House of Representatives

Ag-related bills in the Legislature
February 22, 2012
Senate Bill 6392 – Expanded farm internship program. In 2010, the Senate agriculture committee heard testimony that Washington is facing a crisis of aging farmers. The average age is 56, and 70 percent of farmland is expected to change hands in the next 20 years. To help bring young people... Read More...
My bills that survived cutoff
February 14, 2012
Four of my bill proposals have moved over to the House of Representatives to be considered by their committees. Three of them are bills I introduced this session, and one is a bill that carried over from the 2011 session. Since all bills are viable during the biennium (two-year budget... Read More...
About
January 01, 2011
Legislative Leadership: Republican Deputy Floor Leader 2009-10, 2011-12; Republican Caucus Chair, 2005-06; Majority Caucus Chair, 2004; Republican Whip, 2001-02. Elective Office: House of Representatives 1994, 1996; Senate 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, current term expires January 2015. Standing Committees (2011-13): Ranking Republican Member, Environment Water & Energy; Member, Agriculture & Rural... Read More...
I’ve been re-elected to a leadership post
November 20, 2010
Today members of the Senate Republican Caucus elected me deputy floor leader. This is the sixth time I’ve been elected to the caucus leadership team. I am honored my colleagues have selected me to continue serving as deputy floor leader. This is a difficult time for the people of Washington,... Read More...
My bill to speed up water rights applications signed into law
April 02, 2010
Land owners, cities, irrigators and other public water entities trying to access water for development will no longer spend years waiting for the Department of Ecology to process their water right applications because of a bill signed into law today. Senate Bill 6267was co-sponsored by me and has a House... Read More...
Bill to protect citizens from wildfires passes Senate
February 16, 2010
I sponsored a measure that would help protect human lives and property from wildfires. It was unanimously approved by the Senate on Monday. Engrossed Senate Bill 6462 is in response to the Dry Creek fire that destroyed the landmark Silver Dollar Café, on “no man’s land” at the junction of... Read More...