Historic day kicks off 2020 session
Prepared by Marie Sullivan, WSPTA Legislative Consultant, legconsultant@wastatepta.org
The House kicked off the 2020 session January 13 by swearing in Rep. Laurie Jinkins, D-27, as the first woman Speaker of the House in Washington state history. Jinkins and many colleagues wore white in celebration of women’s suffrage, and Jinkins vowed to work hard on behalf of all the citizens of Washington state.
Monday also marked the day for new members and re-elected members (members being replaced are in parentheses), to be sworn in. This included Sen. Ron Muzzall, R-10 (Bailey); Rep. Davina Duerr, D-1 (Stanford); Rep. Alex Ramel, D-40 (Morris); and Jesse Johnson, D-30 (Reeves). Both Sen. Liz Lovlett, D-40, and Rep. Alex Ybarra, R-12, who were appointed last session, won re-election campaigns in November. And the Senate officially welcomed Derek Stanford, D-1, who replaced former Senator Guy Palumbo.
On Tuesday, Governor Jay Inslee delivered his state of the state address. Titled “The Best of Who We Are,” Inslee recognized previous successes that are making Washington a sought-after place to live, work and play. This included an emphasis on the Career Connected Learning Initiative, with the Governor citing several examples of how the effort is helping K-12 students who may be seeking well-paying career pathways, as well as individuals thinking of mid-career changes.
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