Senate unanimously approves Warnick bill to boost local meat production
As the COVID-19 outbreak spread in Washington, toilet paper wasn’t the only commodity in short supply. Consumers may recall that the butcher’s block was increasingly scarce, and prices were climbing. Estimates are that meat production, particularly of beef and pork, dropped by 30 percent. To protect the state’s food supply...
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Update from Olympia
Greetings Friends and Neighbors, We are fast approaching the halfway point of the 2021 legislative session. There have been some challenges conducting business as usual for the Legislature during this unusual time in our lives. The governor’s decision to close off a large portion of the Capitol grounds to the...
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Warnick bill to study rural housing needs receives Senate hearing
Addressing housing supply and costs continues to be a focal point for the Legislature. Although high-profile policies, such as reforms to housing provider-tenant law have recently been approved, there is still work needed to fix disparities between rural and urban development. State Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, has sponsored bipartisan...
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Inslee’s latest reopening plan “partisan politics” say District 13 legislators
Beginning today, large parts of the Central Puget Sound region will enter “Phase 2” of Governor Inslee’s latest reopening plan, the “Roadmap to Recovery.” State Sen. Judy Warnick, Rep. Tom Dent and Rep. Alex Ybarra have spent the past year pushing back on the governor’s COVID-related actions that fail to...
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Getting involved in the 2021 legislative session
Greetings Friends and Neighbors, The Legislature has officially convened for its 2021 session. This year we are meeting virtually, except for the few legislators in caucus leadership positions who must be physically present to comply with constitutional requirements. This first week wasn’t without its challenges, but I’m pleasantly surprised with...
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Warnick urges easing COVID restrictions for physical activities
As the science related to COVID-19 and understanding of the virus continue to progress, state Sen. Judy Warnick is urging changes to restrictions that were put on fitness centers and youth sports in mid-November. In a letter to the governor’s office, Warnick and Senate Republican colleagues point to the detrimental...
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Warnick urges stiff penalties for Inslee’s apple maggot gaffe
In an effort to console eastern Washington communities devastated by wildfires, Gov. Jay Inslee recently stopped for a public event in the town of Malden. During his remarks, Inslee offered words of encouragement and a seemingly benign gift – a box of apples picked from his own yard. However, the...
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Agritourism rules dust-up highlights need for better engagement, say Senate ag leaders
Washingtonians continue to cope with the COVID-19 impacts often made worse by unclear, inconsistent and hastily drafted executive orders. The most recent victims of such rushed rules were agritourism businesses. Late last week, the governor’s office issued rules that essentially shut down the industry, while letting other similar activities take...
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Warnick urges farmers to access recently expanded Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP)
Ranking member on the state Senate’s agriculture-related committee, Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, welcomed news from federal partners that more commodities are eligible for aid for Washington’s farmers and ranchers impacted by coronavirus restrictions. The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) began in April for a limited number of hardest-hit products,...
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