LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON: Legislative Newsletter (Feb. 27, 2022)
Editor’s Note: The League of Women Voters (LWV) of Washington sent this legislative newsletter on Feb. 27, 2022. Our mission at the Voter Interests Project is to monitor elected officials and ballot measures; we generally do not report on the activities of non-profit organizations. However, the LWV Whidbey Island chapter conducts candidate forums during most election cycles, and are therefore of particular interest to voters. The LWV of Washington’s website states, “The League is a Nonpartisan Source You Can Trust”; however, the LWV does take positions on public policy. Our observation is that their policy positions inform their management of voter forums. Therefore, we believe it to be of interest to our readers to know the positions for which the LWV advocates.
Action Alerts
Click on the links below to learn more about bills currently being reviewed in the state legislature. You can “take action” on these most pressing bills by sending a suggested, editable email to legislators, encouraging them to vote to promote the League issue in question.
Pass Better Ballot Disclosure!
HB 1876 “Public Investment Impact Disclosure” needs your action. This bill would require a description of the investments that will be affected if a ballot initiative or referendum is adopted. Better information will help voters make more informed decisions that impact themselves, their families, and their communities.
► Please encourage your Senator to vote yes on HB 1876
The Legislative Cutoff Calendar Rules the Week
The session has just 2 weeks to go. The Cutoff Calendar you have heard so much about will end the viability of many remaining bills this week, so please respond today to sign-in opportunities, requests to message your legislators, and action alerts (above). Check the Week’s Updates links below for opportunities in each issue topic.
February 28 is the last day to pass bills out of the fiscal committees (Ways & Means, Finance, Appropriations). An exception the legislature often makes is for bills necessary to implement the budget (NTIB), so in some cases committees continue to consider those bills. Also, just because bills pass all the policy and fiscal committees does not imply they will appear on the calendar for a floor vote, or that a floor vote will occur for them.
The next cutoff is March 4 when bills must have passed both chambers to be eligible for the governor’s signature (and possible veto). The budget, transportation package, and budget related matters are usually the last through the gates due to complexity and final negotiation between the chambers. The Senate capital budget, SHB 1781, has passed the Senate.
Our Current Actions page may help you pick out which bills are particularly important to you.
LWVWA Legislative Issues From the 2022 Washington State Legislative Session
Click on an issue to learn more about session results on bills the League supported and “This Week’s Updates” to read the issue chair’s report on this past week.
Democracy
Elections | This week’s updates
Money in Politics | No update this week
Education | This week’s updates
Redistricting | This week’s updates
Natural Resources and Climate Change
Climate and Energy | This week’s updates
Growth Management | This week’s updates
Transportation | This week’s updates
Social and Economic Policy
Housing and Homelessness | This week’s updates
Health and Behavioral Health | This week’s updates
Calendar
- No events this week.
Other Ways to Follow the State Legislature
- Washington State Legislature website, leg.wa.gov.
- Washington State’s public affairs TV network, TVW.org.
