From the Director – Session Begins January 8

Many legislators have already moved to Olympia and began holding meetings on Tuesday, January 2. AWC’s legislative staff has been busy drafting bills and securing legislative support for our priorities, as determined by the AWC Board last month.

These priorities were outlined in the December Legislative Bulletin and can be accessed on AWC’s website, www.awcnet.org. In addition to our weekly Bulletin, we will update our website to include the latest action on our priority bills and other proposals of importance to cities and towns.

You will note changes to the front page of the printed Bulletin this year. This was done in response to comments we received from a number of you. Time is precious, and some city officials want to be able to take a quick glance at the Bulletin to find the highlights of the week. Beginning next week, the front page will provide a summary of the most important events for the prior week and the week to come, and will identify "calls for action" from city officials. Additional details about the issues will be provided later in the Bulletin. The electronicversion of the Bulletin will also highlight key issues and action items. We hope you find this format change helpful and encourage your comments.

This is the longer 105-day session, scheduled to conclude on April 22. We expect a quick start but also recognize many issues won’t be resolved until the last few weeks. We will be judicious with our calls for action by city officials. We are hopeful you will retain regular contact with your legislators, so when we need quick calls to their offices, you will have established relationships that allow for equally quick legislative responses. The best lobbying always come from home.

Thanks in advance for all of your help. Please feel free to call at any time with any questions.

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