The Senate and House just wrapped up opening session. Here’s a scene from the House.

Rep. Frank Chopp outlined his priorities, including education taking early learning “to the next level.” He also said one goal this session is to save the state’s safety net.

“One thing we’ve learned is that an overtaxed industry stifles innovation,” said Rep. Richard DeBolt, in a response. He also said the state has to break it’s dependence on the federal government, move Medicare to block grants and put pressure on the federal government to give the state more flexibility on federal match programs.

Tags: House, Legislature, opening day, Senate

The Senate just took up House Bill 2058, which makes about $480 million in fund transfers and cuts.

To kick off debate, Sen. Ed Murray said the state’s unemployment rate has just dropped to 8.7 percent, as reported by the Associated Press. “It’s not low enough, but it’s definitely movement,” he said. Murray said the budget is responsible because lawmakers took time to hear from people around the state. “We are making a significant down payment on the crisis we face,” he said, and it will allow lawmakers to move more quickly during regular session to work on a budget and a jobs package.

 ”I’m happy we’re getting something done,” said Sen. Joe Zarelli. “We’re making a good start on what is a huge problem … I just want to encourage all the members here today,” to vote for the bill, he said. He agreed with Murray that this early action gives the Legislature a jump start on regular session business.

Sen. Jim Hargrove thanked the budget writers, but said it’s too soon to start looking at revenue. He said there’s more work to be done on waste, fraud and abuse. He said over the next few weeks, he and others will be working on finding efficiencies where more cuts can be made.

The bill passed 42 to 6. It has already passed in the House.

Tags: Budget, cuts, Senate, special session

Lawmakers listen as panelists discuss how to develop an innovation economy.

The economic engine of the Pacific Northwest is driven by clusters of industry — from aerospace to sportswear — and some economists in the region say those clusters are what will eventually tow the rest of the economy out of the ditch.
That’s what I heard this morning at the Pacific Northwest Economic Region summit, where legislators and thinkers from around the region gathered to talk about how to drive the next phase of economic growth. The panel I attended, on the innovation economy, functioned as a joint legislative hearing and was attended by Reps. Maureen Walsh, Ed Orcutt, Norma Smith, Phyllis Gutierrez, Fred Finn, Cindy Ryu and Bob Hasegawa as well as Sens. Jim Kastama and Maralyn Chase.
“Businesses get strategic advantage — they are better able to compete — if they are in an area where there are a lot of other businesses, a lot of other people, doing the same thing,” said Joe Cortright, president of Impresa Consulting, which specializes in cluster analysis. That might seem counter-intuitive: Why would a businesses want many competitors nearby? But Cortright said the businesses that are part of a geographic cluster of other similar businesses are more successful because, for example, skilled workers move to the area, meaning a more educated workforce.
One example: The athletic and outdoor industry in Portland includes giants like Nike, Adidas importers and Columbia sportswear. But it also includes 700 other businesses and 14,000 total employees who work in businesses related to outdoor apparel and shoes. That’s lead to the firms collaborating on sustainability, and Portland is creating a center for design and innovation. Oregon State University even moved its apparel design program from Corvallis to Portland, he said. (more…)

Tags: House, industry, innovation economy, Senate

Remember back on Sine Die (part 2) when Sen. Phil Rockefeller announced he was leaving the Senate — and said he’d like to see Rep. Christine Rolfes replace him? His wish came true.

Brad Shannon based that post on The Kitsap Sun’s story, which you can read here.

Meanwhile, that leaves her House seat open — and the Sun reports that several people are jumping to fill that seat, which will also be filled by the county party.

Tags: House, Rockefeller, Rolfes, Senate

We’re still wrapping up legislative coverage — you can watch our one-hour Legislative Year in Review starting Friday evening — but campaign news is already coming fast and filing week starts in just a few days.

First, if you tuned into TVW’s Sine Die coverage last week, you learned that Sen. Phil Rockefeller will be leaving his seat to take a position on the Northwest Power and Conservation Council (a position he was appointed to by Gov. Chris Gregoire). But you also learned that he’s recommending Rep. Christine Rolfes for his seat. She told the Bainbridge Island Review that she’s interested in the position. The Kitsap County Democratic Central Committee will choose three candidates and the county commissioners will make the choice.

And Denny Heck has decided to run for Congress again — in a yet undetermined district. As Brad Shannon reports, his Thurston County home could end up in a new 10th Congressional District that’s being hashed out now by the bipartisan Redistricting Commission. The Redistricting Commission is traveling the state holding public hearings now, which you can watch on TVW.

And former state Rep. Laura Ruderman has decided that if U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee runs for governor, she’ll run for his seat in Congress. You can read more about that on Jerry Cornfield’s blog here. Cornfield also notes that Rep. Marko Liias announced last month that he’s forming an exploratory committee to consider a run.

Now, what about Gov. Chris Gregoire? Will she be running for re-election in 2012? She said on Sine Die that she’s given it “absolutely zero” thought.

Tags: 2012, campaigns, elections, Governor, House, Senate

Here’s Sen Ed Murray on the budget, bipartisanship and more:

And here’s Sen. Phil Rockefeller, who announced he’s retiring today (and he even reveals who he thinks could replace him):

Tags: bipartisan, Budget, Murray, retirement, Rockefeller, Senate

Here’s my interview with Rep. Hans Dunshee:

And here’s Sen. Janea Holmquist Newbry:

Tags: Budget, capital budget, Dunshee, Holmquist Newbry, House, Senate, workers' comp

First up, Rep. Gary Alexander:

And now, Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles:

Tags: Alexander, Budget, House, Kohl-Welles, medical marijuana, Senate

Here’s my interview with Sen. Mike Hewitt.

Tags: bipartisan, Hewitt, Republicans, Senate

Senate Democratic and Republican leaders will unveil a Capital Budget today at 3:15. You can watch the action live on TVW.

Tags: capital budget, Senate