Last week, the Tri-Cities Legislative Council, Leadership Tri-Cities, and local businesses brought a group of over 80 citizens to Olympia to meet with our legislative representatives. Our goal was to discuss the 2025 legislative priorities and explore ways to successfully advocate for them.

You can review the 2025 Legislative Priorities in our previous blog post.

While in Olympia, the Tri-Cities delegation heard from Senators Boehnke, King, and Dozier. They provided valuable insights into the current political climate, emphasizing that despite Governor Ferguson’s positive outlook, the state budget remains tight, making it challenging to secure funding from the legislature.

We also had the opportunity to hear from two freshman representatives from the 14th Legislative District: Gloria Mendoza and Deb Manjarrez. They shared their experiences as first-year legislators and expressed enthusiasm for representing the Tri-Cities region.

In addition, Representative Connors, the Minority Floor Leader, visited our group. Now, in her second term, she is establishing herself as a strong voice in the legislature, and we are all proud of her accomplishments.

Our agenda included a visit from David Puente, Director of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs, whose presentation on the Veterans’ Cemetery generated significant interest and discussion. We also had a surprise visit from Joe Nguyen, the new Director of the Washington State Department of Commerce. His presentation was engaging, and we look forward to collaborating with him in the future.
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The day concluded with a Legislative Reception where we welcomed lawmakers from across the state. The Tri-Cities Legislative Council organizes this trip to Olympia every January. 

The Tri-Cities Legislative Council, comprised of the Pasco Chamber of Commerce, Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Tri-City Development Council (TRIDEC), Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce, Visit Tri-Cities, and West Richland Chamber of Commerce, recently completed its 2025 Legislative Priorities screening process. These legislative priorities represent inputs solicited from cities, counties, ports, community and not-for-profit organizations, public utilities, businesses, educational institutions, and other members of the community.

In addition to the five priorities outlined below, the Tri-Cities Legislative Council (TCLC) also supports the priorities of the community at large, as we continue working together to enhance regional collaboration for our collective benefit. We support our partners in their priority focuses, including agriculture and conservation, childcare, clean energy and transmission, economic development, education – early learning, K-12 and higher education – hospitality and tourism, housing, law enforcement and public safety, manufacturing and permitting reform, and transportation and infrastructure.

Priority #1: Battelle’s Energy Resources Testbed

The electricity demand in the Pacific Northwest is expected to grow by 30% over the next decade, requiring Washington State to expand power generation and transmission while transitioning to zero-carbon resources. With constrained transmission infrastructure limiting state-wide economic development, solutions such as energy storage, distributed energy resource management, and improved coordination of regional systems can optimize existing assets. Leveraging local resources, such as rooftop solar, can reduce transmission congestion; however, no unified pathway currently exists for grid-scale coordination. Battelle, operator of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), proposes a $4 million testbed to enhance the integration of distributed energy resources, leveraging PNNL’s state-supported facilities to ensure grid resilience and resource adequacy during this transition.

The Tri-Cities Legislative Council strongly supports $4 million for Battelle to develop a testbed at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to advance planning and operation capabilities to utilize distributed energy resources to provide grid services to ensure resource adequacy.

Priority #2: HB 1210 – Amending Targeted Urban Area Exemptions for Clean Energy Transformation Businesses

The Targeted Urban Areas (TUA) program authorized by the legislature in 2022 provides tax exemptions for qualifying manufacturing businesses that create new jobs. Richland established Washington's first TUA in 2023 with ATI Inc., a material company that serves the aerospace and defense industries. This success has spurred additional TUA projects, including Framatome, a clean energy supply chain manufacturer expanding advanced nuclear fuel production in collaboration with washington-based companies such as Terrapower. However, the current TUA construction timeline of up to five years is insufficient for heavily regulated or complex projects such as nuclear and hydrogen energy development. Extending this timeline aligns with Richland’s strategic plan to advance clean energy innovation in the Northwest Advanced Clean Energy Park.

The Tri-Cities Legislative Council strongly supports HB 1210 in amending the Targeted Urban Area (TUA) tax exemption to ensure that complex and highly regulated clean energy projects can access and fully utilize the legislative intent of the original TUA designation.

Priority #3: Tri-Cities Regional Transportation Feasibility Study

The Tri-Cities region has experienced rapid growth, adding 130,000 residents over the past 25 years, and projecting an additional 145,000 residents and 44,000 households by 2040. With 22,000 more vehicles expected on local roadways in the next two decades, the region’s infrastructure is at risk of being overwhelmed, as the average commute times are already increasing. To address this, local governments aim to proactively plan future road and freight infrastructure needs. The Benton-Franklin Council of Governments proposes a study to prioritize large-scale investments to reduce congestion and improve traffic flow. However, transportation funding processes often prioritize immediate crises, necessitating alternative funding to ensure that Tri-Cities remains ahead of rapid growth.

The Tri-Cities Legislative Council strongly supports one-time funding for a feasibility study to identify top priorities for large-scale regional transportation infrastructure investments.

Priority #4: The Mid-Columbia Children’s Museum

The Mid-Columbia Children's Museum (MCCM) is a grassroots initiative to create a children’s museum serving families in Tri-Cities and the surrounding regions of Southeastern Washington and Northeastern Oregon. Its mission is to provide an inclusive, engaging space that promotes STEAM learning, family interaction, and the development of lifelong learners. Since early 2023, the MCCM Founding Task Force has collaborated with the community to plan a museum that reflects local industries and offers hands-on career exploration opportunities. A privately funded feasibility study set for completion in early 2025 will guide decisions on the museum’s size, location, and operational plans. Following this, the project will move into the pre-concept and schematic design phases, which will solidify the vision for the museum and enable a building capital campaign, expediting the timeline to bring this valuable resource to the community.

