The 61^st Legislature began the 60-day 2010 session in Olympia on Monday, January 11, 2010.

It’s never been more important to be vigilant citizen watchdogs on what our public servants are doing. 

To help you keep tabs on proposed legislation, hearings and committee or floor action, I’ve listed some helpful contact information and websites for you to track what’s happening in Olympia.  An informed, watchful citizenry is harder to fool.  November’s election is coming.   We’ll be ready!
  

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR OUR STATE LEGISLATORS:

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx

STATE HOTLINE (TOLL FREE #) – 800-562-6000
 

RESOURCES:

IF YOU WANT TO LOOK UP BILLS - You can search for specific legislation by bill number or key word, find newly introduced legislation, look up committee reports, check on House or Senate floor actions or search for all legislation pertaining to a specific topic.  (i.e. all bills on “property tax”)   http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/  

THE HOUSE REPUBLICAN NEWSROOM  at http://houserepublicans.wa.gov/news/  

THE HOUSE DEMOCRATS NEWSROOM – Keep track of Democrat legislators and their plans for Washington state at http://newsroom.housedemocrats.wa.gov/.  Also, if you’re a candidate or going to help a campaign, this is a good way to conduct your own “opposition research.”  Keep a file.   

THE SENATE REPUBLICANS NEWSROOM at http://src.leg.wa.gov/default.htm 

THE SENATE DEMOCRATS NEWSROOM at http://www.sdc.wa.gov/

TRACKING THE PROGRESS OF BILLS -- If you’d like to keep a personalized list of one or more bills that you want to track during this legislative session go to this site:  https://dlr.leg.wa.gov/user/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=/billtracking/Default.aspx    

FIND A LAW (RCW) OR REGULATION/RULE (WAC) - http://search.leg.wa.gov/pub/textsearch/default.asp   

TVW - Washington State's Public Affairs Network -- Listen to the entire Legislative session, floor action and special events.  Go to http://www.tvw.org/ .  You can also check out TVW’s Program Guide and archived tapings by clicking on Program Guide or Archives. 
 

PAY ATTENTION TO LEGISLATION CUT OFF DATES:

Write your letters and make your phone calls on specific legislation EARLY with these cut-off dates in mind! 

February 5, 2010, will be the final day to read in committee reports in the house of origin, with the exception of reports from fiscal committees; 

February 9, 2010, will be the final day to read in Senate Ways and Means, Senate Transportation, and House of Representatives fiscal committee reports in the house of origin;

February 16, 2010, at 5:00 p.m., will be the final time to consider bills in their house of origin;

February 26, 2010, will be the final day to read in committee reports on bills from the opposite house with the exception of reports from fiscal committees;

March 1, 2010, will be the final day to read fiscal committee reports on bills from the opposite house;

After 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 5, 2010, the fifty-fourth day, neither house may consider any bills, memorials, or joint resolutions except initiatives to the legislature and alternatives to such initiatives, budgets and matters necessary to implement budgets, messages pertaining to amendments, matters of differences between the two houses, and matters incident to the interim and to the closing of the business of the 2010 Regular Session of the Legislature.

This information was provided by Cheryl Hymes former 40^th District Legislator and current legislative chair for the Whatcom County Republican women.

Copyright 2010
Washington Federation of Republican Women.
PO Box 1443
Olympia, WA  98507-1443
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