Due to efforts to lessen the spread of coronavirus during the COVID-19 pandemic, the previous two legislative sessions saw a limited number of lawmakers on site at the Capitol

Brett Davis
The Center Square Washington

Washington state lawmakers, who will no doubt clash with each other on a number of issues over the next 105 days, unabashedly agreed on one thing during Monday’s kick-off of the 2023 legislative session: it’s good to be gathering in person again for the first time in two years.

Due to efforts to lessen the spread of coronavirus during the COVID-19 pandemic, the previous two legislative sessions saw a limited number of lawmakers on site at the Capitol in Olympia, and fully remote committee hearings.

Lawmakers weren’t shy about expressing how happy they are to be back full time at the Capitol.

“Oh, it’s so good to be back,” Sen. Andy Billig, D-Spokane, told Mike McClanahan, host of TVW’s “The Impact,” shortly before opening day ceremonies took place in both the House and Senate. “It’s fun to see everyone. You know, we’re a citizen Legislature, so my other job is in baseball. So opening day at the Legislature and opening day in baseball always feel similar with the festivities and the national anthem and every bill is alive, just like every team could still win the World Series.”

The Senate Majority Leader is part owner and former general manager/president of the Spokane Indians Baseball Club.

His counterpart in the House, Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, echoed that sentiment in her appearance on “The Impact.”

“I just want to say it’s great to be back sitting in the Capitol interviewing with you, to have the whole Legislature back in person and have the public back here,” she said. “That feels like a huge victory right now.”

Republicans said much the same thing during opening ceremonies in the House.

“But what I really want to say it is it’s so good to see this floor full again – and the galleries full, and the wings,” Rep. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda, said. “It’s good to see people back, and I’m really excited to have an in-person session.”

Rep. J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, noted that some lawmakers have never taken part in a fully in-person legislative session until this year.

The House Republican Leader expressed hope that gathering in-person would inspire lawmakers to work together in agreeable fashion even when they disagree.

“We’ve seen conflict here, sometimes triumph,” he said. “Sometimes we’ve lived up to the grandeur of the building. But the other thing we’ve seen over time, I think, is less of a sense of reverence for our institution.”

The pandemic, Wilcox said, has had a detrimental effect on institutions like the Legislature.

“Almost every institution in our communities and our country has been torn down to some extent,” he said. “Let’s be part of building one up. Let’s honor this institution, not by every giving up, not by forgetting our principles. But by persuading in the most effective way. Making an impact in the moment in that debate, but doing it in such a way that your opponents will have more respect for you instead of less.”

The bulk of lawmakers’ work will be finalizing a new two-year state budget.

Last month, Gov. Jay Inslee put out a $70.4 billion budget proposal that focuses heavily on combating homelessness.

The House and Senate will release their own budget proposals in the coming weeks.

Other major issues the Legislature is expected to tackle this year include public safety, drug possession, and the environment.

This report was first published by The Center Square Washington.