Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I’m pleased to share that the Legislature has adjourned for the 2016 session. The Legislature required a special session, but the modifications to the budgets have now been approved. As you may know, the Legislature approves two-year state budgets. The two-year budgets approved in 2015 address funding for fiscal years 2015-2017. The Legislature will likely not reconvene again until January 2017 to develop the budgets for 2017-2019.

As can be expected, there were major “differences of opinion” on this year’s modifications to the existing budgets, commonly referred to as “supplemental” budgets. I favored minor adjustments. Some legislators here in Olympia had other ideas, which included increasing spending for the remainder of the 2015-2017 biennium and making transfers from an important reserve account. This approach would have left us with less in savings and made budgeting in future years much more challenging.

The original House-approved supplemental budget, which I voted against on February 25, proposed to utilize nearly $470 million from the state’s Budget Stabilization Account. This account, approved by voters in 2007, grows gradually as the state experiences “extraordinary revenue growth” during good economic years and is intended – in my opinion – to be utilized for emergency purposes. Fortunately, this original version did not advance.

The final budget approved in the special session this week, which I voted for, did not unnecessarily leverage the Budget Stabilization Account. The budget the Legislature just approved utilizes $190 million from this account for wildfire-related costs and reimbursements. The wildfires were indeed a state emergency and occurred last summer after the existing 2015-2017 budget had been approved. Our fire emergencies justify both the need for modifications to the existing budget and some additional spending.

2016 Supplemental Operating Budget

•  $38.4 billion two-year budget ($190 million increase)
•  $577 million projected ending fund balance
•  $701 million projected Budget Stabilization Account ending balance
•  $41 million for mental health investments
•  $5.2 million for teacher recruitment and shortages
•  $31 million for higher education
•  More information on House Bill 2376 – click here

I am also pleased to share that this week’s vote on the Capital Budget provided some much-needed supplemental funding for infrastructure projects supported by me and my fellow 12th District legislators. These projects provide assistance to areas impacted by the 2014 Carlton Complex Fire as well as new design funds for a potential emergency operations center in Chelan County.

2016 Supplemental Capital Budget

•  $1.1 million for Phase 2 Pateros Water System
•  $1.84 million Phase 1 funding was provided in the 2015 budget
•  $500,000 for Phase 2 Twisp Civic Center/Emergency Response Facility
•  $500,000 Phase 1 funding was provided in the 2015 budget
•  $209,000 for Phase 1 Chelan County Emergency Operations Center
•  More information on House Bill 2380 – click here

Historic Veto Overrides

In order for bills to become law, they must pass the House and Senate and then be signed into law by the Governor. The Governor also has the option to veto bills, which is usually a deathblow for any legislation. As you may have heard, Governor Inslee vetoed 27 bills on March 11 in response to the Legislature not yet agreeing on modifications for the two-year budgets. This disappointed and angered many of the legislators who worked hard to pass their various policy bills. Once the two-year budget agreements were reached, the Legislature decided to pursue overriding those 27 vetoes. Bills vetoed by the Governor can only be overridden with a two-thirds vote in both chambers – House and Senate. While the Legislature took this action with the Governor’s support, it is a highly unusual step in the legislative process…and an interesting civics lesson as well.

Signing Off from Olympia!

I work hard to represent you and to be your voice at the Capitol. As legislators, we are not perfect and don’t always get things right, but I believe the final budgets approved this week are good for our district and much improved over the previous versions presented.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you!

Sincerely,

Brad Hawkins

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn on March 10. I am excited about the possibility the 60-day session could end on time. It has been a fast-paced session, filled with plenty of debate and discussion. I am thankful that both sides have been able to work together reasonably well again this year. The two-year budgets approved last session – and the adjustments likely to be made this session – should continue to benefit the State of Washington. If the state continues to budget responsibly, demonstrates a prudent use of your tax dollars, and makes wise investments in our key services, the near and long-term outlook for us could be very positive.

