“Cut-off” Week
Last week was committee “cut-off” week in Olympia. The legislative schedule provides for certain cut-off dates that serve as a funnel narrowing down the number of bills to be considered this session. If a bill did not pass out of committee by the cutoff date, it is dead for this session. The only exception to these cut-off dates are bills directly related to the budget. The cut-off process is essential for the effective operation of the Legislature but it makes for some tense days for citizens, stakeholders and legislators who watch their bills pass or die.
All of the priority bills I am prime-sponsoring made it out of committee before the cut-off deadline, including SB 6098 (Increasing Campaign Finance Transparency), SB 6163 (Addressing the educational opportunity gap by reducing summer learning loss), and SB 6086 (described below).
Bill Update – SB 6086
Last interim, I had the opportunity to take a tour of the impressive work being done in our region to keep the Spokane River clean. One of the most pressing problems is locating the sources of Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a known carcinogen that can create human and fish health hazards in the Spokane River and waterways around the state.
There are a variety of sources of PCBs, some of which are completely unknown. However, one easily identified source of PCBs is found in yellow dyes used in some paint and printing inks.
For example, there may be PCBs in the yellow paint used on road centerline stripes which could degrade from wear and the sun and then be washed by rain into the Spokane River.
As a step toward reducing PCBs in the environment, I introduced SB 6086, which will require state agencies to avoid purchasing products containing PCBs. The passage of this bill will be a small step towards creating a cleaner Spokane River. SB 6086 was “pulled” from the Rules Committee last week and is on the Senate floor calendar, eligible to be considered for a full Senate vote.
Town Hall Meeting
With the legislative session nearly halfway over, Rep. Riccelli and I will be holding a town hall meeting to hear from constituents and answer questions on Saturday, February 22nd. Topics will include education, transportation, the state budget and anything else you want to talk about.
February 22nd, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
The Museum Of Arts and Culture – The MAC Auditorium
Browne’s Addition Neighborhood
2316 W 1st Ave
Spokane, WA
We do our job of representing our community best when we hear directly from you and I encourage everybody to attend.
Keeping In Touch
Please don’t hesitate to contact our office with questions or comments at any time. You can reach me by e-mail (andy.billig@leg.wa.gov) or by phone at 360-786-7604.
And if you know someone who would like to get their own copy of my weekly e-newsletter, please send them to my website at http://www.senatedemocrats.wa.gov/senators/billig/ and click on the link to “Sign up for my e-newsletter” – I’ll be glad to keep them in the loop!
Onward!
Andy
