Inslee 'passing the torch,' special session for 'Blake Fix,' clean energy bills, police training, new state dinosaur



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Inslee “ready to pass the torch;” will not seek fourth term
Gov. Jay Inslee addresses the Legislature during his 2023 State of the State address.

Gov. Jay Inslee, first elected in 2012, will not seek a fourth term.

Gov. Jay Inslee announced Monday that he will not seek a fourth term [ [link removed] ] as governor of the State of Washington. Inslee began his tenure as governor in 2013. He is the second governor to serve three consecutive terms and is currently the longest-serving governor in the U.S.

“Serving the people as governor of Washington state has been my greatest honor. During a decade of dynamic change, we’ve made Washington a beacon for progress for the nation,” said Inslee. “I’m ready to pass the torch.”

Among the achievements Inslee is most associated with are passage of trailblazing environmental policies including the Clean Energy Transformation Act and the Climate Commitment Act. During the past decade, Washington state sprinted to the forefront of clean energy innovation and emissions reduction.

Inslee also advanced several legal justice system reforms, fought for more affordable health care, enacted a nation-leading paid family and medical leave program, passed several notable bills to reduce gun violence, and has helped make Washington a leading state for access to reproductive freedom and gender-affirming care. He took aggressive action to combat COVID-19, and Washington state has one of the lowest death rates in the country.


* Washington Gov. Jay Inslee says he won’t run for a fourth term [ [link removed] ] (Crosscut)
* Jay Inslee sees greener pastures ahead [ [link removed] ] (New York Times)
* Even as he prepares to leave office, Jay Inslee is pushing for climate action [ [link removed] ] (Washington Post)

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Inslee announces special session to settle drug possession law

Gov. Jay Inslee has called the Legislature back to Olympia [ [link removed] ] to settle the matter of drug possession once and for all. A special session will begin May 16, focusing on a so-called “Blake fix.”

The Blake fix was the only remaining must-do item legislators didn’t finish during the regular legislative session [ [link removed] ] that ended April 23. In 2021, the Washington Supreme Court overturned the state’s felony drug possession law. Legislators adopted a temporary misdemeanor policy that expires July 1. In the absence of a statewide policy, several cities and counties have announced their intent to pass their own ordinances which would create a confusing patchwork of policies, treatment options and penalties.

The Legislature has earmarked more than $600 million in new state funding for myriad behavioral health services, including additional treatment facilities and services for people with substance use disorders

"My office and I have been meeting with legislators from all four caucuses and I am very optimistic about reaching an agreement that can pass both chambers,” Inslee said. “Cities and counties are eager to see a statewide policy that balances accountability and treatment, and I believe we can produce a bipartisan bill that does just that. Details are still being negotiated, but caucus leaders share the desire to pass a bill. I believe that starting the clock on May 16 will put us on a path to getting the job done this month"

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Inslee signs climate laws to implement clean energy future
Gov. Jay Inslee poses for a selfie at a Wednesday bill signing in Richland.

Gov. Jay Inslee poses for a selfie with Leah Missik from Climate Solutions, Jamie Stroble from The Nature Conservancy, and Sen. Joe Nguyễn at a Wednesday bill signing in Richland. “Washington Leads on Climate” reads Stroble’s sign.

Washington state has set an ambitious goal to achieve a 100-percent clean energy grid by 2045. Legislators passed more than half a dozen bills this session to walk the state as many steps towards a clean energy future. Gov. Jay Inslee signed the bills in Richland Wednesday.

The 2021 Climate Commitment Act and 2019 Clean Energy Transformation Act require a dramatic reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Policymakers are now implementing strategies to fulfill that commitment. Their strategies are supported by more than $2 billion in new clean energy investments.

The bills signed Wednesday will accelerate permitting for clean energy projects, help plan for electrical grid expansion, motivate industry to adopt renewable energy, and create new climate-related service opportunities.

