We have already started week 6 of the 2019 legislative session and that means that cutoff deadlines for committees are quickly approaching. In the past two weeks, the Senate voted to confirm Kaitlyn Zhou to the UW’s Board of Regents and campus representatives visited Olympia to advocate on behalf of university priorities. Speaker Frank Chopp testified before the House College & Workforce Development committee on his first prime sponsored legislation in 20 years. Read more from State Relations.
It was a snowy start to week 4 of the 2019 Legislative Session. President Ana Mari Cauce made her first visit of the year to Olympia. She championed the UW’s legislative agenda as she met with leaders and legislators in both chambers and joined with WSU President Kirk Schulz for an interview at TVW where they discussed the joint “Yes, It’s Possible” campaign. UW experts in a variety of fields testified before committees on topics ranging from climate change to equity in tech and Morgan Hickel, associate director of state relations, testified on Governor Jay Inslee’s proposed capital budget. Read more from State Relations. 
Yesterday, the University of Washington opened the Othello-UW Commons in Southeast Seattle. Located across the street from the Othello Link light rail station, this new multi-functional partnership space will be used for community-informed teaching, learning, service, meet-ups, events and more by multiple UW schools, colleges and programs. Read more from UW News.
Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives announced subcommittee memberships for the House Appropriations Committee yesterday. Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA-06) will serve on the Defense, Energy-Water, and Interior-Environment subcommittees. See the full list from Federal Relations.
The 2019 session of the Washington State Legislature is underway. On the third day of session, Joe Dacca, director of state relations, testified on Gov. Jay Inslee’s proposed operating budget before the Senate Ways & Means Committee. Read more from State Relations. Watch live and archived footage from the legislature from TVW.
