OLYMPIA - Representative Tom Dent (R–Moses Lake) and Senator Judy Warnick (R–Moses Lake) both have multiple bills proceeding through the Washington Legislature during this year’s legislative session, which began Monday.

Dent is working to establish an aviation and aerospace advisory committee, better manage wildfires and manage pesticides while Warnick is working on a tax exemption for wine and to address education for dental professionals.

Below is a noncomprehensive list of bills proposed or sponsored by Dent and Warnick along with a brief summary of the bill as found in the summary of each piece of proposed legislation.

Bills proposed by Dent:

HB 1040 - Establishing an aviation and aerospace advisory committee

Sponsors: Dent, Orwall, Corry, Ryu, Schmidt, Christian

This bill would appoint and maintain an aviation and aerospace advisory committee to generally advise the director and the secretary of the department of transportation on matters related to aviation and aerospace in Washington state, the bill states. This includes, but is not limited to, developing recommendations regarding capital budget requests related to aviation and aerospace needs and developing strategies to enhance the safe and effective use of public use airports and aerospace facilities in Washington state.

This bill would take effect July 1, 2023.

The bill was prefiled for introduction on Dec. 15 and on Jan. 9 it was referred to the Innovation, Community & Economic Development, & Veterans committee.

Upcoming meetings:

Jan. 11- Scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Innovation, Community & Economic Development, & Veterans at 8 a.m.

Jan. 13 - Scheduled for executive session in the House Committee on Innovation, Community & Economic Development, & Veterans at 10:30 a.m.

HB 1032 - Mitigating the risk of wildfires through electric utility planning and identification of best management practices appropriate to each electric utility's circumstances

Sponsors: Dent, Chapman, Ryu, Reed, Graham, Ramel

The bill states this act would authorize the identification of best practices guidelines to mitigate wildfires and require electric utilities to provide their wildfire mitigation plans to the state in order to promote public transparency.

The bill was prefiled for introduction on Dec. 13 and on Jan. 9 it was referred to the Agriculture and Natural Resources committee.

Upcoming meetings:

Jan 13- Scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources at 10:30 a.m.

HB 1019 - Creating the pesticide advisory board

Sponsors: Dent, Chapman, Ryu, Corry

The bill states that the legislature finds that agency decisions related to the regulation of pesticides benefit from robust community and stakeholder engagement and intends to create a formal and permanent advisory board to advise the department of agriculture on pesticide-related actions.

The bill was prefiled for introduction on Dec. 8 and on Jan. 9 it was referred to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.

Upcoming meetings:

Jan 13- Scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources at 10:30 a.m.

Bills proposed by Warnick:

SB 5013 - Providing a tax exemption for the first 20,000 gallons of wine sold by a winery in Washington

Sponsors: Warnick, Keiser

The bill would create a tax break for small wineries. The bill states that small wineries have faced significant challenges in recent years resulting in dozens of small wineries closing their doors each year. The loss of these businesses means Washington loses not just the wine excise tax income from these wineries, but also the sales and use tax income, the business and occupation tax income, and the jobs, tourism opportunities, and community contributions these wineries would otherwise make.

The bill was prefiled for introduction on Dec. 6 and on Jan. 9 it was referred to the Business, Financial Services, Gaming & Trade Committee.

Upcoming meetings:

Jan 10 - Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce at 10:30 a.m. in anticipation of other legislative action.

SB 5113 - Concerning faculty in dental schools

Sponsors: Warnick, Randall, by request of Department of Health

The act amends wording that any institution of higher education in Washington state accredited by the commission on dental accreditation, rather than just the University of Washington.

The bill was prefiled for introduction on Dec. 30 and on Jan. 9 it was referred to the Health & Long Term Care Committee.

Contact your legislator:

Tom Dent

437 John L. O'Brien Building

P.O. Box 40600

Olympia, WA 98504-0600

tom.dent@leg.wa.gov

Toll Free: 800-562-6000

Direct Line: (360) 786-7932

Judy Warnick

103 Irv Newhouse Building

P.O. Box 40413

Olympia, WA 98501

360.786.7624