Author Archives: brianzylstra
More and more people tangentially connected with state government are finding out that they are subject to Gov. Jay Inslee’s recently announced vaccine mandate – even 4-H volunteers.
In a letter sent to volunteers, the Washington State University Extension, which oversees the 4-H youth agricultural program, wrote that 4-H volunteer leaders must also be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18 to continue to participate in any volunteer activities.
Agricultural leaders in the state Senate are worried what this policy will do to the program.
“It’s one thing for the state to mandate COVID vaccination requirements for state workers and education employees, but when this mandate is even imposed on 4-H volunteers, it makes you wonder where does this stop,” said Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “The end result could be fewer people volunteering in 4-H, which would hurt the kids who participate, and it will ultimately hurt Washington agriculture.”
4-H is a more-than-century-old youth development nonprofit that provides programs focusing on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), in addition to civic engagement and agriculture. The organization relies heavily on community volunteers, and the latest requirements could mean a sharp decrease in participation, a serious blow to the popular program.
“I’m hearing a great deal of concern from 4-H leaders around my district. Like other problems many businesses are seeing with hiring staff, this mandate will make it harder for this program to run effectively,” said Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake. “Much of this program is conducted outside where safety protocols can be implemented without trampling on people’s conscience or medical decisions.”
The focus on youth during this time is greatly needed, says state Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside. “4-H is a valuable experience for young people already suffering setbacks from isolation and mental health challenges due to how the state has handled the pandemic. We shouldn’t be putting more obstacles in the way to their success,” Honeyford said.
While other states are working to boost vaccinations among their workforces, Washington remains an outlier with its heavy-handed approach.
“Our 4-H leaders have gone above and beyond to provide a safe environment for our kids during these unprecedented times and I have no doubt that they will continue to do so,” said Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy. “We have seen that Oregon and California have provided alternatives to vaccine mandates; we should do that here! This mandate ignores individual choice, and I am concerned that we will lose valuable volunteers because of it. Our young people have suffered immeasurably during the last 18 months. Losing their 4-H leaders will only add to their burden.”
Special to The Spokesman Review and The Statesman Examiner
Over the last 16 months, each one of us has suffered through the endless chaos and uncertainty of COVID-19 and the seemingly endless monarchical restrictions that have affected every facet of our lives. Quite frankly, putting what I’m thinking into words is difficult without getting emotional.
We’ve all borne witness personally in some way – sick and dying loved ones (not just from COVID); economic insecurity; the effect of long-term isolation from family, friends, church and helping each other in time of need; loss of personal freedom; watching individuals and families struggle with job loss or the collapse of their businesses; watching our children wrestle with isolation from school, teachers and friends; and, increased depression, anxiety and suicide ideation.
So it was particularly appalling when the governor, who in responding to Q13 Fox reporter Brandi Kruse’s recent question regarding emergency powers reform, said, “I’m not sure I want to reform a system that won the Super Bowl.”
Perhaps the governor meant his comment to be funny and clever. Instead, his comment was offensive and showed an utter lack of concern and compassion for the life-altering impacts HE, by himself, foisted on everyone through his edicts. Just as troubling is that it shows his complete disregard for our constitutional system of governance. Sure, it’s easier to make decisions without answering to a co-equal branch of government, but even in times of emergency, the best outcomes come out of exercising leadership by involving others and not caring who gets the credit.
My intent is not to downplay the tireless efforts and success local health-care providers in our communities have had in keeping us safe and minimizing COVID-related loss of life. But we cannot downplay or trivialize the other significant, immediate and long-term effects of the governor’s dictatorial approach that are still crippling individuals and families.
Today, 175,000 fewer people are employed than pre-COVID; job gains today are in large part synonymous with jobs lost last year. Washington, per YELP, had the fifth-highest number of business closures in the country, thousands of which are lost permanently. Washington was the fourth-worst state in the country in in-person instruction during the last school year. Students’ mental health has suffered tremendously. A multi-agency-led COVID-19 survey of students just released found that 68% of high schoolers felt they learned less this year than the prior academic year and nearly 60% of high schoolers feeling sad or depressed most days, with 1 in 5 contemplating suicide in the last 12 months.
While the report focused on high-school grades, grade-school students struggled with the same feelings. We’ve seen elementary-age children take their own lives.
Many who were unemployed last year waited months to receive unemployment checks, pushing many families to the brink of financial ruin. The loss of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to Nigerian fraudsters isn’t the only Employment Security Department’s incompetence to delay relief. People are still unable to reach the agency to resolve ongoing issues. The process is still not working for the people.
What’s more, drug overdose deaths have increased some 30% through the third quarter of 2020 as compared with the same time frame in the prior year.