Update on Supplemental Budgets

As I mentioned in previous updates, the Legislature is focusing on updates to its existing two-year budgets. The three state budgets are the operating, transportation, and capital budgets. Click the following link to read a summary of the three budgets and click this link to learn more about the state budgeting process. In order for each budget to be submitted to the Governor for his signature, it must pass both the House and the Senate in an identical form. Both the House and Senate have approved their own budget proposals. In these final days, the negotiators for each of the budgets, in consultation with legislators from both chambers, try to find a compromise on the final details. The proposed House-Senate compromise budgets then come before their respective chambers for amendments, debate, consideration, and approval. We should know more over the next few days, if lawmakers will agree to make minor modifications rather than seeking and holding out for more significant changes. In my opinion, supplemental budgets are intended for minor updates not anticipated since the original two-year budget was approved. Some political leverage is already beginning to be used to urge passage of a supplemental budget. Click here to read what the governor has said recently about the budget process. My hope and expectation is that our work will end on time. Here is a link to access more details about the budget proposals.

My Prime-Sponsored Bills

Two of my three prime-sponsored bills were approved by the Legislature this session.

House Bill 1003 was inspired and requested by the Pateros School District following the 2014 Carlton Complex Fire that caused over $2 million in damage to its only school building. The measure would pull state resources together to develop a model policy to guide school districts following natural disasters, such as wildfires, mudslides, earthquakes, and flooding. The bill was recently approved unanimously by the Senate but it was amended slightly and is awaiting a final vote in the House of Representatives. Click here to read more about House Bill 1003.

House Bill 1752 was requested by Chelan County to modernize a 1950s law related to the county staff-level position of chief examiner. A chief examiner maintains records and testing procedures for civil service positions in counties. A chief examiner is a staff-level, non-elected position usually within a county’s human resources division. Under current law, a county’s chief examiner must reside within the county. My bill relieves counties of this strict residency requirement by allowing employees who serve in this role to live within the county or an adjacent county. The bill is awaiting the Governor’s signature. Click here to learn more about House Bill 1752.

House Bill 2348 to provide local governments with more flexibility related to fireworks ordinances was approved by its committee, but it did not advance further. It had 40 bipartisan co-sponsors and garnered the support of cities, counties, firefighters, and other statewide associations but, ultimately, the bill did not advance through the House due to concerns expressed by both the fireworks industry and tribes. One of my colleagues a couple years ago said, “Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want.” In short, I gained a lot of experience in trying to advance this bill this year. My hope is to leverage this experience in future years in representing our district. Click here to read more about House Bill 2348.

A Blast from the Past!

Twenty years ago, the Legislature convened during the winter for a 60-day session. The year was 1996 and the Republicans served in the majority. East Wenatchee’s Clyde Ballard was the Speaker of the House and Wenatchee’s Dale Foreman was the Majority Leader. It was a unique and memorable time for our 12th District as this pairing of high-level leadership positions from the same legislative district may likely never happen again. I admired both of these legislators greatly.

As a young 20-year old, I deferred my winter quarter of undergraduate school to serve on legislative staff for the House Appropriations Committee. I really enjoyed my time here in Olympia and learned a great deal during the 1996 session. Some of my staff colleagues were certainly amazed that the Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader knew me personally and called me by name whenever we crossed paths in the capitol. The 1996 legislative session was my first of two sessions working at the capitol during college.

My photograph with the legendary Speaker of the House Clyde Ballard.

Legislative Page Program

As you can tell, past legislators from our area treated me very kindly when I worked here, and I enjoy the opportunity to do the same for the next generation. I know from personal experience how memorable and beneficial it can be to work at the capitol and  learn about our state government process. The Legislative Page Program provides youth between the ages of 14 and 16 to spend one week at the capitol, delivering legislative correspondence, assisting members in House chambers, and attending Page School.

