Senator Jim Honeyford

The governor has signed two bills sponsored by Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside, dealing with mosquito-population control. Senate Bill 5002 will update state law to allow local mosquito districts more flexibility in their operations, while Senate Bill 5324 will encourage municipalities to use state Department of Ecology design guidelines when constructing stormwater-retention ponds in an effort to reduce the mosquito population.

“West Nile virus is – and will continue to be – a serious public health risk,” Honeyford added. “In the past ten years, the number of reported cases of West Nile virus has increased steadily, so I’m thankful the Legislature and the governor saw fit to support these bills; hopefully they’ll go a long way toward keeping the public safe.” [...]

Gov. Jay Inslee signed two bills Tuesday that will benefit businesses in Washington and hopefully put more people to work. Senate Bills 5056 and 5770, both sponsored by 15th District Sen. Jim Honeyford of Sunnyside, make it easier for businesses to hire minors and reduce the clerical burdens of small conservation districts.

“Employers shared with us when they came to testify in support of these measures that they have to fill out an entirely new master business-license application just to hire young people,” said Honeyford, the top Republican on the Senate’s rural economic-development committee. “This bill pares the required information to only what is essential, thereby allowing businesses to create more opportunities for young people to find work and develop lifelong employment skills.” [...]

The deadline for the Washington State Legislature to end its business and go home was Sunday, however since no budget agreement could be reached in time, taxpayers will now be forced to foot the bill for yet another special session (which seems to be an annual tradition in Olympia). I believe it’s terribly shameful that the Legislature couldn’t get a budget out after nearly four months, especially since the state is receiving $2 billion more in revenue and the fact that the Senate MajorityCoalition Caucus passed and sent to the House a budget that lives within the revenue the state is expected to receive over the next four years.

Click to read the full Olympia Report for May 2, 2013, including an update on my bills and featuring the National Teacher of the Year.

Upon realizing the 105-day 2013 legislative session would end without the passage of a state budget, 15th District Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside, made this statement:

“I believe it’s terribly shameful that the Legislature couldn’t get a budget out after nearly four months, especially since the state is receiving $2 billion more in revenue and the fact that the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus passed and sent to the House a budget that lives within the revenue the state is expected to receive over the next four years. Historically, the Legislature slows down when the pressure is off, and if we end up leaving town during a ‘rolling special session’ the pressure needed to reach a deal in a timely manner is drastically reduced. [...]