Senators Judy Warnick and Jim Honeyford welcomed news that House Democrats have planned a work session Dec. 12 to discuss the Hirst water rights court decision. “I have remained hopeful since the Legislature adjourned that we can deliver a Hirst fix for rural Washington,” said Warnick, R-Moses Lake, who sponsored...

Billions in damage to state economy without Hirst fix new study shows On the heels of the release of a new study that details the negative economic impact of the flawed Hirst water-rights decision, Senator Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, issued a letter to the governor calling for action toward a...

Washington’s 2017 legislative session enters its seventh record-breaking month as a water-rights issue critical to rural property owners becomes the central issue at the statehouse. Lawmakers passed a budget June 30, averting a partial shutdown of state government – normally one of the final votes of any legislative session. But...

The chair of the Senate’s water-related committee, Sen. Judy Warnick, has been working to fix the fallout caused by the Hirst decision issued by the state Supreme Court in late 2016. Senate Bill 5239, which has received bipartisan support in the upper chamber but stalled in the Democrat-controlled House of...

The governor signed Sen. Judy Warnick’s legislation Friday that requires air-quality rules to treat cattle feedlots the same as other agricultural operations. Senate Bill 5196 extends the exemption to feedlots while establishing a process and guidelines for addressing activities that may be detrimental to the environment. “Other agricultural activities are...

Friday, Gov. Jay Inslee signed legislation sponsored by Sen. Judy Warnick to limit liability for agricultural businesses that open their operations to the public for agritourism activities. Senate Bill 5808 received near-unanimous approval in the Legislature. “The new law gives needed clarity to our ag-producers when they open their operations...

I discussed the ongoing issues regarding a fix for rural landowners who are unable to get access to water from wells due to a recent Supreme Court decision.

As the 2017 regular legislative session winds down, the chair of the Senate committee that covers water issues said she is appalled that House Democrats have chosen to continue to allow rural families, workers and communities to suffer under the state Supreme Court’s Hirst decision by failing to join the...

On Wednesday the governor signed legislation from 13th District Sen. Judy Warnick and Rep. Tom Dent that would enable irrigation districts to enter into public-private partnerships for new energy infrastructure, including hydroelectric projects. “This is a good piece of bipartisan legislation that is going to create jobs and improve the...