Senate Democrats Block Vote on Re-Open Bill in Olympia

Without even allowing a vote on SB 5114, Senate Democrats sent a loud message Wednesday about how they view business, especially small businesses, in WA State.

House Senate GOP leaders said Thursday when they attempted to get the legislators on the floor to at least vote on the bill (which would move many businesses to Phase 2 in the re-open plan) Democrats blocked it.

Prior to that during the Committee meeting, GOP Senator Jeff Wilson made a motion to vote on the bill, but the Democrat Chair and other Dem Senators voted to adjourn the meeting. Then came the blocked vote.

SB 5114 would allow all the businesses currently locked down or restricted by Gov. Inslee to move to Phase 2, which would greatly help them financially. In fact, some 1,200 people signed up last week to participate or watch on Zoom during the bill's public hearing. At lest 400, mostly business owners, signed up to speak.

However, even during these public hearings, speakers were cut off or muted after only :60 seconds. It's been noted during other public hearings on other bills, speakers were allowed at least a couple of minutes.

It was also noted that Democratic Senator Sam Hunt (Olympia) who is on the Chairman of that committee during the public hearings, was quoted as saying:

"Frankly, I line up the groups that like to follow the scientists more than just a wave of emotion.”

He was referring to the impassioned testiomony of business owners, many of whom are just days away from going out of business.