Long-Term Care and Sasquatch: An Update on the Legislative Session

Editor’s note: This commentary was originally published on the Employment Security Department’s legislative blog.

From ESD Government Relations Director Nick Streuli:
Today marks the first policy cutoff date for bills to pass their respective committees to remain alive, followed by next Tuesday’s fiscal cutoff date. Once we pass these milestones, the number of daily bill introductions will drop significantly. Then, legislative and agency staff will switch gears from analyzing new bills to reviewing amendments, substitutes and other proposed changes to bills we are watching.
A few highlights from the past week:

• Members have introduced nearly 1,400 bills so far.
• ESD’s Long-Term Care agency request bill – SB 6267 – passed out of policy committee.

Legislative factoid
Did you know the state tree is a Western Hemlock? How about the state’s dance, gem or waterfall? Symbols often are adopted after a concerted effort by citizens, organizations or school children to request a bill and have an item recognized for its importance to the state.
On a similar note, the Legislature is once again trying to adopt Sasquatch as the official cryptid (a creature that has been claimed to exist but never proven to exist) of Washington state, but it doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. Maybe next session.