Legislative Page Pilar Cuevas in the House chambers

This session, Pilar Cuevas, a sophomore at Wenatchee High School, and Bradley Moberg, a ninth grader at Eastmont Junior High, served as legislative pages. Having students come to the capitol to participate in the legislative process by serving as pages is a long-standing tradition in our state.

Both Pilar and Bradley enjoyed the time they spent here. Bradley is on the varsity swim team and plays the piano. Pilar is a leader in Wenatchee AVID, a program aimed at closing the achievement gap by helping students prepare for college and future success.

Legislative Page Bradley Moberg at my House desk.

Recent Radio Interviews

Click the links below to listen to recent radio interviews.

• KOHO Radio
• KOZI Radio
• KPQ It’s Your Turn

Thank you again for the opportunity to serve as your state representative.

Stay tuned this week for additional details as we work to approve final budgets and adjourn the session!

Sincerely,

Brad Hawkins
State Representative Brad Hawkins
12th Legislative District

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The 2016 Legislative session is scheduled to adjourn March 10. Both the House and Senate are working to finalize adjustments to the existing two-year operating, transportation, and capital budgets. As I discussed in a previous update, small changes to the already approved two-year spending plans are made in the even-numbered years like 2016. Over the next week, lawmakers will likely reach agreements on the three supplemental budgets. I will share more detailed information on the results of those discussions in next week’s update. Read more about the Senate and House budget and funding proposals.

2016 Apple Blossom Royal Court Visits the State Capitol

I was honored to host the Apple Blossom Royalty in Olympia this week. Spring in the Wenatchee Valley brings thoughts of orchards, fields, and apple blossoms. The Washington State Apple Blossom Festival promotes our traditions and agricultural heritage by sending its royalty as ambassadors to various locations and events throughout the state.

Read Governor Inslee’s twitter post on the Apple Blossom Royalty visit at the capitol.

It was a real pleasure to spend some quality time with Queen Kori Martin, Princess Emily Holmes, and Princess Sami Everhart. It is wonderful to have such an intelligent and poised group of young women to represent our region. The ladies met with Representative Condotta, Senator Parlette, Secretary of State Kim Wyman, and Governor Jay Inslee. I also introduced them to many of my House and Senate colleagues, and the ladies proudly distributed Applets and Cotlets throughout the capitol. The Senate also passed a resolution honoring the festival. Read Senate Resolution 8728.

2016 Apple Blossom Royalty Song and interview

The debut of the royalty song about the festival is beginning to become a bit of a tradition for my office. The girls did a fabulous job to the tune of another Taylor Swift song this year. Please check out their song video here. Here is a video of my interview of the Apple Blossom Royalty visit to the capitol.

Secretary of State Helps Register Royalty to Vote

One of the many highlights of the day was the time we spent with Secretary of State Kim Wyman, which included registering and pre-registering the royal court to vote in the upcoming election and future elections. Most people might not realize that state law allows pre-registration to vote for youth who are 17 but will turn 18 by election day. It’s so fun to see young people being involved in their state government.

The ladies also enjoyed some laughs throughout the day, like when they practiced applying official state seals in the Secretary of State’s office. We definitely packed the royal court’s schedule, but they always managed to not only do an outstanding job representing our area – but having fun and being genuine during the process. I’d like to thank them again for the visit and thank everyone in the Wenatchee Valley who sponsors and supports the Apple Blossom Festival. The festival on April 28 – May 8, 2016 will indeed be Simply the Best!

As always, I appreciate hearing your questions, concerns and comments. It is an honor to serve as your state representative.

Sincerely,

Brad Hawkins

State Representative Brad Hawkins
12th Legislative District
E-mail: brad.hawkins@leg.wa.gov 
Web site: www.representativebradhawkins.com
122G Legislative Building – P.O. Box 40600 | Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7832 or Toll-free: (800) 562-6000

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The Legislature is now two-thirds of the way through its 60-day session.  In these final weeks, both the House and Senate will be considering each other’s policy bills and making adjustments to the current two-year budgets. I am very appreciative of your emails, phone calls and letters on legislative issues. Thank you for your input in this process.

