and look forward to introducing a reform package in 2017.

For those of you living in Mason County, last year’s announcement that the Simpson Mill in Shelton was closing was unsettling news. Rep. Griffey, Sen. Sheldon and I went to work immediately to ensure those affected by the closure would have the support they needed to make ends meet in the weeks and months ahead.

Recently, I met with Sierra Pacific who bought the site and is building a new state-of-the-art facility in the existing footprint. I am pleased to report they are months ahead of schedule and have already begun the process of adding jobs. This new mill will be more efficient and safer for both workers and the environment. I look forward to its opening early next year.

It is a tremendous honor to serve you in the House of Representatives. Many people go to Olympia and become a voice for special interests, but throughout my four years in the House, no voice has mattered more to me than yours. If you would like me to visit your community group, school, or business, please contact my office to make arrangements. I look forward to hearing from you this interim and seeing you out in the 35th!

The Legislature has finally adjourned for the year after 80 days and yet another special session. More than 30 offers were exchanged between House and Senate negotiators as they worked to craft a budget. In the end, we produced a true supplemental budget that passed by a vote of 78-17. I voted yes.

As I said in my last update, a supplemental budget should be focused on addressing emergencies, increased entitlement caseloads and fixing errors in the biennial budget – not enacting new policy that increases spending. The budget we passed addressed important issues including wildfire recovery efforts throughout Washington and it keeps the voter-approved public charter schools open across the state. We also made modest but important investments in mental health and K-12 education – without raising taxes.

Here are some of the funding highlights in this year’s supplemental budget:

K-12 Education

• $5.2 million for the BEST program and Paraeducator certification.
• $4.2 million to keep public charter schools open and operating in Washington.

Higher education

• $7.8 million for reimbursement to state colleges and universities for last year’s historic tuition cuts.
• $18 million to maintain state need grant funding with the College Bound program.

Mental health

• $2 million for expanding the number of mobile crisis teams.
• $6.8 million for additional state hospital registered nurses at Western State Hospital.

Health care

• $4.3 million for health home services.
• $29 million for home health care individual provider overtime related to changes in federal law.

Wildfire recovery

• $190 million for wildfire suppression costs related to the 2015 wildfire season.

For a full overview of the 2016 supplemental budget, click here.

No budget is perfect, but having a divided government has created a need for compromise that hasn’t been part of the budget process for several years. That being said, House Republicans stood firm in support of the four-year balanced budget required by state law. This is an important protection for taxpayers and those who rely on services that would be affected by an economic downturn. I will continue to fight for balanced and sustainable budgets that meet the needs of students, families and our most vulnerable.

During my time in the House, I have fought for priorities you have shared with me – especially holding the line on new and increased taxes, and working to reform state government while improving K-12 education for students. Even though we had yet another special session – the seventh under Jay Inslee’s administration – your voice has been heard in Olympia.

With session adjourned, I am looking forward to being back in district. Working in our community to help solve problems is one of my favorite parts of being your state representative. Please contact me with your questions, concerns and comments on issues important to you. If you would like me to visit your community group, school, or business please contact my office to make arrangements.

For the seventh time since Jay Inslee became governor, the Legislature is in a special session. When we began the regular session in January, our mission was clear: pass a responsible budget to address emergencies and make technical corrections to the two-year budget we passed last year. Unfortunately, House Democrats had other ideas and produced yet another budget that does not balance without tax increases and raids the Budget Stabilization Account, known as the “rainy day” fund.

Supplemental budgets are not intended to create new spending and establish new programs. Former state Rep. Tom Huff from Gig Harbor, who chaired the House Appropriations Committee in the late 1990s, laid out a practical and responsible criteria for considering budget requests in supplemental budget years:

• It is an unanticipated, unmanageable change in an entitlement program workload or caseload.
• It corrects a serious technical error in the original appropriation.
• It deals with an emergency.
• It addresses an opportunity that will not be available next biennium.

