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February 10, 2017

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

We have officially completed the first month of the 2017 legislative session. The pace is picking up. We have seen several rounds of bills come to the House floor for votes.

I am pleased to announce, my first bill, House Bill 1199, unanimously passed the House floor on Thursday, with a 98-0 vote. I did receive some friendly hazing from colleagues on both sides of the aisle. This is a time-honored tradition in the Legislature in recognition of a freshman lawmaker passing their first bill.

House Bill 1199 will benefit our youth who receive a first-time transit infraction. They will be able to attend youth court rather than receiving a ticket and/or fine, similar to how traffic infractions currently work. It’s a simple bill to help educate 16 or 17-year-olds in hopes they will not commit further infractions. For more information, you can read my press release by clicking here. You can also watch my floor speech and the passage of this bill by clicking the photo below.

Not only am I passing my first bills off the House floor, they are also making their way through committee. I want to thank everyone for the input on the various bills, and for the discussions had during public hearing.

Here is a breakdown of the legislation I have sponsored:

• HB 1475 – Clarifies the limited authority of gambling commission officers. This bill received a public hearing and moved out of the Judiciary Committee. It now heads to the Rules Committee for final consideration before moving to the House floor for final vote.
• HB 1642 – Changes the seriousness level of the crime of attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle. This bill received a public hearing and moved out of the Public Safety Committee. It now heads to the Rules Committee for final consideration before moving to the House floor for final vote.
• HB 1765 – Concerns donations to the prescription drug donation program. This bill received a public hearing and moved out of the Health Care and Wellness Committee. It now heads to the Rules Committee for final consideration before moving to the House floor for final vote.
• HB 1828 – Concerns more efficient use of state facilities through aligning the functions of the department of enterprise services and the office of financial management, collecting additional space use data, and making technical corrections. This bill received a public hearing and is scheduled for executive session next week.

I will keep you posted on the status of my bills, and other important legislation, as session moves forward.

I know education is an important issue around our district. I want to provide you with a quick update of the various plans introduced. Below, please find links to the various plans:

• The Senate Majority Coalition Caucus’ (MCC) One Washington Education Equality Act
• A side-by-side comparison of proposals from the House Democrats and Senate Republicans
• A list of tax bills the House Democrats have proposed
• A list of the tax proposals the governor has proposed

Did you know our education funding battle stems back as far as 1976? Please click on this link to see how lawmakers have attempted to meet the state’s constitutional obligation to amply fund basic education for all of Washington’s students throughout the decades. This link provides a comprehensive timeline of Washington state’s educational journey and the path that has led us to the tasks at hand this legislative session.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
I have two events coming up that I would love for you to join me.

• March 11-12: Please join me around the 31st District for town hall weekend! This is your opportunity to chat about the concerns and questions you have, directly with me. I look forward to this time with you. Please keep an eye out in future updates for the locations and times for these events. Further details to follow.
• March 16: Join me from the comfort of your home for a community conversation and evening telephone town hall. This is similar to a call-in radio program. I will take your questions and provide my perspective on your concerns and issues on the 2017 legislative session. When: Thurs. March 16. Time: 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. To participate: Simply call (253) 258-3247 beginning at 6:00 p.m. You can simply call and listen in. Or, if you would like to ask a question, press the star (*) key on your telephone keypad and connect with me to ask your question. This is another great opportunity for direct connection with me.

Please feel free to contact my office with any questions, issues or concerns. I am your voice in Olympia, and I want to hear from you.

My Legislative Assistant is Fallon Stidd and she is happy to assist you.

It’s an honor to serve you!

Sincerely,

Morgan Irwin