24th GOP

Bills open for Public Hearing April 1, 9 am

Public Hearing
  1. HB 1851 – Implementing the first approach skills training program. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  2. ESB 5015 – Reestablishing the productivity board. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  3. 2SSB 5048 – Eliminating college in the high school fees. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  4. SB 5084 – Creating a separate fund for the purposes of self-insured pensions and assessments. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  5. ESSB 5102 – Concerning school library information and technology programs. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  6. 2SSB 5103 – Concerning payment to acute care hospitals for difficult to discharge medicaid patients. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  7. 2SSB 5128 – Concerning jury diversity. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  8. ESB 5130 – Concerning assisted outpatient treatment. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  9. 2SSB 5134 – Concerning reentry services and supports. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  10. 2SSB 5225 – Increasing access to the working connections child care program. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  11. SSB 5238 – Expanding collective bargaining for employees who are enrolled in academic programs at public institutions of higher education. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  12. E2SSB 5243 – Concerning high school and beyond planning. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  13. 2SSB 5263 – Concerning access to psilocybin services by individuals 21 years of age and older. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  14. 2SSB 5269 – Concerning Washington state manufacturing. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  15. E2SSB 5278 – Implementing audit recommendations to reduce barriers to home care aide certification. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  16. 2SSB 5290 – Concerning consolidating local permit review processes. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  17. E2SSB 5311 – Concerning special education funding formula. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  18. E2SSB 5315 – Concerning nonpublic agencies operating special education programs for students with disabilities. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  19. SB 5316 – Concerning background check and licensing fees for programs administered by the department of children, youth, and families. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  20. SSB 5318 – Limiting estate recovery. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  21. ESB 5355 – Mandating instruction on sex trafficking prevention and identification for students in grades seven through 12. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  22. SB 5369 – Reassessing standards for polychlorinated biphenyls in consumer products. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  23. SSB 5388 – Concerning improving diversity in clinical trials. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  24. SSB 5415 – Concerning public defense services for persons committed as not guilty by reason of insanity. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  25. 2SSB 5425 – Concerning fire protection sprinkler system contractors. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  26. 2SSB 5438 – Facilitating supportive relationships with family and significant individuals within the behavioral health system. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  27. E2SSB 5440 – Providing timely competency evaluations and restoration services to persons suffering from behavioral health disorders. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  28. 2SSB 5454 – Concerning industrial insurance coverage for posttraumatic stress disorders affecting registered nurses. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  29. SSB 5499 – Concerning the multistate nurse licensure compact. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  30. 2SSB 5502 – Ensuring access to substance use disorder treatment. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  31. ESSB 5515 – Protecting children from child abuse and neglect. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Protecting children from child abuse and neglect at residential facilities and residential private schools.) (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  32. 2SSB 5518 – Concerning cybersecurity. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  33. SSB 5523 – Addressing the forensic pathologist shortage. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  34. 2SSB 5532 – Providing enhanced payment to low volume, small rural hospitals. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  35. ESB 5534 – Concerning workforce education investment accountability and oversight board staffing changes. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  36. E2SSB 5536 – Concerning controlled substances, counterfeit substances, and legend drug possession and treatment. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  37. 2SSB 5555 – Creating the profession of certified peer specialists. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  38. E2SSB 5580 – Improving maternal health outcomes. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  39. E2SSB 5582 – Reducing barriers and expanding educational opportunities to increase the supply of nurses in Washington. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
  40. SB 5683 – Concerning child-specific foster care licenses for placement of Indian children. (Remote Testimony Available). – Testify
Possible Executive Session
  1. 2SSB 5046 – Concerning postconviction access to counsel.
  2. SB 5066 – Concerning health care benefit managers.
  3. E2SSB 5080 – Expanding and improving the social equity in cannabis program.
  4. SB 5131 – Concerning money received by the department of corrections on behalf of inmates from family or other outside sources for the purchase of commissary items.
  5. SSB 5358 – Expanding veterans’ services and programs.
  6. SSB 5386 – Reducing administrative complexity by increasing transparency of revenue flows for activities funded by document recording fees.
  7. ESB 5592 – Requiring semiautomatic external defibrillator at fitness centers.
  8. SSB 5687 – Creating and supporting postsecondary wrestling grant programs.
24th GOP

Good Bills to Support

Thanks to WSRP Olympia Watch for providing this information!

24th GOP

Bad Bills moving forward

Thanks to WSRP Olympia Watch for providing this information!

