 Update from Olympia – October 1, 2015 |
Greetings,I hope that you have had a safe and fun summer. As fall arrives there is a lot going on throughout our area and in Olympia. I recently traveled with my House colleagues around our legislative district visiting local newspapers to discuss the recent court decisions on education as well as other issues facing our district and state.
Rep. Tom Dent and I speak with Editor of the Royal City Register, Ted Escobar over lunch
Recently the Supreme court issued two rulings. One places a fine of $100,000 a day on the Legislature (and ultimately taxpayers) for what the court views is a failure to adequately fund education. This is despite the fact that since the Majority Coalition Caucus began leading the Senate in 2013, the Legislature has invested $4.5 billion more in education. Education spending now makes up nearly half of the state’s budget. This ruling is concerning in that I believe the court has overstepped its authority. Our state constitution is clear that the legislative branch is responsible for making decisions on spending, not the judicial branch. The second ruling deemed voter-approved charter schools unconstitutional. This is simply an unfair decision to the thousands of students and parents who are already enrolled and excelling at new public charter schools. The court’s decision has been deeply criticized for its timing and lack of foresight which puts other successful education programs at risk as well. The state attorney general recently filed a motion for the court to reconsider its ruling and even former governor Christine Gregoire, who opposed charter schools, called the decision, “not right, not fair.” This particular case has raised many eyebrows because many of the justices that ruled in the majority received significant campaign contributions from the state teachers’ union who vehemently opposes school choice. I recommend you read a recent article about the case by clicking here.  Looking AheadAs the chair of the Senate Agriculture, Water and Rural Economic Development Committee, I am mindful of the challenges our state – and particularly our area – face when it comes to water access and quality. This year those issues are compounded even more by the severe drought that has affected every corner of our state, but has hit our agricultural communities in eastern Washington the hardest. While I’m grateful the Legislature approved emergency funds to assist communities across our state that are suffering,, the fact remains that money can’t replace needed water. Thankfully, our farmers and citizens have done an excellent job of preserving and protecting our water resources. I have been closely monitoring the state Department of Agriculture’s new push to increase inspections for dairies and farmers using manure as fertilizer aimed at preventing run-off and ground water pollution. This may be an example of unneeded, burdensome regulations. Just this past Monday the governor’s office issued a list of businesses they intend to target with a new tax on their carbon output. The list included McCain Foods, a local food processor in Othello. Why are they included in a list among industries like oil refineries and power plants? The fact is that our state will reach its goals to reduce carbon without these types of risky interventions that burden businesses and working families. Around the District
Rep. Tom Dent, his wife and myself with a community member accessing the Citizenship Day in Moses Lake
In addition to meeting with our local newspapers, I recently attended an event at Big Bend Community College called the New Americans’ Citizenship Day. This was a free event to help current legal permanent residents apply for citizenship. Becoming a citizen is a lengthy and expensive process and this workshop provided help to immigrants seeking to achieve the American Dream by becoming citizens of our great country. The program is in part funded by the state Department of Commerce and was graciously hosted by Big Bend Community College. I commend these volunteers and the more than 70 people seeking to become American citizens from all over the world including Mexico, Denmark, and Argentina. It is an honor to serve as your state Senator. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions regarding state government.
Sincerely,
Judy Warnick, 13th District Senator Contact MeOlympia Office:103 Irv Newhouse Bldg. P.O. Box 40410 Olympia, WA 98504
Olympia Phone:360.786.7624 District Phone:509.766.6505
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Tag Archives: moses-lake
Controversial abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, has again garnered national attention with the release of another undercover video that indicates the organization may be continuing to skirt federal law with illegal abortion practices and by selling human body parts.
The videos, four in all, appear to show conversations that could suggest the nation’s largest abortion provider may be performing partial-birth abortions to . According to Planned Parenthood doctor, Deborah Nuctola in one of the videos, partial-birth abortion is “not a medical term, it doesn’t exist in reality.” Her comments hint that practices within the organization are in need of increased scrutiny since, indeed, partial-birth abortions are against federal law.
Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, has rallied her fellow legislators to sign a letter to Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson requesting an investigation into the allegations. Warnick and nine other state Senators are asking the attorney general to investigate after a previous letter by other lawmakers sent to Gov. Jay Inslee was dismissed out-of-hand.
Please click here to read the full letter.
Gov. Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5603 during a formal ceremony Thursday. The new law, sponsored by Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, was introduced to meet the increasing popularity and demand for cottage foods such as baked goods, jams and fruit preserves. It increases the maximum amount of annual gross sales kitchen-to-consumer vendors may have, without losing their “cottage” status, from $15,000 now to $25,000 when the law changes in late July.
“This change in law is a boost for entrepreneurs across the state,” said Warnick. “We are giving the state Department of Agriculture needed flexibility in regulating these small businesses, and encouraging growth in this burgeoning industry. This legislation is good for rural economic development and can mean increased financial independence for families and more options for consumers. That is a winning situation for everyone.”
State law allows for the sale of foods directly to consumers from home kitchens licensed as cottage food operations by the Washington State Department of Agriculture.
“I’m so happy that this bill is now law,” said Hannah Castro, local owner of a cottage food business, Hannah Bananas Cupcakes. “This allows me to expand my business while planning for future opportunities.”
