Record Numbers Sign Up to Testify on Inslee Emergency Power Bills
According to several GOP Legislators, it appears Democrats who control the State Senate by a slim margin and have a larger margin in the House, are not listening to citizens.
RECORD NUMBERS SIGN UP TO TESTIFY ON BILLS THAT WOULD END INSLEE'S STATE OF EMERGENCY
Prior to COVID when testimony was done in person, and someone would have to go to Olympia to testify on a bill, there were usually not as many people.
<strong>SB 5909 drew a record 5,614 signees, while HB (House Bill) 1772 saw 5.405. Not all of them of course were able to give their opinion, but the previous record for ANY bill in the digital zoom age was 4,858.</strong>
But since COVID came, and the legislature went all virtual in 2021, including public testimony, the record was smashed last week by citizens weighing in on two bills.
Senate Bill 5909 would at least apply some options for limiting a governor's emergency powers, while a stronger GOP House Bill would have ended the pandemic power as soon as it was passed. It would also put limits going forward for how long governor's can declare states of emergency.
SB 5909 drew a record 5,614 signees, while HB (House Bill) 1772 saw 5.405. Not all of them of course were able to give their opinion, but the previous record for ANY bill in the digital zoom age was 4,858.
Despite this huge turnout, and the vast majority in favor of limiting Inslee's powers and ending the emergency, Democratic legislators have not given HB 1772 a hearing, and we are still waiting to see if SB 5909 gets voted out of committee to move on to the Senate Floor.
Senator Jeff Wilson (R- Longview) had this to say out the Democratic actions following these record turnouts:
"...I am getting the sinking feeling that my colleagues aren’t paying attention, and by the time we adjourn we will have done nothing meaningful to rein in the governor’s emergency authority."
These new digital signup testimony records do not include tens of thousands of others who have commented on these bills by way of their respective legislators in their districts. We do know thousands of comments have flooded the 8th, 9th and 16th District offices in our area, people wanting Inslee's pandemic powers to be ended.
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