Washington state lawmakers have begun a new legislative session amid the backdrop of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and much of their work will be done remotely as leaders try to limit the possibility of exposure.
Since Friday, four Democratic senators — Senate Majority Leader Andy Peleg, Senators John Lovek, Marc Morett and Jasmine Trudeau — have announced that they have tested positive for the coronavirus. Peleg said he had no symptoms and Lovik described his symptoms as mild. Almuli — who said he has no symptoms — tested positive on Monday after being tested at the Capitol, and said he will be working remotely for the rest of the week. All four were fully vaccinated, and Bilge, Lovik and Bury also received a booster dose. Trudeau was due to receive a booster dose next week.
The death of Republican Senator Doug Eriksen last month after his fight with COVID-19 was noted during remarks in both houses, and Democratic Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck, who serves as the Senate’s chairperson, said – “Our hearts are heavy with it passing.”
When the hearing formally convened at noon on Monday, only four lawmakers were present in the House — House Speaker Laurie Jenkins, new Democratic Representative Dan Bronowski, and Republican Representatives Drew McEwen and Paul Harris — and 15 were in the Senate. The certified press was seated in the public galleries that overlooked the chamber’s floors.
In the House, regular testing will be required and only lawmakers who have provided vaccination verification — including boosters — will be among the limited number of lawmakers allowed on the ground. In the Senate, lawmakers present will be allowed regardless of vaccination status but must submit a negative test on the same day.
House and Senate leaders said they will reassess their plans every two weeks, and changes may occur depending on the state of the pandemic.
Much of the first week will focus on committee hearings, which will take place remotely, with public participation. As was the case before the pandemic, hearings and voting in the auditorium will continue to be broadcast or broadcast live by TVW, the state’s government affairs channel.
“Our time together this session is short and the list of what we all hope to achieve is long,” Jenkins said in her opening remarks on Monday. “It will require all of us in this room of 98 to listen to each other, and work together to address the challenges our nation faces, whether it’s the economy, housing, transportation, health care, racial equality, or climate change.”
The main focus of the session is on lawmakers to formulate a supplementary two-year state budget plan. Governor Jay Inslee – who will deliver his state of the state address on Tuesday – released a plan of about $62 billion last month, and the House and Senate will release their proposals in the coming weeks.
This budget is likely to include more than $1 billion in federal coronavirus relief money, with Inslee leaders and Democrats wanting to use that one-time money — in addition to state money — to help in areas such as food assistance programs, strengthening acute care hospital capacity and providing more. From psychosocial health support to K-12 students who have suffered during the pandemic. Inslee also suggested spending nearly $300 million to contain the ongoing pandemic, on things like diagnostic testing, contact tracing, outbreak response, and expanding access to vaccines.
But lawmakers will also address a range of other issues, including potential changes to the state’s new long-term care program — which is paid for employee payroll tax — after criticism of the program’s opt-out options, along with those criticisms. Those who pay into the program but may never benefit from it. One bill introduced would delay the tax until July 1, 2023, and would return any installments collected before that date.
Policies related to homelessness and housing will also be addressed, as well as proposals to reduce the state’s carbon emissions. Lawmakers also plan to make changes to some measures passed as part of a broad police reform package last year. Democrats say the bills generally work, but they acknowledge that restrictions on the use of force have hindered officers in certain situations, such as responding to mental health crises, and at this hearing they intend to make clear that police can use force to help in those situations.
They also plan to ease restrictions on the use of force in cases where police investigate violent crimes, and say they are open to considering a Republican proposal that would ease restrictions on vehicle pursuits.
House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox, in remarks to the Chamber via video telecast, encouraged the majority to listen to ideas from his caucus on various issues ranging from the environment to housing, and said he wanted to challenge members of both conventions not to So, “fall into groupthink.”
“Do not feel that loyalty to our group or even our partisan group is more important than loyalty to our hearts and loyalty to our voters,” he said.