Advocacy Update 2/2/2024

​Local lawmaker bills are making progress.

​Tri-City Regional lawmakers have introduced bills into the 2024 Legislative Session that began on January 8, 2024. Each year hundreds of bills get introduced and many fail to make it past the first gate.  The first half of the legislative session is almost over, and local Legislative Representatives are making progress. Here are a few examples.

​​Representative Stephanie Barnard from the 8th Legislative District  recently had success moving HB 2120 out of the House Finance Committee. Her bill would make it possible to allow cities to extend certain tax exemptions for nuclear facilities, to continue research and development in Clean Energy. 

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Another 8th Legislative District Representative, April Connors, has managed to usher HB 2464 out of the House Committee on Housing.  The bill would open additional land within an Urban Growth Area for new manufactured home communities. This bill could assist in alleviating the housing crunch across the state. 

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​Expanding training programs at our state corrections center was the target of Representative Mary Dye, from the 9th Legislative District. A feasibility study authorized by HB 2210 would help determine if a wild horse training, holding and farrier program would fit into the Washington State Correction system.

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​​Representative Mark Klicker from the 16th Legislative District has  HB 2428 a bill that would alter the way Cities and Counties can share certain tax revenues. The bill would allow interlocal agreements between local governments or other public agencies to cooperatively conduct government activities. 

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​​Fifty five representatives signed on to support Representative Skyler Rude’s HB 1915. Representative Rude’s bill was passed unanimously out of the House Committee on Education. The bill would make financial education instruction a graduation requirement. The bill has strong bipartisan support. 

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​Each of these bills will still needs to be passed on the floor of the House before February 13th and go through the Senate process before they will become law.