*Read more on the governor’s Medium.* [ [link removed] ]

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Law enforcement and lawmakers open new police training center
Gov. Jay Inslee proposed regional police training last July.

Gov. Jay Inslee and legislators proposed regional police training last July to remove a barrier to the law enforcement profession. The first new training center opened Wednesday in Pasco.

Gov. Jay Inslee, state lawmakers, and law enforcement leaders gathered in Pasco Wednesday to cut the ribbon on a new regional police training center.

For many years, all police recruits statewide traveled to Burien to complete the Basic Law Enforcement Academy. The academy takes several weeks to compete, so recruits had to leave their families and travel some distance to complete the training.

Last July, the governor proposed a regional training model [ [link removed] ] so that recruits might train closer to home. The newly-opened training center in Pasco is the first new regional campus to open under the plan.

“As we heard from law enforcement today, this effort to fund more training and establish new training locations will not only help with the number of officers, but will also help the recruitment of officers that better reflect the communities in which they work,” said Inslee.

The governor also signed SB 5352 Wednesday to provide law enforcement more discretion when to engage in vehicular pursuits [ [link removed] ].

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News you might have missed:

*Commerce programs boost child care where needed most*

There were 2,200 residents under 18 years old in Skamania County when the county’s first licensed child care center opened in 2018. Estimates suggest that 63 percent of Washington children live in areas with inadequate child care, particularly in rural communities. The state Department of Commerce began a Child Care Partnership Grant pilot [ [link removed] ] in 2020 and has since funded 41 community partnerships to add 1,353 new child care spots across 28 counties.

“We hope to support many more historically marginalized and underserved communities that need affordable, quality child care,” said Cheryl Smith, director of Commerce’s community engagement and outreach.

*Help spot invasive crabs*

European green crabs are an invasive species damaging marine habitats. The Washington Sea Grant and Washington State University are launching a volunteer early detection program [ [link removed] ]. Upcoming training events in Kitsap, Mason, Snohomish, King, Thurston, San Juan, Whatcom, Pierce, and Skagit counties will educate volunteers to spot and report the invasive crabs. The trainings will be held during May and June.

WA ranks #2 in "Best States" report

U.S. News and World Report issues a "Best States" ranking each year, and Washington state consistently tops the list due in part to its strong economy, strong schools, strong financial position, and unrivaled natural environment. This year, Washington state placed second on the list [ [link removed] ].

"I'm always proud to brag about our state, and it's gratifying to see that Washington consistently ranks among the best states in America," tweeted Gov. Jay Inslee [ [link removed] ].

Hanford Site parties agree to new plans to manage tank waste

The U.S. Department of Energy, Washington State Department of Ecology, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have reached conceptual agreement [ [link removed] ] on revising plans for managing millions of gallons of waste stored in tanks at the Hanford Site.

"I’m pleased @EcologyWA [ [link removed] ] and the federal government have achieved conceptual agreement in the Holistic Negotiations regarding cleanup of the Hanford Site. There is significant work ahead but this is a big step towards a safe, effective & achievable cleanup," tweeted Gov. Jay Inslee [ [link removed] ].

*Washington has a new state dinosaur*

A large, two-legged, meat-eating therapod once roamed Washington state, as paleontologists discovered in 2012. They found a partial thigh bone for a dinosaur similar to but smaller than a Tyrannosaurus on the shores of Sucia Island State Park. A decade later, a class project to teach kids how a bill becomes a law led to Gov. Jay Inslee signing a bill to proclaim the Suciasaurus rex as Washington’s official state dinosaur [ [link removed] ]. Students from Elmhurst Elementary in Tacoma engaged their legislator Rep. Melanie Morgan to introduce the bill - both the students and Rep. Morgan were present for the signing.

Gov. Jay Inslee signs a bill proclaiming Suciasaurus rex as Washington’s official state dinosaur.

Gov. Jay Inslee signs a bill proclaiming Suciasaurus rex as Washington’s official state dinosaur.

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