This philosophy was rejected by the majority party in the House and they continue to dig their heels in on millions of dollars in new spending and tax increases. This new spending would create a deficit for 2017-19 which violates the four-year balanced budget required by state law. Their budget doesn’t address failures at Western State Hospital, and it doesn’t prioritize education, in fact it doesn’t even account for $487 million for K-3 class-size reduction we committed to. House Democrats have not put forward a good-faith budget, choosing to prioritize politics over compromise.

Adding to the challenges with House Democrats is the stunning lack of leadership coming from the governor. Gov. Inslee has brought his D.C.-style politics to Olympia and made good on a promise to veto bills we passed in an attempt to punish the Legislature. Last night, he vetoed 27 bills, the most vetoes at one time in state history. These bills, all from the Senate, included measures providing assistance to college students with disabilities, protecting the environment and supporting our state’s multi-billion dollar agriculture industry. Leaders don’t look to punish, they look for solutions.

In recent days, the Legislature has sent important bills to the governor’s desk to be signed into law. Will the governor play politics with these bills to prevent cyber crime, recruit and retain state troopers, restrict the use of toxins in children’s toys, and keep public charter schools open for students?

As this special session gets underway, many questions remain unanswered. One thing you can be sure of is I will continue to work for a solution that includes a budget that addresses wildfire recovery and meets our obligations to students, families and the most vulnerable members of our communities. People in our district and across the state are counting on us to keep our promise to have a balanced, sustainable budget and I intend to keep that promise.

As always, it is a pleasure to serve you in the state Legislature. I welcome your comments, concerns and questions during this special session and throughout the year.

I am hosting a telephone town hall on Tuesday, Feb. 23 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

To participate, residents can call (360) 355-3025. If you have questions during the call you can press the star (*) key on your telephone keypads.

These events are an excellent opportunity for me to hear directly from the people I represent in Olympia. My hope is this call makes it easy and convenient for you to participate in state government. I strongly believe government is better when citizens have a clear voice in what is being debated.

If you’re unable to participate you can contact me by calling my office at (360) 786-7902 or by sending me an email at drew.macewen@leg.wa.gov.

This week we passed the halfway point in the 60-day legislative session and have reached the cutoff date for bills to pass out of committee. This important deadline means we will be spending the next few days on the floor voting on House bills before heading back to our committees to hear Senate bills. The main focus remains passing a supplemental operating budget. I am confident we can pass a budget, address important issues such as K-12 education and wildfire recovery and adjourn on time.

Earlier today, the House overwhelmingly passed a bill I sponsored that would provide protections for undocumented immigrants who come forward to report they have been a victim of crime. House Bill 2895, known as The Safety and Access for Immigrant Victims Act, builds on federal law that allows law enforcement officials to certify applications for temporary visas for nonimmigrants who are victims of crime.

Victims of crime in our state should not have to hide in the shadows because of their immigration status. Forcing them to do so only adds to their victimization. Many undocumented victims are women and children, and it is vitally important we give them a voice and help them seek justice. There is plenty of work to do on the federal level to reform our immigration system and ensure our borders are secure, but this bill addresses an important issue of public safety in Washington state. I am grateful to Rep. Eric Pettigrew, D-Seattle, for his continued work on this issue to make this truly bipartisan.

One issue I hear about frequently from constituents is government accountability. If you’ve been following the news recently, you may have noticed accountability is lacking at several state agencies. I have been working on this issue since taking office and this session it has been particularly important. As the ranking member on the House General Government and Information Technology Committee, I have been meeting with agency and commission leaders and staff to identify problem areas that need to be addressed. Serious reforms cannot be completed overnight, but we must begin the work now and continue it through the interim and into future sessions.

Last week, the Senate voted against confirming Lynn Peterson as Secretary of Transportation after a series of failures at WSDOT. She had been acting secretary for three years, and while she inherited an agency that struggled with efficiency and accountability, she did not do enough to change the culture within the department. The problems at WSDOT are many and have been well documented. They include SR 16 overpasses that did not line up with the road properly, ferries that list and caused vehicles to bottom out as they boarded, pontoons for the 520 bridge that leaked, ongoing issues with Bertha, and most recently toll lanes on I-405 that increased gridlock and charge drivers as much as $10 to use HOV lanes during peak times. With a $16 billion transportation package to implement, we cannot afford these kinds of failures in the future.