While we celebrate the reopening of our state, we should not be spiking the ball. To do so is to imply that all of the suffering that continues is acceptable collateral damage. It also ignores the reality that the state of emergency will continue to at least September 30. That is the effect of the governor’s extension of the eviction moratorium. His one-man show will continue into the fall – something he hasn’t been upfront with the public about.
Can the Legislature end the state of emergency and restore the balance of power? No. Only the governor gets to say when it’s over, and he shows no sign of doing so. He’s too busy patting himself on the back. Republicans, and some Democrats, fought hard for a special session and sponsored multiple bills during the regular session to reform the executive’s powers during a state of emergency.
But the Democrat majority would have none of it. In fact, because Senate Republicans refused to extend certain proclamations, the first thing the majority did during session was to pass legislation that prevented the Legislature from having any oversight over the process.
I’m reminded of the saying, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
The governor needs to give up his absolute power and bring the people back into the decision-making process – even those of us who disagree with him.
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Welcome from Olympia! It is such an honor to be your voice in our state Senate. I’m excited to send you my first e-newsletter of the 2019 legislative session. We are in the third week of the 105-day session. Committee meetings are in full swing and my days are packed full of appointments every 15 minutes, legislative proposals to fine tune, floor action, and leadership and press meetings. The absolute best though is when folks back home come to visit!
The highlight of the session so far was being sworn in during our opening day on Jan. 14. It is such a special feeling to stand before everyone in the Senate and take the oath of office (in this case, from state Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Fairhurst — see photo below). Thank you for entrusting me to represent you!
Committee meetings dominate session so far
The first few weeks of our session have been extremely busy. Most of my time so far has been spent attending meetings of the three Senate policy committees I’m assigned to this session – Local Government (I’m the lead Republican); Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources and Parks; and Environment, Energy and Technology. I’m also serving on the Senate Rules Committee, which meets as needed to look at bills approved by the other Senate committees and decide which advance to the floor for debate and voting by the full Senate.
During these meetings we typically hold public hearings on the bills assigned to these committees; a hearing allows us to learn more about a bill and listen to testimony from its prime sponsor, as well as everyday citizens and lobbyists who are for or against the bill.
A new leadership position
In addition to my committees, much of my time is spent working in my new leadership position: I’m the new Senate Republican Floor Leader. In this position, I communicate regularly with the Democratic Majority Leader to keep senators in my caucus informed and am responsible for developing plans for legislative debate on bills and voting. I also meet with other Senate Republican leaders to coordinate strategy and help develop our caucus agenda.
All three members of our 7th Legislative District team are in leadership positions this session. Rep. Joel Kretz is continuing his role as House Republican Deputy Leader, and Rep. Jacquelin Maycumber recently was chosen by her fellow caucus members as House Republican Floor Leader. I cannot remember a time when all three legislators from the same district serve in leadership!
Five of my bills heard in same committee on same day!
It’s a busy and exciting time for any legislator when one of the bills they introduce receives a public hearing before a committee. So you can guess what it was like for me last Thursday when FIVE bills (SB 5193, SB 5194, SB 5242, SB 5243 and SB 5245) that I’m prime-sponsoring this session received hearings, all in the Senate Local Government Committee, all on the same day! Many of us have been working for many months on legislation we believe can help address the housing affordability and housing shortages throughout our district and the state. My effort has been to focus on the land-use side of the equation, by developing flexibility and options for rural communities and urban cities to consider.
These bills are designed to give flexibility to local governments in opening up land that could ultimately become available for housing.
What we need to understand is that jurisdictions have unique needs. The land-use decisions in this state have become very rigid, which is due in part to how the Growth Management Act (GMA) has been interpreted over the years. It is critical that the GMA be brought back to the guidance tool for planning it was originally designed for and allow local jurisdictions and communities to address the growing population and housing challenges that are in front of us in the 21st century. Unfortunately, groups like Futurewise and Olympia bureaucrats have turned the GMA into a regulatory morass, “saving us from ourselves” and forcing our communities to look like they want us to. My bills bring back the most important voices in land-use planning, that of local citizens.
Listen to us on KOMW Radio Monday mornings this session!
Each Monday from 8 to 9 a.m. during the legislative session, Reps. Kretz and Maycumber and I get together to do a live, joint interview with KOMW Radio out of Omak. We provide updates on what each of us is working on and what’s happening in the Legislature, as well as answer listeners’ questions. If you want to listen each Monday morning, just tune in to KOMW at AM 680!
7th District telephone town hall Feb. 13
Reps. Kretz and Maycumber and I also plan to do a 7th Legislative District telephone town hall meeting from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 13. During this community conversation, which is similar to a call-in radio format, we’ll take listeners’ questions and provide information and our perspectives on the legislative session. It’s a great way to learn what’s happening in Olympia and to let us know your thoughts and questions. More details to come!