Agriculture and Water

Senate approves Warnick bill to encourage agricultural conservation Sen. Judy Warnick’s legislation to promote agricultural conservation, Senate Bill 5010, was approved by the Senate Tuesday evening. The bill would protect irrigators’ water rights from relinquishment if the water allotment was not fully used due to conservation or efficiency efforts. The Senate approved the legislation 27 to 22 through... Read More...
Warnick legislation to fix flawed Hirst water decision clears Senate   Sen. Judy Warnick’s legislation to fix the Hirst decision was approved Tuesday evening by the state Senate, despite efforts by some opposition Democrats to delay a legislative response that would aid rural homeowners. The decision, issued by the state Supreme Court in late 2016, effectively prevents the drilling of... Read More...
Warnick bill would grant new protections for state’s cattle industry Sen. Judy Warnick’s legislation to have air-quality rules treat cattle feedlots the same as other agricultural operations was approved today by the state Senate. Agricultural operations are exempt from state clean-air rules; Warnick’s Senate Bill 5196 would extend the exemption to feedlots while establishing a process and guidelines for addressing... Read More...
Water Update – The Legislature is back in session January 17, 2017 Greetings Friends and Neighbors It has been a busy first week of the legislative session. Now that all the pomp and circumstance is over it is time to roll up my sleeves and get to work. Wednesday I was selected by my colleagues to serve as the... Read More...
Warnick garners additional Senate duties, outlines legislative priorities The 2017 legislative session began last week with Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, continuing to lead the Senate committee that addresses agricultural, water and economic-development issues. She also has been promoted to the position of vice chair of the Senate’s majority caucus. Before legislators returned to the Capitol for their... Read More...
Warnick retains chairmanship of now expanded committee Ahead of the 2017 legislative session, the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus announced committee-chairmanship positions. Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, will remain chair of her now-larger Senate Agriculture, Water, Trade and Economic Development committee. Additional committee assignments will be announced after the Senate Rules Committee votes on the first day of... Read More...