Secretary Dan Pacholke of the Department of Corrections announced he was resigning last weekend in the midst of an ongoing investigation into the mistaken early release of thousands of violent felons. The investigation will continue, and we will do everything we can to ensure these errors are fixed and they do not happen again. Additionally, the secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services which has had serious breakdowns with the delivery of mental health services, especially at Western State Hospital, resigned late last year. All told, three of our state’s top agencies are without leaders.

The governor needs to fill these vacancies with competent and capable managers who are able to produce results for Washingtonians, not maintain the status quo. I can assure you I will be working with my colleagues in the Legislature to make sure we provide the appropriate oversight to state agencies and commissions so you have the most effective and efficient state government possible.

One of the things I enjoy the most about my work in Olympia is sponsoring local students in the House Page Program. I recently welcomed Jonathan Boring and Wyatt Riordan, both of Mason County. Serving as a page is a great opportunity to learn more about the Legislature and how state government operates. For more information on the House Page Program, click here.

With hundreds of bills still alive and moving through the process, I hope you will take the time to call, email or write in to share your questions and comments with me. It is truly an honor to serve you in the House of Representatives.

The third week of the legislative session is wrapping up and I wanted to share a few updates with you on the work happening in Olympia. We’re one-third of the way through session and we are making progress on a supplemental operating budget, meaning we are on track to adjourn on time.

In addition to voting on bills, I have been responding to scores of emails from concerned constituents. It’s clear many of you are frustrated with the direction our state government is heading. I take my obligation to hold state agencies accountable seriously and have been disappointed by the responses I have received from some agency heads who have come before me in the House General Government and Information Technology Committee.

This lack of accountability and transparency was on full display last week as the executive director of the Human Rights Commission came before my committee to ask for more funding. Many of you have written to me, sharing your concerns with the commission’s recent bathroom rules change made by its board members, who are appointed by the governor. The ruling, which took effect last month, has raised many concerns, including the safety of women and children in public locker rooms. The safety of everyone, from children in schools to members of the transgender community, should always be a priority. We must also be concerned about government overreach and the lack of accountability coming from the executive branch of state government when it doesn’t respect the public enough to seriously consider their input.

Unfortunately, I and my colleague Rep. Michelle Caldier were given less than four minutes to ask the director questions about the rule-change process on your behalf. Between our two offices, we have received more than 1,000 constituent emails, calls and letters – but we were only given four minutes to share those concerns, both for and against the ruling.

When I asked why the rules weren’t posted on their website in accordance with the RCWs, they claimed they were locked out of their website. How can the Human Rights Commission, which employs two in-house IT specialists, be locked out of their website and unable to post rules for the public to review? This is unacceptable.

Earlier this week, more than 300 people showed up to a Senate hearing on a bill to repeal the rule. In the House, however, the majority party is refusing to hear bills on this issue altogether. Shutting the public out of the process, like the commission and House majority party did, is not good government and is not in line with our values as Washingtonians.

Watch the video of the testimony here.

Last week, a King County Superior Court judge ruled I-1366, which would require the Legislature to enact a two-thirds majority vote to raise taxes, unconstitutional. When I-1366 was passed last November, it was the sixth time since 1993 Washingtonians have told the Legislature it should be harder to raise taxes than it currently is.

The ruling was appealed and will now go before the state Supreme Court. As the court challenges continue, we were able to advocate for tax payers when we introduced House Joint Resolution 4215, a constitutional amendment to require a two-thirds majority vote to raise taxes. Given the court challenges to I-1366, a constitutional amendment is our best option to ensure the will of the voters is implemented, and not ignored.

Unfortunately, the majority party voted down the proposed amendment 49-48, and we must now wait for a ruling on I-1366 from the state Supreme Court, slated for March 15.

