15th District

Keeping Yakima Valley School open a priority for longtime area lawmaker
January 23, 2014
To help protect the vulnerable residents who call the Yakima Valley School their home, Sen. Jim Honeyford has proposed a bill that would allow the residential care facility to begin admitting new patients again. Senate Bill 5962, considered by the Senate Health Care Committee today, would permit the facility to... Read More...
Transportation is topic number one in Olympia
November 22, 2013
This picture is an aerial view of Interstate 82 in Yakima (courtesy WSDOT). It’s just one of dozens of projects that would be completed if the latest statewide transportation package is passed into law. But there’s a catch…it comes with an 11.5-cent gas tax increase. That’s not to say it’s... Read More...
Second special session begins with no budget agreement
June 13, 2013
On Tuesday, the Washington State Legislature adjourned Sine Die (it’s Latin for “without a day” and pronounced “SIGH-nee-DYE”) for the second time this year. Yesterday, we began the second special session of 2013 – our third session of the year – with only one priority: pass a state budget. While... Read More...
No support for higher gas taxes
June 08, 2013
On April 19 the Senate Transportation Committee approved a bare-bones, no-new-taxes transportation budget for 2013-15. Three days later the House Transportation Committee adopted a separate bill that would impose a 10-cent hike in the state portion of the gas tax over three years, and create or increase an array of... Read More...
15th Dist. Olympia Report for May 2, 2013
May 02, 2013
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... Read More...
Honeyford, Senate applaud National Teacher of the Year Jeff Charbonneau
April 25, 2013
15th District Sen. Jim Honeyford and the Washington State Senate took time Tuesday morning to honor the 2013 National Teacher of the Year, Jeff Charbonneau, by adopting Senate Resolution 8660. “I am extremely pleased to be able to sponsor this resolution for Mr. Charbonneau,” Honeyford said. “It is not every... Read More...
Honeyford bill could lower energy costs in eastern Washington
April 24, 2013
Power rates in Washington could come down once Senate Bill 5400 becomes law. The measure – sponsored by Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside – deals with the costly provisions of the 2006 voter-approved Energy Independence Act, also known as Initiative 937. SB 5400 would help power companies with out-of-state customers find... Read More...
Halfway to the finish line of the 2013 session
March 26, 2013
We’ve passed the middle of the 2013 legislative session, and at this point the most significant deadline was reached on March 13. Known as “floor cutoff,” it was the last day most bills could be considered by their body of origin. In other words, all Senate bills considered not necessary... Read More...
Status of my bills in the House of Representatives
March 26, 2013
I am pleased to report the Senate passed 11 of my bills and sent them to the House of Representatives for consideration. Currently, 10 of my 11 bills have public hearings scheduled in various House Committees. The most important bill I sponsored this year is Senate Bill 5445 that provides... Read More...