The 60-day 2022 legislative session starts today! Don’t miss a moment of Senate Democrats taking action on climate change, tax reform, job creation, education, infrastructure, housing and much, much more. You can watch all the action, all the time at TVW.org.

2022 OPENING CEREMONIES

The 60-day 2022 legislative session begins Monday, Jan. 10.

Monday, January 10
Noon

The 2022 legislative session officially gets underway with the swearing in of new Senators Yasmin Trudeau and John Lovick, and the adoption of new Senate rules. Watch on TVW.

COMBATTING CLIMATE CHANGE

Sen. Marko Liias will hold his first meeting as the new chair of the Senate Transportation Committee on Monday.

Monday, January 10
4 pm

The Senate’s new Transportation Committee Chair Sen. Marko Liias will lead his first committee meeting Monday. The committee will receive an update on federal infrastructure dollars headed to our state and on the implementation of the Climate Commitment Act and Low Carbon Fuel Standard. The committee will also have a hearing on Gov. Inslee’s proposed transportation budget (SB 5689). Watch on TVW.

INDEPENDENT YOUTH HOUSING PROGRAM

Sen. Patty Kuderer, chair of the Housing & Local Government Committee and sponsor of SB 5566.

Tuesday, January 11
8 am

The Housing & Local Government Committee will hear public testimony on Senate Bill 5566. This policy gives young adults who have exited the foster care system an additional two years to participate in the Independent Youth Housing Program, which provides safe and stable housing along with other critical services for an at-risk population. Watch on TVW.

CASH FOR LAWN CLUNKERS

No offense to this lawn mower, but broken-down equipment like it often ends up in landfills and is bad for our environment.

Tuesday, January 11
10:30 am

The Environment, Energy & Technology Committee will hear public testimony on Senate Bill 5543, the Cash for Lawn Clunkers Bill. This policy will provide rebates for people who scrap their gas-powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and hedge trimmers, and replace them with electric-powered equipment. Watch on TVW.

STATE OF THE STATE

Gov. Jay Inslee will deliver his annual State of the State address at noon.

Tuesday, January 11
Noon

Gov. Jay Inslee will deliver his annual State of the State speech (spoiler alert: Washington is awesome.) Watch on TVW.

GOVERNOR’S OPERATING BUDGET

Ways & Means Chair Sen. Christine Rolfes will lead a public hearing on the Governor's supplemental budget proposal.

Tuesday, January 11
4 pm

The Ways & Means Committee will take public testimony on Gov. Inslee’s 2021-23 supplemental operating budget (SB 5693). Watch on TVW.

WASHINGTON FERRIES

A work session will look at ways to mitigate the impacts of Covid on the state's ferries.

Tuesday, Jan. 11
4 pm

The Transportation Committee will hold a work session to look at ways to improve ferry service that has been impacted by the pandemic. Watch on TVW.

APPRENTICESHIPS, PAID FAMILY LEAVE

Sen. Karen Keiser, Chair of the Labor, Commerce & Tribal Affairs Committee, is the sponsor of SB 5600.

Thursday, January 13
8 am

The Labor, Commerce & Tribal Affairs Committee will hear public testimony on Senate Bill 5600, which concerns the sustainability and expansion of Washington’s apprenticeship programs. The committee will also hear SB 5649, which makes improvements to the state’s successful Paid Family Leave program. Watch on TVW.

You can read more about the importance and need for apprenticeship programs in this Seattle Times op-ed from Sens. Keiser and Emily Randall: Help more students access quality job apprenticeships

IMPROVING WA’S APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS

Sen. Emily Randall is the sponsor of a bill to improve Washington's apprenticeship programs for students.

Thursday, January 13
1:30 pm

The Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee will hear public testimony on Senate Bill 5764, a policy sponsored by Sen. Emily Randall to improve Washington’s apprenticeship programs for students by increasing funding and making efforts to ensure their learning is reflected in academic credits. Watch on TVW.

You can read more about the importance and need for apprenticeship programs in this Seattle Times op-ed from Sens. Randall and Karen Keiser: Help more students access quality job apprenticeships

COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

Sen. Lisa Wellman, chair of the Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee and sponsor of SB 5537.

Friday, January 14
8 am

The Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee will hold a public hearing on SB 5537, which will change the age for compulsory school attendance from eight to five. Watch on TVW.

You can read more about this issue in this Seattle Times editorial: Not enroll in school until 8? Change state age requirement to 5

ACCESS TO DEMOCRACY

Sen. Rebecca Saldaña is sponsor of a bill to further strengthen the Washington Voting Rights Act.

Friday, January 14
10:30 am

The State Government & Elections Committee will hold a public hearing on legislation that builds on the 2018 access to democracy election reform bills. Senate Bill 5597 strengthens the protections for a truly representative democracy created in the original Washington Voting Rights Act. SB 5636 streamlines Washington’s Automatic Voter Registration program. Watch on TVW.

Here’s some coverage from 2018 from the Huffington Post of Washington’s efforts to improve voting access: Could One State Save American Democracy?