OLYMPIA – Following an internal vote by the Senate Democratic Caucus Thursday, Sen. Marko Liias (D-Everett) was re-elected chair of the Senate Transportation Committee for the upcoming 2023 session.
“I’m honored that my colleagues have continued to place their trust in me to lead this crucial committee,” said Liias, who was first selected to chair the committee before the 2022 session. “I look forward to another session of prioritizing the needs of all Washingtonians.”
Under Liias’ leadership, the Legislature last session approved a 17-year, nearly $17 billion transportation package dubbed Move Ahead Washington. The climate-centered package invests in public transportation and road maintenance projects across the state. Key policies from the package, including provisions allowing those 18 and under to ride public transportation for free, have already gone into effect.
“We’ve come a long way in addressing the transportation needs of our communities, but our work is far from complete,” Liias said. “From traffic safety to increased access to transit services, I’m eager to continue passing policies that support our neighbors in every corner of the state.”
Liias will continue to serve on the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee. The Senate is scheduled to confirm all committee roles by vote on Jan. 9, the first day of the 2023 legislative session.
Information about participating in legislative hearings can be found at leg.wa.gov. Hearings as well as floor votes are streamed live on TVW.org, and recordings are available to view in TVW’s archive.
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