Agricultural update

Our region’s connection to the land and natural resources is significant. For over a century, fruit, grains, and livestock have been at the heart of our economy and culture. The production, processing, storing and distribution of crops and products plays a critical role in the livelihoods of many of our residents, helping to feed millions of people around the world. Safeguarding our land and natural resources helps preserve our agricultural base.

As your elected representative, I have received the Friend of the Farm Bureau Award for consistently supporting and promoting legislation that helps the agricultural industry. I would like to thank the Farm Bureau and its membership for this recognition. I am glad to have played a part in helping this important industry thrive and grow.

House Passed Bills in the Senate

Here are some highlights of House bills in the final stages of the legislative process that would support agriculture and protect our natural resources. All of these bills are currently being considered in the Senate:

House Bill 2478 – Would create a pilot project to help develop best practices for landowners and land managers to reduce noxious weeds and replace them with pollinator-friendly native plants to help support honey bee access to pollen and nectar-rich plants.

House Bill 2634 – Would direct The Dairy Products Commission to conduct research and education on the economic uses of nutrients produced by dairy farms.

House Bill 2925 – Would allow livestock owners or their employees to retrieve or care for livestock during a fire suppression response.

House Bill 2928 – Directs DNR to create a forest resiliency burning pilot project on fire-prone land in coordination with other forest health collaboratives to help protect, preserve and expand safe and responsible use of prescribed fires on the Washington landscape.

House Bill 2493 – The Lands Group, consisting of representatives from natural resource agencies, local government and other organizations, would be extended by five additional years. This group is responsible for creating a biennial forecast of land acquisition and disposal plans, as well as monitoring the success of those acquisitions.

Staying Connected

Are you looking for ways to stay informed on what is happening in Olympia?

• TVW is the state’s own version of C-SPAN, broadcasting floor and committee action live online.
• State budget and fiscal information, including interactive fiscal reports, budget information, and maps.
• Legislature’s website has bill reports, committee agendas and information about upcoming activities.
• The Capitol Buzz is a daily list of state-wide online news stories.
• The Current is an online legislative publication from the Washington House Republicans.
• Click here for my audio tracks and recent broadcasts.

Thank you for the honor of serving as your state representative.

Sincerely,

Brad Hawkins

State Representative Brad Hawkins
12th Legislative District
E-mail: brad.hawkins@leg.wa.gov 
Web site: www.representativebradhawkins.com
122G Legislative Building – P.O. Box 40600 | Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7832 or Toll-free: (800) 562-6000

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

This week has been a busy week here in Olympia. Yesterday was the cutoff date for bills to pass the House for consideration in the Senate. Fortunately, two of my bills (House Bill 1003 and House Bill 1752) successfully passed the House and are now being considered in the Senate. In fact, both bills received public hearings today.

House Bill 1003 was approved by the House on Jan. 27 by a vote of 96 to 1. This bill would pull state resources and agencies together to develop a model policy to guide school districts following natural disasters, such as wildfires, mudslides, and earthquakes. The legislation is in response to the Pateros School District, which suffered more than $2 million of damage to its only school building during the Carlton Complex Fire in 2014. Click here to read more about House Bill 1003.

I was pleased that House Bill 1003 received a hearing this morning. More importantly, I am thankful that the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee was willing to accommodate my request to allow video-conference testimony from the Pateros School District. This was an idea from Superintendent Lois Davies. Thanks to the good help from the staff at North Central Educational Service District, we were able to make this happen!

Pateros School District Superintendent Lois Davies testifies by video-conference before the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee.

The Senate has been allowing limited remote testimony in other committees, but this is the first time this particular committee has allowed it. As you know, travelling to Olympia during the winter is difficult for many constituents because of the distance and terrain. This results in constituents from the west side of the state being more visible in the legislature. My hope is that today’s testimony will create more opportunities in the future for educators in our area to have their voices heard in Olympia.

