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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
After one of the longest sessions in state history, the Legislature is finally adjourned. We should have finished in April, but I'm glad lawmakers were able to pass a bipartisan operating budget and capital budget in that time.
Legislature passes bipartisan operating, capital and transportation budgets
Here are some of the operating budget highlights:
- $1.3 billion investment in K-12 education that meets our constitutional obligation as well as funds full-day kindergarten and reduces class sizes.
- Provides an overdue cost-of-living adjustment for teachers.
- Addresses court-mandated state mental health system changes.
- Reduces college tuition at two-year and four-year institutions.
- Funding for early learning programs and child care.
- And more!
We also passed a two-year capital budget this session. It provides for a number of projects in the 30th District, including the Auburn Youth Resources campus extension, the Federal Way Performing Arts Center, the Redondo boardwalk repair and more.
It's been an honor to serve on the Capital Budget committee this session to ensure our district gets the projects it needs to be a safer, caring and productive community.
The Legislature also passed a transportation revenue package that plans to fund a significant number of projects in the 30th District. You can find the full list of projects by visiting fiscal.wa.gov, clicking “Map Capital Projects,” and selecting the 30th Legislative District.
Grand opening of my district office
Sen. Mark Miloscia and I are hosting our district office grand opening Tuesday, July 14. We invite everyone to come out to this community event to connect with their lawmakers.
The office is located at 33305 1st Way S, Suite B-104 in Federal Way. Our legislative assistants will staff the office throughout the remainder of the year and will be available to constituents of the 30th District for questions, and scheduling appointments.
I look forward to seeing you July 14!
Bill allowing county court marshals to enter collective bargaining agreements passes
This session, I sponsored House Bill 1987, which would have expanded collective bargaining rights to a small community of county court marshals who work in King, Snohomish and Thurston counties.
According to the Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Act, uniformed personnel of cities, counties and other municipalities may seek interest arbitration if negotiations for a contract cannot be resolved through mediation. Currently, county court marshals do not fall under the definition of “uniformed personnel.”
Current uniformed personnel who are provided interest arbitration provisions include, among others: firefighters, law enforcement officers in larger cities and counties, correctional employees, and publicly employed advanced life support technicians.
While my version of the bill didn't advance this session, I'm glad Senate Bill 6092 is now on the books for our county court marshals.
Sincerely,
Linda Kochmar
