Bill looking to reopen Washington divides business owners, health care workers by Tim Gruver, The Center Square | January 22, 2021 09:30 AM Print this article
A bipartisan bill in the Washington Legislature seeking to reopen much of the state is driving a wedge between business owners and frontline health care workers exhausted by pandemic.
Effective January 11, Inslee moved the state to a phased
reopening plan requiring counties to meet four health metrics to progress between phases.
Those metrics include two-week declines in new COVID-19 cases and hospital admission rates per 100,000 people in addition to week-long positivity rates of less than 10% and ICU bed capacity of less than 90%.
× By Laurel Demkovich, The Spokesman-Review
Published: January 19, 2021, 9:02am
Share: Daffodils bloom near the Legislative Building on April 6, 2020 at the Capitol in Olympia. (Associated Press files)
OLYMPIA A proposed bill in the Legislature would change reopening metrics for schools, allowing kids to get back to in-person learning sooner than the current plan allows.
It is one of many Republicans plan to introduce this legislative session to reopen the state sooner. Last week, Republicans opposed new rules for the Legislature that allowed for a remote session. They also opposed extending COVID-19 emergency orders until the end of Inslee’s state of emergency, arguing that the proclamations should only be extended every few weeks.
Business groups press Washington Legislature for tax cuts, other COVID-19 relief By Paul Roberts, The Seattle Times
Published: January 17, 2021, 1:23pm
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After surviving 10 months of shutdowns, heavy layoffs, steep losses and chronic uncertainty, many businesses in Washington say they won’t see the end of the pandemic without significant help from state lawmakers.
But one week into the 2021 legislative session, prospects for that relief are anything but clear.
The good news: There’s strong bipartisan support in the Democrat-controlled state House and Senate for quick action on measures such as emergency grants for small business and more than $2.6 billion in cuts for unemployment taxes and other business costs.
Republican leaders discuss legislative goals for 2021 session Michael Goldberg January 14, 2021
Leaders from the House and Senate Republican Caucuses House Minority Leader JT Wilcox, Senate Minority Leader John Braun, House Minority Floor Leader Jacquelin Maycumber, House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Drew Stokesbary, Senate Minority Leader John Braun, Senate Republican Caucus Chair Ann Rivers and Senate Ways & Means Committee Chair Lynda Wilson gathered Wednesday for a virtual press conference to discuss the 2021 legislative session.
The leaders talked over their ideas to make use of the state’s rainy day fund, foundational public health investment, and the governor’s emergency powers.
The Morning Wire: Keeping you informed on politics, policies, and personalities of Washington State.
Democratic leaders discuss legislative goals for 2021 session Michael Goldberg January 13, 2021
Leaders from the House and Senate Democratic Caucuses Speaker Laurie Jinkins, Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, House Majority Floor Leader Monica Stonier, and Senate Deputy Majority Leader Manka Dhingra gathered Wednesday for a virtual press conference to discuss the 2021 legislative session.
The leaders addressed a variety of topics, including what bills will take precedence this session, when significant floor action will begin, efforts to change laws surrounding gubernatorial emergency powers, and vaccine distribution.
The Morning Wire: Keeping you informed on politics, policies, and personalities of Washington State.
What bills will be brought to the floor first?