Another bill of mine that received a hearing today was House Bill 1752. This bill passed the House last Thursday, Feb. 11, by a vote of 92 to 4. A chief examiner is a staff-level, non-elected position usually within a county’s human resources division. Under current law, a county’s chief examiner must reside within the county. House Bill 1752 would relieve counties of this strict residency requirement by allowing employees who serve in this role to live within the county or an adjacent county. Click here to read more about House Bill 1752.

Left to right:  Cathy Mulhall, Chelan County Administrator, Rep. Hawkins, Chelan County Commissioner Keith Goehner, Katie Batson, Human Resources Director

Education Roundtable Town Hall

We rarely have breaks in the legislative process but when we do, I welcome the opportunity to come home and connect with constituents. A window of time recently came together to participate in an Education Roundtable Town Hall discussion at the North Central Educational Service District Building this Friday, Feb. 19 from 4:00 – 5:00 pm.  Click here to view more information.

Traveling to Olympia to share your thoughts in person is a big commitment, so please consider coming to Wenatchee to share your thoughts with me. If not, feel free to contact my office anytime with questions or comments.

Sincerely,

Brad Hawkins

State Representative Brad Hawkins
12th Legislative District
E-mail: brad.hawkins@leg.wa.gov 
Web site: www.representativebradhawkins.com
122G Legislative Building – P.O. Box 40600 | Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7832 or Toll-free: (800) 562-6000

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

We have reached the halfway point of the scheduled 60-day legislative session. Feb. 5 was the final day for House committees to consider bills introduced in the House. Feb. 17 is the final day for House bills to pass the full House. As a result, we are now focusing our time on final action on House bills that have been approved by their committees.

Washington State Budgeting

The Washington State Legislature meets on a part-time basis each January. One of the primary roles of the Legislature is to approve state budgets. The state enacts budgets on a two-year cycle, called a biennium. The 2015-17 biennium began on July 1 and will remain in effect through June 30, 2017.  The two-year budgets can be modified when the Legislature convenes in the even-numbered years, like this year. It is common for the Legislature to update and modify the state’s existing budgets. These revised budgets are known as supplemental budgets.

Washington state has three different budgets. Here is a brief description of each:

• The operating budget provides for the daily operating expenses of the state, including K-12 and higher education, health and human services and public safety. Since the enactment of the 2015-17 budget, we have seen modest revenue growth.  However, there has also been an increase in our projected maintenance level costs.  Although these costs are up, due in large part to an adjustment related to Medicaid managed care rates, lawmakers are looking at ways to prevent any potential shortfalls. The current 2015-17 operating budget is $38.2 billion.

• The capital budget is often called the “bricks and mortar” budget because it pays for public facilities, including the construction at colleges, prisons and state buildings. This budget invests in many infrastructure improvement projects throughout our state. It includes funding for additional school classroom space and in the past has provided loans to local governments for sewers, parks and other uses. The current 2015-17 capital budget is $3.7 billion.

• The transportation budget provides for the maintenance, preservation and operation of the state’s highways, bridges and ferries. It also funds the Washington State Patrol and the Department of Transportation. Having an effective transportation system is critical to our state and local economy. This budget is approved every two years and is often updated during the 60-day sessions. This budget funds the day-to-day operations of the transportation system and is separate from any transportation revenue package to fund new projects. The current 2015-17 transportation budget is $7.6 billion.

With each of these budgets, it is important that the Legislature make wise decisions that efficiently invest your hard-earned tax dollars. For more information on the state budgeting process, please click here.

KPQ “It’s Your Turn” Show

As always, I appreciate hearing any of your questions, concerns or comments. Occasionally, I even get the opportunity to do this live! Last week, I was a guest on KPQ’s “It’s Your Turn” show where I discussed issues before the Legislature and took calls from listeners. Please click here to listen to last week’s broadcast.