Thanks for reading this update. Throughout this legislative session, I hope you will take time to call, email or visit me in Olympia. I welcome your thoughts and concerns on issues before the Legislature and look forward to working with you to make Washington a better place for all.

Happy New Year!

This week, the Legislature convened for the 2016 session. Scheduled to last just 60 days, we have hit the ground running to address the important issues facing our state. Since the Legislature adjourned in July, I have been working in our district, meeting with constituents, and visiting schools, businesses and community groups. I will be keeping your thoughts and concerns in mind throughout the session.

Last year, we accomplished big things for education. We funded the voter-approved teacher COLAs for the first time in years, and increased K-12 spending to record levels, including funding for class-size reduction in grades K-3.

Additionally, we cut tuition at state colleges and universities – the first such cut in our nation’s history – making it easier for students to continue their education beyond high school.

Yet, in light of recent Supreme Court rulings on education and continuing issues with state government efficiency, much work remains to be done – especially on charter schools and developing a plan to address our over-reliance on local levies.

This week, Governor Inslee addressed the Legislature and laid out his agenda for 2016. I share some of his priorities, including wildfire recovery, mental health improvements and taking the next steps to fully fund K-12 education. But, as is often the case in Olympia it’s easy to agree on the problems and much harder to agree on the solutions.

The governor proposed a $700 million supplemental budget which includes nearly $200 million in spending on new policy proposals. This spending would create a more than $800 million shortfall in the 2017-19 budget. Further, his budget relies on increased taxes and tapping reserve accounts in order to balance. This isn’t responsible leadership. I’ll be working with my colleagues on the House Appropriations Committee to ensure we pass a budget that meets our state’s needs, respects taxpayers and balances over the next four years as required by law.

Last year, the state Supreme Court ruled against voter-approved public charter schools in Washington. This ruling had major implications for the future of alternative public education options in our state, including schools for the deaf, schools for the blind, skill centers and tribal schools that fall outside of the overview of local elected school boards. Public charter schools serve students who live in predominantly minority and low-income communities. The majority of students are enrolled in free and reduced lunch programs. It’s a matter of fairness, and I don’t believe it’s fair to take opportunities away from students who are in schools that aren’t meeting their needs.

My colleague and the Ranking Member on the House Education Committee, Rep. Chad Magendanz, has introduced a solution to keep these schools open and operating. Take a minute to watch him explain the bill in this short video.

In addition to our work on education and the budget, we must continue to improve the way government operates and interacts with the people who pay for it. As a small-business owner in our community, I know firsthand the burden of over-regulation, over-taxation, and under-performance many experience when dealing with state government.

This is especially true in rural parts of Washington, many of which are still recovering from the recession.

We can, and must, do better.

Improving accountability in state government remains a top priority this session. We must make difficult decisions and continue to move away from the tired, partisan ideas that have dominated Olympia for most of the past 30 years.

One step we can take immediately is impeaching Troy Kelley for abandoning his office and delegating authority to an unelected state employee for more than seven months in 2015. His refusal to resign hangs like a dark cloud over the Office of State Auditor and we need to act to restore public trust to this important state agency.

As the ranking member on the House General Government and Information Technology Committee, I am committed to asking hard questions and demanding honest answers from the 68 state agencies my committee oversees.

One of those agencies is the Department of Corrections (DOC). Leaders from the DOC must provide a full account of how thousands of felons were improperly released and the steps they are taking to prevent it from happening again.

This is not merely a political scandal. This is a serious public safety issue.
I have toured several state correctional facilities, including in Shelton, and am proud to represent hundreds of DOC employees. They have a difficult job and I am grateful for all they do to provide justice for victims and rehabilitation for offenders. That is why I believe they deserve strong leadership at the top of the agency, not a tired bureaucracy willing to kick the can down the road.

The 2016 session is a short, 60-day sprint. Though we will be limited by time, we should not be limited by effort or perseverance.

It is an honor to serve you in the House of Representatives. I hope you will take time this year to call, email or visit me in Olympia. My door is always open!

And, of course, GO HAWKS!