  • HB 1024: Requiring an incarcerated person participating in a Correctional Industries work program be paid no less than minimum wage.
  • HB 1025: Eliminating Qualified Immunity for Police Officers
    • Scheduled for Executive Session in the House Committee on Approprations at 9AM
  • HB 1045: Would establish a basic income pilot program.
  • HB 1095: Extend Unemployment Benefits to those not allowed to be employed
  • HB 1143 : Would establish significant new requirements to legally purchase or transfer a firearm, including a new permit requirement with fingerprinting, in addition to a background check.
  • HB 1174: Would require each city, county, and tribal jail to establish a “Jail Voting Plan” to provide resources to help incarcerated individuals vote.
  • HB 1181: Would add a climate change element to the Growth Management Act and require policies to reduce vehicle miles traveled.
  • HB 1244: Would increase the cap on local school enrichment levies to $3,000 per pupil (same as Seattle).
  • HB 1282: Would require contractors on covered projects to provide certain environmental, health, labor, and HR data about construction materials used.
  • HB 1388: Would establish annual rent increase maximum and authorise the Attorney General to enforce the bill.
  • HB 1389: Rent Control, to reduce rental properties and drive housing prices even higher
  • HB 1391: Would eliminate consumer choice in energy
  • HB 1473:Would create a Wealth Tax on WA residents.
  • HB 1832: Pay per mile road usage fee
  • SB 5078: Makes the firearms industry subject to the state’s public nuisance laws, creates a private right of action for those who suffered harm as a result of a firearm industry member’s acts.
  • SB 5082: Would abolish advisory votes which were approved by voters through I-960 in 2007.
  • SB 5209: Would require anyone who is legally eligible to register to vote in Washington state to do so and submit a ballot.
  • SB 5232: Imposes a 10-day waiting period for all firearms purchases, requires completion of certified firearms training before a purchase may occur.
  • SB 5237: Creating complaint procedures and removing local control over school curriculum
  • SB 5241: Imposes extensive requirements for mergers, acquisitions, or contracting affiliations between hospitals, hospital systems, or provider organizations. Subjects them to AG oversight for 10 years. No material change transaction can take place if it reduces reproductive or gender affirming care (among other things).
  • SB 5417: Employer Political & Religious Speech …aka Employer Gag Order bill
  • SB 5427: Creates a hate crimes & bias hotline through the Attorney General’s office
  • SB 5441: School district curriculum
  • SB 5427: Creates a hate crimes & bias hotline through the Attorney General’s office
  • SB 5462: Inclusive learning standards
  • SB 5489: The SHIELD act for abortion and gender affirming healthcare. Creates a private right of action for interference with protected health care services
  • SB 5557: Pay equity for part-time faculty (raises part-time faculty/adjunct pay to 85% of full-time faculty pay)
  • SB 5599: Gives Gender affirming care to runaway teens, including surgical procedures, without parental consent
  • SJR 8202: Abortion constitutional amendment.

24th GOP

Sequim Rescinds Request for Mobile Showers

The Sequim City Council proposal for mobile showers for the homeless community has been rescinded; https://www.sequimgazette.com/news/sequim-councilor-rescinds-request-for-mobile-showers-in-city/

Rather than dealing with the problems of homelessness and looking at viable solutions, the Sequim City Council seems to be hanging on to ways to add more of a burden on the taxpayers to provide “free” solutions – like this mobile shower “solution”. Fortunately, it has failed. There have been so many “ideas” that don’t deal with the problem in a realistic manner: Ideas that have been tossed forward like allowing tents to be put up on private individuals front yards (without homeowner input); or the city paying to rent a room from homeowners for a onetime payment (with no thought about liability issues). And now they are looking to “throw up some housing”.

Who will pay for this? All this after voting to raise the sales tax rate by a percent to help solve the problem of homelessness.

We need to stop throwing money randomly at the problem and take a hard look at what needs to be fixed. Find viable solutions to help people become productive members of society. There are so many jobs that are open, with no one willing to work. We need to give hand ups, not hand outs. We need to address the mental health crisis and have resources for people who aren’t able to live on their own. We need to help those who are living with addiction who desire to get clean but have no idea how to begin. We need to reduce property taxes, regulations for building, open land resources, and reduce the cost of government fees in order to build.

In Sequim, we have Serenity House, Oxford House, and Sarge’s in Forks (which has now expanded to Port Angeles and Sequim with their new Minsky Place property), to name a few. Let’s support organizations like these that have an already successful track record and others like them.

It is time to get involved.

24th GOP

Upcoming Bills to comment on today, 1/26/23

You can still comment on bills today:

Comment Deadline on these bills 12 pm – 1/26/23

HB1044 – Providing capital financial assistance to small school districts with demonstrated funding challenges. – PRO

Testify RemotelyOne Click Written Testimony

HB 1064 – Creating a school safety capital grant program.