If you have any further questions, please contact my office anytime at (360) 786-7832, toll-free at (800) 562-6000, or by email at brad.hawkins@leg.wa.gov.

Thank you for allowing me to represent you in Olympia.

Sincerely,

Brad Hawkins

State Representative Brad Hawkins
12th Legislative District
E-mail: brad.hawkins@leg.wa.gov 
Web site: www.representativebradhawkins.com
122G Legislative Building – P.O. Box 40600 | Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7832 or Toll-free: (800) 562-6000

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

One of the things I enjoy most about being a state representative is the opportunity to meet and talk with you. Serving constituents is, and always will be, my office’s number one priority. I welcome your letters, emails, and calls. When contacting me, please list your address so that we can identify you as a constituent and prioritize our responses to you.

One of the privileges of being your representative is the many visits people make to Olympia to share their ideas in person. I thought it would be fun to share photos from some recent visits, which include students, teachers, firefighters, and city officials. If you are planning a trip to Olympia in the next few weeks, please contact my office and set up a time for us to meet.

12th District Firefighters – (left to right) Jake Hepper, Rep. Brad Hawkins, Kelly Lindemann (at desk), Pat Moore, Clint Webley.
Wenatchee High School sports medicine students – (left to right) Rep. Brad Hawkins, Julia Lobe and Kayli Brown.
Wenatchee School District – (left to right) Diana Haglund (Wenatchee Learns), Rep. Brad Hawkins, Dennis Conger (Director of Career and Technical Education Wenatchee High School), and Julia Spangler of Wenatchee (Washington FFA President).
City of Chelan – (left to right) Councilmember Mike Steele, Councilmember Erin McCardle, Mayor Mike Cooney, Rep. Brad Hawkins, Councilmember Wendy Isenhart, Councilmember Kelly Allen.

For those of you who may not be aware, the 12th Legislative District includes Chelan and Douglas counties and parts of Grant and Okanogan counties. Here is a link to the district map. This area includes the Wenatchee Valley, Lake Chelan, Leavenworth, and Methow Valley, making this region one of the best and most beautiful destinations for tourism and outdoor recreation. We also have many agricultural areas and natural resources. It’s truly a privilege and honor to live in and represent such an incredible district.

Tune in to your local radio stations

I invite you to tune in to local radio stations to listen to our 12th District legislative updates. Our local radio stations have provided a great opportunity to communicate with you about events happening at the Legislature.  My seatmates, Rep. Cary Condotta and Sen. Linda Evans Parlette, and I regularly call into our radio stations.  I encourage you to listen in!

• Fridays 7:15 – 7:30 a.m. KOHO 101.1 FM Click here to listen to last week’s interview.
• Fridays 7:30 – 7:45 a.m. KOZI 1230 AM Click here to listen to last week’s interview.
• Wednesdays 1:00 – 1:30 p.m. – KPQ 560 AM The “Legislative Hotline” is returning!

Also, this Friday, Feb. 5, at 1 p.m., I will be a guest on “It’s Your Turn” on KPQ 560 AM.
Last week, I was interviewed about education issues by KONA. Click here to listen to this interview.

Thank you for keeping in touch with me, I value your input. Please share this email update with your friends and neighbors. If anyone reading this is not a subscriber to my email updates but would like to be, please click here to sign up.

Thank you again for the opportunity to serve as your State Representative!

Sincerely,

Brad Hawkins

State Representative Brad Hawkins
12th Legislative District
E-mail: brad.hawkins@leg.wa.gov 
Web site: www.representativebradhawkins.com
122G Legislative Building – P.O. Box 40600 | Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7832 or Toll-free: (800) 562-6000

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Greetings from Olympia! We are into the third week of the 60-day session here at the Capitol, and committees are busy holding public hearings on bills. Some of those bills will make it to the House floor for a vote by the full House of Representatives.

