House of Representatives Speaker Pro Tempore Jim Moeller offered the following review of this year’s completed session:
“Just a few hours after we started the 2014 session, the House of Representatives passed the ‘DREAM Act.’ This landmark legislation is a breakthrough in our work toward making sure all hard-working and deserving young people get a fair and equal chance to earn their dream of a college education. In fact, this legislation was the first significant ‘first-day-of-session’ bill to pass either chamber in many years. The bill went on to (finally!) win Senate approval — and then this long-sought DREAM Act received the governor’s signature.
“Unfortunately, though, this type of common sense was an uncommon occurrence in the state Senate. Our Senate colleagues, specifically the Republican so-called majority coalition, resisted a good many of our common-sense House proposals.
“A glaring example of this Senate Republican obstinacy is apparent in their refusal to accept a simple reality: We need a reasonable transportation–revenue package. Still this session, they adamantly refused to acknowledge that our state needs — and that our Southwest Washington, especially, needs — a solid revenue package for a solid future in transportation-construction projects. For the second year in a row, notwithstanding a supplemental, carry-forward transportation budget, they failed to take significant action!
“When it comes to our transportation future and much-needed transportation projects for Southwest Washington, they choked. Clearly, they have zero vision — nothing for transportation projects statewide, and nothing for transportation projects in our region.
“That said, yes, I’m glad that the Legislature at least passed a moderate supplemental budget. This new operating budget strengthens funding for a good many areas, including:
- Early learning, in particular, and K-12 education, in general.
- Higher education.
- Corrections and criminal justice.
- Long-term care, and developmentally disabled programs.”
