Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The final stretch of the legislative session is here. In the next four weeks, the legislature will finalize the state’s capital, operating, and transportation budgets, finish reviewing Senate bills that have come to the House, and reconcile differences between the House and Senate positions on legislation.
In this issue, I’ll provide an update on my bills in the Senate and share important funding included in the state budgets released earlier this week. I hope you’ll find it useful!
Bill Update
We are on day 85 of legislative session! Six of my twelve bills passed the House – and so far, three of those bills have passed the Senate. They now head to the Governor to be signed into law. Below is a status update on our bills:
- House Bill 1086 provides better opportunities for our communities to partner with local service organizations. It passed the Senate Local Government, Land Use, & Tribal Affairs Committee with strong bipartisan support, and awaits to be pulled for a Senate floor vote.
- House Bill 1346 establishes the Purple Star Award by recognizing schools that support our military-connected students. I look forward to seeing the Senate pass this legislation shortly. Thus far, HB 1346 has received overwhelming bipartisan support.
- House Bill 1458 studies how to remove unemployment barriers for our apprentices. It passed the House and Senate and was signed by the President of the Senate and House Speaker. With strong bipartisan support, this bill heads to the Governor to be signed into law.
- House Bill 1499 allows food banks to carry nonfood essentials more easily – like diapers and hygiene products. It passed the Senate with overwhelming support and was signed by the President of the Senate and House Speaker. It now heads to the Governor to be signed into law.
- House Bill 1658 passed the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education with strong bipartisan support. It awaits a prospective pull to the Senate floor for a vote.
- House Bill 1768 encourages utility businesses to use clean energy – green hydrogen – through an incentivized public utility tax exemption. It passed the House and awaits a prospective vote in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology.
Budget Update
In Washington, the legislature funds key programs and services that individuals and families rely on through the Operating Budget, Capital Budget, and Transportation budget. As a member of the Capital Budget committee, I am proud of the substantial investments in housing assistance, early education programs, essential public infrastructure such as flood mitigation, and targeted economic development programs. The following are budget requests I am proud to have requested:
Capital Budget:
- $1.9 million for Dike replacements in Northwest Stanwood
- $581K for a commercial kitchen facility in Arlington
- $230K for affordable workforce housing at the Coupeville Food Bank
Operating Budget:
- $540K to support the Skagit First Step Center, a low-barrier shelter that helps people experiencing homelessness to get access to services
- $71 million towards a rate increase for those serving people with developmental disabilities so that they can earn a livable wage
- $600K to continue support for veteran service officers (VSO) in Island and Walla Walla counties. VSOs serve an important role in assisting our veterans navigate and receive resources and benefits.
I look forward to helping finalize the three state budgets and directing funding toward vital services in our community.
Protecting Our Environment with Green Hydrogen
Our communities have seen the devastating impacts of changes in the climate. Farmers endured one of the driest years in 2021 and large heatwaves while LaConner declared a state of emergency due to flooding in 2022. This created millions of dollars in damage and adverse economic impacts. Working together, I believe we can protect our community, local economy, and environment. By committing to environmental initiatives that are cost-effective and bring us together, we can invest in great paying jobs and not leave behind any existing workforce.
My sixth bill to pass the House, House Bill 1768, helps foster public-private partnerships for the alternative and clean energy resource known as green hydrogen. HB 1768 incentivizes businesses to use green hydrogen through a public utility tax exemption. This bill comes on the heels of my discussions with farmers and farmworkers, environmental advocates, small business owners, refinery workers, and labor unions. Green hydrogen is safer than conventional fuels and is operationally efficient because it utilizes existing infrastructure.
This bill passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support and awaits a prospective vote in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology. For more on the work being done to protect the environment with green hydrogen, click here to read my latest op-ed in the LaConner Weekly News.
Honored to Serve You
As always, thank you for giving me the opportunity to continue my life-long dedication to public service. As a veteran having attended the U.S. Naval Academy, graduated from Naval Nuclear Power School, trained at a naval nuclear reactor plant, and served in the Middle East and Southeast Asia as a public affairs officer, I am honored to serve you here in the Washington State Legislature.
Always at Your Service,
State Representative Clyde Shavers
10th Legislative District