This week I would like to share information with you about some of the important education bills that recently passed the House and are now headed to the Senate for consideration. If the Senate committee and full Senate pass the same version as the House without any changes (called amendments), the bill goes to the governor for his signature or veto. If the Senate amends the bills, they come back to the House for final approval.

Education Task Force for School Levy Reform

Since the 2012 Supreme Court McCleary case, the Legislature has increased K-12 education funding by $4.5 billion, a 36 percent increase. However, more work needs to be done related to how school districts utilize their voter-approved local levies.  House Bill 2366 would set up a new education funding task force to find a compromise to end the state’s overreliance on school levies to pay for basic education and reform staff compensation funding before the 2018 deadline. The bill passed the House with a 64-34 vote, advancing to the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee where it awaits a hearing. I voted “yes” on this bill. The remaining work is complex and cannot reasonably be completed in the remaining days of this 60-day session, but the momentum towards resolving the final steps of the McCleary case should continue.

Responding to Substitute Teacher Shortages

A proposal to allow school districts in need of substitute teachers to employ retired teachers without putting their retirement benefits in jeopardy passed the House on Monday, 96-1. Teachers under early retirement provisions would be able to work as substitute teachers up to 630 hours per year without suspending their pension benefits. The 630-hour provision would be available to retired teachers until Aug. 1, 2020. House Bill 1737 is on its way to the Senate Ways and Means Committee where it awaits further action. I voted “yes” on this bill as well. The substitute teacher shortage is one of the concerns shared with me over the last two years during meetings with local educators.

Streamlining Student Assessments

Washington students are repeatedly tested by the state to assess their progress as they move through school.  House Bill 2214 would streamline high school assessments by expanding some of the alternatives for students related to graduation requirements. This proposal would allow students to demonstrate proficiency by using dual credit courses in a relevant subject area, using courses determined by their local school district. The bill provides more flexibility to local districts and students, will likely reduce the need for college remediation courses, and save the state an estimated $14 million dollars in 2017, and more than $29 million every two years after that. This bill passed the House, 87-10, and will advance to the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee. I voted “yes” on this bill because I believe we should be focused on testing less and learning more. I also believe school districts need more flexibility to help students reach their college or career ready goals.

Pateros Inspired School Bill Approved

Another one of the early bills to pass the House this year was House Bill 1003, which is a bill I sponsored in order to address recovery efforts related to the Carlton Complex Fire. The bill, inspired and requested by Pateros School District which suffered over $2 million of damage to its school in the summer of 2014, would create a model policy to help school districts to restore their facilities following natural disasters.  This proposal would pull state resources and agencies together to develop a policy to guide school districts following natural disasters, such as wildfires, mudslides, and earthquakes. During the 2015 session, the bill passed the House with unanimous support, but unrelated politics about teacher evaluations kept House-passed education bills from advancing in the Senate last year. Under legislative rules, the measure was returned to the House for reconsideration. On Wednesday, House Bill 1003 passed the House (again), 96-1, and has been referred to the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

Please feel free to contact my office anytime by phone at (360) 786-7832, toll-free at (800) 562-6000 or by e-mail at brad.hawkins@leg.wa.gov. I also encourage you to sign up for my periodic e-mail updates on my website at www.representativebradhawkins.com.

Sincerely,

Brad Hawkins

Photo caption – FFA students Bridgeport High School visit with Rep. Hawkins in Olympia.

Photo caption – Jon Wyss, Okanogan County Long-Term Recovery Group Chairman, and Lois Davies, Pateros School District Superintendent, testifying before the House Education Committee in favor of House Bill 1003.

State Representative Brad Hawkins
12th Legislative District
E-mail: brad.hawkins@leg.wa.gov 
Web site: www.representativebradhawkins.com
122G Legislative Building – P.O. Box 40600 | Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7832 or Toll-free: (800) 562-6000

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

We are now in our second week of the 2016 legislative session. As I shared previously this is a “supplemental budget year” and is only scheduled for 60 days.  In shorter sessions things move quickly.  (Key dates coming up in the next few weeks are listed at the bottom of this newsletter).

