Joe McDermott
34th District - West Seattle, Burien, Vashon Island, Maury Island, White Center
Majority Assistant Floor Leader
Committees
- Early Learning & K-12 Education
- Government Operations & Elections
- Ways & Means
- Financial Institutions, Housing & Insurance
Olympia Office
230 Cherberg Building
Olympia, WA 98504-0434
(360) 786-7667
Local Governments
News
Tour the 34th Legislative District 11/18/2009
Reps. Eileen Cody and Sharon Neslon and I recently took the legislative camera crew on a tour of the 34th Legislative District. Watch us visit some of our favorite hometown spots.
Getting airborne to learn about possible Green River flooding 10/13/2009
Sen. Joe McDermott, D-West Seattle, took to the skies this afternoon to survey flood plains in the Green River Valley in danger of being submerged by rising waters this winter due to structural deficiencies with the Howard Hanson Dam. In the video below McDermott explains what he learned.
Budget cuts: 'I don't see how we can do more' 10/6/2009
Sen. Joe McDermott, D-West Seattle, is back home after spending part of last week in Olympia for committee Assembly Days. In this video, McDermott talks about the state’s worsening budget situation and says this time there’s no way to simply cut our way out of it.
Watch: Sen. McDermott updates you from Assembly Days 10/2/2009
The report Sen. McDermott references can be found here.
News: Sen. McDermott awarded ‘Champions for Children’ award 10/1/2009
Senator Joe McDermott was awarded a Champion for Children award by the Children’s Alliance for his long-standing commitment to feeding hungry children. During the 2009 Legislative session while the state faced a record budget shortfall, McDermott fought to ensure funding to eliminate the co-pay for reduced-price lunch for our youngest students and breakfast for all our students was retained.
Sen. Joe McDermott attends Domestic Partnership bill signing 5/18/2009
Sen. McDermott attended the bill signing ceremony for the "Everything But Marriage" legislation Monday at Montlake Community Center in Seattle. Senate Bill 5688 provides further expansions and a greater degree of legal fairness to state-registered domestic partners and their families.
Blog Post: Is it the 105th Day Yet? 4/26/2009
By: Sen. Joe McDermott
I am still on the Senate floor where we passed the operating budget by a vote of 29-20 hours ago (I voted in favor, see below). Since then we passed the Transportation Budget, which was before us as a Conference Committee report. Now we are debating House Bill 1776 that would, again due to the budget, delay the implementation of the state Family Medical Leave Act. Six more bills and we are done until 9 am in the morning.
Blog: Another Long Day (and evening…) on the Senate Floor 4/25/2009
By: Sen. Joe McDermottToday is the 104th day of the 105 day Legislative Session and it is the 13th consecutive day that the Senate has been in Session. Late yesterday the House passed the Operating Budget and this morning the Senate Ways & Means Committee, of which I am a member, gave the $31.4 billion two-year budget a “Do Pass” recommendation and referred it to the full Senate. Later this evening we will debate and pass the 2009-2011 operating budget. The budget relies on about $3 billion in federal stimulus money, $1.5 billion in various reserves, fund transfers, and savings, and, painfully, $4.3 billion in cuts and reductions.
News: Hate crime statute amended to include 'transgendered' 4/22/2009
OLYMPIA — Governor Gregoire signed Senate Bill 5952 today to add “transgendered” to the definition of sexual orientation in the state’s hate crimes statute.
News: 'Everything but marriage' bill passes Legislature 4/15/2009
OLYMPIA – Washington citizens registered as domestic partners are a signature away from receiving a broader suite of rights and responsibilities after Senate Bill 5688 passed the Legislature today on a 62-35 vote in the state House. The legislation expands the state’s domestic partnership statute to include all the state rights and responsibilities of marriage.