Testify RemotelyOne Click Written Testimony

HB 1444 – Providing common school trust revenue to small school districts – PRO

Testify RemotelyOne Click Written Testimony

Comment Deadline on these bills 1:30 pm – 1/26/23

SB 5248 – Using COVID-19 relief funding on high quality tutoring and rigorous extended learning programs – PRO

Testify RemotelyOne Click Written Testimony

SB 5343 – Reducing costs and increasing efficiency in school construction – PRO

Testify RemotelyOne Click Written Testimony

SB 5353 – Concerning the voluntary stewardship program – PRO

Testify RemotelyOne Click Written Testimony

SB 5390 – Establishing a programmatic safe harbor agreement on forestlands – CON

Testify RemotelyOne Click Written Testimony
24th GOP

There are a lot of bad bills being pushed

As we enter the third week of the legislative session, we need to continue to have due diligence in watching over what is happening in state committees. There are a lot of bills that are being pushed forward that not only attempting to further reduce our ability to defend ourselves, how much say we have in our children’s education, and limiting what goes before the voters but raising taxes, reducing how much authority a landlord has over his property and ever-increasing rates.

Rather than focusing on correcting bad bills that have been moved forward, it seems out of balance legislative representatives have tilted even further left. Without some form of oversight and voice from the people they serve, people will continue to be forced out of their homes after decades simply because they live on a fixed income and can’t afford the rising property taxes. Isn’t it time we defended our rights to keep our homes and our families intact? Should the government be allowed to punish people living on a fixed income by raising rates so that they must choose between keeping the heat on and eating vs paying their taxes to stay in their homes? When will we say enough?

Keep informed about what is going on in our communities and in our state legislation. Let your voice be heard! We need to not only speak out against bad laws that are affecting our lives but on behalf of those who are on fixed incomes whose voices are being drowned out by the constant barrage of burden being placed on them.

Assault on our 2A Rights

Washington state has a number of various anti-gun/2A bills in the legislature this session. Jay Inslee and Bob Ferguson are working hard to pass an “assault weapons” ban in the House and Senate as well as several other equally egregious bills. 

On Tuesday January 17th at 10:30AM 5 bills were heard in 2 committees:

  1. House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee – HB 1178, HB 1143, HB 1144, HB 1240
  2. Senate Law & Justice – SB 5078

On January 27th at 10:30AM these bills will move to an Executive Session in the CIvil Rights & Judiciary Committee. There is NO public comment/testimony in Executive Session. This is where the committee members will discuss, debate and offer amendments on these bills. 

We have been alerted that every Republican representative on the committee is a NO vote on all 4 bills. We need to flood the democrats with emails asking them to vote NO on advancing these bills. You may copy/paste the message below or create your own. Send it to the Democrat representative. 

24th GOP

Speak up in favor of protecting our gun rights

 Tuesday, January 17th at 10:30 AM. There are 2 separate hearings at the same time:

  1. House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee – HB 1178, HB 1143, HB 1144, HB 1240
  2. Senate Law & Justice – SB 5078

We need to take action on each of these bills. If you click on each bill number below and you can register your CON position for each of these bills. It should take less than 5 minutes – especially if you’ve got auto-fill turned on. 

HB 1178

HB 1143

HB 1144

HB 1240

SB 5078

24th GOP

It was FAIRly obvious. MAGA hats are raising!

If you’re familiar with the dynamics of the 24th LD, you’re not surprised to hear about the Trump gear selling out in Grays Harbor; they did, after all, vote for President Trump in 2016. Jefferson County is a different story

GHGOP friends giving a family-style thumbs up for President Trump at the 2019 Grays Harbor County Fair.

This past weekend, the 24th Legislative District (24th LD) Republican county committees of Grays Harbor (GHGOP) and Jefferson (JCRCC) were on full display at their respective county fairs. What was remarkable is how many fair goers stopped by to express their support, but not just for the party, or the platform issues, but especially for President Trump. In fact, Trump gear was in high demand at both locations and sold out before the fairs concluded. Jefferson even walked away with a list of back orders for MAGA hats!

Port Townsend, the county seat and population center of Jefferson County, is a bastion of progressive liberalism and group think, where the resistance “reigns” (quite literally), and hostilities run high against any one who supports President Trump, or even suggests they might be leaning that way. But this doesn’t stop the JCRCC from showing its colors and when they do they are greatly rewarded. Likewise, so are the people who stop by to say hello and “THANK YOU” to the JCRCC for being there and inspiring them to be courageous about who they are and the President they support.

JCRCC supporters giving President Trump a thumbs up during the 2019 Jefferson County Fair.

Congratulations to the GHGOP and JCRCC for a fantastic show of patriotism and gumption, and for your many successful take aways. Best of luck to our third 24th GOP district committee, the Clallam County Republican Party (CCRP), which will be in full swing this weekend, from Aug 15-18, at the Clallam County Fair. Make sure you stop by to say hello!

GO TEAM!!!