In this update, I share information about Gov. Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order, as well as helpful websites for you to find resources related to the COVID-19 pandemic. You can read the entire e-newsletter here.
Tag Archives: Sen. Curtis King
Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, today proposed that the $196 million expected from Boeing in 2020-21 from the aerospace tax incentive reform bill be used to fund fish passage projects around the state.
“Our plan would allow Washington to finally begin work on an extremely expensive project that will impact many roads and highways throughout the state,” said King, the ranking Republican on the Senate Transportation Committee. “We are required by federal court to remove barriers that prevent fish from reaching spawning habitat, but the state hasn’t been able to identify a reliable funding source to allow us to truly start this extensive project – until now. This plan that I am offering will allow the state to improve fish passages without affecting other important road and highway projects.”
King touted the strengths of such a plan:
- Fixing fish passage is required by a 2013 U.S. District Court injunction that requires the state to significantly increase the effort for removing state-owned culverts that block habitat for salmon and steelhead by 2030. (In June 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 4-4 on the case, leaving the lower court order in place.)
- The plan’s first priority would be to fix fish passages that open the most amount of habitat.
- The plan’s secondary priority would allow the state Department of Transportation to move fish passage projects up the priority list depending on partnership opportunities, prioritizing projects with no or low downstream barriers, project readiness, geographic bundling, fixing the most degraded culverts first and input from the public particularly affected tribes.
- Increasing salmon habitat should increase the amount of salmon.
- Increasing the amount of salmon should increase the amount of orca.
- Increasing the amount of salmon should benefit tribal members who so heavily depend on salmon resources.
- Increasing the amount of salmon should benefit the recreational and commercial fishing communities.
- Funding a capital program like salmon habitat remediation would allow maximum flexibility if the Boeing/Airbus WTO dispute is resolved and aerospace could once again obtain a tax incentive ending the proposed revenue stream for this fish barrier fix. Funding salaries and operating programs create a “bow wave” effect with the budget. However, funding capital projects can be done as money is available. If the aerospace money source ends, the fish passage obligation does not and it would just require finding an additional funding source.
Along with Sen. Marko Liias (D-Lynnwood), King is a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 6690, which would capture the projected $196 million from Boeing during 2020-21. It is possible that the projected funds could be cut short if the bill’s trigger mechanism is activated through settlement of the WTO dispute. However, it is also possible that more fish passage could be remediated since the $196 million only accounts for expected revenue from the Boeing portion of the aerospace sector.
To see a state Department of Transportation table of the fish passage projects that could be funded by this plan, click here. To see a table by WSDOT that shows fish passage projects along with their costs, click here.
Residents of the 14th Legislative District will have a chance to learn more about issues before the 2020 Legislature by taking part in a one-hour telephone town hall meeting Thursday, Feb. 20, hosted by Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima.
During the town hall, which begins at 6 p.m., King will discuss key issues before the Legislature, as well as bills he is sponsoring.
“Telephone town hall meetings provide a convenient way for people in our district to find out what’s happening this legislative session, ask me questions and offer input,” King said. “It also lets me stay in touch with constituents even though I’m in Olympia, and it gives people a chance to hear from me about the session just by picking up the phone.”
Residents in the 14th District are encouraged to ask questions during the telephone town hall meeting, but they may also submit them in advance by emailing King at curtis.king@leg.wa.gov.
While thousands of district residents will receive a phone call just before the telephone town hall meeting to encourage them to participate, residents may also take part by dialing 509-408-1571.
The 60-day 2020 legislative session is scheduled to end March 12.
Three bills introduced this legislative session by 14th District Sen. Curtis King were signed into law today by Gov. Jay Inslee.
One of the proposals, Senate Bill 5909, authorizes licensed liquor manufacturers to contract with licensed bottlers to have alcoholic beverages placed in cans, bottles and bags, and to mix products before packaging. King sponsored the proposal at the request of a Yakima bottling company. The Senate and House unanimously approved it.
“In working with the Liquor and Cannabis Board, we were able to craft a bill that will help protect jobs and create new ones,” said King, R-Yakima.
The two other King-sponsored measures that the governor approved are Substitute Senate Bill 5394 and Substitute Senate Bill 5471.
SSB 5394 allows liquor manufacturers and distributors to use websites or social media accounts to share promotional information about events featuring their products that will be held at a retailer’s location or a licensed special-occasion event. The Senate passed the bill 45-2, and the House approved it 90-6.
