Dear neighbors,
Here’s a snapshot of what’s happening in Olympia: every committee is busy holding public hearings and votes on legislation. Most lawmakers serve on three or four committees, which typically meet for two hours, three times a week.
I chair the House Local Government Committee, and each week gets busier up until what’s called policy cutoff, the deadline to pass bills from policy committees. Bills that raise or spend money beyond a set amount must also pass a fiscal committee—Appropriations, Capital Budget, Transportation, or Finance.
It’s good for you to know the process, because whenever there’s a local project or legislation that affects the 1st District, the best champions are folks back home. Your voices and stories are the most valuable.
And in this issue, I’ll explain the different ways you can testify on a bill, or officially comment on legislation.
It’s never been easier to testify in committee
You can still come down to Olympia and sign up to testify on a bill—but now there are more options. Today, testimony can be live in person, or live via video.
Or you can comment on a bill. Click here to learn more.
And if you don’t want to testify or comment, you can always share your thoughts with your local lawmakers by calling the toll-free Hotline at 800-562-6000.
Energy labeling for home purchasing
Think about shopping for a car and not knowing the miles per gallon. It’s impossible to do a household budget for gas without that information, and that’s why dealerships are required to post it.
Buying a home is the most expensive purchase most people make in a lifetime. Yet we don’t know how much the monthly energy costs will be. And as I’ve heard from my neighbors and friends in the 1st District, those bills can be a nasty surprise.
We found this out as lawmakers when it came to paying for public buildings. The 50-year energy costs for a college lecture hall or other building are about the same as the cost of construction. Which is crazy. And it’s the same thing for houses.
My legislation would fix this and give every homebuyer the information they need before signing up for a mortgage.
Students in the House
Every year, local high school students (minimum age 14) spend a week serving as Legislative Pages, delivering messages to lawmakers, taking civics classes, and getting a first-hand look at how their democracy really works. My kids were both pages before I became a legislator so they knew more about the inner working of the legislator than I did!
Pages stay with host families for that week and receive a daily stipend for expenses.
You can learn more about the page program, and the House internship program for college students, at this website.
College interns for the 2025 session are already selected, but I encourage sophomores and juniors to look into that program now, with applications usually accepted from September 1 through mid to late October for the 2026 legislative session.
What do you think?
I’m interested in your ideas and comments. All our families, neighborhoods, and businesses face common problems. The only way to solve them is by listening to each other with respect and finding innovative solutions.
I hope to hear from you soon!
