Olympia Update

A lot of work ahead in the 2024 session now underway in Olympia

January 11, 2024

-File photo

By Sen. Mark Schoesler, Rep. Joe Schmick and Rep. Mary Dye

OLYMPIA–It is a privilege and an honor to represent and serve the people of the 9th Legislative District as we begin a new year and a new legislative session in Olympia.

This year's session began on Jan. 8. Lawmakers from every part of Washington have converged at the state Capitol for a scheduled 60 days of introducing bills, holding public hearings, meeting with constituents and lobbyists, negotiating compromises, debating, and passing good legislation, and working to stop legislation that is not in the best interest of the citizens we serve. It's intensive, exhilarating, and exhausting. But the best part of our job is helping people across our district and the state, creating a positive difference in our communities, and striving to make Washington the very best place to live, work, and raise a family.

We have a lot of work to do in this short session. However, the key to-do items include adjustments to the original two-year state operating, capital, and transportation budgets passed last spring by the Legislature.

Other priorities we will pursue include:

• Changing the costly "cap-and-trade" program so that it does not burden drivers with high fuel prices like it has this past year;

• Forcing the state to finally honor the cap-and-trade fuel surcharge exemption for Washington's agriculture, aviation, and maritime industries;

• Making it easier and more affordable for the victims of last August's devastating wildfires in the Spokane area to rebuild;

• Ensuring that patients can get their prescription drugs at their local pharmacy;

• Improving K-12 education and helping our local public schools with construction funding;

• Providing legislation to hold criminals accountable, address the serious fentanyl crisis, and increase the number of law-enforcement officers serving our communities;

• Defending against policies that would remove our Snake River dams while implementing alternative, effective ways to protect, preserve, and enhance our salmon population; and

• Building on our efforts to secure state and federal funding to replace groundwater in the Odessa Subaquifer with delivery systems that connect water supplies to east Columbia Basin farms.

While this is only a short list of the many 2024 session issues, our most important task will be listening to you. For us to represent your wishes most effectively, we need to hear from you. Please reach out to our offices via email, postal mail, or the telephone. Here's how you can reach us:

Sen. Mark Schoesler

417 Legislative Building

P.O. Box 40409

Olympia, WA 98504-0409

Phone: 360-786-7620

Email: [email protected]

Website: senatormarkschoesler.org

Rep. Joe Schmick

426B Legislative Building

P.O. Box 40600

Olympia, WA 98504-0600

Phone: 360-786-7844