The Tri-Cities Legislative Council supports $1.3 million for pre-concept and schematic design for the Mid-Columbia Children’s Museum.

Priority #5: Establishing a Tri-Cities Veterans Cemetery

Establishing a veteran cemetery in Tri-Cities is essential to providing a dignified final resting place for 46,000 veterans within a 75-mile radius, as identified by a 2017 feasibility study and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Currently, veterans in Southeastern Washington must choose between private or civilian cemeteries or travel to veteran cemeteries in Medical Lake or Kent. A Tri-Cities veterans cemetery, estimated to support 400 interments annually, would address this gap. Initial state funding would qualify the project for federal VA funding, covering up to 100% of the construction and ongoing operational costs. While the Governor’s proposed 2025-2027 budget includes $500,000 for pre-design work, it omits funding for property procurement, which is critical to moving the project forward. This cemetery honors veterans’ sacrifices and improves their families’ quality of life by addressing a pressing regional and statewide need.

The Tri-Cities Legislative Council strongly supports robust funding – including for pre-design work and property procurement – for the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs and its State Veteran Cemetery Program to continue its pursuit of a future Tri-Cities Veterans Cemetery.

You can view the complete Tri-Cities Legislative Council 2025 Legislative Priorities HERE

Congratulations to PorterKinney, PC - our Outstanding Member of the Month for January!

PorterKinney co-owners Walter Kinney and Chris Porter are both very engaged Chamber members - donating their time and expertise to the Chamber board and our Ask the Experts program. Additionally, PorterKinney recently increased their investment in the Chamber by upgrading to our Connect level of membership.
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Congratulations on the recognition and thank you for being Regional Chamber members!

Thank you to everyone who attended the State of Education K-12 Update Membership Luncheon on Wednesday, January 22.   Superintendents Dr. Traci Pierce of the Kennewick School District, Dr. Shelley Redinger of the Richland School District, and Michelle Whitney of the Pasco School District addressed the measures their districts are taking to prepare students for the workforce, the impactful ways they connect students with employers, how they’re incorporating career and technical education into their curriculum, and the resources they need to build for the future.  

Thank you to STCU for sponsoring the luncheon!

Congratulations to Sagebrush Employment Services on their ribbon cutting on Friday, January 17! Visit their new office at 201 N. Edison St., Ste. 233 in Kennewick.

Sagebrush provides a comprehensive range of support services designed to empower individuals in achieving their employment and life goals, through a person-centered and trauma-informed approach. They specialize in FCS supported employment and housing, helping individuals secure meaningful work and stable living environments. Learn more about Sagebrush here: https://sagebrushemployment.com/​.

You can view their ribbon cutting ceremony below.

Washington House Bill 1184, introduced in the 2025 legislative session, proposes a specific exemption from overtime pay requirements for certain small businesses and nonprofit organizations. The bill aims to adjust the overtime-exempt salary threshold to 1.5 times the state minimum wage for these entities, which is approximately 25% lower than the current threshold. 

Impact on Small Businesses

For small businesses with fewer than 50 employees, this adjustment would provide greater financial flexibility. By lowering the salary threshold required for employees to be exempt from overtime pay, these businesses may find it more manageable to classify certain employees as exempt, thereby reducing overtime expenses. This change is intended to help small businesses maintain operations without the added financial strain of higher overtime costs. 

Implications for Nonprofit Organizations

Nonprofit organizations, particularly those with fewer than 50 employees, would similarly benefit from the reduced overtime-exempt salary threshold. The adjustment acknowledges the unique financial constraints of nonprofits, allowing them to allocate resources more effectively toward their missions. By easing the overtime requirements, nonprofits can better manage staffing costs while continuing to serve their communities. 

Legislative Status

As of January 16, 2025, HB 1184 has been prefiled and referred to the House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards. A public hearing was held on January 15, 2025, to discuss the bill's provisions and gather input from stakeholders. 

In summary, HB 1184 seeks to create a narrow exemption from existing overtime provisions by lowering the salary threshold for overtime-exempt employees in small businesses and nonprofits. This legislative change aims to provide these organizations with increased financial flexibility, enabling them to manage labor costs more effectively while continuing to contribute to Washington State's economy and communities.

Congratulations to Benton County on the ribbon cutting ceremony for their new Elections Center! The 5,900-square-foot building was once a fire station, located behind Target and adjacent to the Benton County Justice Center at 7122 W. Okanogan Place, Building F, in Kennewick.

The Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce is co-hosting an event with Tri-Tech Skills Center and would like to extend an invitation for Chamber Member to join us. This event aims to help the business community gain a deeper understanding of the various programs offered by Tri-Tech and to help businesses find potential employees.  This month's event will focus on computers, construction, transportation, and manufacturing, but they offer 14 additional programs. 
 
Event Details:

• Date: February 11, 2025  
• Time: 12:00-1:30 pm 
• Location: Tri-Tech Event Center; 5929 W Metaline Ave, Kennewick, WA 99336

RSVP by January 24. Any questions go to Lisa Arneson at: [email protected].

Congratulations to StretchLab Tri-Cities on their Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening Ceremony on Friday, January 10! StretchLab is a fitness studio that offers assisted stretching sessions to help improve flexibility, range of motion, and overall well-being. Visit them at 825 N Edison, Suite 170 in Kennewick.