Enforcement officers for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife must currently bargain collectively for a master agreement with the governor’s office that may include provisions not requested by the agency. The Senate passed Senate Bill 5763, sponsored by Senator Judy Warnick, R – Moses Lake which allows enforcement officers to negotiate separately with the governor’s office.
“Those responsible for keeping millions of acres safe for our citizens have requested this change to allow more flexibility in their bargaining process,” Warnick said. “The current requirements aren’t meeting the need of this unique group of state employees and I believe this change will help in the long run to make the process more efficient and fair.”
The legislation allows for the enforcement officers to remain under the current bargaining structure of the Personnel System Reform Act of 2002. The bill now moves to the House for consideration.
February 24, 2015 |
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IN THIS ISSUE
Contact MeOlympia Office:103 Irv Newhouse Bldg. P.O. Box 40410 Olympia, WA 98504 Olympia Phone:360.786.7624 E-mail:Website:Click Here to Visit my Website Video UpdateThis session I am working on different ways to connect with people in my district. Every other week I sit down and discuss issues in the Legislature. Please click here to see my latest video update from Olympia. Su GobiernoEs un honor servirles como su senadora. Estamos en la septima semana de la sesión legislativa del 2015 y estoy trabajando para representar sus prioridades al invertir en la educación, mantener los impuestos bajos y mejorar la economía para incrementar las oportunidades de trabajo en nuestra comunidad. Este año tenemos que hacer el nuevo presupuesto para los siguientes dos años. Afortunadamente tenemos $3 billones de dólares más del presupuesto anterior y creo que debemos utilizarlos de manera responsable. Por lo tanto, la conversación para aumentar impuestos debería ser nuestra última opción. Esta sesión legislativa será un reto, pero estoy lista para colaborar con mis colegas del senado para llegar a una solución colectiva. Your GovernmentIt is an honor to serve as your senator. We are in the seventh week of the 2015 legislative session and I am working to represent your priorities like investing in education, keeping taxes low and bettering the economy to encourage job opportunities in our community. This year we have to make a new budget for the next two years. Thankfully we have $3 billion more than in our last budget and I believe we should utilize those dollars responsibly. Raising taxes should be our last option. This session will be a challenge but I am ready to work with my colleagues in the Senate to bring collaborative solutions. Combating Gang InvolvementI signed on to a bill that would find creative ways to address gang problems in our communities. The bill makes changes to prevailing wage requirements set by the Department of Labor and Industries. This bill would allow for an exemption on public works projects for youth centers and programs that are geared toward gang prevention. Please click here to read a story on the bill. |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJan. 27, 2014
CONTACT:
Laudan Espinoza, Public Information Officer – (360) 786-7504
Warnick, Manweller join in re-commitment to employers and modern manufacturing in Washington
Lawmakers in Washington are determined to learn from California in the state’s treatment of cutting-edge employers. Reps. Judy Warnick and Matt Manweller co-sponsored House Bill 2671 to clarify Washington’s intention to welcome innovative employers in our state, one of which is located in the 13th District they represent. The proposal would change current law defining electric vehicles as those “directly” powered, instead of “exclusively” powered, by a clean alternative fuel. The bill also specifies that “‘Directly powered’ does not include auxiliary sources of power used to regenerate a battery that acts as a direct source of power to a drive train.” This would ensure buyers of this vehicle, partially made in Washington, would qualify for a sales tax exemption.
Automaker BMW was told its latest electric car, the i3, would not qualify as a purely electric vehicle in California even after it had worked with the state to design its low emission vehicle to compete with other automakers. California said the vehicle’s optional “range extender,” which provides a 2.4 gallon gas tank as a backup in case electric power is reduced to less than 5 percent, meant it was not purely electric. This setback meant drivers of the i3 would not qualify for carpool lane access in California or for the state’s $2,500 tax rebate, hurting BMW’s ability to compete effectively in the clean vehicle market.
When Washington lawmakers looked into it, they were told by the Department of Revenue that the i3 vehicles would not be classified for a sales tax exemption in Washington either, because the vehicle would not be “exclusively powered” by electricity if power was used from the optional onboard generator.
“SGL in Moses Lake provides dozens of jobs for people in our area to make carbon fiber for BMW’s lightweight electric cars. We appreciate them and other employers for locating in Central Washington to provide manufacturing jobs. I am supporting this legislation because it ensures the state is fair to employers who have taken a chance in Washington based on certain assumptions,” said Warnick, R-Moses Lake. “We need to support products that are made in Washington, from apples to carbon fiber, and this legislation is one way we ensure this kind of manufacturing continues.”
SGL recently announced its expansion with two new production lines. Every BMW i3 made includes carbon fiber manufactured at the Moses Lake plant.
“I hope this bill is the first step in making Washington the preeminent carbon fiber producer in the world,” said Manweller, R-Ellensburg. “If Washington could become the Silicon Valley of carbon fiber, we would be leaving a high tech legacy to our children for generations to come.”
The legislation has bipartisan support and was referred to the House Finance Committee for consideration. The 2014 session is scheduled to adjourn March 13.
Rep. Warnick’s media:
