Tag Archives: Press Releases

Legislation allowing livestock owners to kill wolves receives public hearing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 7, 2013

CONTACT: Brendon Wold, Senior Information Officer – (360) 786-7698
Rep. Shelly Short – (360) 786-7908

Legislation allowing livestock owners to kill wolves receives public hearing

The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held a public hearing this week on a bill that would allow livestock owners to kill a predator – including wolves – if they are witnessed in the act of depredation. Rep. Shelly Short, R-Addy, sponsored House Bill 1191 as a way to give her constituents in Northeast Washington another tool to deal with the increasing number of livestock kills. “If you own animals, you are at risk,” Short testified. “It really leaves my folks back home with limited help.” Short’s bill gives permission to kill a threatening predator to the owner of the livestock being threatened, the owner’s family members, the owner’s agents, and the owner’s employees. The permission would apply across all lands where livestock are found; both public and private. “This is about giving people options. Right now, livestock owners have no recourse – no action they can take – even if they witness one of their animals being killed and eaten,” said Short. “I think we all understand that the wolves are here and they’re here to stay. But it’s disingenuous for the other side to say ‘deal with it’ without giving folks over here any options. At the very least, a livestock owner should be able to protect their property, and with lethal force if necessary.” Also at the public hearing, committee members considered Short’s House Bill 1112, which would require the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to identify the sources of scientific information reviewed and relied upon before taking significant agency action.

Short said the proposal was an effort to bring more accountability, transparency and oversight to an agency that makes a lot of decisions affecting her constituents in the 7th Legislative District.

“When you live in an extremely rural district like ours, interaction with – and exposure to – an agency like fish and wildlife is to be expected,” Short said. “We just want to make sure the decisions being made have sound, peer-reviewed science to back them up. Our citizens deserve the assurance that the agency’s policy decisions are based on factual science and not a particular political agenda.

The bill defines “significant agency action” as an act that:

· results in substantive requirements for a non-state actor with penalties for noncompliance;

· establishes, alters, or revokes any qualification or standard for the issuance, suspension, or revocation of a license or permit;

· results in significant amendments to an existing policy or program;

· results in the development of technical guidance, assessments, or documents used to implement a state rule or
statute; or

· results in the development of fish and wildlife recovery plans.

“Significant agency action” does not include rule making by the WDFW associated with fishing and hunting rules.

For more information, visit our Web site at: houserepublicans.wa.gov.

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Washington State House Republican Communications
houserepublicans.wa.gov
455 John L. O’Brien Building
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600

Seventh District legislators invite constituents to telephone town hall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 24, 2013

CONTACT: Brendon Wold, Senior Information Officer – (360) 786-7698
                     Rep. Shelly Short – (360) 786-7908                      Rep. Joel Kretz – (360) 786-7988                      Sen. John Smith – (360) 786-7612

Seventh District legislators invite constituents to telephone town hall

Recently-appointed state Senator John Smith, R-Colville, will join his 7th Legislative District seatmates, Reps. Joel Kretz and Shelly Short, in hosting a telephone town hall on Thursday, Jan. 31 at 6:30 p.m. Residents wishing to participate in the hour-long “community conversation” should call toll-free 1-877-229-8493, then enter pin 15429. “These telephone town halls are a great way to touch base with a lot of people in a way that’s convenient for them,” said Kretz, R-Wauconda. “Our district covers a lot of ground and is about as far away from Olympia as you can get and still be in Washington – so we know it’s tough for folks to make the trip over to the state capital. This forum gives the people we represent an opportunity to have their voices heard in a very timely and relevant fashion.” Short, a Republican legislator from Addy, said she continually hears positive feedback about previous telephone town halls from 7th District residents when she travels around the district. “I don’t know how many times folks have stopped us to say how much they appreciate being able to listen in and participate in these telephone town halls,” said Short. “They get to learn about what’s happening in Olympia during the legislative session and give their opinions and ideas about what’s working and what’s not working in state government. And they get to do it from the comfort of their own homes without having to take time off of work and drive over the mountain passes. It’s been a very positive thing all around.” Smith, who was appointed to the state Senate in January after the retirement of longtime Senator Bob Morton, said he is looking forward to hearing from the people he represents. “Ultimately, we serve the people and we answer to them,” said Smith. “That’s why we’re here: to represent them and their interests in Olympia. If we’re going to represent the people of the 7th Legislative District to the best of our abilities, we need to hear from them. We need to know how they feel about issues like education, the state budget, taxes, transportation and health care – and what their ideas are for solving some of the problems we’re having in state government.”
The 2013 regular session began on Jan. 14 and is scheduled for 105 days.

For more information, visit our Web site at: houserepublicans.wa.gov.

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Washington State House Republican Communications
houserepublicans.wa.gov
455 John L. O’Brien Building
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600

House Republicans choose remaining leadership positions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 29, 2012

CONTACT: Brendon Wold, Senior Information Officer – (360) 786-7698

House Republicans choose remaining leadership positions

House Republican Leader Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis, announced today appointments to the remaining House Republican Caucus leadership positions for the upcoming two years.

Rep. Shelly Short, R-Addy, was appointed House Republican vice caucus chair. She will assist the caucus chair, Rep. Dan Kristiansen, R-Snohomish, in setting legislative priorities for the caucus as well as presiding over caucus meetings for the chair when bills, amendments, voting and other legislative matters are discussed.

The caucus also appointed three new members to serve as House Republican assistant caucus whips. The caucus whip, Rep. Paul Harris, R-Vancouver, and his assistant whips help ensure caucus work is carried out in an orderly fashion while maintaining decorum during caucus meetings. The new House Republican assistant caucus whips are:

Rep.-elect Elizabeth Scott, R-Monroe, serving the 39th Legislative District;

Rep.-elect Drew MacEwen, R-Union, serving the 35th Legislative District; and,

Rep.-elect Jeff Holy, R-Spokane, serving the 6th Legislative District.

The four new appointees join the elected members of the House Republican leadership team and will play key roles in developing and implementing plans and policies supported by the House Republican Caucus.

For more information, visit our Web site at: houserepublicans.wa.gov.

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Washington State House Republican Communications

houserepublicans.wa.gov

439 John L. O’Brien Building

P.O. Box 40600

Olympia, WA 98504-0600

Kretz, Short each receive award for supporting small businesses

National Federation of Independent Business gives 7th District lawmakers Guardian of Small Business Award

The state’s largest small business advocacy group, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), recognized Reps. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda, and Shelly Short, R-Addy, with its Guardian of Small Business Award for their efforts in the Legislature to support measures that help small-business owners be successful and oppose policies that hurt them. The 8,000-member association grades lawmakers on their votes on 10 pieces of legislation. Kretz and Short both received a 100 percent voting record for the 2011-12 biennium.

“When you travel around the Seventh District, it’s clear that the majority of jobs are created by small businesses like mine. They employ our friends, family and neighbors in areas where big businesses choose not to operate or, in the case of our part of the state, cannot get the permits needed to begin operations,” said Kretz, who also received the NFIB Legislator of the Year Award in 2010. “Entrepreneurs risk their own capital to start their businesses and create jobs that support our communities and the services our local governments provide. Anything I can do to support them, I will.”

“Small businesses are quite literally the backbone of our state and local economies,” said Short, who also received the 2011 Cornerstone Award from the Association of Washington Business. “One of the things I hear the most from folks back home is the need to protect the jobs we have and to help find ways to expand our region’s economic opportunities. A vote on the House floor for a bill being supported by NFIB is a vote supporting the many entrepreneurs and job-producers in our state. I’m grateful for the recognition from NFIB but even more grateful for their work and assistance in supporting those small employers around the state who contribute so much to our economy.”

According to a report authored this year by the United States Small Business Administration, small businesses totaled 532,162 in Washington in 2009. They represent 98.1 percent of all employers and employ 53.3 percent of the private-sector workforce.

According to NFIB Washington State Director Patrick Connor, the cost of tax compliance falls heavily on small business and is 66 percent higher for a small business compared to a large business. And, he pointed out a national study that found small firms with fewer than 20 employees spend $2,400, or 45 percent, more per employee than larger firms do in complying with the same federal regulations.

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CONTACT: Bobbi Cussins, Public Information Officer, (360) 786-7252

Rep. Short receives award for her efforts to support businesses and job growth in Washington state

Rep. Shelly Short, R-Addy, received the 2011 Cornerstone Award from the Association of Washington Businesses (AWB) for her efforts to protect jobs, spur local economic development and create an employer-friendly environment in Washington state.

Gary Chandler, AWB’s Vice President of government affairs, presented the award to Short last week at the state Capitol in Olympia.

“Last year was an important legislative year for Washington’s economy,” said Chandler. “We appreciate Representative Short’s leadership on these issues and her commitment to creating the right conditions for employers and free enterprise to succeed in Washington state.”

AWB’s Cornerstone Awards are presented annually to Washington state legislators who have an 80 percent or better voting record with the association. The group publishes its voting record after each legislative session as a supplement to its magazine, Washington Business. The vote record includes the member’s percentage of AWB supported votes in 2011 and 2010, as well as their lifetime AWB average and their score as calculated by the Washington State Labor Council.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by the AWB,” said Short. “They are an organization that works very hard to help foster an atmosphere that is friendly and accommodating to employers. Through all the budget debate over the last few years, we’ve tried to bring the importance of jobs and supporting our local employers to the forefront of the discussion. I know many folks in my legislative district who are looking for work – and I feel for them. As elected officials, we need to do all we can at the state and local level to help protect jobs and keep the government at bay so the entrepreneurs and small business owners can create more jobs.”

Formed in 1904, the Association of Washington Business is Washington’s oldest and largest statewide business association, and includes more than 7,800 members representing 700,000 employees. AWB serves as both the state’s chamber of commerce and the manufacturing and technology association, and is one of two chambers in the country accredited with distinction by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

PHOTO CAPTION:

Rep. Shelly Short receives the 2011 Cornerstone Award from AWB’s Vice President of government affairs, Gary Chandler, at the state Capitol in Olympia.

For more information, contact Brendon Wold, Senior Information Officer: (360) 786-7698

Legislature considers measure to “Fund Education First,” cosponsored by 7th District lawmakers

The House Education Appropriations and Oversight Committee held a public hearing this week on a House Republican proposal called Fund Education First. The idea is to create a new, separate K-12 education budget that would be required to pass the Legislature before any other spending bills. The measure, which has been introduced by House Republicans each biennium since 2006, also seeks to comply with a recent state Supreme Court decision by fully funding education.

Both 7th District House members, Reps. Joel Kretz and Shelly Short, cosponsored the bill and said the committee hearing was a long time in coming.

“At some point, saying education is our top priority as a state has to move beyond just words and be reflected in our actions,” said Kretz, R-Wauconda. “If it is truly the state’s paramount duty – and we believe it is – then it should be reflected in our priorities not gambled on by trying to take more money from taxpayers at the ballot box. We’ve introduced legislation for several years to make education a top priority in our budgeting process but it’s always been shot down by the majority party in Olympia. Hopefully, with the court’s recent ruling, we’ll see some more support for this proposal from across the aisle.”

“Throughout our state’s budget problems of the last few years, the Legislature and the governor have yet to engage in any kind of ‘priorities of government’ process,” said Short, R-Addy. “By establishing a separate education budget that is required to be enacted before any other money is spent by the Legislature, we’re showing the court and the public that we’re serious about funding our priorities.”

The proposal, House Bill 2533, currently has bipartisan support. If implemented, it would:

* require K-12 education funding be made in separate legislation from the operating budget;

* require all funding for K-12 education be enacted into law before either chamber of the Legislature takes executive action on other budget legislation; and

* take effect immediately and would apply to the supplemental budget currently being negotiated.

Short, who serves on the committee, said the concept of funding education first is receiving more and more support from school board members, superintendents, parents and teachers.

“There was a lot of support for this idea in committee. The testimony from the education folks was very positive and they support this concept,” said Short. “I’m not sure the majority party leadership likes the idea – we’ve been given no indication that they’re going to let this bill come up for a vote in committee. But I’d sure like to see this thing pass to the House floor so that Representatives from all over the state would have the opportunity to debate the issue and vote on it.”

Kretz said the idea of a separate education budget is very similar to the current practice of having separate capital and transportation budgets.

“Olympia can be a very ‘process-oriented’ place. People here don’t like change. As soon as you suggest changing the status quo, it gets folks all riled up and people start getting nervous,” said Kretz, who also serves as the Deputy Leader for House Republicans. “But I think it’s important to show that this is possible – that there is a process to follow that’s already in place – and if we’re really serious about educating our children, let’s put our money where our mouth is and prioritize it in the budgeting process.”

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For more information, contact Brendon Wold, Senior Information Officer: (360) 786-7698

7th District law makers to host telephone town hall meeting

Hour-long, district-wide call allows constituents to participate, ask their legislators questions from home

Rep. Joel Kretz and Rep. Shelly Short are inviting constituents in the 7th Legislative District to participate in a telephone town hall meeting Thursday, Feb. 9. The community conversation begins at 6:30 p.m. and will last one hour.

To participate, residents may call the toll-free number at 1-877-229-8493 and enter the code 15429 when prompted. During the telephone town hall, the Representatives will listen to residents, answer questions and discuss a variety of topics related to the 2012 session. Once on the line, participants may select star 3 on their telephone keypads to ask a question or they can simply listen in and take part in instant polls. There will also be an opportunity at the end of the call to leave a message for Kretz and Short.

"Our two main priorities for this session are to come up with a solution to our state’s projected $1.5 billion shortfall within existing revenues and to implement legislation that will help create more long-term private-sector jobs,” said Kretz, R-Wauconda. “However, in the first couple weeks of session we’re hearing proposals to ban plastic grocery bags across the state, legalize the non-medicinal use of marijuana, and make spitting or roller skating on a state ferry a misdemeanor. Having a telephone town hall with 7th District constituents is a good way to balance the craziness of Olympia with the sanity of the common sense and wisdom from the folks back home. I’m looking forward to a good, lively discussion on a variety of issues.”

“The 7th Legislative District is the largest district in the state based on square miles,” said Short, R-Addy. “In the past, we’ve had literally thousands of participants in our telephone town halls. To get that kind of participation in a district the size of the Seventh District would take weeks of traditional town hall meetings and hundreds of miles on the road. And I know many folks in district can’t take the time or are unable to travel to Olympia or other community-based town halls. This telephone town hall gives them the opportunity to participate from the comfort of their own home and to let us know how they feel on important issues.”

Constituents who are unable to participate in the telephone town hall meeting can reach Kretz at his legislative office at (360) 786-7988 or Joel.Kretz@leg.wa.gov.

Short can be reached at her legislative office at (360) 786-7908 or Shelly.Short@leg.wa.gov

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For more information, contact Brendon Wold, Senior Information Officer: (360) 786-7698

OP-ED on governor’s proposed budget cuts to Critical Access Hospitals – Reps. Schmick, Short and Rodne

Potential budget cuts to Critical Access Hospitals endangers public

As part of her solution to the state’s projected budget shortfall, Governor Chris Gregoire has suggested a course of action for our state’s Critical Access Hospitals that will endanger the public health, cost the state millions in federal matching dollars, and may – in the end – result in several rural hospitals closing their doors to the public.

Let us be clear, solving our state’s budget issues will be no easy task. The lack of sound fiscal decisions made by the majority party in Olympia have combined with an international economic recession to create a serious budget shortfall that needs immediate action.

However, the governor’s proposal to cut $27 million from the state budget by eliminating cost-based payments for Critical Access Hospitals would end up doing much more harm than just what shows up on the ledger sheet.

Critical Access Hospitals are an essential component of Washington state’s health care delivery system. They are the hub for local health care services in their communities, delivering primary and preventive care, key diagnostics and laboratory services, emergency services, and recuperative care.

To qualify as “Critical Access,” the hospital must have fewer than 25 inpatient beds, serve rural areas and must meet specific distance requirements from other hospitals or have been deemed an “essential community provider” by the state Department of Health.

The “Critical Access” designation allows these 38 hospitals across the state allowable cost-based reimbursement for their Medicare and Medicaid patients. This is especially important as these hospitals tend to serve older, rural communities with lower incomes. As such, they treat a much higher ratio of Medicaid and Medicare patients and have fewer privately insured patients.

In a recent committee meeting, we heard testimony from several Critical Access Hospitals that would be severely impacted by the governor’s proposal. The services that could be eliminated or reduced because of these budget cuts include nursing home/assisted living care; orthopedic surgery; well-child care; home health care; hospice care; physical therapy; pharmacy; school health; transitional care; counseling/mental health services; ambulance services and other transportation services – just to name a handful.

But it’s not just the $27 million from the state budget that we’re talking about here. If the Legislature goes through with the governor’s proposed cuts to Critical Access Hospitals they’ll also lose millions in matching federal dollars. The total cuts to these hospitals would be end up being closer to $85 million.

This is a financial hit that, frankly, many rural Critical Access Hospitals cannot absorb. Most will have to cut major services and some will be forced to close their doors permanently, placing the health care of thousands of Washingtonians in jeopardy.

Urban hospitals will see a significant uptick in emergency room patients, Medicaid patients and uncompensated patients. The state’s entire health care system will experience sicker patients as individuals go without needed care until their sickness gets too serious to ignore.

Washington state currently benefits from a strong network of rural and urban hospitals working together to ensure appropriate care for every patient. A breakdown in the Critical Access Hospital network will impact all hospitals in our state.

We are working with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers of the Legislature to prioritize spending, make state government more efficient, and to implement policies that help the private sector create more jobs. The state’s budget problem must be solved quickly – but not at the expense of our state’s excellent Critical Access Hospitals.

(By Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, Rep. Jay Rodne, R-North Bend, and Rep. Shelly Short, R-Addy.)

Op-ed on DOE’s proposed new fish consumption standards – By Rep. Shelly Short

How much fish do you eat? Another “head scratcher” from Olympia

By Rep. Shelly Short

As the ranking member on the House Environment Committee, I’ve witnessed several proposals over the last few years – in the form of legislation and proposed rules by state agencies – that I call “head scratchers.” These are issues that just make you wonder who’s running the show over in Olympia.

Like the time a bill was introduced to create an “engine fee” based on the size of your engine. Or the “TV tax” bill that punished consumers with large television screens. Or the “mileage tax” levied on high-mileage drivers.

These are oftentimes the issues brought up to me by folks at the grocery store back home or at the 4-H meeting. And the conversations around these issues usually include a lot of eye-rolling, frustrated questioning, and some choice, colorful words for the sponsors of the bills back in Olympia.

Well, folks. It’s time to add another one to the list: the Department of Ecology’s (DOE) “fish consumption survey.”

Currently, our state’s water quality standards are determined by a formula that includes information based on how much fish the average person in this state consumes. However, DOE is now proposing a ten-fold increase to this standard by basing it on the highest end of the fish-eating spectrum (Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Islanders, and some Russian groups) which represents less than 10 percent of the state population.

When I asked a DOE official to see the fish consumption studies that showed these specific numbers, I was told I couldn’t see them. In fact, the DOE official hadn’t seen much of the information as it is proprietary to the tribes.

When I questioned further about our current measuring system of “parts-per-billion,” I was told that because of this proposed change, we could very well be in the “parts-per-trillion” range. Let me say that again: parts-per-trillion – with a “T.”

Why is this important to you and me? Our state’s water quality standards impact everything from logging, mining, agriculture, and road building, to recreational activities, manufacturing and small businesses. They also affect local governments and their water, sewer and storm water systems. Any change in the formula that governs these standards has huge implications for Washington citizens.

Doesn’t it stand to reason that such an impactful decision be based on a data set beyond that which represents less than 10 percent of our population? Shouldn’t that information be readily available to both the unelected bureaucrats proposing the rules and the elected officials responsible for overseeing the agency? In my mind, absolutely!

I’ll be hounding DOE for more information and working with our legal staff to bring accountability and common sense to these proposals. In the meantime, let the eye-rolling and the head scratching begin.

(Rep. Shelly Short, R-Addy, is the ranking member on the House Environment Committee. She is also the assistant ranking member on the House Technology, Energy and Communications Committee.)

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For more information, contact Brendon Wold, Senior Information Officer: (360) 786-7698