State Relations
March 6, 2007
Amendment to ISM Bill Could Tap Life Sciences Fund
Yesterday during the cut-off hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee, Senator Joe Zarelli (R-Ridgefield) successfully hung an amendment on a measure which would make a new life sciences research entity in Spokane area potentially eligible for Life Sciences Discovery Fund monies. SSB 5616 would create a health sciences and services authority in Spokane with the intention of using the Institute
March 1, 2007
Light Blogging Ahead
I’m heading out of town for a couple of days to visit some old friends in California so blogging will be sparse until next week. Have a great weekend.
February 28, 2007
Washington Learns Bills Survive Cutoff — Session Halfway Point Arrives
Today is the 52nd day of the legislative session, the official halfway point for 2007 and the first real cut-off deadline for standing committee action. After today, Senate and House policy committees cannot take action on measures from their chamber of origin. This is “parliamentary speak” for “if it isn’t out of a policy committee by today, it’s dead
February 27, 2007
Subcommittee Budget Clears Panel
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education met tonight to act on their proposed 2007-09 operating budget recommendations for early learning, K-12 and higher education. As expected, the budget recommendations cleared the committee on a party line vote. The recommendations will now be formally considered by the full committee as they finalize their budget recommendations over the next several
February 26, 2007
House Subcommittee Budget Mostly Follows Governor’s Blueprint
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education released their operating budget recommendations today at a 12:15 p.m. press conference in Olympia. Committee chair Rep. Kathy Haigh (D-Shelton) was joined by several of her House Democratic colleagues including Rep. Ruth Kagi, Rep. Joe McDermott, Rep. Pat Sullivan, Rep. Deb Wallace, Rep. Dave Quall, Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos and Rep.
Cut Off Week Arrives with Budget Proposals on the Side
The next three days here in Olympia will feature round the clock hearings as standing policy committees in the House and Senate scramble to pass legislation before their Wednesday Februrary 28 5:00 p.m. deadline. Unless it is related to the state budget, most bills that do not pass by this date are considered dead for the
February 23, 2007
Debt Authority Bill Passes House
HB 1398 which is the UW’s request legislation to expand our local borrowing authority passed the full House of Representatives this morning 93-1 which four members excused. The House bill will now be referred to the Senate for consideration. SB 5384, which is the Senate companion measure should be acted on by the full Senate
Concerns Raised About Global Challenge States
Much of my time this past week has been spent meeting with various legislators on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education to help them better understand the policy rationale for the Washington Learns recommendations to use what are called Global Challenge States for higher education funding benchmarks. For many years, per student funding for the UW
Higher Ed Day A Grand Success
Last Tuesday, February 20, alumni from all six of Washington’s baccalaureate institutions along with their Presidents and governing boards met in Olympia for the 2007 Higher Education Day and the timing could not have been better. The planning for this year’s event was very strategic and focused on bringing a united voice of support for
February 16, 2007
Taking Stock After a Long Week
As you can tell from the dearth of blog postings, this has been the most intense week of session yet. Between individual appointments with legislators to lobby our operating and capital budget proposals and a head spinning number of committee hearings on bills that both please and concern the University, I have hardly had much
