March 9, 2017

Greetings from Olympia!

It is hard to believe that the 2017 legislation session is already over halfway complete. The Senate has been working late into the evening, passing legislation as we approach the March 8 deadline for voting on Senate bills. I have been fortunate to have a number of bills that I have sponsored approved by the Senate and sent to the House of Representatives for its consideration.

One of the most consequential pieces of legislation that I have worked on is Senate Bill 5239, which is my collaborative attempt to address the recent Hirst decision that effectively put a halt to rural homebuilding around the state. My bill, which received some bipartisan support but not nearly as much as I was hoping, would put our state’s water law back in line with common sense and scientific consensus about the impacts of small, household wells.

If my bill becomes law, local jurisdictions can again rely on the state Department of Ecology’s determinations on water availability, the way they have for years, so that property owners in rural parts of Washington can get the access to wells they need to obtain building permits. During the committee process we heard heart-wrenching stories from people around the state whose life savings were in jeopardy because they could not get a permit without potentially spending tens of thousands of dollars more on studies as a result of the Hirst court case. We need a solution to this problem and I am confident that my proposal will give families the relief they deserve from this overreaching decision.

Watch my latest video update Watch my latest video update by clicking here, where I discuss the legislative session and my work here in Olympia.

Remembering those in our legislative family As many of you may be aware, late last year I lost a dear friend and colleague, Kyle Lynch, who had been my legislative aide since I started my legislative career in 2007. He was a familiar face and voice to anyone that contacted my office. The Senate honored Kyle with a resolution, bringing his family to Olympia to celebrate his life. Please click here to watch a video of the day’s proceedings on Senate Resolution 8626

Let’s Talk

My House seatmates and I will host a live telephone town hall beginning at 6 p.m. next Monday, March 13. The program is similar to a call-in radio show in that people may call and ask questions over the telephone and participate in surveys.

To participate, residents may call (509) 941-2750 during the event and follow the prompts to join the conversation.

For more information about the telephone town hall, contact me at judy.warnick@leg.wa.gov or (360) 786-7624.

It is an honor to serve as your state Senator. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your state government. Please watch your email, as I look forward to providing you with regular updates throughout the session.

Judy Warnick,

13th District Senator

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Contact Me

Olympia Office:

103 Irv Newhouse Bldg.

P.O. Box 40410

Olympia, WA 98504

Olympia Phone:

360.786.7624

District Phone:

509.766.6505

E-mail:

Judith.Warnick@leg.wa.gov

Website:

Click here to visit my website