News Releases

OLYMPIA — Legislation passed unanimously today by the Senate would reduce the scope of wildfires by encouraging the removal of dead timber and other ground materials that help the fires spread. SB 6121, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Van De Wege (D-Lake Sutherland), would reduce the presence of common ground fuels ...

Legislation passed unanimously today by the Senate would maintain access to medical care in rural areas by broadening the types of service that may be performed by emergency medical technicians (EMTs) with advanced certification. SB 5940, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Van De Wege (D-Lake Sutherland), would increase workforce stability at ...

Legislation passed today by the Senate would help dispatchers focus on their complex duties, instead of stalled or lagging contract negotiations, by expanding the practice of binding interest arbitration used for first responders such as firefighters and law officers. SB 5640, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Van De Wege (D-Lake Sutherland), ...

Legislation proposed by Sen. Kevin Van De Wege (D-Lake Sutherland) would counter the growing incidence of wildfires by increasing the efficiency of incinerating potential forest ground fuels and by requiring fire-resistant materials in new houses built in potential wildfire areas. “The single biggest threat to our natural lands these days is ...

Legislation to erect a memorial to firefighters who die in the line of duty was passed today by the Senate State Government & Elections Committee. SB 5946 would build and maintain the memorial with funds from a non-appropriated account created to accept gifts and grants. “Since the first recorded line-of-duty death ...

Earlier this week the state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that a member of their team tragically passed away in the performance of her duties. After failing to check back with her team on the night of Jan. 23, Mary Valentine was reported missing the next morning to ...

Legislation passed today by the Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks Committee would update the state’s mitigation for losses caused by deer and elk to commercial crops. “This program was created in 1947 to encourage and support the farming industry and the revenues it brings our state, but its outdated ...

Legislation heard today by the Senate Ways & Means Committee would overhaul outdated state laws governing methods for catching salmon. “Our restrictions on fishing methods are badly in need of updating,” said Sen. Kevin Van De Wege (D-Sequim). “Improvements to pound nets and fish traps have been shown to be far ...

Public safety would be enhanced by establishing certification and training standards for emergency dispatchers, under legislation heard today by the Senate State Government & Elections Committee. “Right now, standards and practices vary across the state,” said Sen. Kevin Van De Wege (D-Sequim), who is also a career first responder. “I don’t ...

All courts and offices in the state’s judicial branch would be subject to the same open records laws as the rest of Washington government, under legislation scheduled to be heard Friday by the Senate State Government & Elections Committee. Until 2018, when the state Supreme Court ruled that state lawmakers’ offices ...