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 the legislative session, which will be Jan. 9.

“I am excited to continue the work to improve our state’s agricultural and economic environment,” Warnick said. “The expanded committee will now be looking at trade policies in addition to the critical work on water and rural development that impacts my district and the state. These issues are all connected and we need comprehensive solutions. I think this restructured committee will be able to make significant steps to accomplish that.

“This legislative session will be challenging given pressures to address pesticide regulations and the recent state supreme court decision that limits permit-exempt wells, but I am optimistic that we can find common-sense approaches,” said Warnick.