Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As we begin the month of February, we are moving into Week 4 of the legislative session. Here’s the latest on our process, a bill I’d like to highlight, and a shout out from my office.
What’s happening right now in committees, and how does that work?
Right now, every committee in the House is busy holding hearings on hundreds of different bills. There typically isn’t enough time to hear every bill referred to the committee, so the chair and other members of that committee must prioritize which ones get a public hearing.
After a bill is heard, it can be voted on in what’s called executive session. It takes a majority vote of the committee to pass a bill.
Our first major deadline, the policy committee cutoff on February 21, is rapidly approaching. If a bill doesn’t pass out of committee before cutoff, it typically can’t move forward in the process.
If the legislation passes and only changes policy, it can move on to the Rules Committee, which decides which bills get a vote on the floor of the House.
After passing a policy committee, bills that raise or spend funds get referred to the relevant fiscal committee—Appropriations, Transportation, Capital, or Finance. Bills, then, continue through the process until they hit the next milestone.
There’s still time to share your thoughts and experiences, and I would like to hear them. As always, you can reach out to my office.
Bill Highlight: Getting Washington to a 65% Recycling Rate
Washington’s recycling rate hovers around 50%. That’s far above most other states in the country, but there are ways our recycling rates can improve. Right now, it’s unclear what can and can’t be recycled. As a result, some materials get contaminated, making them impossible to recycle. Also, producers are using too much and too many different types of materials for packaging. We can do better.
That’s why I’ve introduced HB 1071. This bill will provide a clearer list of what can and can’t be recycled and where, require more of the materials produced to be recyclable, and make sure that when we make changes to our recycling system, we do it in a way that makes sense for our state’s varied geography by doing a needs assessment.
Tackling this issue can support our environment and sustainability goals as a state, and make sure we remain national leaders in this area.
Watch the video above to hear more about how my bill can help improve Washington’s recycling infrastructure.
Meet Alixavia, a Page in my office!
It was an honor to recently sponsor Alixavia Devenuti for service as a page in the Washington State House of Representatives.
Alixavia is a student at Stadium High School in Tacoma and is the child of Kristeanna Devenuti of Fife. During Alixavia’s week of service as a page, she took on diverse responsibilities such as delivering messages and assisting my office. She contributed significantly to the smooth functioning of the legislature overall.
Beyond their daily duties, pages engage in valuable civics instruction, have the opportunity to craft their own bills, and actively participate in mock committee hearings. Pages’ involvement not only support the effective operation of the legislature but also provides them with firsthand experience in the democratic process.
Thank you for your public service and civic engagement during your time in my office, Alixavia!
Stay in touch!
As always, it’s critical that I hear from you on issues that are important to you. Please reach out to my office at any time and follow my Facebook page for regular updates. I will continue to keep you informed you as the session progresses.
Sincerely,
Rep. Jake Fey