As legislators, we are already hearing from many constituents on topics of importance statewide and back home, including education, environmental, law enforcement, and budget issues. Many constituents have also visited me here in Olympia, which is always appreciated.  I always welcome your input on issues important to you.  I will make sure to keep you updated on various issues as the session continues.

Update on local government fireworks bill

Following days of extreme heat and the devastating Sleepy Hollow Fire in Wenatchee last summer, local government officials found state law confusing regarding implementing fireworks ordinances and, as a result, did not fully understand how to take action at the local level. Current state law requires that if counties and cities adopt rules that are stricter than the minimum state standards, they cannot go into effect until at least one year after local adoption.

Rep. Mia Gregerson (D-SeaTac) and I have teamed up to introduce House Bill 2348 that would remove the one-year waiting period for local governments to adopt fireworks ordinances. On January 14th we both testified before the House Local Government committee on behalf of this proposal. I am pleased to share that the committee is developing an amendment that allows local governments to issue temporary restrictions on fireworks if there is an extreme fire hazard due to drought conditions. This amendment would represent a compromise, which is what we often try to achieve here in Olympia.

House Bill 2348 is an important step forward in advance of the next fire season. This bill has 40 bipartisan co-sponsors and is supported by several statewide associations and advocacy groups including the Association of Washington Cities,  Washington State Association of Counties, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Office of the State Fire Marshall, Washington State Council of Firefighters, and Washington Fire Chiefs.

Click here for Link to TVW video coverage of testimony for House Bill 2348.
Click here for audio – Rep. Brad Hawkins fireworks bill up for discussion this week.
Click here to read Wenatchee World’s editorial.

Community broadcast

Every Friday morning, my seatmates, Rep. Cary Condotta and Sen. Linda Evans Parlette, and I call into our local radio stations to talk about the latest events and discussions in Olympia. I encourage you to listen in!

7:15-7:30 a.m. – KOHO 101.1 FM (Leavenworth/Wenatchee) – click here for audio link.
7:30-7:45 a.m. – KOZI 1230 AM (Chelan) – click here for audio link.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact my office anytime at (360) 786-7832, toll-free at (800) 562-6000, or by email at brad.hawkins@leg.wa.gov.

Thank you for allowing me to represent you in Olympia.

Sincerely,

Brad Hawkins

Key Dates

February 5, 2016 – Commonly called “committee cutoff.” This is the last day House bills can be heard and passed in a House or Senate committee, with the exception of budget-related bills.

February 9, 2016 – We call this the “fiscal committee cutoff.” This is the last day House bills that spend money, deal with taxes, or are budget related can pass a House or Senate committee.

February 17, 2016 – This is the last day a bill (except for budget-related bills as previously mentioned) can pass their house of origin.  This often means long days and sometimes nights debating and passing House bills on the House floor, while senators do the same with Senate bills.

Upon passage, House bills advance to the Senate and Senate bills advance to the House. The same committee process occurs in the opposite chamber.

February 26, 2016 – Similar to the previous “committee cutoff,” only now the House is dealing with Senate bills and the Senate is dealing with House bills.  These cutoff dates help keep the process moving along.

February 29, 2016 – This the last day for House bills that are budget related to pass the Senate and vice versa in the House.

March 4, 2016 – At this point, all House bills that are still “alive” must pass the Senate, and all Senate bills that are “alive” must pass the House.  This can be an interesting day of discussion, debate, and compromise.

March 10, 2016 – This is the last day provided for the regular 60-day session.

State Representative Brad Hawkins
12th Legislative District
E-mail: brad.hawkins@leg.wa.gov 
Web site: www.representativebradhawkins.com
122G Legislative Building – P.O. Box 40600 | Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7832 or Toll-free: (800) 562-6000