“The current state law on this issue was confusing, so this bill clarifies what is allowed at special events,” said King. “It will allow breweries and wineries to better support nonprofit charitable events where they are serving their products.”
SSB 5471 changes the validity of a temporary elevator mechanic license from 30 days to one year, and increases the number of members on the Elevator Safety Advisory Committee from seven to nine. It received unanimous approval by the Senate and House.
The 105-day legislative session is scheduled to adjourn Sunday.
The state Senate today paid tribute to the retiring manager of the Central Washington State Fair and honored a Yakima auto dealership for its youth program promoting perfect school attendance.
The Senate passed Senate Resolution 8630, which honors Selah resident Greg Stewart for his 48-year career dedicated to the state’s fair industry, including 47 years as general manager of the Central Washington State Fair. The resolution was sponsored by 15th District Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside. Sens. Curtis King, R-Yakima, and Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, co-sponsored the measure.
“We are losing a fantastic director of the fair, and he’s done so much for it,” said Honeyford.
Reflecting on the historical context, Honeyford recalled, “At statehood there were several cities vying to be the capital. As politicians do, they divided the spoils. Olympia got the capital, Walla Walla got the state penitentiary, Ellensburg got the normal school, and Yakima got the original Washington State Fair.”
In 1972, Stewart was hired as assistant general manager of the Central Washington State Fair and was appointed general manager a year later. Under Stewart’s leadership, the fair doubled in length to a 10-day event. The Central Washington State Fair now has 181 event days.
“Greg is retiring this year and will be sorely missed,” Honeyford added. “We look at all the accomplishments while he was with the fair. We just celebrated the 125th anniversary a couple of years ago. Under his leadership, it has grown. We have the Sun Dome, the State Park raceway and the Yakima County Stadium. This is all due to the leadership of Mr. Stewart.”
Last October, Stewart received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Washington State Fairs Association.
King resolution honors Bud Clary Toyota
The Senate also approved Senate Resolution 8653, which honors Bud Clary Toyota for creating the Perfect Attendance Creates Excellence program, through which elementary-school students in Yakima, Longview and Moses Lake who complete a school year with perfect attendance receive a new bicycle and helmet from the auto dealer and others. The resolution was introduced by King, who serves the 14th District.
During his speech seeking support for the resolution, King praised the dealership not only for starting the youth program but also for partnering with Entrust Community Services so people with disabilities can help assemble the bicycles for students who achieved perfect attendance.
“This is what this company is about,” said King. “It’s not just about selling cars, it’s about community service. That is demonstrated not only by this program that gives away bicycles for perfect attendance, but the way Bud Clary developed this partnership with Entrust just carries it one step further. I’m very pleased to stand today and honor Bud Clary Toyota for their community involvement and what they have meant to our valley and the kids who have received these bicycles.”
King’s resolution notes the PACE program has donated more than 4,000 new bicycles and helmets to elementary school students since it began in 2012.
The 105-day legislative session is scheduled to end April 28.
Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, has been chosen by his caucus to serve in a key role on two Senate committees as the 2019 legislative session begins today.
King returns as ranking Republican on the Senate Transportation Committee, a position he held last year after serving as the committee’s chair from 2015 to 2017. He said the top priority in the Transportation Committee this session will be developing a new two-year state transportation budget.
“The committee chair, Senator Hobbs, is promoting a new transportation package that includes a new carbon fuels tax, something I can’t support,” said King. “We’ll have to try to work through that.”
King plans to introduce a proposal to move sales-tax revenue generated by automobile sales from the state general fund into the state transportation budget.
“It makes more sense to put tax revenue from sales of cars and trucks into transportation instead of the general fund,” said King, noting that such a sales-tax transfer could mean up to $2 billion over a period of four biennial budgets (eight years). “I know this proposal will be a tough sell, but if we invest that money properly in transportation, the amount of taxes that would come back into the general fund would greatly help to offset that loss.”
King also has been selected by his caucus as ranking Republican on the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee. He said he is working hard on a bill to revise the prevailing-wage bill passed by the Legislature last year.
“I feel like the new prevailing-wage law was interpreted and implemented incorrectly by the Department of Labor and Industries, so we’re going to work diligently to see if we can get that changed,” said King.
It is rare that a senator is selected to be the ranking member on two Senate committees.
“I am extremely honored and pleased that my caucus had such confidence in me,” said King.
King also serves on the Senate Rules Committee, which selects which bills reach the Senate floor for consideration by the full Senate after they have been approved by Senate policy or budget committees.
The 2019 legislative session lasts 105 days and is scheduled to end April 28.