In my report following the end of the legislative session, I discuss the governor’s decision to veto sections of the bipartisan budget update and the ceremony I attended to honor Klickitat County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael J. McNabb, who was killed in the line of duty 30 years ago on State Route 14.
Read my entire update here.
The 2014 legislative session began today, and my priorities this year continue to be reforming state government to make it more efficient, more effective and less costly to taxpayers. In even years such as this, the session lasts only 60 days which leaves very little time to get a great deal of work accomplished. However, I am excited about the coming challenges we’ll be facing and working collaboratively with my Democrat colleagues to find amicable solutions to our state’s problems.
Perhaps the biggest issue we’ll face this year is in the area of transportation. I serve as co-chair of the Senate Transportation Committee and have been extremely active during the 2013 interim working on transportation issues. The Majority Coalition Caucus (MCC) held ten “feedback forums” in ten different Washington cities last fall to listen to your concerns regarding transportation. That feedback helped shape our MCC transportation proposal which begins with a series of much-needed reforms. You can find our list of proposed reforms here. Continue reading
One final issue I’m looking into is an unforseen burden being placed on the judicial system in Skamania County. As you know, Washington State parks – such as Beacon Rock and Spring Creek Hatchery – now require that a Discover Pass be purchased from the state before vehicles can enter the property to use any facilities or recreate.
It seems that many people are either ignoring that requirement or are apparently unaware that the area at which they are stopping is, in fact, a state park. As a result, the state has issued a multitude of fines against these individuals, causing an enormous backlog within Skamania County’s judicial system. Continue reading
